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The following articles are about Research Strategies
Reborn Records!
How do you find alternate records for those destroyed by fires, floods, storms, earthquakes or wars? Can Civil War... Read More
Magical Hidden Secrets In Your Old Photos
How tall was an ancestor in a photo? Does that location still exist? Here are the tools to find out.... Read More
Finding Those Elusive Ancestors In St. Lawrence County, New York
If you have been doing genealogical research for awhile then you know there are several standard sources worth searching... 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... Read More
Using The iPad For Genealogy And Writing
The iPad 2 is one hot item. For the longest time, Apple and other retail stores couldn't keep them... Read More
Genealogy Research vs. Privacy Restrictions
As family historians we know the importance of vital records - birth, death, marriages, and divorces. These life events,... Read More
Past The Guardian, Through The Labyrinth: Navigating School Archives
All adventures begin with a "call", an urge to explore, discover and bring back Treasure. If the call is answered,... Read More
The Stories Your House Could Tell: Researching The History Of Your House
If you live in or have recently purchased an older or historic house, you might be curious about the... Read More
Ancestral Archeology: Using Google Maps To Recreate Your Ancestor’s Neighborhood
When researching family history, genealogists go to great lengths to find newspaper articles, records, photographs, and other items to... Read More
Climbing The Spiral Staircase: Learning Genealogy
As genealogists, we have all spent time learning which records to trust and which not to trust. We might start... Read More
FamilySearch Centers – Have You Visited One Lately?
My Love Affair With FamilySearch Centers I am writing this as I once again recently spend time at my local... Read More
10 Genealogy New Year’s Resolutions for 2012 You Can Keep!
The end of one year and the beginning of another is often a time for reflection. Most people ponder... 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... Read More
Learning From Great Grandmother’s Hope Chest
Great grandmother's hope chest holds beautiful old clothes and photographs. As a genealogist we love to learn about them... Read More
Following My Itinerant Minister Through Cyberspace
When I began researching Seth Ewer, Baptist Minister, I was stumped. Nothing turned up in my favorite places using... Read More
Keep Them Turning The Page: Creating Biographies Your Children Will Read
What is it about genealogy that makes people choke? I used to see it all the time - the... 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... Read More
5 Maps Sites Every Genealogist Should Know
Are you using maps when you research your ancestors? Maps are an essential part of your genealogical research for... Read More
Photo Organization
Documentation, Forms and Proofs on Fire. ... Better off on "File"; Protect the contents and integrity of your work using... Read More
Brick Wall Breakthrough: Follow The Breadcrumbs On & Offline
When I first started exploring my family history, I was insatiable - I couldn't find enough family records. When... Read More
Howell To Reed Difficult Handrighting
Three words in the title to this article, "howell", "reed" and "handrighting", are intentionally misspelled to call my readers'... Read More
Getting To The Good Stuff: Locating The Richest Genealogical Resources
Beginning genealogists often make the mistake of plugging the names of their ancestors into online databases, looking for any... Read More
Become A Searchologist: How To Conduct Better Searches That Yield Results
Beginning genealogists are introduced to research by typing a surname or a full name into a genealogy website and... Read More
Identifying Slave Ancestors In Famous Historical Oil Paintings
Early slave owner portraits reflect the complex and layered story of black people in the United States. Many early... Read More
Borders: Just A Line On a Map
More often than not, whether you had a family living near a county or stateborder, there is a good chance... Read More
Hidden Treasures In Overlooked Repositories
Question: What do the following have in common: 1) an American first edition of Winnie The Pooh accompanied by... Read More
Stake Your Claim In California Gold Rush Records
The California Gold Rush was a pivotal time in American history. Soon after gold was discovered in January of... Read More
Where Is Your Proof?
