Sunday, December 30, 2012
Top 100 Most Popular Genealogy Websites - 2012
The article explains the methodology used to come up with the list, and then gives you the following information on each site: rank, website name, category, country, free or pay, Alexa traffic rank, website address.
The article concludes with several insights gained from the survey. For instance, genealogy forums are the second most popular category; three genealogy society websites made the list; and more than half of the top 100 are free.
If nothing else, this is a good article to read just to be sure there is not a website out there that you are not aware of, but which can help with your research.
Check it out at:
Top 100 Most Popular Genealogy Websites
Friday, December 28, 2012
Why Join A Genealogy Society
An article recently appeared in the blog Finding Our Ancestors by Terri that is worth a look. It has to do with why belonging to a genealogy society is a good idea.
There is much talk in the blog world about the usefulness of genealogy societies in this age of instant, mass, and omnipresent communication; and online data access. This article puts the issue into perspective.
Give it a look at:
10 Reasons to Join a Genealogy Society | Finding Our Ancestors
Saturday, December 22, 2012
“Must See” Site for African American Research
The website titled Lowcountry Africana is a necessary stop if you are doing African American research. The site deals with African American genealogy and history in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
You can find videos, online books, tips on getting started in your research, and more. You will even find a listing of South Carolina slaveholders. When you expand one of the listed names, you are taken to a relevant article giving slave information or information about the slave owner’s genealogy.
Check it out at:
Thursday, December 20, 2012
The Complicated Hunt for Obituaries
James Tanner in his blog Genealogy’s Star gives us some personal examples from his own genealogy of the “illogical” place and time that peoples’ obituaries can appear. Sometimes they can be published well after a death, and sometimes they will appear in newspapers well-removed from the actual place of death.
James’ article alerts us to those possibilities and offers some search considerations. Read his article at Genealogy's Star: I read it in the newspaper
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
The Transitory Nature of Memories
Sharon Tate Moody, writing for Tampa Bay Online, gives us an article that will appeal to those of you with a scientific bent.
She brings together some of the tenets of genealogical research and findings of scientific studies that speak to the effect of the passage of time on the accuracy of memories.
The article is a good read and can be found at:
Sunday, December 16, 2012
School Yearbooks: A Source To Be Remembered
This from Ancestry: "While yearbooks may not provide information about the vital events that are usually associated with genealogical research, they do provide other information about individuals' lives. This information helps place people in historical context as well as provides detail that helps turn individuals, sometimes only known by names and dates, into actual people."
To find the collection, search the catalog with the key word "school." With recent new additions, the collection has over 200 million records.
Ancestry is a subscription service, but you can get to it for free from your public library.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Lots of Tips
The Genealogy In Time Magazine has consolidated some of its “tips of the week” into one idea-packed article. It covers topics from census to photographs to family Bibles.
Check it out at:
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Register for the 2013 PGS Seminar
Members can register for $40 and non-members for $45. But this only applies until 2 February. After that, all pay an at-the-door price of $50.
Registering early includes lunch, while the late registration does not.
So there is ample incentive to register early. You can find a registration form in our brochure available at the Genealogy Center of the Largo Public Library, and you can also find one (along with lots of seminar information) at the PGS website: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~flpgs/
You can also find more information about the seminar in previous blog posts for the following dates: 30 October, 10 November, and 20 November.
Monday, December 10, 2012
An Approach to English Genealogy
The article takes a chronological approach to the subject; that is, it first examines the types of records that exist in a given time period, and then goes into how one would find those records.
You can find Part I of the article at:
A Date Guide to English Genealogy (Part 1)
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Naturalization Records
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Germanic Genealogical Society Seminar To Be Held 26 January 2013
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Search Tip for FindAGrave
Check out that time and more ate Search Tip of the Day--Almost Every Day: Lazy Trick for FindAGrave
Sunday, December 2, 2012
The "Why" of Genealogy by Thomas MacEntee
Friday, November 30, 2012
Federal Census Fun
If you want a fun, informative and interactive adventure exploring 220 years of the US Federal Census, go to the following link:
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch
Having trouble finding the SSDI at FamilySearch? Put this link in your favorites:
https://familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://familysearch.org/searchapi/search/collection/1202535
Monday, November 26, 2012
“Sketchy” Sources Have Their Use Too
Harold Henderson, Writing in Midwestern Microhistory: A Genealogy Blog, gives us an insight to the value of those less-than-credible sources we often run across…you know the type…online family trees, for example.
