Records Archives
Using Federal Direct Tax Records
The United States federal government began levying revenue taxes back in 1791 with a tax on distilled spirits. Soon after,... Read More
Research a Relative's College Days
We think of college attendance as a relatively modern phenomenon, and for many Americans, it is. A lot of families... Read More
Dear Diary: Finding Family History in Manuscript Collections
Do you ever wish you could stumble upon a diary that your ancestor wrote or a letter that mentions your... Read More
Probate Records: A Gift Many Genealogists Fail to Open
Everybody dies. Many have their property dealt with in probate proceedings afterwards. A few make wills. Why would any genealogist... Read More
Where There's A Will There's A Deed
We know just enough about William Berry's life to want to know more.1 When his father died in 1759, six-year-old... Read More
Divorce: Dilemma For Early Americans
Divorce is not the 20th century phenomenon it might seem to be. It's nearly as old as creation. Marriage was... Read More
You Don't Know What You May Be Missing: Using Order Books & Chancery Papers
Order books and Chancery Papers are genealogical resources too rarely utilized to the extent they could and should be. A... Read More
Essential Records You Won't Find Online
Consider these words: "But Sir I would implore your Aid and assistance, as far as you can to A Man... Read More
Beyond The Arrival Date: Extracting More From Immigrant Passenger Lists
Passenger lists provide genealogists with key information about an ancestor's arrival in the New World. Once located, these records can... Read More
The Good News About Taxes: Finding And Using Tax Records In Your Genealogical Research
Taxes go so far back that we read about them in the Bible. It would seem there could be nothing... Read More
Genealogy & Property Records
The property deeds, mortgages, and other legal instruments filed in county courthouses are the superheroes of genealogy. They may appear... Read More
Clues You Can Use: Dissecting Obituaries
Obituaries are useful resources for genealogists. They often provide a wealth of information about an ancestor's life tucked into what's... Read More
Civilian Conservation Corps: Records From The Great Depression Era
A group of records often overlooked by researchers are the records of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) programs, a "New... Read More
Finding Newspapers: Digitized, Microfilmed And Indexed
There's no doubt that newspapers are an important resource for genealogists. But the problem for most researchers is where to... Read More
Finding Clues About Your Ancestors In Fraternal & Social Organization Records
Using social media for genealogy is all the rage. We're flocking to Blogs, and sites such as Facebook, GenealogyWise, and... Read More
Digging Into Cemetery Research
Cemeteries give me chills. No, not because I think they are creepy or I fear a zombie attack. But chills, because they are such a tangible link to our ancestors. Imagine placing flowers at the grave of your fourth great-grandmother. You may be reenacting a scene that occurred Read More
Homestead Records: A Glimpse Into Your Ancestor's Past
The Homestead Act of 1862, considered one of the most significant pieces of legislation in American history, persuaded eastern-European immigrants, adventure-seekers in the East, and women seeking independence to embrace the notion of founding a home place Read More
Added Value: Non-family Diaries and Letters
I love to read diaries and letters. I am fortunate that some of my ancestors actually kept diaries and their children and grandchildren saved the wonderful little books. They also bundled up letters with ribbons and passed them down to their children. Read More
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