Legacy Tree Genealogists' Geneil Breeze specializes in finding unknown ancestors. In this article, we discover some tips for identifying women in historical records by learning how cultural differences worldwide affect names and naming practices. There she was, listed as head of household on the 1850 Census for Greene County, Missouri: Sarah Singletary, age 49, my third-great-grandmother. She lived at a time when women typically were not heads of households. As a presumed single woman in the … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Finding Your Ancestors in Scotland – An Introduction to the Main Records and Archives
Let's say you trace your family tree and discover your ancestors were born in Scotland. Where do you go from there? One of our onsite researchers provides some tips and explains that the amount of information you can find depends on when your ancestors left Scotland.Birth, Marriage, Death and Census Records The primary sources for research in Scotland are certificates of birth, certificates of marriage, certificates of death, and census records.The 1841 census was the first census … [Read more...]
Tips for Researching Ancestors Who Migrated Alone
One of our researchers, Katy Barnes, provides valuable tips on how to research an ancestor who migrated alone. Katy traces the migration of David Trout, an unmarried laborer, who migrated to Dallas County Texas in the mid-1800s. Dallas County, TexasThe population of Dallas County, Texas, in 1880 was just over 33,000 (notable, since the 2020 figure is now above 2.5 million). A query of the 1880 census shows (in rough numbers) over 3,000 Dallas County residents that year were reportedly born … [Read more...]
A Guide to Pre-1850 US Federal Censuses
This guide will discuss what kinds of information you can expect to find in pre-1850 US Federal Censuses and how to use those documents in your own research. US Federal Censuses are critical to genealogical research in the United States. The later censuses—those after 1850 and especially those after 1880—offered more genealogical information than earlier ones and are frequently used by hobbyists and professional genealogists alike. Censuses before 1850 are more difficult to use because they … [Read more...]
100 Years Without the 1890 Census: Tips for Researching Through Record Loss
The loss of the 1890 census created genealogy brick walls for many family history researchers. We share tips to help you find answers to extend your family history, despite record loss.What Happened to the 1890 Census?100 years ago, the 1890 U.S. Federal Census began its slow journey to almost complete destruction. On 10 January 1921 a fire was reported in the late afternoon at the Commerce Building in Washington D.C. where the population schedules of the 1890 census were stored in the … [Read more...]
Lesson in History: How Did We Get the 1790 U.S. Census?
The first U.S. census was taken on 2 August 1790 in response to the 1790 census act, signed by President George Washington, Vice President John Adams, and Speaker of the House Frederick Muhlenberg on 1 March 1790. This began the process of taking a census every ten years as mandated by Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution. The main purpose of the census was and is to determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives to balance the power between the federal … [Read more...]
A New Development for German Census Records
A new development in German census records may make tracing your immigrant German ancestors more feasible than ever before!For genealogists tracing families in the United States, federal census records are one of the first sources searched for information – and for good reason. All of the enumerations from 1850 onward listed every member of the household by name. As time went on, the censuses became much more detailed and, depending on the year, included information such as the month and year … [Read more...]
7 Important Clues From the 1880 U.S. Census
The 1880 U.S. census can provide important clues to aid in your family history research. We share 7 tips to utilize this resource effectively in your genealogy research.Census reports, when available, are one of the backbones of genealogical research. They help us trace family members back and forth in time and provide a great deal of biographical information about each person, all in a neatly arranged table format. It is easy to focus on those all-important columns which provide the key … [Read more...]
Know Your Special Census Schedules
Are you familiar with the U.S. Special Census schedules? We'll show you how to read between the lines to glean as much information as possible about your ancestors.The census is the backbone of American research. It is one of the first sources that new genealogists learn to use, and one of the most useful overall. Perhaps because of this ease of use and accessibility, sometimes researchers can have a tendency to overlook less obvious notations, or to speed through the record a little too … [Read more...]
Keeping House in the 19th Century
The occupation of "keeping house" in the 19th Century, was no easy task! Here's a look at what such an occupation may have entailed for your ancestors. Fanny Belle Kough was eighteen years old when she began her vocation of keeping house, as noted on the 1880 United States Federal Census:Becoming the wife of Hatch Harman on 16 December 1879, Fanny Belle kept house for a man more than twice her age and his eight-year-old son from a previous marriage. Eventually, Fanny Belle would also keep … [Read more...]