His point is that they can provide leads, if not proof. Harold ends his piece with a comment that is now on my list of favorite quotes: “Leads document our chase, and later on higher-quality sources document our case…”
Read the full article at:
Midwestern Microhistory: A Genealogy Blog: Cite Your Low-Rent Sources!
Saturday, November 24, 2012
More Than Just The Obituary
Here is a great tip from Michael John Neill, especially for those of you who like to peruse old newspapers. It has to do with what can appear in print some time after the obituary.
You can find the tip at:
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Free Search of UK Burial and Cremation Records
The website Deceased Online is a fee site, but allows a free search. After the search you can decide if you wish to buy credits to get more information.
Deceased Online is the first central database of statutory burial and cremation registers for the UK and Republic of Ireland -- a unique resource for family history researchers and professional genealogists.
Until now, to search these records you had to approach about 3,000 burial authorities and nearly 250 crematoria in the UK alone, each independently holding their own registers, mostly as old fragile books. No official central repository exists.
Deceased Online is changing this. They are making it possible for burial and cremation authorities around the country to convert their register records, maps and photographs into digital form and bring them together into a central searchable collection.
The growing database, holding records mainly from the 1850s onwards, can provide invaluable information for researching family trees, and can reveal previously unknown family links from other interments recorded in the same grave.
You can access the site at:
Burial records, cremation records, grave maps, genealogy and ancestry at Deceased Online
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Schedule of Events for the 2013 PGS Seminar
Speaker: Sharon DeBartolo Carmack
8:00 AM
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Registration; continental breakfast
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8:40 AM
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Opening
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9:00 AM
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Cryptic Clues
in the Bone Yard
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10:00 AM
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Break
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10:15 AM
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Love Letters,
Diaries, and Autobiographies: Lets Leave’em Something to talk About
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11:30 AM
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Lunch
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12:30 PM
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Break Out
Speakers
Peter Summers: Topic "The OTHER Census Documents -- Explore census records created beyond the population listing we normally use."
Debbie Hagner: Topic TBD
Debra Fleming: Topic TBD
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1:30 PM
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Break
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1:45 PM
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The Silent
Woman: Bringing a Name to Life
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2:45 PM
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Break
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3:00 PM
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Flesh on the
Bones: Putting Your Ancestors into Historical Perspective
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4:00 PM
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Closing
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For a bio of Sharon DeBartolo, the featured speaker, see the post for 30 Oct 2012.
You can find pricing and additional informaton at the PGS website. There you will also find a registration form. The website address is http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~flpgs/
Sunday, November 18, 2012
National Archives Raises Prices
Use the following link to get to the page that shows the increase for ordering various military records: http://goo.gl/4mDJo
Once you are on that page, click on the link for "Military Service and Pension Records."
If the above link does not function, use this longer one:
https://eservices.archives.gov/orderonline/start.swe?SWECmd=GotoView&SWEScreen=GPEA+Catalog+Screen+FFO&SWEView=GPEA+Made-To-Order+Reproduction+Landing+Page+View+FFO
Friday, November 16, 2012
Check Out the ProGenealogists Website
The ProGenealogists website offers many articles and tools to promote your genealogy research. There is a lot of free stuff if you explore the “Research Tools” tab at the top of the page. Check it out at:
Professional Genealogists in Utah - Worldwide Research | ProGenealogists
(Thanks to Randy Seaver and Genea-Musings for this tip.)
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Topographical Maps Can Pay Off
William Dollarhide, writing in the Genealogy Blog of Leland Meitzler, gives us a detailed explanation of the use one can make of a topographical map, specifically the 7.5 map series of the US Geological Survey.
His article explains the maps well, and gives many examples of how they can be used to further genealogical research.
