Just as the Smithsonian is said to be the nation’s attic, Maine is New England’s attic. Among Maine’s many treasures and whatnots are several early nineteenth-century embroidery samplers that are more than elaborate fruits and flowers surrounding a carefully stitched alphabet. The fine silk threads sewn into the linen of these special samplers sketch family[…]Read more
In my eyes the Future of Irish Genealogy is a promising one. Here are the reasons why: 1. The major Irish record sources can now be examined online, such as: Census enumerations of 1901 and 1911 can be searched at www.census.nationalarchives.ie Irish Civil Records of births from 1864-1920, marriages 1845-1945 and deaths 1871-1970 can be[…]Read more
Today we are highlighting the first of several sections from Dr. David Dobson’s new book, Scottish Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond. The product of Mr. Dobson’s fifty years of research in Scotland, the British Isles, continental Europe and beyond, this new book is guaranteed to introduce researchers with Scottish ancestry to sources they’ve never laid[…]Read more
Rhode Island’s diminutive size belies its genealogical importance. Founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, Rhode Island throughout the colonial period served as a haven for religious and political dissenters. In fact, its royal charter of 1647 insured religious freedom and a democratic form of government for its freemen. Ironically, because the colonists’ livelihood was heavily[…]Read more
How to Find Your Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records: A Genealogist’s Guide, by Sunny Jane Morton and Harold A. Henderson has been one of our best-selling books since its appearance in 2019. At least three factors account for this development: The Morton and Henderson book is the first one to cover the[…]Read more
By Lorine McGinnis Schulze Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, was a wilderness until 1782, when thousands of Loyalists from the United States—fleeing the colonies after the American Revolution—settled along the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. They were soon joined by Swiss Mennonites from Pennsylvania, and in the 19th century by emigrants[…]Read more
[Excerpted from Elizabeth Shown Mills, Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace, 3d ed. rev. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2017), pp. 18–22, §1.4, 1.11.] Our latest excerpt from Elizabeth Shown Mills’ classic work, Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace, is one we would all do well to contemplate regularly as we conduct our research,[…]Read more
In the thirteen years since Genealogical.com published the 2nd edition of Susan Provost Beller’s classic book, Roots for Kids. A Genealogy Guide for Young People, the genealogical landscape has changed considerably. While the author emphasizes that kids should still begin their research by “exploring our own families, gathering documents and stories from them, she emphasizes[…]Read more
One of the important features of Dr. David Dobson’s book, Scottish Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond, is a comprehensive chapter on Scottish church and other religious records. In addition to the Church of Scotland, the author covers more than a dozen denominations and smaller sects, explaining the historical origins of each church or sect and[…]Read more
What do you and Prince Harry and HRH Prince William have in common? The exciting possibility is that you and they are cousins, as well as cousins to both of their royal parents. In the film The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), Mary Boleyn is depicted as having had a five-year relationship as the mistress of Henry VIII, King of England, despite her marriage to William[…]Read more
Author Val Greenwood is sometimes thought of as the “dean of American genealogists” The reason why, of course, is his book, The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy. 4th edition. First published in 1973 and updated in 2017, The Researcher’s Guide was not only the first comprehensive textbook on its subject, it has also been the[…]Read more
After near 50 years and four editions, why is Val Greenwood’s Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy is still the most respected genealogy textbook? It is clear, to the point, and authoritative, to be sure, but “Greenwood” is also extremely resourceful. The following illustration from one of its two chapters on Military Records is a good[…]Read more
