Originally published in 1977, Finding Our Fathers: A Guidebook to Jewish Genealogy, by Dan Rottenberg, was a groundbreaking publication. Although we reprinted it in 1995 with a new Preface, Finding Our Fathers was an ambitious product of the pre-Internet era. While Jewish researchers have far greater access to Jewish sources than Mr. Rottenberg did in[…]Read more
Royalty and titled nobility in America? Not exactly. No titles of duke, marquess, earl, viscount or baron are bestowed on men, nor titles of duchess, marchioness, countess, viscountess and baroness are granted to women in the United States of America. Nevertheless, hundreds of our seventeenth-century immigrants shed their noble titles for freedom from religious persecution or economic restrictions. Most of these[…]Read more
Over the last few weeks we have been telling our readers about Susan Provost Beller’s brand new book, Roots for Kids. Finding Your Family Stories. This beautifully illustrated small book is designed primarily for younger children and provides them with fun activities they can engage in with their parents. Finding Your Family Stories enables children[…]Read more
By Judy Jacobson Finally! A history book written expressly for family sleuths–History for Genealogists, Using Chronological Time Lines to find and Understand Your Ancestors. With this book, accomplished author Judy Jacobson returns with a vast array of historical time lines that are guaranteed to inform your family history. Consider the following illustrations: If you have[…]Read more
In recent years Americans have come to understand the plight of 19th– and early 20th-century “orphan train riders.” If you’ve read Christina Baker Kline’s best-selling novel, among others, you know that these children were transported by rail from the Eastern United States (especially New York) for adoption/apprenticeship by families in the Midwest. Kline’s novel captures[…]Read more
We were delighted to learn recently that two of our newer books received positive reviews on popular genealogy blogs. On September 21, Climbing My Family Tree, written by Marian B. Wood, gave a glowing endorsement to the brand new Roots for Kids: Finding Your Family Stories. Ms. Wood concluded her comments with the recommendation, “Do[…]Read more
In the September 15 issue of “Genealogy Pointers,” we traced author J. Michael Cleveley’s ancestors to Rhode Island on the eve of the American Revolution, as they attempt to organize a militia company to support the Patriot cause. Nearly a century later, we learn that those Rhode Islanders’ descendants are struggling to establish themselves on[…]Read more
Over the course of the last few months, we’ve published a number of excerpts from J. Michael Cleverley’s intriguing book, Family Stories . . . and How I found Mine. We’ve followed the Cleverley ancestors from the court of William the Conqueror, to the intrigues of the British nobility on the eve of the War[…]Read more
Excerpted from Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace,3d ed. rev. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2017), pp. 18–19, §1.5. “Modern family history (aka genealogy) draws heavily from law in its handling of evidence. However, family-history standards require a higher level of proof than does most litigation. The justice system demands that a date[…]Read more
Covid-19 has upended things in the U.S. and around the world. Most of these changes are outside the realm of genealogy; however, one dramatic change is not: Families are spending far more time together in their homes. While this development can pose challenges, especially when both parents must work from home, it also provides an[…]Read more
