One of the most fascinating chapters in the Fourth Edition of The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, by Val D. Greenwood, concerns women’s property rights. Chapter 23, “Property Rights of Women as a Consideration,” while not specifically focused on finding records relating to women, nonetheless explores “the legal considerations that will help you better understand[…]Read more
Category: Genealogy Tips
The Genealogist’s Research Report, by Nancy A. Peters, CG, CGL
Excerpted from: Nancy A. Peters, “Research Reports,” Elizabeth Shown Mills, ed., Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards(Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2018), 417-450. Genealogists conduct research. They must then communicate the results. Professional researchers are judged not only by the outcome of their investigation, but by how well they present their findings through their primary work product—the research[…]Read more
New Book Highlights Most Valuable Sources for Your Ancestors
The central premise of our new book, Generation by Generation: A Modern Guide to the Basics of Genealogy, by Drew Smith, is that rookie genealogists will fare better when they commence their research with the record categories most likely to produce results. For this reason, the second half of the book discusses the research process[…]Read more
Are You Related to Somebody Famous?
The new Second Edition of The Royal Descents of 900 Immigrants to the American Colonies, Quebec, or to the United States, by Gary Boyd Roberts, identifies 615 major historical figures who have royal ancestry. Does your family talk about an as yet unproven relationship to the English playwright Noel Coward? If you want to authenticate[…]Read more
A Little History Can Go a Long Way
Why is history beneficial to genealogists? For one thing, history can help you understand the challenges and context in which your ancestors lived and possibly thrived. Just as important, history offers clues about elusive ancestors. Knowing that a smallpox epidemic occurred during the 1840s may explain why some youngster ancestors do not appear in the[…]Read more
Who’s In Irish Emigrants in North America?
This new consolidated edition brings together all ten Parts of David Dobson’s series, Irish Emigrants in North America. A comprehensive index of names has been added to facilitate the reader’s search through all ten Parts. Moreover, the index identifies the many other Irish persons—wives, children, parents, ships’ captains, indenturers, etc.–named in the emigrant profiles who[…]Read more
Do You Have an Ulster Surname? And if so, What Can it Tell You?
As author Robert Bell notes in his learned Introduction to The Book of Ulster Surnames, “The surnames of Ulster stem from many different peoples and many eras and can be difficult to unravel.” Surnames came into common usage in the Province of Ulster in the Eleventh Century; since then, the following groups and historical events[…]Read more
The Role of Geography in Native American Genealogy
Among its many features, Roberta Estes’ acclaimed book, DNA for Native American Genealogy includes step-by-step instructions, with illustrations, on how to use DNA testing at the four major DNA testing companies to further your genealogy and confirm or identify your Native American ancestors. Among the many other topics is a discussion of Population Genetics and[…]Read more
U.S. Victory at Yorktown Not Preordained
The Treaty of Paris of 1783 ended the American Revolution; however, it was the British surrender to George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia, on October 19, 1781, that set the stage for American Independence. Indeed, Yorktown was the final decisive battle of the conflict, but nothing about it was preordained. For one thing, General Washington wanted[…]Read more
Ohio Guidebook Coverage is Exhaustive
The new Third Edition of Genealogical Research in Ohio, by Kip Sperry is not only completely up to date but also comprehensive in its coverage. The new edition examines the holdings of major Ohio archives and libraries and identifies the many resources available to researchers, such as census records, church records, military records, land and[…]Read more
Understanding Adventurers of Purse and Person: The Stephens Family of James City, VA
Prepared under the auspices of the Order of First Families of Virginia to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown (2007), the Fourth Edition of Adventurers of Purse and Person extends the lines of descent of the founding families documented in previous editions from four generations to six, bringing most families down to the Revolutionary[…]Read more
New Pocket Guide to Irish Genealogy Explains Griffith’s Valuation
The vast majority of Irish census records prior to 1901 no longer exist. Consequently, as Brian Mitchell explains in his New Pocket Guide to Irish Genealogy, census substitutes are of great importance to Irish researchers. Perhaps the most important, and certainly the most famous, substitute is Griffith’s Primary Valuation. Conducted between 1848 and 1864, the[…]Read more