At Legacy Tree Genealogists, our core team members have at least one of the following: a genealogy degree or genetics-based degree, a professional accreditation, or a minimum of ten years’ professional-level research experience. While our educational pursuits have prepared us for our current careers, there are many people who don’t know that such genealogical education is open to just about everyone in some form or another! When it comes to formal genealogy education, there are several … [Read more...]
Need Help Obtaining Dual Citizenship? All About Dual Citizenship.
Obtaining dual citizenship is becoming a more and more popular pursuit for a variety of reasons. Keep in mind that this privilege is not available to just anyone. Each country has its own laws and requirements about who is eligible and how to apply, so it is a good idea to research those stipulations before beginning the process. If you don’t know much about your ancestors and are still not even sure if you qualify, that will be the first goal – to look at your ancestral lines, extend them as … [Read more...]
Under the Black Boxes: The SS-5 and a Creative Approach to Uncover Redacted Info
One of the most useful (and underutilized) modern documents for U.S. genealogy is the Application for Social Security Account number, or Form SS-5. Formed in the 1930s as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal for alleviating the devastation of the Great Depression, the Social Security Administration is a program to which all working American citizens contribute via taxes, and to which they are entitled in the event of death, disability, and other such circumstances. Today, … [Read more...]
Don’t Leave the Courthouse Just Yet!
The Court of Common Pleas may hold the info you need to break down your genealogical brick wall--don't leave the courthouse without checking! You’ve taken that long-awaited trip to the courthouse. You’ve happily dug through vital records, probate, and deeds. You start to leave the courthouse when you pass by a series of indexes for the Court of Common Pleas. Stop and take the time to include this valuable resource in your research plan! The Court of Common Pleas had jurisdiction over a wide … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Finding Your German Ancestors…in South Australia!
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers all over the world to access records for our clients. We asked Benjamin, onsite in Park Holme, Australia, to give us insight into what it’s like to conduct research at the Lutheran Archives of Australia. Take a look! Willkommen in Süd Australien!! With the recent co-location of the National Archives of Australia (South Australian Office), State Records of South Australia, and State Library of South Australia, and with the City of Adelaide … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Genealogists at RootsTech 2016: Recap!
It has been an incredible four days at RootsTech 2016! Although it is the largest family history conference in the world, it feels more like an enormous party. We were inspired during keynote speeches, cried as touching family stories were shared, expanded our knowledge in over 200 classes, tapped our toes to some great musical performances, and marveled at the incredible innovation and technology of the genealogy world. It’s a very exciting time to be involved in this industry! The expo … [Read more...]
What Was It Worth?: Calculating the Historic Value of Money
Money. It’s everywhere in the documents we use for genealogical research: census reports, wills, bills of sale, and in the newspapers. I get excited when I see the notation of an amount of money, because it provides some insight into the lives of the people I am researching. That level of insight can be pretty detailed if you know how to convert the historical dollar amounts into their modern equivalents. One of my favorite tools for doing this is called MeasuringWorth. This free website … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: The State Archive of Hamburg, Germany
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers all over the world to access records. We asked Rieke from Germany to write this post, discussing what it's like to conduct research at the State Archive of Hamburg. Take a look! Family history research in Germany can be very confusing because of the bureaucratic and variable complex structures of the different types of archives. The organization and preservation of documents is not consistent, which sometimes makes locating a repository for the … [Read more...]