Records Archives

Bring Out Your Dead: A Look at Mortality Schedules

Author - Thomas MacEntee
Many states did not keep civil death records in the mid- to late-1800s. Mortality schedules, part of some federal censuses, can help fill in the gap for some ancestors who died during that time. Read More

Using Yearbooks to Learn About Your Ancestors

Author - Lisa Alzo
Most Likely to Succeed. Best Athlete. Class Clown. Ever wonder what your parents, or grandparents, were like when they were in high school? Read More

Historical Markers Point to Genealogical Treasures

Author - Jennifer Holik
Finding an ancestor's home is not only thrilling, but can also lead to great information about the people who lived... Read More

Understanding U.S. Naturalization Records

Author - Sunny McClellan Morton
During the peak years of U.S. immigration, an estimated 75% of eligible arrivals applied for citizenship. This status carried practical... Read More

Anatomy of a Death Certificate

Author - Gena P. Ortega
Death certificates give us so many more clues that just the date of a person's death. Let's take a closer look at death certificates and see how we can best use them. Read More

Using Federal Direct Tax Records

Author - Diane L. Richard
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

Author - Sunny McClellan Morton
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

Author - Gena P. Ortega
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

Author - Harold Henderson
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

Author - Harold Henderson
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

Author - Betty Malesky
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

Author - Michael Pollock
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

Author - Claudia Breland
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

Author - Lisa Alzo
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

Author - Susan Jackman
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

Author - Harold Henderson
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

Author - Lisa Alzo
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

Author - Diane L. Richard
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

Author - Gena P. Ortega
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

Author - Lisa Alzo
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

Author - Andy Likins
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

Author - Roberta King
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

Author - Marjory Allen Perez
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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