We recently received three new reviews for David Dobson’s new guidebook, Scottish Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond. The good notices came from the Midwest Book Review, the long-running genealogy column “Kinsearching,” and Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter. We have excerpted the reviews for this issue of “Genealogy Pointers.” “Dobson has compiled an extensive list of the publications and archival records that[…]Read more
Genealogy multimedia conglomerate Family Tree Magazine has awarded Genealogical.com “Best “BIG” Genealogy Websites of 2021“. We’re thrilled and humbled to learn that the editors at Family Tree have named Genealogical.com as one of their 101 Best Websites of 2021. Our site was named in the subcategory of “best big genealogy sites.” Here’s what they had[…]Read more
New Pocket Guide to Irish Genealogy, by Brian Mitchell “This 122-page text, larger than an ordinary “pocket size,” is detailed, easy-to-read, and well written. The instructional materials, case studies, timelines, and other enhancements are well done and easy to follow. Brian Mitchell does not disappoint with this latest work. His text should be in arm’s[…]Read more
Among the valuable features readers will find in Dr. David Dobson’s new book, Scottish Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond, is a chapter devoted to Scottish emigration. Since the author is the foremost authority on the subject, researchers can bank on what he has to say about the Scottish diaspora that proceeded, primarily, from the 17th[…]Read more
Online sources are publications, with the same basic elements as print publications. This core principle applies whether we are using a commercial site, a website created by an individual, or a social-networking site such as Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter. Within this framework, we have just four basic rules to remember: Rule 1: Most websites are[…]Read more
Among the many highlights of Clan Callaghan: The O Callaghan Family of County Cork, by Professor Emeritus Joseph F. O Callaghan are accounts of three of the author’s relatives who served with distinction in World War II. Two of these heroes earned the Congressional Medal of Honor. Their stories follow here. Joseph T. O Callahan,[…]Read more
Susan Provost Beller is the author of numerous history books designed for youngsters, including one new Genealogical.com publication and another updated one in 2020. Roots for Kids: A Genealogy Guide for Young People. Third Edition Roots for Kids: Finding Your Family Stories As part of our RootsTech Connect exhibit back in February, we asked Susan[…]Read more
(In the first installment of this article, Denise Larson described the historical forces and settlement patterns that form the background to Maine genealogy. In the concluding installment, she offers excellent “how-to’ and “where-to” guidance concerning how to conduct Maine genealogical research.) Great Places to Do Genealogy in Maine Of particular note in the search for[…]Read more
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 to British emigrants who arrived in the North[…]Read more
Christina K. Schaefer’s magnificent reference, Guide to Naturalization Records in the United States, is a complete accounting of the location of U.S. naturalization records. Since the vast majority of original records are retained by local courts, the book provides a state-by-state and county-by-county inventory of naturalization records for all 50 states, U.S. territories, and Native[…]Read more
Writing in the Introduction to her recent volume, Finding Early Connecticut Vital Records: The Barbour Index and Beyond, author Linda MacLachlan explains the scope of her ten-year study thusly: “This book goes beyond the Barbour Index by adding six more towns to create a bibliography for all 149 Connecticut towns incorporated by 1850. It also[…]Read more
Excerpted from Judy G. Russell, “Copyright and Fair Use,” Elizabeth Shown Mills, ed., Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2018), 149–72. COPYRIGHT VS. PLAGIARISM Copyright and plagiarism are distinct concepts. The major differences are these: Copyright is a legal construct that takes the form of exclusive rights held by the copyright[…]Read more