The Pinellas Genealogy Society has two classes that explain the uses of several different types of maps, as well as give suggestions about where to find them. “Topo” maps are one of those included in the discussion.
If Dollarhide’s article sparks your interest at all, check out the PGS class list (on the society website http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~flpgs/index.htm) to be sure you don’t miss the next time one of those classes is scheduled.
You can find the article at the following address:
Monday, November 12, 2012
Question Everything…Even Birth Certificates
Sharon Tate Moody gives us some things to consider in our research, even when that research involves birth certificates—records we tend to take at face value.
Sharon, writing in Tampa Bay Online (TBO.com), gives us several examples of where the information on birth certificates can be misleading, or flat wrong. She points out that the only primary evidence on a birth certificate is that concerning the live birth of the child…nothing else.
Check out the article at:
Saturday, November 10, 2012
PGS Annual Seminar To Be Held 9 February 2013
For pricing, registration form, and additional information, see the PGS webpage at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~flpgs/ . You can also drop by the Genealogy Center at the Largo Public Library and pick up a seminar brochure.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Congratulations to Sharon Tate Moody
Keep up the good work, Sharon.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
FamilySearch Add Texas Death Records
The FamilySearch website has recently added new images of Texas death records for the period 1890-1976. The records are also indexed.
These are state-wide records and include delayed certificates, foreign deaths, and probate obituaries. There are almost nine million images in the collection. You can search the collection by using the following link:
Search Results—FamilySearch.org — Free Family History and Genealogy Records
Sunday, November 4, 2012
A Way to Uncover Family Stories
Knowing how to ask relatives questions to help them reveal those long-buried memories is a skill a family historian needs. This article gives some ideas about that and does it in a compelling way.
Read Sharon’s article at Use props to pry out family stories | TBO.com
Friday, November 2, 2012
Online Birth and Marriage Records Indexes - Updated
Joe Beine has a number of great indexes of websites dealing with specific topics that he keeps updated. One of those is an index of online Birth and marriage records.
He has recently updated those indexes and posted the changes on his Genealogy Roots Blog. The blog post will give you a link to the indexes themselves.
Genealogy Roots Blog: Online Birth and Marriage Records Indexes - Latest Additions and Updates
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
PGS Annual Seminar Features Sharon DeBartolo Carmack
For the price of the seminar and a registration form, go to the Pinellas Genealogy Society website at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~flpgs/
Monday, October 29, 2012
Scottish Genealogy Web Site
The site Scotland’s People has been around for ten years now and bills itself as one of the largest online sources of original genealogical information. It features Scottish census records, wills, birth and death certificates, and more.
It is a fee site, but you can do a name search on all of their records for free.
Check it out if you have Scottish ancestry. Find it at Genealogy Scottish family birth records census ancestry Scotland uk - ScotlandsPeople
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Attend Family History Assistance Day on 10 November
The event takes place in the Jenkins Room of the Largo Public Library, Largo, Florida; and no reservations are required...it is first come first served.
In addition to the research help there will be a couple classes offered on Evaluating Your Evidence. You can sit in on the class before or after your assistance session, or as you are waiting to be helped.
This is the 4th time the event has been offered and each time it has increased in popularity. Mark the 10th of November on your calendar and join us for an afternoon of fun and productivity.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Ann Wilson Honored by the PGS
President David Dellinger Making the Presentation to Ann |
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Kansas Historical Society Archives Online
Kansas Memory is the Kansas Historical Society online archives of documents, photographs, and more. It recently added 250,000 images to the site.
The site is rich in information and easy to navigate, with several filters available to narrow your search. A quick look reveals documents from the early 1800’s to the 2000’s.
If you have Kansas ancestors, or ancestors who passed through Kansas on the way further west, you may profit from exploring this site. Check it out at Kansas Memory
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Back to Adam
James Tanner in his blog Genealogy’s Star addresses genealogies that go way way back…perhaps to Adam. Actually, his article addresses the issue “again.” He has written about such research before and liberally references some of his earlier writing.
