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On a Budget? Access the U.S. Census for Free

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:39:48 +0000

A wide variety of options exist online for searching and viewing digitized copies of U.S. census records from 1790 to 1940. Several subscription-based sites offer the entire run, with seamless searching and browsing. However, if you only need access to a few census records, or are particularly budget-conscious, you can also achieve free access to the entire U.S. census run 1790-1940 with a little extra effort.

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Uncover Family History in Manuscript Collections

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:58:03 +0000

Family documents such as letters, diaries, and even original land deeds, like the one pictured, are hiding among the manuscript collections held by archives, university libraries, historical societies and other repositories around the world. Since they are generally not easily accessible, especially online, many people overlook this wonderful family resource.

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Mastering Genealogical Proof Study Groups - Free!

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:25:05 +0000

Two new free online study group options are now available for discussing and learning from the book Mastering Genealogical Proof by Thomas W. Jones, PhD, GG, CGL, FASG, FNGS. This book is published by the National Genealogical Society (NGS) and is now available. It can be ordered directly from the National Genealogical Society here, and will also be available at next week's NGS Family History Conference. I blogged about this book last fall under its then working title, after taking a course taught by Dr. Jones at the British Institute based on exercises from the pre-press copy. The press release from National Genealogical Society also describes the new book:

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Mastering Genealogical Proof Study Groups - Free! originally appeared on About.com Genealogy on Tuesday, April 30th, 2013 at 12:25:05.

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5 Things to Do Before the NGS Family History Conference

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:33:09 +0000

I'm excited to be presenting at and attending the 2013 National Genealogical Society (NGS) Family History Conference next week in Las Vegas, Nevada. For those of you who will also be attending, I've highlighted a few tools to help you plan and make the most of your experience:

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5 Things to Do Before the NGS Family History Conference originally appeared on About.com Genealogy on Tuesday, April 30th, 2013 at 11:33:09.

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Timeline of Major U.S. Immigration & Citizenship Laws

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 07:36:48 +0000

From the Naturalization Act of 1790 through the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, a large number of laws placed restrictions on naturalization and immigration in and to the United States. A knowledge of the laws that regulated immigration and citizenship is important for understanding the conditions under which your ancestors may have been granted or lost their citizenship, or records which may have been created based on their alien or citizenship status.

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French Actes d'Etat Civil � How to Find & Use Them Online

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 06:22:01 +0000

Civil registration of births, deaths, and marriages in France began in 1792. Because these records cover the entire population, are easily accessible and indexed, and include people of all denominations, they are a vital resource for French genealogy research. The information presented varies by locality and time period, but often includes the individual's date and place of birth and the names of the parents and/or spouse.

One additional bonus of French civil records, is that birth records often include what is known as "margin entries," which can lead to additional records. From 1897, these margin entries will often include marriage information (date and location). Divorces are generally noted from 1939, deaths from 1945, and legal separations from 1958.

The best part of French civil registration records in my opinion, however, is that so many of them are now available online.

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French Actes d'Etat Civil � How to Find & Use Them Online originally appeared on About.com Genealogy on Tuesday, April 30th, 2013 at 06:22:01.

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Follow Up on Census Clues

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 06:02:06 +0000

Many U.S. census records provide details beyond the basic names, ages and relationships. Hidden among the census columns may be additional clues, from a street address to the age of a mother at the time of her first marriage, which could lead you to research in new records. As with all genealogy research, look at every single detail on the target census page (and the pages surrounding it as well) and ask yourself what it tells you about your ancestor. Do the marriage age, occupation, number of children, etc. all make sense with what you know about him or her? If you spot an anomaly that makes you pause, then follow it up - it could just be an error in the census, or it could be the source of a new discovery about your ancestor. While the article I've linked to here is specific to U.S. census records, the technique applies to census records in all countries.

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Researching Acadian & Cajun Ancestors

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 03:43:53 +0000

"I have avenged my ancestors," said Acadian novelist Antonine Maillet in 1979 about her novel "Pélagie-la-Charrette." In this work and another novel "La Sagouine," Antonine tells the stories of the men and women disenfranchised by the 18th century Acadian expulsion.

Antonine Maillet is just one of many descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia

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Researching Acadian & Cajun Ancestors originally appeared on About.com Genealogy on Tuesday, April 30th, 2013 at 03:43:53.

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Free Genealogy Webinars in April

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:44:03 +0000

Genealogy webinars are a great resource for online learning and education, especially for genealogists who find it difficult to make it to genealogy conferences and other live events. A wide variety of genealogy-focused webinars are available online for free each month, many available to the general public. Here are some highlights of the many free genealogy webinars available for April:

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Timeline of Major U.S. Public Land Acts

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 21:32:45 +0000

Beginning with the Congressional Act of 16 September 1776 and the Land Ordinance of 1785, a wide variety of Congressional acts governed the distribution of federal land in the thirty public land states. Various acts opened up new territories, established the practice of offering land as compensation for military service, and extended preemption rights to squatters. These acts each resulted in the first transfer of land from the federal government to individuals.

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