So you have all the evidence, but now you need to organize your findings in a way so that... Read More
How To Collaborate With Other Genealogists
A sense of connectedness is what many of us in the field of genealogy experience once we get started... Read More
Genealogy & Property Records
The property deeds, mortgages, and other legal instruments filed in county courthouses are the superheroes of genealogy. They may... Read More
Indirect Evidence To The Rescue
How I wish I could talk with my wife's great-great-great grandfather Samuel Wesley Boren (1828-1897) for a few minutes.... Read More
Digging Up Bones: Locating Cemeteries And Identifying People In Them
Most people who have done any significant amount of genealogy research will have visited at least one cemetery. Such... Read More
Steps For Genealogy Research In Any State
It can be difficult to research an ancestor who lived in a state that you are not familiar with. Maybe... 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
Coat Of Arms & Family Research
If the coat of arms hanging prominently on your wall is authentic, it may offer some of the most interesting... Read More
How To Attend A Genealogy Webinar
Often what seems "all the rage" and "so easy for others" can be confusing and new-fangled for others. Here's... 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
Postage Stamp Genealogy
What can you buy for 44¢ in today's economy? Not a cup of coffee or a soda or even a... Read More
Spring Clean Your Genealogy: Six Steps to Getting Started
When springtime finally arrives many of us take to sprucing up our homes and yards. But it's also a good... Read More
The Importance Of Using Original Records
Most people have been taught in school to find information primarily in a published source, be it a newspaper, magazine,... Read More
Google Books for Genealogy
There have been many modern changes to the way in which we read books - just look at the popularity... Read More
The Freedmen’s Bureau Records – Research Your Southern Ancestors
If your ancestors lived from DE to TX during and just after the civil War, you do want to check... Read More
Family History Research At University Libraries
Go back to school! Well you won't really have to attend a school but one place overlooked by genealogists is the university library. Read More
Where is That? Strategies for Finding Your Ancestral Town or Village
Many genealogists eventually hope to "cross the pond" to find out more about their ancestral origins. In order to successfully make that jump, there are two key pieces of information you will need. Read More
Tots and Teens: Family History For Children
Genealogy is a hobby for the whole family. Gone are the days of it being an adults only pursuit. While there are no statistics on the number of kids involved in learning more... Read More
Getting A Genealogical Education
When you first begin researching your family history everything is exciting; with all the instant matches on genealogy subscription sites and finding new cousins with the same interest in your ancestors... 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
How I Discovered That The First Shot Of The Civil War Fired In Michigan
Unraveling a family mystery can sometimes lead to a significant historical event. As I tried to understand a pair of... Read More
Photos For Free...Or Nearly Free
In this visual society, pictures surround us, but knowing where to find pictures you can actually use in your... Read More
Genealogy Antiques: Finding Your 19th c. Antique Paper & Photography
Was your Great Grandfather a shoemaker or carriage maker? Your Great Grandmother a seamstress? Did your family own a store,... Read More
Diseases, Disasters & Distress: Bad For Your Ancestors, Good For Your Genealogical Research
Wouldn't it be nice if all the branches on our family trees were filled with bright shiny leaves that... Read More
Google Filtering Techniques For Family History Research
Google has proven to be an indispensable tool for family history enthusiasts worldwide, but there are several filtering techniques... Read More
Accessing Family Treasures In The National Archives
Visiting the National Archives Records Administration (NARA) in Washington D.C., or one of the regional NARA branches, can be... Read More
Genealogy Research In Special Collections
Genealogy research often revolves around birth, marriage, death and census records. Find those details and move back to the next... Read More
Your DNA Autobiography
Genealogists are familiar with the value of reference materials such as biographies and online databases. A will or probate record,... Read More
Genealogical Societies: They Do Your Genealogy Good
Just as humans were not meant to lead solitary lives, it is also true that genealogists can't function without... Read More
The Myth: Truths Of Jewish Genealogy
Sorry to burst your bubble, but it simply isn't true. Your family name was never changed at Ellis Island.... Read More
What Is Forensic Genealogy?
Who? What? When? Where? Are these the words of a genealogist researching his family tree or a forensic scientist solving... 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
A Trip To Bountiful Genealogy Research
As you progress from beginning genealogist to the intermediate level, you realize that not all research can be done... Read More
Introduction To Researching Eastern European Ancestors
Tracing ancestors back to Eastern Europe can be intimidating for first time researchers. Perhaps you've thought, "It's too difficult, or... Read More
Tips To Help You Find Seemingly "Lost" Ancestors
So, for one reason or another, you have "lost" your ancestor - now what? What you do depends on some of the possible reasons that they are "lost" and the time period and locale(s) involved. Here are a few tricks and tips to help you find an ancestor that appears to be "lost". Read More
Tracing Your Ancestors From The Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad (UGRR) was an informal network of individuals loosely organized to aid the escape of American slaves out of slave-holding states and into free Northern states, Canada and South into Mexico. Read More
It’s 10 PM - Do You Know Where Your Genealogy Data Is?