It is a good article on the challenges and pitfalls in researching early times (certainly before 1500), and it provides some helpful links for those interested in doing so.
Most intriguing (and revealing) is James’ concluding thought":
”The tragedy of the "back to Adam" issue is that it diverts resources, time and effort from legitimate research and give novices a very unreasonable expectation. One of the common questions asked of me is "How far back have you done your genealogy?" Not how well have you done your genealogy, not how valid are your conclusions, but just how far. Genealogy is not a competition sport.”
The article is well-worth reading. You can find it at Genealogy's Star: Back to Back to Adam
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Free Newspaper Archives in the US
The Free Newspaper Archives website lists many free sources of online newspapers. The site organizes the links by section of the country (western, northeastern, etc.) to make the search easier.
At the bottom of the home page are some other interesting links you may want to follow… “European Historical Newspapers,” for example.
Check it out at Free Newspaper Archives in the US
Friday, October 19, 2012
Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center - Genealogy Center Surname File
Here is a database you may find helpful. It comes from the Allen County Public Library and consists of names and contact information for individuals who have visited the Genealogy Center of the library since 1998 and have provided the surnames they were researching. The database is updated quarterly.
Check it out. You may find a researcher on the trail of one of your ancestors. The website is Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center - Genealogy Center Surname File
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
How to Use National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (NUCMC)
The NUCMC is found at the Library of Congress website <http://www.loc.gov/coll/nucmc/>. Borrowing from the site, here is what it is about:
”The mission of the NUCMC program is to provide and promote bibliographic access to the nation's documentary heritage. This mission is realized by NUCMC production of cataloging describing archival and manuscript collections held by eligible repositories located throughout the United States and its territories. The program's mission is further realized by the provision of free searching, via NUCMC gateways, of archival and manuscript cataloging in OCLC WorldCat.”
If that is a bit too “governmenty” for you, then you may get a lot from Diane Beumenot on the One Rhode Island Family blog. She outlines her use of NUCMC with some clear examples. After reading her post, you can see what a valuable resource it is. Check out her article at How to Use NUCMC to Perform a Miracle « One Rhode Island Family
Monday, October 15, 2012
Another Take on Organizing Your Stuff
James Tanner in his blog Genealogy’s Star has shared his approach to organizing his genealogy documents. It is a computer-based system than relies on scanning and naming (including the assignment of “metadata”). What it does not entail is the use of traditional folders or binders to store his paper files.
This is a straight-forward approach that may seem “gutsy” to some of you, but which is worth the read. You can find the article at Genealogy's Star: A Note on Organization
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Headstones Provided for Union Civil War Veterans
An act of Congress in 1879 allowed for the government to provide headstones for soldiers buried in private cemeteries. The information about such provisions for the period 1879 to 1903 was recorded on cards and subsequently put on microfilm. The information on those cards is now available online through a volunteer effort.
The information provided includes name, rank, company and regiment, place of burial (including the cemetery’s name and where it is located), date of death. Most of the burials were in private cemeteries, but some were at National Homes for Disabled Soldiers.
Keep in mind the limitations of this database: Union only, private cemeteries (mostly), and death between 1861 and 1902 (approximately).
NOTE: there are a few War of 1812 veterans included in the list.
Check it out at Genealogy Trails - Cards of Union Civil War Headstones
Friday, October 12, 2012
Upcoming Events for the Lee County Genealogy Society of Florida
When: Thursday, October 18, 2012, 10:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Where: Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall, 4141 DeLeon Street, Fort Myers, Florida.
Don't forget the November 3, 2012 Fall Seminar "DAR Research" given by LCGS and Estero Island Chapter of the NDAR, Debbie Duay, speakeer. Pre-Registration is required:
Thursday, October 11, 2012
MillionShort, A Different Approach to Searching the Internet
MillionShort is a unique search engine: it allows you to remove the most poplar websites from consideration in your search. At first this sounds antithetical to a good search, but a little thought will reveal how it may be a good thing.
Often when we search for an ancestor’s name, it will be found in obscure websites, and those hits, if they are listed at all, are shown well down the list. In fact, they may be so far down the list that you never even look at them. MillionShort gives them better visibility.
