Whatever the research problem, once we have carefully analyzed everything we have accumulated and are confident that our starting-point data is sound, we can move forward with the development of a work plan for productive research. Research plans offer prioritized, detailed lists of relevant sources that should provide information to resolve the stated problem. We[…]Read more
(The following essay is excerpted from pp. 39-40 from Mr. Mitchell’s book, New Pocket Guide to Irish Genealogy.) With civil registration of births and deaths commencing in 1864, and with the patchy survival of church records before this time, gravestone inscriptions take on a special significance. Many Church of Ireland burial registers were destroyed by[…]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
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
By some estimates, thousands upon thousands of people are descended from the Emperor Charlemagne, but, as the late genealogist Timothy Field Beard has noted, “It is a long way from 20th century Potwin, Kansas, or Pontotoc, Oklahoma, to 9th-century France.” In case you have forgotten your medieval history, Charlemagne was the first leader after the[…]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
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
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
Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers, and Librarians, edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills and published in 2001, is a manual by professionals for everyone serious about genealogy. This book is sometimes referred to as Progen I, to distinguished it from the 2018 book, Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards, also edited by Mrs.[…]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
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