After years of researching your family history with visits to local repositories, field trips to ancestral lands or far-flung cemeteries, and hours spent online tracking clues, can you quickly answer the following questions 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
How To Identify A Photograph Without Looking At The Picture
There are many ways to squeeze information from a photograph, some of which have nothing to do with the contents of the picture. So if you are expecting an article on how to identify a photo by the clothes the people are wearing (or anything else you see in the picture), you are in for a surprise. Read More
Family Reunion Sense and Sensibility
Every other year, my husband's family gathers for a reunion. It's the glue that keeps the family together. They've been doing this since the 1950s. For the planners it's an exhausting two-year process that culminates in a week long hug fest that welcomes generations of cousins from around the globe. Read More
Five Strategies For Finding Forgotten Females
Every genealogist has at least one. I'm talking about the "Lost Lizzie" or "Elusive Edna" whose maiden name is left blank in your family tree. Indeed researching female ancestors can be one of the most challenging tasks in genealogy, but yet one of the most important to help trace family lines to the previous generations. Read More
Volunteer Projects Help Family Historians
Picture this...you're just starting your quest for information on your family. What you might not know is that there are many valuable free resources that can help you begin your search. I've listed several volunteer driven websites below that are dedicated to making family history resources free to everyone. I encourage you to use these tools and help out by becoming a volunteer! Read More
Genealogy Resources At The Public Library
There is a great genealogy resource near you. It contains free accessed to the latest "how-to" books, magazines and historical materials. Computers with the latest genealogy databases are waiting for you to use them. There are classes, lessons, special events and a staff whose sole purpose is to help you find the information you need. Read More
Mobile Ancestors: Why They Moved And How To Find Them
Our ancestors moved - A LOT! Though there were families who remained in the same town or nearby for generations, there were also a lot of people who moved. And, many of those people might have made a few stops along the way to their ultimate destination, only staying a few years here and there. Read More
Blogging Your Family History
You may have encountered a "blog" during your last search on Google or a genealogy colleague may have mentioned an article they read on a well-known family history blog. You keep hearing the term blog and wonder: "Am I missing out on a way to improve my research?" Read More
Using Social Media For Genealogy Research
Over the past few years, social media has received a lot of hype. But what is it, really? Why would you ever want to use social media? What kinds of Web 2.0 sites are there, and could they improve your genealogy? This article will answer all those questions. Read More
Planning A Genealogy Research Trip
You have scoured bookshelves and archives at your local genealogy library, ordered periodicals and books through inter-library loans, and borrowed the Family History Library microfilms that hint to your ancestor's comings and goings. Read More
Fear Of Citing
Fear of the unknown whether it is flying or citing sources can be paralyzing, so much so that many genealogy researchers avoid using source citations altogether. May be it seems too much like school or perhaps they think it unnecessary. 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
Get Organized: Basic Forms For Beginning Genealogists
A good genealogist is an organized genealogist. Consistent use of four organizational tools - pedigree charts, family group sheets, research logs and correspondence logs - will help you start out right. While many additional forms are available... Read More
Advancing Your Genealogical Research Into The Digital Age
Go to any genealogical library and you will see people hunched over piles of papers and books, writing in notebooks retrieved from huge wheeled briefcases. In the past you would have found me in the same category... Read More
Source Citation: A Genealogist's Best Friend
Have you heard the saying that "Diamonds are a girl's best friend?" Well, source citations should be considered a genealogist's... Read More
Finding Ancestors with Common Names
Common names present a problem for every genealogical researcher, regardless of their level of experience. For researchers with less experience... Read More
"You'll See It When You Believe It"! Your Outlook Can Result in Research Success
You've heard the skeptical announcement, "I'll believe it when I see it!" Such a critical attitude is understandable when the... Read More
You Found Them Where? Getting Around Misspelled Names.
Continuing your genealogy research despite misspellings can be quite a challenge. Years ago our ancestors' names were commonly misspelled. Maybe... Read More
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