The search options allow you to choose the number of popular sites to ignore during the search. The options range from remove none to remove one million.
This can be a fun and profitable exploration. Try it at MillionShort
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Facebook and Genealogy
She started out not thinking she would have any serious use for Facebook, but then discovered ways to make it work to promote her research and her connectedness to family. Her “conversion” is not necessarily unique, but is well-worth reading about if you are not familiar with the possibilities that Facebook presents.
Read Sharon’s article at Facebook is a friend to genealogists | TBO.com
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Finding a Woman’s Maiden Name
William Dollarhide, writing in Lelan Meitzler’s Genealogy Blog, gives us a list of 90 places you may find information about a woman’s maiden name.
This may be just the nudge you need to break through one of your brick walls. You can find the article at http://www.genealogyblog.com/?p=21263
Friday, October 5, 2012
Incorporation Ledgers Indian Territory & Oklahoma Territory Incorporation Registers
Here is the explanation of the site offerings from the site itself:
”The Incorporation Records for the Oklahoma and Indian Territories have been digitized in a joint project with the Oklahoma Historical Society and the Oklahoma Secretary of State's Office. The ledger books were generated by the Territorial secretary as new businesses and municipalities began conducting business. There are 27 volumes of Oklahoma Territory Incorporation Records and 15 volumes for Indian Territory. Some examples of the entries found in the ledgers include: Agreement & Incorporation, Incorporation Amendment, Appointment of Agent, Dissolution, as well as lease and mortgage transactions. The entries begin in 1890 and continue until statehood is established in 1907.”
As an example, I found that the L. C Smith and Brothers Typewriter Company in 1907 executed an incorporation…and a PDF of the document is available for viewing and download.
You can find the database at OHS Research Center | Incorporation Ledgers Indian Territory & Oklahoma Territory
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Understand the Source Before You Look at the Records
An article recently published by Audrey Collins in the blog The Family Recorder contains some great advice for us. Her point is that before we get involved in looking for data in the many databases available on line now, we should be sure and check the description and especially the source of that data.
For instance, we may start to search for a birth record in a database containing Wisconsin births from 1880 to 1890, and not realize that the county we are interested in is not included. A careful reading of the the database description and the data sources could have revealed that.
This is a well-written article and is worth you time. You can find it at: The Family Recorder: Online records - never mind the description, look at the source
Monday, October 1, 2012
Family History Assistance Day Is Coming Up
The event takes place in the Jenkins Room of the Largo Public Library, Largo, Florida; and no reservations are required...it is first come first served.
In addition to the research help there will be a couple classes offered on Evaluating Your Evidence. You can sit in on the class before or after your assistance session, or as you are waiting to be helped.
This is the 4th time the event has been offered and each time it has increased in popularity. Mark the 10th of November on your calendar and join us for an afternoon of fun and productivity.
New Italian Immigrant References Added to Collection
These additions bring the set up to date with a total of 28 volumes. Check it out the next time you are at the library.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Confused by Original Records, Image Copies, and Derivatives?
Elizabeth Shown Mills has produced a “Quick Lesson” on original records and derivatives that is well worth a good read.
She explains the differences between originals and various derivatives (such as certified copies, clerk’s copies, transcripts, extracts, and more). She then helps guide the reader through an understanding of the “quality” of each. The salient point she makes is that an exercise in good judgment on our part is always necessary. While there are principles we need to follow in the evaluation of our sources, there are few hard and fast rules. Her article is filled with examples of this.
The article is a bit long and the topic is technical…and the whole discussion is essential to good research evaluation.
You can find the article at Evidence Explained | QuickLesson 10: Original Records, Image Copies, and Derivatives
Thursday, September 27, 2012
TA View of Really Big Online Genealogical Databases
James Tanner writing is the Family Search TechTips blog gives us an informative take on really big online genealogical databases. Ancestry.com heads his list (as one might suspect), but he goes on to list a total of ten.
He includes a little about each one and then goes on to give some tips about searching them. You may find some new ideas in the article, but if not, it gives a good over-view of the “big hitters” in the on-line genealogy world, as well some great refreshers on how to deal with them.
