Judy Jacobson’s masterwork, History for Genealogists: Using Chronological TimeLines to Find and Understand Your Ancestors is crammed with potential clues for family historians. In fact, the book’s subtitle says it all: (1) Historical events can tip off researchers as to the whereabouts and reason why a forebear shows up somewhere, and (2) The same information […] The post ‘History for Genealogists’ Features Collection of State Timelines appeared first on Genealogical.com.| Genealogical.com
William Wells Newell was the founder of the American Folklore Society. He is best remembered for his 1883 book, Games and Songs of American Children, which catalogues 160 games and rhymes enjoyed in the United States and abroad. Some of the games are familiar to us: “London Bridge is Falling Down,” Virginia Reel,” “London Bridge […] The post Games (and Songs) Your Ancestors Played appeared first on Genealogical.com.| Genealogical.com
As we mentioned in the June 25 issue of “Genealogy Pointers,” Cheri Hudson Passey’s new book, Genealogy in Reverse: Finding the Living. A Practical Guide for Genealogists, offers new hope to family historians who have lost their way. It does so by showing them how to contact a lost or unknown cousin, etc. who may […] The post Genealogy in Reverse Abounds with Sources of Living Relatives appeared first on Genealogical.com.| Genealogical.com
Prospective lineage society members often question how to present their evidence of eligibility. While the actual criteria vary from one society to another, it’s always best to present the proof as clearly and as specifically as possible for the society registrar to assess. Dr. Kimberly Ormsby Nagy, author of The Complete Guide to Lineage Societies: […] The post Documenting Your Lineage Society Application appeared first on Genealogical.com.| Genealogical.com
As the title Genealogy in Reverse. Finding the Living: A Practical Guide for All Genealogists implies, Cheri Hudson Passey’s overriding purpose in writing her new book is to help genealogists find their ancestors. What’s different about her approach is the emphasis she places on finding and contacting living relatives to fill in the gaps. A […] The post Genealogy in Reverse Exposes New Vein of Research Gold appeared first on Genealogical.com.| Genealogical.com
As history researchers, we are also biographers studying individual lives for many reasons. Whether our fascination with a person is born of respect or revulsion, the more we pursue our subject, the more difficult it is to be objective.| Genealogical.com
This article, which I published almost exactly 11 years ago, on July 1, 2014, is easily my most-read blog post. I looked at the stats today and saw that it has had almost 61,000 views in the past 11 years. That’s a lot of views for my little blog. I thought I’d re-run it today […]| Organize Your Family History
As active researchers and writers, there is often a need—or at least a temptation—to cite ourselves as an authoritative source for a particular point. Whether it is appropriate to do so depends upon the circumstances.| Genealogical.com
Reader Darlene Crater was kind enough to alert me to a new-to-me digital resource, the California Digital Newspaper Collection (CDNC). I don’t have California roots, but I do have a few collateral relatives who lived there, so I searched on their names. I was able to download an obituary for one of them, Wayne Horace […] The post Free California digital newspaper archive appeared first on Organize Your Family History.| Organize Your Family History
Modern genealogists are blessed to have billions of records easily available—in print, in some derivative format, and as images online.| Genealogical.com
Each assertion we make as history researchers must be supported by proof. However, proof is not synonymous with a source. The most reliable proof is a composite of information drawn from multiple sources that meet three criteria.| Genealogical.com
If you have been following the news of late, you know that we just marked the 250th anniversary of the beginning of the American Revolution. The famous “shot heard round the world”...| Genealogical.com
For the fifth consecutive year, the National Archives is offering its free multi-week Genealogy Series. I’m a day late to be telling you about the first session, but you can watch the video! In 2021, the National Archives transformed its annual one-day virtual Genealogy Fair into a multi-week Genealogy Series. The first session, Revealing Ties […] The post Don’t miss the 2025 National Archives’ Genealogy Series appeared first on Organize Your Family History.| Organize Your Family History
The relationship formats that have stood the test of time are the pedigree chart and the family group sheet. Each one has its own benefits.| Genealogical.com
If you ever contemplated becoming a member of a lineage society, rest aside that the road to membership is manageable, but the process requires some discipline.| Genealogical.com
For persons possessing Latin American origins, Lyman Platt’s 1996 book, Hispanic Surnames and Family History, is still the best guide to published family histories.| Genealogical.com
Between 1997 and 2024, Genealogical.com published the nine-volume series, Scottish Soldiers in Colonial America, by Dr. David Dobson. We are delighted to present those books in a new, fully indexed, consolidated edition. This consolidation edition of Dr. Dobson’s nine-part series identifies over 10,000 Scottish soldiers who served in the Americas. The new comprehensive index of names[...]Read more| Genealogical.com
William Randolph McCreight’s extraordinary family history traces the O’Sullivan sept a full 31 generations from the author’s Carolina origins to the family’s Irish roots in 170 AD.| Genealogical.com