Melvin Collier’s powerful new book, From Fragments to Foundation: Uncovering a Buried History of Tragedy and Triumph, is officially out. When I received my book, I asked my son to answer the door for trick-or-treaters, grabbed a hot tea, and curled up with the good read I knew it would be. Melvin does not disappoint […]
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Category: Tips and Training
6 Big Mistakes Genealogists Make
At the beginning of our genealogical journey, we all make mistakes—I certainly have. Mostly, it’s because we are new and simply don’t yet have the experience we need. Genealogy is a skill and like all skills, it improves with training. Notice I didn’t say it improves with time. Of course, we grow and learn […]
A Terrific Newspaper Table
The fact that I still read actual newspapers every day marks me as over a certain age, for sure. I suppose old habits die hard. But the joy of newspaper research never gets old. My problem is that they are also being digitized at a rate much faster than I can keep track of easily. […]
Recharge Your Genealogy Research in 2024
I’m starting off this year filled with gratitude, and hope all of you enjoyed the holiday season with your friends and family! I’ve got several genealogy research goals I’m excited to start work on this year. As reviewed my own plans, I thought I’d share five ideas and thoughts for all researchers looking to upgrade […]
Proving Relationships: One Strategy
Part of the joy of researching my family has always been the challenge of proving relationships once the “easy” records that state relationships don’t exist anymore. (In genealogical parlance this means once we don’t have direct evidence.) When we don’t have birth and death certificates that name parents, marriage records that provide maiden names, or […]
Those Doggone Nicknames
My collateral ancestor Mintie was called by her middle name Lucinda in almost every record during her lifetime *except* the bible record above and one census: Nicknames, middle names and initials will get you every time in genealogical research. They still get me every now and then and it kinda drives me just a little […]
Upcoming Deed Records Lecture!
This Sunday, November 15 at 3:00 pm EST, I am excited to offer my first Zoom Webinar: “Fruit of the Earth: Using Deed Records to Uncover Your Ancestors.” Deed records are one of genealogy’s most trusted and voluminous record sets. But the legal jargon can be confusing, and besides, what if your ancestor didn’t own […]
Finding That Maiden Name
Finding the maiden names of wives is a problem all researchers will face sooner or later. When marriage records are missing there are several strategies we can use to uncover these names. Death Certificates We can use the records of a couple’s children to uncover information about that couple. I have used this in every […]
3 Reasons Why Your Research Is Stuck
We are excitedly researching our grandmother’s family, or our grandfather’s military service, or finding great-aunts and great-uncles we never knew existed. We are bursting with the joy of new discoveries. That’s when it happens. We just get stuck. Don’t know where to go next. Don’t know how to move forward. Can’t find the answers we […]
Do You Know How to Use Indirect Evidence...
Much of the hype of genealogical research often surrounds the different kinds of sources. Yes, new sources are always exciting. However, I believe that it is developing and growing research skills that will take your research to higher heights. A Field With Standards That’s one reason I recommend that everyone researching their roots have the […]