You can find James’ article at The Ins and Outs of Really Big Online Genealogical Databases
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
New York State Archives
If you go to the home page and then click on “Find Family History Records,” you are taken to a page where you can use Ancestry.com to do a search of many records sets from the state archives. You have to register for a free account, but the instructions are clearly explained on the site.
Note, this does not give you unlimited access to Ancestry, but it does give you free access to this part of it. If you have an Ancestry.com subscription, the New York Archives contributions are already included in any Ancestry search you do.
Start your exploration at New York State Archives Homepage
Sunday, September 23, 2012
A One-Name Study May Be For You
A one-name study is research into the genealogy and family history of all persons with the same surname and its variants. It differs from other genealogy pursuits in that all of the people in the study need not be related.
This may be an advantageous line of research for you, because one of your missing links could be revealed. If you are new to the idea of this approach, the Guild of One-Name Studies has a website that can point the way to various on-going one-name studies as well as give you additional information.
Check it out at The Guild of One-Name Studies
Friday, September 21, 2012
FGS Seminar Features D. Joshua Taylor
Taylor's subject area, “Becoming a 21st Century Genealogist," will include these topics:. Going Digital: Organizing Your Research Files Electronically
. New Tools & Ideas in Research
. Legends & Fairy Tales: Finding the Roots of Your Family Legends
. On & Off the Net: Locality Searching
The cost for FGS members is $35 and $40 for non-members. The seminar will take place at the University of South Florida (Tampa Campus), Marshall Student Center, Room 2708 (Plaza Room).
For more information, visit the website: fgstampa.org
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
A Unique Brickwall Solution
The GenealogyInTime Magazine has an article about a study of marriage ages for men and women in the United States that leads to an interesting way to infer a missing birthdate for a spouse.
The article provides a graph and chart that shows, for different time periods, the typical age difference between husband and wife. So, if you have nothing else to go on, this gives you a way to form a working hypothesis about the birth date of one spouse if you know the birth date of the other. It won’t necessarily be precisely accurate, but it will give you a date to guide your research efforts.
You can read the article at Marriage and Age Differences .
The study itself was conducted by the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Library and Archives Canada on YouTube
If you have a YouTube account, this is a channel you will want to subscribe to. Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/user/LibraryArchiveCanada/
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Your Interviewing Job Never Stops
Of course we all know the importance of interviewing living family members to get the memories of their experiences and other family members. But we need to realize that the job of interviewing never stops…even for those we have already interviewed extensively. New information we get can be just the key needed to unlock even more memories in the person’s mind.
William Dollarhide, writing for Leland Meitzler’s Genealogy Blog, makes this point very well. He gives some personal examples of interviewing successes as well as lessons learned. It is well worth the read, and you can find the article at If You Never Ask the Question
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Family Trees on FamilySearch.org
If you sign in to FamilySearch.org you will see a link on the search page to “Trees.” You may also have heard of an opportunity to search “Family Tree” on the website. Well, those two “trees” are not the same. The first is visible to all users of the website, and the second you have to register and sign in to see.
If this is a bit confusing, James Tanner in his Blog Genealogy’s Star, attempts to un-confuse us. He explains the difference and gives step-by-step instructions on how to get access to both (whether you are a Church member or not). It is easy to do and something you want to do to get the most from the FamilySearch website.
You can read James’ piece at Genealogy's Star: Signing in to FamilySearch.org and Family Tree
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Soldiers and Sailors System Has a New Look
The search screens are new and several new categories for research have been added. In addition to information on soldiers (both Union and Confederate), sailors, cemeteries, prisoners, battles, and units; now you can find information on politicians, activists, spies, noted civilians, and more.
As before, the site is still a work in progress with only two POW camps and two cemeteries detailed, but the new site has much to offer.
Check it out at http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-database.htm
Don't forget that PGS offers a class on finding your Civil War Ancestors, in which use of the Soldiers and Sailors Database is covered in detail. Check the class calendar frequently to see when it is being offered next. < http://www.flpgs.org/classes.aspx >
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Aerial Photos of Britain
Here is a great website for those researching British ancestry. It is a collection of aerial photographs of Britain taken from 1919 to 1953. It is useful for getting the “lay of the land” where your ancestors may have lived.
