Who knew that university libraries were such treasures for genealogy research? They are! And there's probably one near you. Read on to find out how to utilize university libraries for your genealogy research. “A university is just a group of buildings gathered around a library.” – Shelby Foote There are currently 23,624 universities in the world. Assuming each university has at least one library—well, that’s a lot of libraries. Historically, most books were kept at the university—where … [Read more...]
How To Preserve Family Heirlooms In a Digital Era: An Interview with Artifcts
How do you preserve family heirlooms for generations to come? From saving memories while decluttering to preserving the value behind your things, Artifcts gives you a digital way to organize stuff and capture the meaning behind objects. Join us as we talk with the founder, Heather Nickerson, about how Artifcts can help you preserve your memories and further your family history goals. Legacy Tree: What is the origin story of Artifcts? You come from a CIA and security background. What … [Read more...]
Día de los Muertos: Celebrating Mexican Ancestors with Genealogy Research
Día de los Muertos is a day for people across the globe to celebrate their Mexican ancestors. Modern day celebrations for this Mexican holiday have their roots in both ancient Aztec rituals as well as Catholic tradition. Celebrating the dead to celebrate life is not a paradox in Mexican culture–extreme sadness and extreme joy go hand-in-hand. It’s not morbid or spooky, but full of life, color, joy, flavor, and gatherings. As genealogists, remembering the dead is a daily practice in joy, … [Read more...]
6 Essential Steps To Trace Your Finnish Ancestry
Looking for ways to learn more about your Finnish ancestry? You're in for a wonderful journey! Finland has some of the most welcoming and genuine folks you'll ever encounter. It has a fascinating cultural heritage and history, with deep ties to Sweden and the Russian Empire. Delving into your Finnish heritage could uncover a rich tapestry of inspiring stories and enduring characteristics passed down through generations. Besides having basic genealogy skills and a bit of knowledge about … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Share Family History with Your Grandchildren
What are the stories you remember about your grandparents that make you smile, laugh, or even cry? Is it the poem your grandmother wrote in grade school about trees, or maybe her tap-dancing practice that kept her parents up at night? Perhaps it’s the stories of the hard times your grandparents went through, like losing daughters to unexpected illness or the loss of precious generational ranch land after the death of a husband. To keep these stories of joy, sadness, and strength alive, they … [Read more...]
3 Essential Websites for Exploring German Parish Records
How and where do you find German parish records online? We'll walk you through how to use the top 3 websites to help you find your German ancestors without needing to hop on a plane. You have just discovered where your ancestor was from in Germany and know where they attended church. Congratulations! This is an exciting discovery worth celebrating! The most common question after making such a discovery is: what do I do now? Tens of thousands of churches dot the landscape in Germany, and … [Read more...]
How To Hire a Professional Genealogist
How do you know when and how to hire a professional geneaologist? While researching your family history, you will inevitably encounter situations where the expertise of a professional genealogist becomes invaluable to achieve your desired progress. Factors such as time limitations in your personal life, the necessity for verifying information, grappling with foreign languages, or tracing ancestors with scant written records can necessitate seeking professional assistance. Whatever the underlying … [Read more...]
What To Expect When You Hire a Genealogist: Team, Process, Timeline
What can you expect to happen when you hire a genealogist? What's the research, editing, and final production process like? How do they help you reach your goals? How long will it take for them to help you fill in the gaps of your family history research? Every genealogist and professional genealogy firm works a little bit differently, but here's what you can expect when you hire Legacy Tree Genealogists to help you with a family history research or biological family project. Why Would You … [Read more...]