Not until 1847 did New York state require local jurisdictions to record the birth, marriage, or death events of its inhabitants. This glaring omission in the official genealogical record makes consulting unofficial sources–such as church records, family Bibles, and, in particular, newspaper archives–of great importance in New York state research. Genealogist Fred Q. Bowman was[…]Read more
What will happen to your ancestor photos, family heirlooms, and genealogy documents when you someday join your ancestors? The new year is a good time to plan for passing family history to future generations. Planning a Future for Your Family’s Past by Marian Burk Wood offers a practical, step-by-step process for getting your collection in shape for the next generation[…]Read more
We are less than three weeks away (February 25-27) from what will certainly be the biggest genealogy event ever undertaken, RootsTech Connect 2021. Unlike previous annual RootsTech conferences held in person at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah, Covid 19 has compelled organizers to hold the 2021 version online. Undeterred by the pandemic,[…]Read more
Ken Thomas is a distinguished Georgia historian and genealogist. He has also written a regular genealogy column for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for over three decades. In the December 11 issue of the AJC, Mr. Thomas wrote his evaluation of Susan Provost Beller’s two books aimed at introducing young people to our favorite hobby: Roots for[…]Read more
The following article describing the factors involved in citing indexes and finding aids in one’s genealogical research has been excerpted from Elizabeth Mills’ groundbreaking book, Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace, Third Edition Revised, with the author’s permission. “In the framework of history research, an index is usually a tool, rather than[…]Read more
By Denise R. Larson Though it can be said that our ancestors did not have the economic advantages that most of us enjoy today, that doesn’t mean their lives were completely humdrum and colorless. They had their fun, too. A chapter in the second edition of Judy Jacobson’s History for Genealogists: Using Chronological Time Lines[…]Read more
Prior to his death in June 2018, Lloyd de Witt Bockstruck wrote the last of his eight books bearing either the Genealogical Publishing Company or Clearfield Company imprint, American Settlements and Migrations. As the subtitle, A Primer for Genealogists and Family Historians, implies, this diminutive work (108 densely packed pages) provides a synopsis of the[…]Read more
We were delighted to see that the prestigious Midwest Book Review published a long and glowing review of J. Michael Cleverley’s book, Family Stories . . . and How I Found Mine. We have reprinted it in its entirety below. Reviewer’s Bookwatch: July 2020James A. Cox, Editor-in-ChiefMidwest Book ReviewFamily Stories…and How I Found MineJ. Michael[…]Read more
The Nine Years War, also known as Tyrone’s Rebellion, lasted from 1593-1603. In that conflict, which ensued throughout the country of Ireland but mostly in Ulster, Irish lords Hugh O’Neill and Hugh Roe O’Donnell of Tyrconnell led an alliance that was ultimately unsuccessful in stopping the Tudor monarchy’s efforts to consolidate its power throughout the[…]Read more
By Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG From time to time we have excerpted portions of the extraordinary book, Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards. Edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills, one of America’s most respected genealogy authorities, and written by eighteen leading experts on the substance of genealogical research, Progen PPS is a priceless[…]Read more
