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When you start losing whole counties, it's time to buy some software

Earlier this week, I noticed someone had linked on their GeneologyWise to Adams County, Illinois. And I thought, "Hey! I've got someone in Adams County, Illinois! Wait. Who do I have in Adams County, Illinois?" Which sent me on a fifteen minute quest to figure out what was up with Adams County.

(For the record, my great-grandmother, Mabel Bennett, lived there for about seven years of her childhood, and the family still had connections there once they moved across the border to… Continue

Added by Jessica Hammond on July 13, 2009 at 4:12pm — 1 Comment

German Ancestors

I have been browsing the members section and it seems that pretty much everyone I come across, including myself, has a German country to search or are connected to Germany in some way. I wonder why this is?What are your thoughts on the subject?

Anyhow, let me tell me why I am interested in Germany. My great-great-grandmother, Jalie Caroll was born to a German mother(identity unknown), and a Black father(Mr. Walter Carroll). She then came to the states and met and married my… Continue

Added by CHASTITY on July 13, 2009 at 3:35pm — 5 Comments

Reconnect with your past this past Fourth

By Nancy Calhoun

July 4th often brings to mind traditions of flags, parades, fireworks, picnics, and many family reunions. Family reunions are an excellent way to make connections with other family members and to gather genealogical information. They may range from a hot dog roast in the local park on a Sunday afternoon to a lengthy cruise to another country.

Many families have a long tradition of an annual reunion. My grandmother's family has gathered bi-annually for… Continue

Added by John Rampton on July 13, 2009 at 2:48pm — 1 Comment

GenealogyWise: New genealogy networking site!

Though it doesn’t “officially” launch until July 17, GenealogyWise opened for business earlier this week, and already has several hundred new members. Deemed a “Facebook for genealogy,” the new social networking site has shown tremendous content growth and promise.

GenealogyWise was created by FamilyLink.com, the company behind WorldVitalRecords.com, FamilyLink.com, the “We’re Related” Facebook application, and the highly anticipated GenSeek.com partnership with the Family History… Continue

Added by John Rampton on July 13, 2009 at 2:46pm — No Comments

Disturbing the dead and irritating the living!

What got me interested in genealogy was a note that my mother copied. It was during a visit from her cousin (they both shared the same grandmother). The note was purported to list several generations of their grandmother's ancestors. Unfortunately, the note was written in the English script of the late 1800's. Woe to the Yank attempting to translate that in 1950's!

After chasing the words for nearly three years, I believe I have the correct translation. About 1900, Mary Ann (Annie)… Continue

Added by Fred Close on July 13, 2009 at 1:36pm — 2 Comments

Ancestors Lost.

Whenever I introduce myself for Genealogical purposes, I always say "I am Luckie Daniels, a descendant of emancipated slaves from Washington-Wilkes Georgia".

It’s not spoken with any inkling of shame {to the contrary, great pride!}, nor is it intended to spur guilt. It is just who I am.

While I am not defined by Slavery, I would be remiss to ignore the impacts of the Chattel System upon myself personally, my Family and African-American Culture, as a… Continue

Added by Luckie Daniels on July 13, 2009 at 12:02pm — 9 Comments

Newspapers Of Middlesex and Elgin Counties

For genealogists one of the primary sources for research is the local newspaper. Increasingly many of the major dailies are finding themselves online. Lots of luck for the newspapers of Middlesex and Elgin Counties. How are you with 20th century technology?

For Elgin County the Elgin County Library has microfilms of the St. Thomas times Journal, the Dutton Advance, and the West Lorne Mercury Sun.

For Middlesex County the London Public Library has microfilms of the London Free Press,… Continue

Added by William Bruce Hillman on July 13, 2009 at 10:08am — No Comments

Who will continue your research?

Every genealogist wonders who will continue their research when they were gone. My paternal grandmother died knowing that her oldest granddaughter and oldest daughter were serious genealogy hobbists. However, once my cousin had a family of her own, her genealogy obsession waivered. My aunt has not done any serious research in years. And neither of them are the generous types in sharing the research they have. Information they collected on a trip to England three decades ago is something they… Continue

Added by Jennifer Eklund, PLCGS on July 13, 2009 at 9:26am — 1 Comment

Family Photos

I think it is true, "A picture says a thousand words." Often, in the eyes of people, you can see a story. Be it a weary life, or the presence of a spirited individual, photos of our loved ones past and present are priceless. Those of us fortunate enough to have images of our ancestors should consider posting them for other family members to save and add to their genealogy database. I am an amateur photographer, but have a love of captured moments in history, be it people, places, architecture… Continue

Added by Pamela Yvonne Mochamer on July 13, 2009 at 9:11am — 1 Comment

Changes in MyHeritage Basic plan and special discount for Premium Users

This summer we're making changes in our Basic plan, and at the same time we're offering an amazing 35% off the Premium plan until the end of July 2009. So you can go to your family site now and grab an extra year for cheap before the discount runs out.

