If you’re still on the fence about David Dobson’s new guidebook for Scottish genealogy, Brian Mitchell’s handbook for Irish roots, or the 6th edition of Paul Heinegg’s three-volume compilation of colonial-era free African Americans from Virginia and the Carolinas, you don’t have to rely on the publisher to help you make up your mind. We are happy to quote evaluations of those titles published in the latest reviews written by experienced genealogists.
Free African Americans of North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina from the Colonial Period to About 1820. 6th Edition, by Paul Heinegg
“If you have families in the three states mentioned, especially on the Virginia/North Carolina border, these are a must, even more so if you have reached a brick wall in your research. Many Georgia Families have ancestors in these volumes, and one friend found a long-lost ancestor in an earlier edition. Heinegg is to be commended for compiling this incredibly exhaustive work.” – Ken H. Thomas Jr., Atlanta Journal Constitution, 07-30-21.
“For forty years, Paul Heinegg has continued to research, revise, and update his award-winning book, first published in 1992 . . . [This] is a prestigious work of enormous breadth and detail. Heinegg’s set is an invaluable asset to the field of social history, as well as genealogy, that libraries will want to have in their holdings. Totally 1,752 pages, the three-volume paperback set includes a foreword, a thirty-six-page meticulous introduction to the subject, a list of abbreviations for major resources used throughout the publication, copious documentation, a seventeen-page bibliography of primary and secondary sources, and a full name index.” – Marleta Childs, “Kinsearching,” 08/01/2021.
“As we know, tracing enslaved ancestors in pre-Civil War records can be extremely challenging. With challenges of few mentions in government records and the many burned counties in the South, tracing free African Americans in that time period can be just as difficult.
If your family tree includes long lines of free African American family members who lived in North Carolina, South Carolina and/or Virginia, Paul Heinegg’s books might be the exact resource you need to extend your ancestral line another generation or two.
Mr. Heinegg has spent over 40 years researching and compiling data found in colonial and county records and manuscripts and has provided the genealogy world with an excellent resource. This was a mammoth undertaking! . . . an invaluable resource.” – Linda Stufflebean, “Empty Branches on the Family Tree,” 07/20/2021. View Book Details
Scottish Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond, by David Dobson
“Although Scottish Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond provides broad coverage of different types of records, some of which are now online, its real success lies in the detailed bibliographical listings of published sources that are available for many topics. . . The fourth chapter, simply entitled ‘Secondary Sources’, takes up half of the book and it is here that even the most experienced researchers will find useful assistance on a variety of subjects. . . The final chapter of this useful addition to the shelf of any Scottish genealogist provides a helpful exploration of Scotland’s diaspora in France, Scandinavia, Ireland, Poland and much further across the world, detailing publications that can assist, while an appendix provides contact details for family history societies.”- Chris Paton, Who Do You Think You Are Magazine, 2021.
“With an emphasis on publications, manuscript sources, and archival records, Dobson highlights ways to trace Scottish ancestors using alternative sources, primarily those covering the years between 1550 and 1850. . . Another unique feature of “Scottish Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond” is the inclusion of numerous excerpts from publications and archival records, which will help lead researchers to the sources most applicable to their research.
Critique: An absolute ‘must’ as an instructional guide and reference manual for novice (and even experienced) genealogists wanting to work with and research Scottish records, “Scottish Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond” is an ideal and unreservedly recommended resource for personal, professional, community college and university library Genealogical Studies collections.” – James A. Cox, The Midwest Book Review, May 2021.
“As a Scottish genealogist I was delighted to be asked to review this book! I was not disappointed! This is an amazing book suitable for not only the Beginner to Scottish Genealogy Research but for those who have been researching for a while and want to advance their research to the next level.” – Clare Wilson, Treehouse Genealogy, 06/29/21. View Book Details
New Pocket Guide to Irish Genealogy, by Brian Mitchell
The New Pocket Guide to Irish Genealogy is a complete update to earlier versions of Brian Mitchell’s excellent guide to doing Irish family history research. Acknowledging that most Irish resources are now online, this latest edition focuses on how to make use of these records so that even beginning genealogists can be successful. . . For such a small volume, this book was very comprehensive and easy to follow. I would recommend it to anyone interested in doing genealogy research in Ireland. . . Mr. Mitchell is an accredited genealogist in Ireland who has been doing family research since 1982. In addition to his general reference books, he has a specific focus on County Derry, where he has supervised the extraction of over a million records that can be accessed online . . .” – Nancy Remington, “The Bulletin” of the Genealogical Forum of Ireland, June 2021.
“This 2020 edition represents a major effort to include the ever-growing number of resources that have become accessible online. Although the Second Edition did have a chapter about “Irish Genealogy and the Internet,” this new edition contains more timely and relevant information. A new section that organizes ‘Insights and Strategies’ includes expanded and new content. There is a three-step guide to tracing your Irish ancestors, which is followed by a case study demonstrating how to employ the steps. The new content includes a brief chapter about when and how to DNA. Identifying genetic cousins and collaborating with them to pool records and meld family is definitely a way to pool. . . Mitchell’s work to revise and update this book was worth the amount of work he so obviously invested. With its updated and relevant content, it is worth considering upgrading to the 2020 edition in your genealogical library.” – Dr. Mac, August 7, 2021. View Book Details
