Did you know that FamilySearch has a new partner, Geneanet? Along with Ancestry, FindMyPast, American Ancestors, and My Heritage, you can now sign up for Geneanet and access their vast genealogical library. Why would you want to add another partner? Hidden in the thousands of books and newspapers digitized by Geneanet might be just the clue you need. I’ll show you how to get started and give you an example of what I found. Because of FamilySearch’s...
This is part 3 of a 3 part series: Where Did My Ancestor Live? How Enumeration District Maps Can Fill in the Blanks. Part 1: Enumeration District Descriptions Part 2: Civil Districts and Other County Divisions Part 3: Maps of Enumeration Districts Maps of Enumeration Districts In this post, we will learn how the NARA Enumeration District Maps can help pinpoint the exact boundaries of county divisions with each state. Back to our example of James...
How would you like to produce a research project in three hours complete with a research log, report, documents, family group sheet, and pedigree chart? That is exactly what each Accreditation candidate is asked to do for the final stage of testing. To be honest, this part of the process scared me the most so I was very glad to cover it in depth in my study group. I’ve now completed two practice projects and...
Do you wish you had more time to devote to your genealogical research or family history projects? Do you ever sit down to your computer and after an hour wonder what you’ve accomplished? I’ve found that most people feel time crunched and struggle with feeling productive in their family history efforts. When I set the goal to become an accredited genealogist I wondered how I could possibly get everything done. This year I’ve worked hard to develop several...
This is part 2 of a 3 part series: Where Did My Ancestor Live? How Enumeration District Maps Can Fill in the Blanks. Part 1: Enumeration District Descriptions Part 2: Civil Districts and Other County Divisions Part 3: Maps of Enumeration Districts Civil Districts and Other County Divisions In this post, we will learn about the county division field on the census and how it can help us map our ancestors’ census location. In part 1 of this...
Do you have anyone in your family who took advantage of the Homestead Law of 1862? It is estimated that 2 million individuals applied for up to 320 acres of free land and your ancestor might be among them. What kind of records did the Homestead Law generate? How can you find out if your ancestors filed claims? What does a case file look like? September is “back to school month,” so get ready to learn the...
Where Did He Live? When researching in U.S. Census records, have you ever wanted to locate your ancestor on the map but the census place was unclear? This happened to me when I found my relative, James F. Maness, on the 1900 census. I checked the header info on the census form, but the ‘township or other division of county’ was listed as “4 district” and the field for ‘name of incorporated city, town, or village, within...
Have you ever wondered what is at your state archives? Tucked away in a corner, could you find a clue to your ancestor’s life? Every state has a physical location that hosts a treasure trove of artifacts, documents, books, and more. The National Archives provides a list of state archives and don’t despair if you don’t live near the one where you need to research. Many of them are digitizing their collections and making them available on...
How long has it been since you looked at some of your oldest research? A year or two? Several years? You might be surprised and in for a treat if you pick up one of your loose ends. With the number of new databases added daily to the internet, the answer to a nagging question might be waiting. Need more convincing? Keep reading for three reasons to revisit your research. I recently revisited a Confederate...
Do you have a strategy for researching or do you just start clicking around and hope for the best? One of the characteristics of an excellent genealogist is planning. Taking a few minutes to analyze a pedigree or document and come up with a research plan can turn an hour of research from ho-hum to productive. Today I’m going to share what I learned about research planning in session 2 of my Accreditation Study Group for...
