Genealogy Tips and Links

Comment

Comment by Colleen Hart on July 31, 2009 at 9:52am

I'm sure most people on here are saving these things, but the message needs to be sent out to those who are not genealogists, etc as to saving those old letters, etc. I am actually more of a historian than genealogist, and in that field, we call these things primary sources and artifacts, and without them history does not exist. From both historical and a genealogy perspectives, they are irreplaceable. I try to get the message out to save, save, save when I can.

Comment by Paul Drake on July 31, 2009 at 9:39am

You are more than correct, Colleen. Even though, just as are headstones, such letters and loose papers are hearsay in its most classical form, we certainly do not consider such mementos as without value. It makes NO difference, whatever, which of those silly labels some folks might attach to old family items, you will learn MUCH there. Shall I throw away my family Bible dating to 1849 because it too is hearsay?? Of course NOT!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by Colleen Hart on July 31, 2009 at 8:15am

On the conversation of Debbie and Paul on saving those old letters... that is themost important thing to be saved. ( pictures, too) A lot of people save their pictures but throw out the rest, and when that happens a family's history is destroyed as oral history rarely survives past a couple of generations. I have tried to get old letters from family members and they were happy to give them to me, only to find out their wives, etc had thrown them out years ago. These letters are the primary sources on which history is based and without them, our histories fail to exist once we pass on or the memories fade. So I would encourage everyone, if you don't feel like looking at them right now ( and I know how that feels, too) just put them in a box somewhere for later use. I have heard of houses being cleaned out before the person who died is even in the ground. I am always telling people to throw things in a rubbermaid box and take it home to look through some snowy day. There was even a WWI uniform with a letter in the pocket thrown away in our town, that made it to a donation box, and somehow made it to our museum.

Comment by Susan Turner on July 30, 2009 at 6:30pm

Anyone know a good site to research Mexican-American War and the people involved?

Comment by Barbara Trautman on July 30, 2009 at 6:08pm

How can you make a decision as to which sites would be most beneficial to you and to others who are responding to you? My head is swirling with so many sites available to me just because I am researching my ancestors. They are all wonderful and the people who mastermind them are as well. I haven't been able to develop a system to help me decide what will be the most rewarding so I just bumble along. Barbara

Comment by Sue Lederer Geiger on July 30, 2009 at 9:01am

The Google News Archives search is wonderful.You can narrow your search by name,location,and decade. New York Times articles which are free if they are before a certain date are indexed ,and so are Chicago papers.I haven't had time to see what they might have from other parts of the country.I found this site at
http://freenewspaperarchives.us/default.aspx

Comment by Rhoda Lynn De Flon on July 27, 2009 at 7:26pm

I am a novice researcher, so I might not be that helpful in this group. I do have full membership at ancestry.com and a member of NEGHS, so I am willing to use those memberships to help anyone I can. If there are any Newcomb researchers out there, I have the Andrew Newcomb book, also have Stephen Hopkins Mayflower book, and Francis Cooke, and partial on Elder William Brewster.

Comment by Christine Evelyn McAvaney on July 24, 2009 at 11:08pm

just wanting to say thankyou to debbie for inviting me to join this group i have accepted with pleasure and i will say that if i can i will try to help anyone if i can and when my head stops spinning from discovering genealogy wise i will think up some tips and links and offer them up

Comment by Paul Drake on July 18, 2009 at 9:17am

After you and the relative have become at ease with the discussion and you have seen or know of their mementosm always ask those folks if they have any mementos or old letters that "have not been spoken for". I have donwe so for many years and you will be pleasantly surprised with what they give you for your collection. As illustrations, by simply asking, I was given the War of 1812 pension of a double Great-Gamother, a Civil War medallion of a Great G-Father and many old letters and photos.

Paul

Comment by Emiko Lanier on July 18, 2009 at 7:54am

Thank you Debbie for giving us the helpful tips in family visit for ancestry study. Also letting me know about the site to get help on my ancestry study "Look-Up Angel Volunteers" Emiko

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