As African American History month comes to a close, I'm writing my first post releasing the names of enslaved individuals found in my genealogy research. Inspired by other bloggers and my experiences during African Heritage day at RootsTech 2017, I am joining in the effort to help African Americans find their family, taking inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr: "The time is always right to do what is right." ¹ The Slave Name Roll Project began two years ago, the brainchild of Schalene Dagutis, blogger at Tangled Roots and Trees. Inspired by Cathy Meder-Dempsey's posts for Black History Month (Opening Doors...
Are you intrigued with the idea of using DNA to break down your brick walls? Have you done a DNA test but don't know what to do with your results? Have you wondered what the future holds for DNA and genealogy? You might want to consider attending RootsTech 2017 where more classes than ever will focus on DNA. Popular genetic genealogist, CeCe Moore will be giving the Saturday keynote address and she is certain to entertain and educate. CeCe's bio from the FamilySearch blog shows just just how qualified she is to teach about this fascinating subject. Moore, who’s been on the leading edge of...
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 answers to those questions and find the value in homestead records. Every class needs a good textbook and my personal favorite for land records is...
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 soldier in my family: C.B. (Charles Baldwin) Royston. He enlisted in the Confederacy but never came home from the Civil War. I researched the Royston...
Are you sure you've found all of the clues in the census records for your family? After you look at the names, ages, and birthplaces, do you pay attention to the rest of the questions and answers? Census records are one of the most valuable tools for a researcher, not only for the information reported, but for the clues to other records. I recently revisited the 1910 census looking for clues on my great, great grandfather, Robert Cisney Royston. He died in 1915, so this was the last census of his life. Records for him are scarce. Aside from census...
Are you a bit intimidated by probate research? Have you located a will but neglected to find the "rest of the story?" With probate records being digitized by Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org, chances are you have some exciting discoveries to be made. Did you know that the Probate Estate packet of your ancestor can be a real page turner? Or should I say, “next image” turner. I made a huge find recently when I searched for my ancestor, Thomas B. Royston in Ancestry.com’s new collection: “Alabama, Wills and Probate Records.” Over fifty images were just waiting for me to peruse. Since the packet is...
Family history is all about people and meeting new cousins is often a highlight in our genealogy ramblings. Ten years ago, long before Ancestry's DNA became hugely popular, I participated in a YDNA test group that not only proved my connection to Thomas Royston, who arrived in Virginia in 1635, but led me to a new cousin. Today I’d like to introduce you to Don Royston, my DNA proven cousin and fellow Royston researcher. I met Don via email in November of 2005. I had been actively researching my Royston line for over two years, having only the name of my Texan...
