About Leland Meitzler

Leland K. Meitzler founded Heritage Quest in 1985, and has worked as Managing Editor of both Heritage Quest Magazine and The Genealogical Helper. He currently operates Family Roots Publishing Company (www.FamilyRootsPublishing.com), writes daily at GenealogyBlog.com, writes the weekly Genealogy Newsline, conducts the annual Salt Lake Christmas Tour to the Family History Library, and speaks nationally, having given over 2000 lectures since 1983.

Watch Those County Boundary Changes

As America expanded, and grew in both size and population, the principle record-producing jurisdictions, the U.S. counties, also grew in population, making the adjustment to smaller counties necessary. Changes in the boundaries were the norm, and not the exception for Continue reading Watch Those County Boundary Changes

Mini-Stonehenge Called Bluehenge Discovered in Wiltshire

Archaeologists have discovered a mini-Stonehenge, a mile from the site of Wiltshire’s famous stone circle. “Bluehenge”, named after the hue of the 27 stones from Wales which once formed it, has been described by researchers as a “very important” find. Continue reading Mini-Stonehenge Called Bluehenge Discovered in Wiltshire

Group Seeks to Clean Up the Poor House Cemetery in Ottawa County, Michigan

POLKTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Eldon Kramer was writing a book on his family’s history when he discovered his great-grandfather’s resting place was an overgrown, neglected cemetery at an Ottawa County farm dedicated to the destitute. “When I saw the deterioration, Continue reading Group Seeks to Clean Up the Poor House Cemetery in Ottawa County, Michigan

Nevada & Vernon County Heritage 1855-2005 Pass It On! 2-Volume Set Marked Down for Quick Sale

Do you have an interest in Nevada & Vernon County in Missouri? Now is your chance to get a good deal on new local history volumes. The following is excerpted from a much longer article in the October 3, 2009 Continue reading Nevada & Vernon County Heritage 1855-2005 Pass It On! 2-Volume Set Marked Down for Quick Sale

Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak Reveals How She Found President Obama’s Irish Roots

There’s a good article by Antoinette Kelly posted at the ABC News website about Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak’s finding President Obama’s Irish roots. Following is an excerpt: Chief Family Historian for Ancestry.com Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak got the assignment of a lifetime Continue reading Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak Reveals How She Found President Obama’s Irish Roots

Bloggers to Speak for the California Genealogical Society

If you’re anywhere near Oakland, California next weekend, you will want to attend a program being sponsored by the California Genealogical Society. Thomas MacEntee and Craig Manson will speak on the subject of blogging. The Saturday, October 10, 2009 Program: Continue reading Bloggers to Speak for the California Genealogical Society

Confusion about the Family History Library & the Church History Library

A couple of misconceptions persist regarding the Church History Library, opened in June by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It’s not a relocation of the church’s Family History Library. And while the Church History Department enjoys its Continue reading Confusion about the Family History Library & the Church History Library

Adoption Record Accessibility Varies Across Canada, as in the U.S.A.

Diana Lynn Tibert wrote a very interesting and informative column for the October 3, 2009 Times & Transcript in which she gives information on doing adoption research in Canada. She includes some online links that will be helpful to anyone Continue reading Adoption Record Accessibility Varies Across Canada, as in the U.S.A.

State Census Records Found at FamilySearch Labs

The shear numbers of records found at the FamilySearch labs website are mind boggling. Within the digitized records now found posted at the site are quite a number of State Census records. Records for Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Continue reading State Census Records Found at FamilySearch Labs