A Thorough Vetting of Courthouse Research

Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures by Christine Rose is the step by step handbook every genealogist needs for researching court records. Rose brings her experience in researching at over 500 courthouses to bear in one Continue reading A Thorough Vetting of Courthouse Research

Famous Relative? A New Book Will Examine How People Are Related in the Modern World

A friend of Leland’s, Megan Smolenyak, has an interesting new book coming out in February. A recent article in the Chicago Tribune gives us an early peek at this fun new book. We’re all (likely) related to stars A genealogist Continue reading Famous Relative? A New Book Will Examine How People Are Related in the Modern World

Ancestry.com Progress in 2011 and Looking Forward to 2012

The following letter was received from Ancestry.com. The letter quickly recaps some of the advances made at Ancestry over the past year and plans for 2012: We all—myself included—turn to Ancestry.com with a driving goal in mind: making connections to Continue reading Ancestry.com Progress in 2011 and Looking Forward to 2012

Guide to Polish Sources for Jewish People

The Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People (CAHJP) holds the collected resources from the archives of hundreds of Jewish communities, as well as of local, national and international Jewish organizations, and the private collections of many Jewish Continue reading Guide to Polish Sources for Jewish People

Reading Non-English Records

Tracing one’s history in their own native language offers plenty of challenges. Changes in writing styles and in handwriting, problems with damage and discoloration, both added to transcription and indexing errors can make record finding and reading difficult at times. Continue reading Reading Non-English Records

Flip Books Help Researchers Decipher Gothic Records

Deciphering Gothic Records is a great little flip book designed to help those with German ancestry read and understand older German documents and handwriting. The books contents include information and words common to traditional vital records; including; birth, christenings, marriages, Continue reading Flip Books Help Researchers Decipher Gothic Records

German Churches in New York Help Descendents Find Links to the Old Country

For many genealogists researching their immigrant ancestors, one of the most difficult tasks may be in identifying in what city their ancestor lived in or was born in before coming to America. While many filed proper birth, marriage, and death Continue reading German Churches in New York Help Descendents Find Links to the Old Country

Truth Teller Ads Used to Find Irish Immigrants

The introduction of Voice of the Irish Immigrant provides an excellent synopsis of Irish immigration to the United States. The earlier immigrants tended to be middle and upper class families, looking to maintain their standard of living. Later immigrants, especially Continue reading Truth Teller Ads Used to Find Irish Immigrants

Learning About Georgia Land Lottery Research

Between 1805 and 1833 Georgia distributed three fourths of its public land through lotteries. Georgia Land Lottery Research is the genealogist’s guide to understanding and researching these lotteries. This book provides an education to the lottery process, the grid survey Continue reading Learning About Georgia Land Lottery Research