Knowing the history of U.S. immigration and the types of immigration records created when our ancestors arrived is key when considering finding their origins. Did they arrive as part of one of the original colonies or emigrate during the 19th or 20th century? Each era varies in record availability. In part 1 of this series, we looked at getting started with the research by examining the ancestor’s records in the United States for clues to...
Have you encountered the challenge of finding immigration records for your ancestors? In our United States research, we may discover our ancestor’s home country and wonder how to find the original ship passenger lists or other immigration records. Whether they hailed from the British Isles, Europe, Scandinavia, or any other country, we hope for that exact date and place of entry. Difficulties come with the multitude of locations they could have entered the U.S. –...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about our ancestor, Mariah (Brockhouse) Beddoes who left her parents in England with her husband and two young daughters to join with other Latter-day Saints in Utah Territory. Mariah was born in Willinghall, England, and her father was a locksmith. She married William Beddoes, a miner, and they eventually had a family of 13 children. The stories about Mariah’s departure from England are heart-breaking. She left her...
If you have an ancestor who became a United States citizen in the 20th century, you will have a rich source of information about their origins, emigration, residence, family, and more. The changes made to the naturalization process in 1906 by the U.S. Congress resulted in standardized forms that requested detailed information and specific requirements for citizenship. Before 1906, little identifying information was included in the naturalization forms. In part 1 of this series, we...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is an interview with Peter McCracken, founder of ShipIndex.org. Peter is an electronic resources librarian at Cornell University. Shipindex is a database to assist researchers finding material about vessels. Peter tells us about ShipIndex and how it can be useful for genealogists. Transcript Nicole (1s): This is Research Like a Pro episode 260 Ship Index with Peter McCracken Welcome to research Like a Pro a genealogy podcast about...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about the emigration of Pennsylvania Germans from their homeland. We talk with Alice Childs, Accredited Genealogist Professional, about the steps required for a German emigrant to leave Germany. We also talk about the voyage and ship records. This episode also includes a discussion of the guiding principles to follow when researching Pennsylvania Germans, like employing FAN methodology and identifying the proper jurisdiction. Transcript Nicole (1s): This is...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is an answer to a listener’s question about an immigrant ancestor who came from Norway to North Dakota in the 1880s. We invited Jenny Hansen, AG, who is an expert in Scandinavian research to come help us answer this question. We discuss name changes, sources to consult in the U.S., what to expect when looking at immigration records, and records to consult in Scandinavia. Transcript Nicole (1s): This...
Do you have an immigrant ancestor that you would like to trace to their hometown? Although this sounds difficult, and it can be, having a plan of attack makes all the difference. Good methodology and knowledge of useful resources can help you succeed in your goal of discovering your ancestry across the pond. In this guest post, Kimball G. Carter, CG® shares a resource he created to aid researchers in this very goal. Kimball is...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about the challenges of German research when focusing on 19th century Germans who immigrated to the U.S. Heidi Mathis shares several questions to ask when beginning to research them, like “when did your Germans arrive?” and “what did German mean in the 19th century?” Join us as we discuss the answers to these questions, helpful record sets, and more. Links Part 1: Tracing Your 19th Century German...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about the essential questions to ask before you start researching your Irish immigrant ancestor in Ireland. The first questions have to do with learning about an Irish ancestor’s birth year range, year of immigration, friends and family, and county of origin. Finding these details will help you know where to focus once you begin researching in Ireland. Join our Irish research expert, Jessica Morgan, AG, as she...