The interface is slick. The home page presents a slide show while the location of the scene is shown on a map to the right of the slide. If you choose the link to browse images, you are presented with a map of Britain with the photographed areas marked. You then drill down until you have the photograph you want.
There is lots more to the site, and you can find it at Britain from Above | Rescue the Past
Friday, September 7, 2012
History and Value of Family Bibles
William Dollarhide, has an article in the Genealogy Blog about family bibles. He starts with a brief but interesting history of Bible publication starting with Gutenberg in 1454, and then moving to Martin Luther and King James I.
Bibles are treasures to genealogists, and Dollarhide explains why by outlining it’s place in family history, education, and legal matters. He gives an example of tracking down a family Bible from his own family. That process of finding the family Bible is the focus of the article.
This is a valuable and informative article. You can find it at Who Has That Family Bible?
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
How Rich (or Poor) Was My Ancestor?
You may have noticed the dollar value of property, real or personal, listed in some census records—for instance the 1860 US Census. You may also have then wondered what that translated into today’s dollars.
That sounds like a rather straight forward question, but it apparently is not. Harold Henderson in the Midwestern Microhistory Blog gives an explanation of some of the problems in determining present value, and he also gives some suggestions on how to get an idea of the relative worth of your ancestor’s holdings.
Check it out at Midwestern Microhistory: A Genealogy Blog: My ancestor had $1000 in 1860 -- was he rich?
Monday, September 3, 2012
Don't Forget Those Artifacts
But what about old cameras, old books, furniture, eye glasses, desks, tools, and even houses? Those also can have a value to us genealogists although we don’t always stop to think of it. They can carry family history that is just as important to us in giving "life" to our ancestors as those documents that we spend so much time trying to find. And just like photographs, they can stimulate memories from the living members of our families that might never see the light of day without such a prompt.
We genealogists become antique collectors because we are commentators of family history. Antique dealers treasure such items because of their monetary value; we treasure them because of the stories and history about our families that they carry…their value to us is intrinsic. An old corncob pipe may not be worth very much money, but if we know that it belonged to our great-great grandfather, and that it was his chief pleasure to sit on the porch in the evenings and smoke it while telling stories with the family after working the farm all day, then it has great value.
Other items that may have value to your family are those associated with ancestors’ hobbies or jobs, such as nurses’ uniforms or scissors, pocket watches or cuff links, dried flowers or pressed ones, etc. The list is virtually endless. Often it just requires us to change our focus during our research to recognize the genealogical values of such things.
My family, for instance, treasures a small marble topped table that belonged to my great grandmother. She, as a child, as well as her children and her children's children all, at one time or another, did their arithmetic homework on its top. They wrote directly on the marble with a pencil and then erased their figures to begin again, making the top dull and even wavy in spots. The table is valuable because of the history it carries…because of the role it played in the life of our family, and its imperfections add to the value.
Even houses can hold genealogical value. Parents and grandparents may have wonderful childhood memories about living in a specific house. Another set of stories that might be connected with a house deals with when it was first purchased. Our homes typically are the most expensive possessions we have, and committing to such an obligation for the first time usually impresses itself indelibly on our minds. Those types of memories deserve to be recorded and even amplified with appropriate photographs. They give a broader and deeper understanding of our families and the lives they led.
Treasures of this type are probably scattered with members of your family. A brother may have an old family desk; a cousin may possess a hall tree that once was a great grandparent’s. And of course there is always our own basement or attic that can hold an item waiting to be discovered.
Once an item is found and we discover the story associated with it, don’t forget to write that story down and also record when, where, and who told the story. And when you are recording the story and its source, don’t forget to describe the object that started it all, its location, and take a picture of it as well. Completely documenting sources applies equally to documents and artifacts alike. An excellent source to guide source documentation is Evidence Explained: Citing history sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace (Second Edition) by Elizabeth Shown Mills, Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., Baltimore, 2009.
