English-speaking researchers and historians working with a Spanish-language document face two hurdles—understanding the handwriting and vocabulary, and grasping the record’s institutional, historic, social, and cultural context. This book’s unique and detailed content fills both needs. With images, charts, transcribed documents and in-depth commentary, Mastering Spanish Handwriting and Documents: 1520-1820 addresses fundamental handwriting concepts and challenges[…]Read more
If you are a regular reader of our blog or newsletter, you probably know that Drew Smith is one of the leading genealogists in the U.S. His day job finds him working as an associate librarian at the University of South Florida Libraries in Tampa. Drew is also co-host, with George G. Morgan, of The[…]Read more
(Read Part One | Part Two of this Article) IV. In addition to the descents outlined in the Coda for Garfield and Mrs. Arthur, several immigrants first treated in the Coda are also ancestors of presidents or First Ladies. Among those whose lines are “improved” (even if placed in the main text), are also ancestors[…]Read more
After the new edition of The Royal Descents of 900 Immigrants went to press, HM Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain (see pp. 3, 4, 41, 321, 323, 546, 930, 1058, 1067, 1081, 1723) died 8 September 2022, aged 96. Her eldest son, HRH Prince Charles Philip Arthur George (now 73), previously Prince of Wales, became HM[…]Read more
Several months ago, we announced that Genealogical.com had published the preeminent textbook for Scots-Irish genealogy: William Roulston’s RESEARCHING SCOTS-IRISH ANCESTORS. The Essential Genealogical Guide to Early Modern Ulster, 1600–1800. This 2018 second edition is a massively expanded version of its 2005 predecessor. The new edition includes additional information on church records and landed estate papers,[…]Read more
Most genealogists know—or learn belatedly—that they should be on the lookout for existing accounts of their ancestors, whether published in a printed book or online. While the information in older books about any family must be examined for possible errors and their findings compared against original sources, published family histories frequently save the genealogist much[…]Read more
(Part One of this article can be found HERE) In early November 2022, various scholars learned of and purchased Weston Pedigree Reconsidered: A Review of Documentation Provided by the College of Arms (2022) by Shawn Henry Potter and Lois Carol Potter. In a much earlier form, parts of this monograph were submitted to the New[…]Read more
Generation by Generation: A Modern Approach to the Basics of Genealogy, by Drew Smith, is divided into two parts. Part I of Drew’s book (“For All Generations-Preparing to Research”) discusses family relationships, naming practices, genealogy software, existing research, and DNA testing. Part II (“Generation by Generation—Doing the Research”) describes the major genealogy websites and then[…]Read more
Dollarhide’s Genealogy Rule #23: Locating the county where your ancestor lived is the first step in finding records about the time he was hauled into court for shooting his neighbor’s dog, threatening the census taker with a shotgun, or making illegal corn whiskey behind the barn. A 90-Percent Chance Since the first colonists came to[…]Read more
DNA for Native American Ancestry, by Roberta Estes, begins by discussing fundamental issues involved in establishing Native American heritage. The author first defines the concept of “indigenous people.” She then answers questions like “Can DNA Results Identify a Tribe?” and “Can I Join a Tribe?”. Another section covers the requirements and benefits of tribal membership,[…]Read more
