Maggie Stevenson was born and raised on the east coast of Scotland, in the historic Kingdom of Fife. She studied English Language and Literature at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. After graduating she qualified in TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language - and spent three years living and working in the south of Italy. After several years in Italy she returned to the UK and worked for a non-profit organization supporting homeless individuals. She worked as an assistant to … [Read more...]
Irish Genealogy Brick Walls: When We Can’t See the Forest for the Irish Trees
Irish genealogy "brick walls" can be daunting, but not impossible to overcome. One of our genealogists shares her advice on extending your Irish family history. The expression “can’t see the forest for the trees,” is used of someone who is too involved in the details of a problem to look at the situation as a whole. As much as we want to be able to quickly climb straight up Irish trees, it is often impossible without leveraging what the rest of the forest has to tell us. This type of research … [Read more...]
This Is Not a Drill: Pennsylvania Military Records Can Be Found Online!
Documenting military service is a goal for many genealogical researchers. For those with Pennsylvania ancestry, many military records are just a click away on the ARIAS website run by the state’s official archives. What Is ARIAS? ARIAS is an acronym for the Archives Records Information Access System, a website created by the Pennsylvania State Archives to enhance free access to databases showing the service of thousands of the state’s residents in various military outfits, tied to service in … [Read more...]
RootsTech 2019 Recap: Everything You Need to Know
Family history brings connection, healing, and joy. This was the overarching theme of the RootsTech 2019 Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. We were thrilled to once again be a part of celebrating all the good things family history brings to the world and the technology and innovation driving it forward. Legacy Tree Genealogists was once again invited to participate as a RootsTech Ambassador for 2019. As such, Legacy Tree president Jessica Taylor and marketing director Amber Brown were … [Read more...]
Two Families to Research: When DNA Reveals Surprises in Your Family Tree
What do you do when DNA reveals surprises that change what you know about your family history? One of our genealogists shares what she learned through her own experience. You’ve been researching your family tree for several years and have made some really good progress on several lines. Then one day a monkey wrench is thrown into the works: You do a DNA test and the results don’t turn out quite the way you expected, with a surprise ethnicity or with no matches to the surname you’ve had all your … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Genealogists at RootsTech 2019: Schedule of Events
The countdown to RootsTech 2019 is on, and this year promises to be bigger and better than ever, with hundreds of classes to choose from and keynote speakers like Patricia Heaton and Saroo Brierley. Held in Salt Lake City, Utah, the conference will run from Wednesday, February 27th through Saturday, March 2nd. Legacy Tree Genealogists will be there in full-force–exhibiting in the Expo Hall, teaching classes and hosting Q&A sessions. Check out our schedule of events below, and be sure to … [Read more...]
4 Pro Tips for Finding Dutch Family History Resources
Do your ancestors hail from the Netherlands? Learn more about Dutch family history resources! Dutch genealogy is fast becoming more convenient, but not necessarily easier. There are a number of excellent and comprehensive sites making Dutch genealogy and family history research more accessible, but taking the right steps in approaching this wealth of material is important. Keep reading to learn more about the vast Dutch family history resources that just might hold the key to unlock your … [Read more...]
The Statistical Accounts of Scotland: An Essential Tool for Scottish Family History Research
Do you have Scottish ancestry? We share one of our favorite tools for Scottish family history research! One of the best resources for learning more about your Scottish ancestors’ day-to-day lives are the Statistical Accounts of Scotland. Written by Church of Scotland ministers in two different waves (the Old Statistical Account covers 1791-1799 and the New Statistical Account covers 1834-1845), these accounts are full of rich details about life in each parish including occupations, social … [Read more...]