Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked Christopher, onsite in England, to share his experiences researching at the Canterbury Cathedral Archives in England. The approach to the Cathedral Archives is extraordinary - the cloisters, heraldic symbols in the ceiling, the stone floors. Just past the cloister is a vast wooden door, and next to it is the small sign “Archives and Library”. On entering this space, you climb the … [Read more...]
Genealogy Research at NARA: Top 5 Tips from Professional Genealogists
Many of the record collections that genealogists most frequently use when researching families who lived in the United States were created by local governments, either at the town, county, or state level. The documents these jurisdictions generated are indispensable to our research, but they were not the only jurisdictions to create crucial record collections—the federal government also created many useful documents. Some of these documents (like the federal censuses) are readily available to … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Inside the Polish National Archives in Kraków
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked Ireneusz, onsite in Poland, to share his experiences researching at the Polish archives. Using the Polish Archives for Genealogy Research The State Archives in Kraków was founded in 1878 and is one of the largest in Poland, containing nearly 1.5 million items in its collections. Due to its size and overall value to Poland’s heritage, its name was changed in 2012 to the … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Finding Lutheran Ancestors at the Church Registry Office in Hanover
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers all over the world to access records for our clients. We asked Sylvia, onsite in Germany, to share her experiences using the Kirchenbuchamt Hannover (Church Registry Office of Hanover) to find ancestors in the 19th century. Many descendants of German immigrants will be all too familiar with the problem: you’re trying to find that hometown in Europe, but passenger lists or documents give only "Hanover" or "Hannover" as the birthplace. (The … [Read more...]
Finding Funeral Home Records for Your Ancestors
In genealogy research, as we've mentioned before, it is important to leave no stone unturned. You want to look for every available record about your ancestors, and that includes looking for the obvious sources (like census records and vital records), and then you also want to look for the less obvious sources (like newspapers, military service records, land transactions, etc.). We've written about several of these less-obvious sources before, and today we have another one to talk about: Funeral … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Indian Resources at the British Library
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers all over the world to access records for our clients. We asked Mike, onsite in England, to share his experience with using the resources at the British Library in London to locate British ancestors in India. In the course of your family history research into your British ancestors you may find that some of them lived and worked in India during the period of British rule. The British were first in India in the early 1600s, when Queen Elizabeth … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Genealogy Research at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Whether you're heading to Washington, D.C. for a vacation or family history research, your trip is not complete without a visit to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Founded on the premise of being a "permanent living memorial to the victims of the Holocaust" by an act of Congress, the Museum opened to the public in April 1993. Located just a short distance from the National Mall, the austere façade welcomes those seeking to gain knowledge on this tragic chapter in world history. For … [Read more...]
Civil War Pension Files Research Tips
The Civil War was fought in the United States from 1861-1864, and approximately 622,000 Americans served on either the Union (Northern) or Confederate (Southern) side. Afterwards, a provision was set up for Union soldiers or their surviving dependents to receive pensions from the federal government, though the qualifications to receive one varied through the years. Until the 1890s, only those soldiers who had incurred an injury or permanently debilitating illness as a result of their military … [Read more...]
Public Libraries: Local Treasures for Genealogy Research
When you think about places you can search for your family, how often do you remember your local public library, or more importantly, the one near where your ancestor lived? Public libraries can be one of the most overlooked resources in family history research, and are one of the most valuable. Even the smallest one might hold the largest historical collection in the surrounding area. Most people visit libraries for their general offerings. Accessibility to books and magazines, rental … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with onsite researchers around the globe. Our editor, Christy, recently traveled to Indiana for a genealogy conference and didn't miss the opportunity to research at this fantastic repository while there. Check out her thoughts! Fort Wayne, Indiana is home to one of the largest genealogical libraries in the country. The Allen County Public Library (ACPL) is most well-known in genealogical circles as the home of the Periodical Source Index (PERSI), an important … [Read more...]
