The other day I spoke with a family member about one of her ancestors. She had just learned that a 19th-century forebear had fought for the Confederacy but was later arrested for desertion. She was hoping to learn more about him from Civil War records, but she wasn’t sure of her next step. Since she[…]Read more
Author: Genealogical Publishing
When We Discover Unsavory Ancestors
For this issue of “Genealogy Pointers,” we are continuing to share excerpts from J. Michael Cleverley’s new book, Family Stories . . . and How I Found Mine. One of the Cleverley ancestors was Sir Henry Greene, who served in the court of England’s 14th-century king, Richard II. In the first part of the excerpt,[…]Read more
The Plantagenet Ancestry of Seventeenth-Century Colonists, by David Faris
One of the stellar works in our collection of royal and noble ancestry books is the 1996 publication, Plantagenet Ancestry of Seventeenth-Century Colonists, by David Faris. As the subtitle explains, this work traces the descent from England’s kings Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, and Edward III of British emigrants who arrived in the North[…]Read more
Reaching Genealogical Conclusions: Hypothesis, Theory & Proof By Elizabeth Shown Mills
The following essay concerning the nature of genealogical proof was excerpted by Elizabeth Shown Mills from her book, Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace. 3rd ed. Rev. (2017), p. 17. In it, Mrs. Mills explains the difference between genealogical proof, theory, and hypothesis and offers a cautionary point lesson that any researcher[…]Read more
Royal Descent of the Fisher Family of 17th-Century Virginia
In the July 28 issue of “Genealogy Pointers,” we referenced the work of the late Dr. David Faris, Plantagenet Ancestry of Seventeenth-Century Colonists. This important book traces the descent from England’s kings Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, and Edward III of British emigrants who arrived in the North American colonies before 1701, and who[…]Read more
“Assessing Genealogical Information,” By Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG
The following article was excerpted by Elizabeth Shown Mills, editor, from Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2018), pp. 265–92. Genealogists think about the information they find and what it might say or imply about the past. They assess both information and the sources that contain the information. These assessments usually[…]Read more
Family Stories . . . and How I Found Mine and the Challenges of Ancient Sources
J. Michael Cleverley’s new book, Family Stories . . . and How I Found Mine traces his family history from the present day to the time of William the Conqueror. Mr. Cleverley’s book not only recounts his family’s history but also explains how he discovered and assembled the story. Since the author was determined to[…]Read more
Little Known Events from our Revolutionary War
Did you know that African slaves’ knowledge of the power of smallpox vaccine helped to save many of Washington’s soldiers at Valley Forge? Or that a woman’s name appears on the first printing of the Declaration of Independence to bear the names of all the signatories? If not, you may want to pickup a copy[…]Read more
New Summer Genealogy & Family History Book Releases
Our August new releases include Joseph Lee Boyle’s latest collection of transcribed runaway servant newspaper ads, and our first “Genealogy at a Glance” publication to cover a Scandinavian nation. Please read on for details. “Fond of liquor, dancing and gaming.” New-York Runaways, 1769-1783, by Joseph Lee Boyle This work marks the second and concluding volume[…]Read more
High Praise for Finding Early Connecticut Vital Records, by Linda MacLachlan
Last fall, we announced Linda MacLachlan’s book, Finding Early Connecticut Vital Records: The Barbour Index and Beyond. The product of a 10-year examination of Connecticut vital records, this work identifies the original sources of the millions of early Connecticut vital records abstracted in the Barbour Index. It names hundreds of books, manuscripts, and articles not[…]Read more