Do Not Fall into this Common Genealogy Trap…
This article might start off sounding a little smug. It is not meant to. My intention is to help you to find your correct ancestors, or at least start on the right path, and...
The Original 13
Growing up, from time to time, I would stay with my aunt and her family in Germantown, Pennsylvania. I won’t mention how many years ago that was, but I will tell you those visits...
Using FamilySearch.org
FamilySearch.org is a website owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or the Mormons as they are widely known. The Mormons have been undertaking large genealogy transcription projects for many years...
The Allure of Libraries
With so much focus in genealogy on internet searches, it is important to remember that libraries can be very helpful in your search for ancestry. Some libraries are set up specifically for genealogy while...
Is That You, William? How Do You Know When You’re On The Right Track?
Brick walls – every researcher has a couple. They sometimes stand for years, those annoying barriers between you and that elusive ancestor you have been chasing for what seems like forever. Now and then,...
The Genealogy of Adoptees
I am the only biological child in my family, but my parents adopted five children once I was in college. Whenever I think about genealogy, I think about them. Of course, they are an...
Tips for Successful Record Searches
Several years ago, I was assisting my mother in tracing her family tree back many generations. As the project got going, it seemed to take on a life of its own. We found the...
Help! my ancestor’s name is John Smith (or how to find relatives with very common names)
Suppose you are on a quest for information about your relative, John Smith. You then discover that there are an astounding 31,139 John Smiths listed in the 1900 U.S. census! This might seem...
Surnames: Peter Herrick or Petrus Heurich?
For some time, while doing research to create my family tree, I had a very hard time figuring out what my ancestors’ last names were originally. In a couple specific cases, I was wondering...
Getting Around the Brick Wall
Last week I was asked for some hints on locating a specific person who was born in about 1800. This made me think about what general hints I would give to someone who has...
