Wow – I love GenealogyBank.

We routinely hear from genealogists telling about their success – “Wow, look what I found!” We really love to hear those stories and today it is my turn. Last week I was stunned to find that one of my cousins had posted early photographs of our family online. There they were – the actual... (Read More)

Patsy Leaves Family History TV Show over Gangland Grandpa

Uncovering our family history can reveal saints and sinners as we dig through old newspapers. Genealogists using GenealogyBank become used to finding a scoundrel here and there on the branches of the family tree. But British actress – Patsy Kensit was not prepared for what she discovered while filming a TV show for the... (Read More)

Thank you GenealogyBank!

We get letters all the time from ecstatic genealogists who broke through their brick walls in GenealogyBank. Grateful letters that say – “Wow – I finally found him” in GenealogyBank … thank you, thank you. Tonight I received a “Wow – I finally found him” note from Jane Giavelli Lauhon. She wrote: Thank you... (Read More)

Wild Bill Obama

May 27th was Wild Bill Hickok’s day – I wrote about how easy it is to find newspaper articles about him in GenealogyBank. Wild Bill Hickok is in the news again – when Barack Obama mentioned his family tradition that he was a distant cousin to Wild Bill – James Butler Hickok (1837-1876).  ... (Read More)

This just in – Viewer Mail

Hi Tom, I really do need to share with you GenealogyBank‘s latest contribution to my family history research! I really do love GenealogyBank. Without it, I would not know about the accident that caused the death of my grandmother’s youngest brother. Nor would I have known when it occurred. Nor would I have found... (Read More)

Tracking down Family Bibles ….

Family Bibles have been treasured by families for generations, but finding them today can be difficult.   It was common for families to have a family Bible – a large bound book that was prominently displayed in the family parlor – “…a large octavo volume, with a more or less ornate binding, with blank... (Read More)

Newspapers are terrific!

Newspapers are terrific! They give us the real details of our ancestor’s lives. This week I found an article about the estate sale for my first cousin, Thomas Huse (1742/43-1816). It was published in the Newburyport (MA) Herald, 16 July 1816. Everything was being sold – his household effects; a covered sleigh; ox cart,... (Read More)