Roots & Branches is a long running newspaper column focusing on genealogy and family history research. The column written by Pennsylvanian columnist James M. Beidler covers all the standard areas of research like census and land records to more advanced skills like finding an immigrants hometown, name changes, and finding secondary uses for primary sources. The Best Of Roots & Branches, Pennsylvania Genealogy And Family History Newspaper Column, Third Edition, is a collection of the most relevant and best articles selected from 14 years and over 700 columns.
Beidler provides expert advice and thought invoking tips to the study of family history. With such a wide range of experience and knowledge shared within the pages of this book, just about everyone will find something of value. This book lets the reader access the very best advice from a true professional with the skill to easily convey a message which is both easy to read and understand.
Column entries are categorized into 10 sections:
- Records
- Germans
- Newspapers
- Case Studies
- Methodology
- Philosophy
- DNA
- Resources
- Websites
- Vital Records
In addition, the last few pages include tips from the author. Tips are short, not written as articles but as direct advice. Review the contents below, there are a number of eye catching titles in the series
If interested in The Best Of Roots & Branches, Pennsylvania Genealogy And Family History Newspaper Column, Third Edition, then click here Family Roots Publishing to order; Item #: JBR01, Price: $19.60.
Contents
Editor’s Foreword
Author’s Preface
Records
- How the U.S. Census helps
- Finding records begins at home
- Turning up missing heirs
Germans
- Surname search uncovers immigrants’ origins
- Parthemore forefather carries link to Sprendlingen
- German priest gives family treasure
- Internet query yields baptism records
- U.S. has Gottscheer societies
- 1764 voyager kept a journal
- Search for birthplace concludes
- Ancestral home slow to change
- Immigrant’s hometown was in the cards
- Keeping correspondence has value
- One word can make a difference
- SS Ahnentafels invaluable
Newspapers
- Old newspapers on cutting edge for researchers
- Many free, subscription sits offer newspapers
- Digitized Pennsylvania newspapers a big hit on Internet
- Accessible Archives features more than newspapers
Case Studies
- ‘Follow your ear’ best advice for surname spellings
- Searching for a Miller? Join the crowd!
- Ancestor’s own double-talk created pension confusion
- Ancestor’s executors freed slaves
- National Archives visit yields pension information
- No hard labor in learning jobs held by ancestors
- Answers elusive in 18th-century mystery
- Info, info everywhere but not enough to ‘drink’
- Identity-theft fears can thwart genealogical work
- From Russia, with insights: Letters brought to life
- Huguenots carry rich history
- Huguenot ancestry might be well-hidden
- Search changes radically when roots are Chinese
- Search uncovers “new” name
- Hour’s research reveals ancestors
- Tyrone reader details Netherlands genealogy
- More tips form Dutch-born reader
- Dealing with the ‘German John’ problem
- Records from Sunday school sought…
- …and some are found
- Solving a land research problem
- Stories of Jewish past challenges assumptions
- Dream solved illegitimacy problem
- Century entry was misleading
- Tombstones revealed birthplaces
- Immigrant remembered with new memorial stone
- 50-foot scroll results from family related to ‘nobody’
- For one census, a ‘Fredrick’ became a ‘Patrick’
- 18th century maiden names can be elusive
- Montgomery county trip yields data
- Genealogy-minded governor’s papers found at site
- Eastern Mennonite repository adds names to search
- Readers have ideas for researching elusive Barbara
- Portraying ancestors makes history come alive
- 1761 estate file tells interesting story
- Settling estate took 11 years and many petitions
- Tombstones can fascinate genealogists
- Column on tombstones brings reader responses
- Ancestor’s tombstones are points of pride
- Family stories should be verified, not ignored
- Start by asking the right question
- Genealogists from old, new worlds
- Estate file adds some spice to family history
Methodology
- Finding immigrant hometown…
- …a popular methodology
- Book on immigrants a spiritual journey
- Gusher rewards persistence
- Back to basics: Here’s 5 eternal concepts for genealogy
- There’s no replacing the expertise of local historians
- Genealogists put up with paleography
- Owner’s curiosity may reveal immigrant homestead
- Ideas for tracing back a modern-day property
- Tips for tracking properties of ancestors
- Answer to inquiry turns on time, place
- Genealogy demands adherence to facts
- Research is rewarded years later
- Detours reward diligent tracer
- Family research strikes success
- Names were the same at Ellis Island
- Many families call commonwealth home
- Gaps can stymie tracing of deeds
- Separating myth from fact
- Genealogy without standards is worthless
- Another take on undocumented Internet info
- By any other name, it’s a Meyer, Mayer, Moyer
- Ahnentafels help present ancestors
- Re-examination a part of genealogist’s life
- Tombstones and other death records
- Names are a genealogist’s stock in trade
- Fifth time the charm
- Census is best, but what’s next?