The Pinellas Genealogy Society offers a class on documenting sources that may be of value to you. Check the website at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~flpgs/index.htm for more information.
So broaden your field of view during your research and consider family possessions as well as documents. The result will be a much deeper understanding and appreciation of the lives your ancestors led.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Search Tips
James Tanner in his Blog Genealogy’s Star has come through with another great article. This time he shares with us his “rules for optimizing online searches for genealogical information.”
We have all seen lists of search tips, I’m sure. Most genealogy sites even provide a link to a “how to search” page. But James’ seven rules are not of the common variety. He includes items like don’t get distracted, stick to it, and know when to stop.
This is worth your time, and can be found at Genealogy's Star: Navagating the Maze
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Land Record Research
For a more detailed explanation of why land records are important to genealogists, read the article at If He Owned Land, There’s a Deed
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
South Bay Genealogical Society Seminar Features John Colletta
Dr. Colletta's topics will include
--Breaking Through Brick Walls: Use Your Head
--The County Courthouse: "Your Trunk in the Attic"
--Turning Biographical Facts into Real Life Events, How to Build Historical Context
--Discovering the REAL Stories of Your Immigran Ancestors
The cost is $40 for SBGS members and $45 for non-members. Doors open at 8:30 AM and reservations close on February 8, 2013. For more information or to make a reservation send an email to south-bay@juno.com
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Suncoast Genealogy Society Seminar Scheduled for October 27
The speakers this year will be Patti Schultz and Pam Treme. They will talk on "Paint and Genealogy-Create Uniqe Captures of Pages from a Website to Add to Your Research," and "Next Generation-Who Will Continue Your Research?"
For additional information contact Ann James at 727-791-1983 or jamesamsj@aol.com
Solve Those Brick Wall Problems
The GenealogyInTime Magazine recently published an article on brick wall solutions—50 of them. It starts with a quote attributed to Thomas Edison: “I have not failed. I’ve just found ten thousand ways that won’t work.” How appropriate when applied to some of our research challenges we call “brick walls”!
The article addresses categories of solutions: names (maiden names, middle names, aliases), geography (changing jurisdictions, searching by village), local resources (schoolhouse records, poor houses), and migration (port of entry, land records, place of birth).
I’ve only listed some of the topics. There are actually 26 of them. At the bottom of the last page is a link to part two of the article where the next 24 suggestions are found. The categories for those suggestions are death, family, military records,and general.
This article may contain just the tip you need. You can find it at 50 Best Genealogy Brick Wall Solutions
Sunday, August 26, 2012
View of Genealogy’s Major Players
Recently James Tanner in his Blog Genealogy’s Star, wrote an overview of the “giants” of the genealogy world. In his view, the “giants” include Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, MyHeritage.com, and brightsolid.com.
His treatment of each includes some of their history, recent acquisitions, and possible strategies in some cases. It is well worth reading if you want some help in making sense of what we see happening in the marketplace. You can find James’ article at Genealogy's Star: Movement among the giants
Friday, August 24, 2012
War of 1812 Pension Application Files Free at Fold3
This is the two hundredth year anniversary of the War of 1812. As a consequence, that war is receiving more attention than it usually does…it is often referred to as “the ‘other’ war” or the “forgotten war.”
There is a huge effort underway to digitize the War of 1812 Pension Application Files. The work is being done by Fold2 with funding provided by the Federation of Genealogical Societies. At this point only about 3% of the files have been digitized, but they are free for viewing at Fold3. This is a site worth checking regularly because you can’t tell when your ancestor’s records will be added. While you are there, there are a couple other 1812 record sets that you can look at too.
Check it out at War of 1812 Pension Application Files - Fold3
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Planning to Visit an Archive
The thought of going to an actual archive can be intimidating to some people, but help is here. The Society of American Archivists has produced some guidance on effectively using archives. It covers such topics as the difference between archives and libraries, how to plan a visit, and usage guidelines.
If you wish, there is also a PDF version of the guide that you can download. You can read the article at http://www2.archivists.org/usingarchives