In this article we explore several vital record substitutes you can use in your genealogy research when vital records are not a research option.Today, the United States Legislature governs US vital record-keeping including registering births, marriages, and deaths. These vital records make it easier to follow a paper trail from parent to child and extend our genealogies back several generations. However, some states did not mandate vital record recording until the 1900s. Because of … [Read more...]
Genealogy Records and Resources
Our team of professional researchers have combed the world over compiling genealogy records and resources to help you find your ancestors. Many researchers limit themselves to basic sources: the census, vitals (birth and death records), and those documents indexed online. For a brick wall, creativity and fully exhaustive searches are required, and these are strategies usually beyond the means of the average hobbyist. As professional genealogists with academic degrees and credentials, our collective experience has led to our finding answers through DNA testing, estate files, the social columns of newspapers (not just obituaries), county histories, tax records, deeds, funeral home data, social history, court cases, religious rites, civil and criminal court records, divorce proceedings, guardianship papers, military service records, and the like.
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...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Chinese Genealogy Research at the Family History Library
The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah is a great place to start when conducting Chinese genealogy research!The Chinese genealogical records found at the Family History Library (located in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA), feature treasures for all people who are interested in researching Chinese ancestry. With millions of microfilmed records from various areas and time periods in China, one single Chinese name can open up a world of rich content. Stories of ancestors may lead to books, … [Read more...]
How to Connect with Your Pilgrim Ancestors and Join the Mayflower Society
Would you like to join the Mayflower Society? We walk you through the steps of proving your Pilgrim ancestry!If you know or suspect that you are descended from one of the original Pilgrims who arrived in Massachusetts on 9 November 1620 there is still time to join the General Society of Mayflower Descendants (more commonly known as the Mayflower Society) before the November 2020 celebration of the 400th anniversary of the landing of the Mayflower.Proving your connection to a Mayflower … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Top 10: Our Most Popular Family History Blog Articles from 2018
Another year has come and gone! Before we usher 2018 out the door, we want to share our countdown of the most popular family history blog articles from 2018. Did your favorite make the list?10. Beginning German Genealogy Research: "What Does 'German' Really Mean?"9. Third Cousins Twice Removed and Consaguinity: Figuring Out How You're Related to Your Relatives8. Understanding Your AncestryDNA Matches7. DNA: Transforming African American Genealogy6. 6 Things You Need to Know … [Read more...]
Going Beyond the Obituaries: How to Use Newspapers in Your Family History Research
Newspapers hold a treasure trove of information on your family history! Not only can you find obituaries, but you can often find birth, marriage, and divorce notices; passenger lists; arrests and information on crimes; war heroes and casualties; tragedies and triumphs; historical context, and more.How to Access Newspapers for Family History ResearchHistorical newspapers can be found on pay sites such as GenealogyBank, which contains over 9,000 newspapers dating from 1690 to today; … [Read more...]
Research Spotlight: Colonial New Jersey Family History Resources
One of our genealogists shares insight into two Colonial New Jersey family history resources you may not be aware of!Because the New Jersey colonial census records and the U.S. Federal census schedules of 1790 through 1820 for New Jersey were destroyed, early genealogy research there can be especially challenging. Building off of an earlier blog post - Two Excellent New Jersey Resources - here two more resources that should not be overlooked if you are researching colonial New Jersey family … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: A Visit to the Mid-Continent Public Library – Midwest Genealogy Center
Legacy Tree works with researchers all over the world to access records for our clients. We asked one of our researchers to share her experiences with family history research at the Midwest Genealogy Center located in Independence Missouri.Genealogists are in for an amazing surprise when visiting the 52,000 square foot Midwest Genealogy Center (MGC), part of the Mid-Continent Public Library system in Independence, Missouri. This unique library located just outside of Kansas City is focused … [Read more...]
Why Do I Need a Forensic Genealogist?
This guide explains the ins and outs of forensic genealogy research - also commonly referred to as probate, heir or estate research.What is probate research?In its simplest form, probate is the process, overseen by a court, whereby a deceased person’s assets are distributed to their heirs and creditors. However, probate is not always simple!Each state has a court that handles probate and the process varies by state. In New York, the probate process takes place in Surrogate's Court; in … [Read more...]
Time + Place= Records and Family!
If there’s any problem that’s bigger than not finding anything about your ancestors, it’s finding too many records with people of the same name to make sense of it all. That’s when genealogists use the concepts of time and place in genealogy like a set of cross-hairs to hone in on records that relate to their family.Time and Place in Genealogy ResearchWhat does "time and place" mean to the family historian? It means putting yourself in the time and place of the ancestor for whom you are … [Read more...]
