“Where do I start?” is a question often asked by inexperienced and more experienced genealogists alike. The problem is that starting off on the wrong foot can often result in time wasted or require re-visiting sources already consulted. [av_image src=’https://genealogical.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/2018-04-17-04-50-20.68983f8c735befefac2d9e1371afd616db38c7d6-223×300.jpg’ attachment=’4691′ attachment_size=’medium’ align=’right’ styling=” hover=’av-hover-grow’ link=’manually,https://library.genealogical.com/printpurchase/Xeger’ target=’_blank’ caption=’yes’ font_size=” appearance=’on-hover’ overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ animation=’no-animation’ admin_preview_bg=”[…]Read more
Tag: Genealogy Tips
A Newspaper Notice of a Chancery Case Helps Reconstruct a Family
By Robert W. Barnes, F. M.G. S. One of the great things about the newspaper subscription site www.genealogybank.com is that it contains clues to your ancestors that might never occur to you. While you would expect or at least hope to find an obituary in an old newspaper, colonial newspapers also contained other important information,[…]Read more
History for Genealogists—More than Timelines
As the subtitle–Using Chronological Time Lines to Find and Understand Your Ancestors— to the 2016 expanded and revised edition of Judy Jacobson’s best-selling book, History for Genealogists indicates, this sought after book contains scores of historical chronologies that genealogists can access in order to place their ancestors in time and place. As Judy puts it:[…]Read more
Cemetery Symbolism (And Their Meanings)
Cemeteries can be an incredibly rich source of information for your family history research, and just one of the places where you can collect your dead relatives. Whether you are there for research or just to visit, cemeteries can also be incredibly beautiful, with meaning built into the landscape. Atlas Obscura spent time uncovering the meanings behind some of[…]Read more
“Reasoning from Evidence,” by Thomas W. Jones, PH.D., CG, CGL, FASG
“Genealogy Pointers” continues with its practice of excerpting sections from Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards (Progen PPS), edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills. Today we have lifted the beginning pages of Chapter 12, “Reasoning from Evidence,” which was prepared by Dr. Thomas W. Jones. We are sure you will agree that even in these scant[…]Read more
RESEARCH TIPS FOR USING COURT RECORDS
Research Tips for Using Court Records — From 4th Edition of: The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy [av_image src=’https://genealogical.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/TheResearchersGuidetoAmericanGenealogy-sml-199×300.jpg’ attachment=’3793′ attachment_size=’medium’ align=’right’ styling=” hover=’av-hover-grow’ link=’manually,https://library.genealogical.com/printpurchase2/3napy’ target=’_blank’ caption=’yes’ font_size=” appearance=’on-hover’ overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ animation=’left-to-right’ admin_preview_bg=” av_uid=’av-4m2jln’] VIEW BOOK DETALS [/av_image] For this issue of “Genealogy Pointers” we are highlighting some good advice on how to utilize[…]Read more
More Valuable Tips from The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy. 4th Edn.
We are continuing to share some of Val Greenwood’s time-tested advice from the new 4th edition of his Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy. Following are Greenwood’s suggestions concerning the nature of genealogical sources. [av_hr class=’short’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’left’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’30px’ custom_margin_bottom=’30px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ font=’entypo-fontello’ admin_preview_bg=” av_uid=’av-97kdzm’] “We may read printed or published[…]Read more
Utilizing the Library of Congress Genealogy Website
The US Library of Congress (LOC) is the greatest repository of published works in the country including genealogy, local history books and periodicals. Whether or not you are planning to visit the LOC, located in Washington, DC, in-person soon, it will benefit you to visit its website. To get on the LOC site, start at its homepage:[…]Read more
Family Bibles as an Underutilized Genealogical Resource — By Michael Hait
(The following article originally appeared in the [Washington] Examiner.com on July 4, 2010.) Family Bibles hold a unique position among genealogical record groups. They are not official records created for use outside of the family. This point cannot be understated, or underemphasized, for often certain facts will appear in a family Bible that do not otherwise appear.[…]Read more
Still More Valuable Genealogy Tips from The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy. 4th Edn.
[av_image src=’https://genealogical.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/TheResearchersGuidetoAmericanGenealogy-sml-199×300.jpg’ attachment=’3793′ attachment_size=’medium’ align=’left’ styling=” hover=’av-hover-grow’ link=’manually,https://library.genealogical.com/printpurchase2/3napy’ target=’_blank’ caption=’yes’ font_size=” appearance=’on-hover’ overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ animation=’left-to-right’ admin_preview_bg=” av_uid=’av-dj2g4′] VIEW BOOK DETALS [/av_image] We are continuing to share some of Val Greenwood’s time-tested advice from the new 4th edition of his Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy. Following are Mr. Greenwood’s suggestions concerning the uses and importance[…]Read more
Missing Ancestors? Check the Feeder States!
Here’s a familiar genealogical conundrum: A researcher has traced his/her ancestors from present-day California back to the Dust Bowl-era in Nebraska, into Missouri just as it was achieving statehood, and finally to Indiana in the 1830s. At that point, the trail has grown cold even though legend has it that the family patriarch was a[…]Read more
Fill in the Census Records Research Gaps
Utilizing census records are a fundamental resource for any genealogists. There are two situations discussed here where the federal census records leave information gaps. Namely, when you’re searching for a relative before the federal census of 1790, and when you can’t find someone you know should show up on a federal census. A relative who predates[…]Read more