Recently, we've seen the cost of storage dropping, while maintaining large trees became much more resource intensive. Hence we… Continue

Added by Daniel Horowitz on July 13, 2009 at 9:03am — No Comments

Getting Children or Grandchildren Interested in Genealogy

When we are passionate about genealogy, it's only natural to want to pass that interest on to our children and grandchildren. I've encouraged my grandchildren and exposeed them to genealogy in fun ways that might interest other genealogists. Every summer my two oldest grandchildren spend a week with us and during that time here are some of the activities we've done with them.

I made… Continue

Added by Lorine McGinnis Schulze on July 13, 2009 at 6:46am — 5 Comments

Genealogy's Star reports 1895 Minnesota State Census on Record Search Pilot

FamilySearch Record Search Pilot announced the publication of the 1895 Minnesota State Census. The records consist of an index with no images. The description indicates that microfilm copies of the original records are available at Family History Library and through the Family History Centers. The index is apparently complete.

State censuses were taken in Minnesota every ten years beginning in 1865 through 1905. The records have about the same level of reliability as any other census… Continue

Added by James Tanner on July 12, 2009 at 9:30pm — No Comments

MY FAMILY

I AM LOOKING FOR ANYONE WHO IS RELATED TO THE KNIBBS FAMILIES IN ORANGE COUNTY NY, ENGLAND,
SULLIVAN COUNTY NY, ANYWHERE ELSE I'M NOT SURE OF.....TO COMPARE NOTES AND FIND OUT WHO IS WHO.

Added by Laura Daniel-Knibbs on July 12, 2009 at 9:20pm — No Comments

My Introduction

I posted this on the Introduction Forum and decided to copy and place as my first blog so I can easily find it later.

I'm Margaret Ann from Tennessee. I have been researching my elusive family since 1983. I really appreciate having U.S. census records at my finger tips 24/7 as when I started I had to go to the public library and they certainly didn't have all the census records available on microfilm either, much less an index. The 1910 census was available and I still remember the… Continue

Added by Margaretann on July 12, 2009 at 5:49pm — No Comments

talkingroots: One of my favorite resources

Since all of my family lines come through southern states — North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi — one of the most valuable background resources I have found for understanding the lives of my 19th Century ancestors is The Dixie Frontier – A Social History of the Southern Frontier from the First Transmontane Beginnings to the Civil War, by Everett Dick, research professor of American History, Union College, Lincoln, Nebraska. (Published by Alfred A.… Continue

Added by Deason Hunt on July 12, 2009 at 5:00pm — 1 Comment

Genealogy

As an Norwegian, I will follow this as far as I can. I have not much in USA and Canada, but a little. That I have found, but I might learn something here an can help other people in Norway who is looking.

For you in USA and Canada I recommend www.disnorge.no for your search in Norway. You will find most of the link needed for Norway there.

Good luck all of you

Added by Liv Skramstad on July 12, 2009 at 3:07pm — No Comments

Your Genealogy Blog - Content Theft and Guarding Your Internet Reputation

Just a heads up that many genealogy bloggers are seeing their recent blog content reused at splogs (spam blogs). Just like spam and every other scam that seems to invade the Net, periodically blog content theft rears its ugly head and hits even genealogy blogs.

I've written about this extensively over at the GeneaBloggers.com website and you can read more… Continue

Added by Thomas MacEntee on July 12, 2009 at 12:00pm — 2 Comments

Alabama Quickie Divorces

I could never understand why my in-laws divorced in Alabama. They lived in Oceanside, NY back in the fifties. I knew that out of state couples could divorce in Nevada after establishing residency, but Alabama? One day I was Google-fishing and ran across a web site that mentioned the Alabama “quickie divorce scandal” Paydirt!

In the fifties and sixties, Alabama law stated that residency requirements were met if one party intended to settle in Alabama and the other party agreed in… Continue

Added by Mary Trogg on July 12, 2009 at 11:10am — No Comments

Understanding the Use of Sources

Not having sources to document where you found information on your ancestors in genealogy is like Superman wearing his alter ego Clark Kent's glasses, useless. Without the use of sources, information in a genealogical report is nothing more than hearsay. The more sources a genealogy report presents, the more credible the report. Many beginning genealogists do not understand sources though. The more a genealogist understands the differences between sources and the information derived from… Continue

Added by Jennifer Eklund, PLCGS on July 12, 2009 at 9:47am — 3 Comments

Family Tree Connection - Update (12/Jul/2009)

Family Tree Connection has added the following genealogy items to its database:

Packer Collegiate Institute 1908-1909 Catalogue - The Fifty-Sixth Annual Catalogue of the Packer Collegiate Institute, Joralemon and Livingston Streets, Between Clinton and Court Streets, Brooklyn, New York, 1909. The Packer Collegiate Institute was opened for the admission of students on the 9th day of November, 1854.…

Continue

Added by Illya Daddezio on July 12, 2009 at 9:33am — No Comments