- Proof that ‘time and place’ rule genealogy
- Reader shares expertise to help another
- Secondary uses for primary sources
- …and more secondary uses
Philosophy
- The ‘Big Bang’ theory of genealogy volunteerism
- ‘Big Bang’ column generates, well, a big bang
- Here’s a vote for saying that even distant uncles count
- Phone call to namesake doesn’t go awry
- Some more thoughts on the ‘family’ in family history
- Open Records Office shoots down outrageous policies
- Participate in Census with eye to future
- Older, maybe wiser, at age 50
- Pamphlet aims to deter selling of public records
- Genealogy needs more respect
- Genealogists must earn respect
- Gathering, genealogy go together
- Why public records are best
- Act of kindness brings reward
- In praise of societies
- Start in attic instead of Internet
- Hypotheses need to be tested
- Let pride show on Memorial Day
- Descendant decorates graves of dozens of his ancestors
- An exceptional life, lady
- Writer of article about award was inspiring individual
DNA
- Use of celebrities not a bad thing for genealogy
- Shay or Harper? DNA holds the answer
- Complex set of Native American ‘founding mothers’
- MatriLine aids look at ancestry
- DNA used in Strunk research
- Kicking off the year with DNA
- More about DNA and Relative Genetics
Resources
- New land records access
- Professor’s book links Old, New worlds
- Some beginner resources listed
- New Software uses spreadsheet for ‘shadow census’
- Family History Centers still valuable
- Cemetery book a model for other counties
- Cemetery etiquette includes common-sense courtesy
- Core reference list helpful
- A must-read makes a return
- Honoring dead is lively reading
- Heidelberg Township Colonial tax lists
- Book serves as research place
- Land records can divulge roots
- Cocalico Valley society’s knowledge makes it successful
- Barracks aids genealogists
- Future now for matching genealogy, social networking
- Volumes written on the Palatines
- ‘Window Tax’ book loaded with details
- Mapping software helpful with problem
- Plugging into actual records
Websites
- Panoramic views of cities found on web
- Penn State makes searchable images of books available
- Pittsburgh city directories now online
- Society puts its Revolutionary databases online
- Deeds offices facilitating online records searches
- Collaboration scans family history books
- Historical atlases placed online
- Site provides wealth or records
- Web pinpoints crucial map sites
- Technology offers digitized glimpse into Civil War
- Website offers surname map
- Website sorts out history
- Internet queries great for speed
- GenWebs are great for beginners
- ARIAS webs military records
- GenealogyBlog a great place to look
- Tools for finding living people
Vital Records
- Vital documents to the rescue
- Bills introduced to create PA vital records indexes
- Death certificate effort needs some noise
- PA death certificates deserve better access
- Vital records laws, attitudes need overhaul
- Time is now to change vital records law
- Vital records bill advances, has additional hoops
- Another step coming for vital records bill
- State’s vital records law revised – at last!
Tips
- Scots-Irish Idea
- Maiden-Name Starter
- Holiday List
- Forms for You
- Funeral books for Signatures
- Funeral Books, Part 2
- Finding the Founding
- New Year’s Resolution
- German Tourism, Research
- Retrospective on Retrospect
- Word Meanings Change
- Immigrant Tracking
- Physical Geography
- More Name Variants
- Name’s the Same?
- Change of Address
- Online Listing
- Map Online
- Cultural Center
- More Maps and Land Records
- Transylvania Saxons
- Also Eastern Europe
- Der Schluessel
Index
