J. Mark Lowe

J. Mark Lowe, CG, FUGA is a full-time professional genealogist, author, and lecturer, who lives near the Kentucky-Tennessee line. While sharing personal experiences that help beginning and experienced researchers gain new skills and insights for research, he specializes in Southern resources and researches primarily in original records and manuscripts throughout the South. Learn more about his experience at www.kytnresearch.com.

He also serves as the Course Coordinator for "Research in the South" at IGHR (Samford University), for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) and is Director of the Regional In-depth Genealogical Studies Alliance (RIGS Alliance), learning sessions and hands-on research focusing on original documents and manuscripts at regional archives. Mark has worked on several genealogical television series including "African American Lives 2", "Who Do You Think You Are?" and "UnXplained Events".

Articles by this author

• Using Kentucky Marriage Records
• Using Tennessee Marriage Records
• Border Jumping: Researching Across State & County Borders
• Beginning to Research Your Ancestors in Tennessee
• Beginning to Search for Kentucky Ancestors
• Slave Schedules Require a Strategy

"If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten." -Rudyard Kipling

I thoroughly enjoy the words and stories of the lesser known individuals. Using manuscripts and original materials allows me the chance to discover new stories each day. Although my primary research occurs in the South, occasionally I'm lead by the records to locations and characters around the world.

Attending a family reunion when I was seven-years-old, I wondered why a certain family was at "our" reunion. My Dad explained how we were related. As I continued to ask questions, on our return home, my Dad detoured to a nearby cemetery. We introduced me to his Grandparents, and Great Grandmother. He shared vivid life stories with each new introduction. The stories and continuing questions led me to records and a lifetime interest in these folks.

I recently found the Civil War Pension File for my Great-Grandmother, who started the application process as a minor child of a soldier and completed the application as the newly-widowed single mother of ten children. Finding any record that you don't expect is a wonderful surprise.

I often wonder if the interesting individuals I study ever thought about someone studying their life in the future. Their stories are so compelling, they must have known I wanted to share them.