Genealogy is our personal history, a deep dive into the events, decisions, and twists of fate that brought a family to its current place in time. But studying history in a broader sense provides fascinating context to our research. Political and economic change, war, and technology advances influenced our ancestors to leave their homes, start families, change careers, and even change their names.
Can you trace your ancestors back to Colonial America? If so, you may find that searching for your family during this time period is more challenging than you expected. But there is hope of discovering new insights – you just need to know where, and how, to look.
Probate records, legal documents created after someone dies, are invaluable genealogy tools. Whether or not your ancestor left a will, these records establish genealogical relationships, provide key details and illuminate the world your ancestor lived in. Here’s how to put them to use.
Back before the days of welfare, food stamps, and long-term disability insurance, people who were unable to support themselves financially sometimes had to live in these places. This article will explain what poor houses and poor farms were and how to find your ancestors who may have lived there.
Summer is the season of travel and while we are wandering the world many of us are also planning a visit to a cemetery or two. If you’re going to try and find a burial site, no matter its age or location, you’ll want to take a few very important things into consideration before you head out.
The story of Chinese immigrants in America is one of hardship, struggle, perseverance, and solidarity. Although a good deal of Chinese immigration to the US has taken place more recently, it can be traced all the way back to the 1820s. This guide to researching your Chinese ancestry will help you gain an understanding of the history of this migration and discover techniques and free resources for exploring your own family’s past.
It is estimated that as many as two-thirds of the people who came to the colonies between the 1630s and the American Revolution did so as indentured servants – whether voluntarily or involuntarily. This means that many of us with colonial American roots can trace our ancestry to at least one indentured servant.
Many families have stories about the criminal behavior of one of their family members. It’s natural to not want to talk about or explore these events because they can make us feel embarrassed or even ashamed. But, you don’t have to commit murder or make counterfeit money to be considered a criminal. Something as simple as littering can result in a fine and a person’s name being entered into the criminal record books for all eternity.
Do you have a family tree mystery that might be solved by a medical record? I do. My grandfather had an aunt who immigrated from Norway to North Dakota in 1915. She was married in 1917 and our records show that her husband died around 1920. We cannot find records of her after her marriage in 1917, but oral family history says that she may have spent some time in an asylum.
One of the most exciting things about doing family history research is moving beyond names and dates to begin exploring the stories of our ancestors’ lives. There are many ways to do this. Records like pension applications, wills and obituaries can provide details that allow us a special glimpse into the important events and personal relationships of our forebearers.
But there is one type of genealogy resource that often stands above the rest when it comes to providing unique insights. And this same resource also happens to be a wonderful place to locate names and dates, land ownership information, occupations and much more.