What do the Bryce Canyon Airport Hangar in Bryce Canyon, Utah, the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California, and the Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfok, Virginia, all have in common? They are all Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects, created to ease the financial burdens of millions of unemployed Americans affected by the Great Depression. But did you know this initiative also included projects that have greatly impacted family history research? In 1933, President Franklin … [Read more...]
All in a Day’s Work: Using Apprenticeship Records to Trace Your Ancestors from the United States to England
Making the leap backward from the United States to England during colonial times can be difficult. There aren’t those lovely modern passenger lists to use to determine the identity of the family left behind, places of birth, and family or friends who have already immigrated. But, if you are fortunate, and know one or two key pieces of information about that colonial ancestor, Findmypast has some great databases which can help you to make that leap across the pond. Let’s imagine your ancestor … [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...]
Social Security and Your Immigrant Ancestors
Q: My immigrant ancestor had a Social Security number. That proves he became a citizen of the United States, doesn’t it? A: In the 21st century, we tend to view our Social Security numbers as evidence that we are U.S. citizens and assume that only other citizens can file an application for a Social Security number. In fact, many government and other entities use the card the same way. However, from the Social Security Administration’s earliest days of existence, non-citizens have always been … [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...]
Divorce and Your Ancestors: Tracing the Split
Marriage records are a core, basic record type in American genealogy, and one that even the most beginner of researchers usually knows to look for. Useful for creating a timeline, learning a woman’s maiden name, identifying family members, and a host of other possibilities, marriage records are also the most common and oldest type of American vital record in most parts of the country. Though statewide registration of births and deaths did not begin in most states until the early 20th century, … [Read more...]
German Immigrants in American Church Records
Do you have German ancestors who lived in the Midwest? Were they Protestants? If you answered yes to those questions, then you need to know about the German Immigrants in American Church Records (GIACR) series. Compiled by Dr. Roger P. Minert of Brigham Young University, the first volume of the series was published in 2005 and has since expanded to include 18 volumes, the most recent of which was published in July 2015. It covers a total of nine states—Indiana, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: The National Archives of the United States
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers all over the world to access records for our clients. We asked Michele, a genealogist based in Washington, D.C., to tell us about her experience with the U.S. National Archives there. I am a professional genealogist and I live in northern Virginia, in a suburb of Washington, D.C. There are many museums and archives available within 25 miles of my home which makes this environment a historian’s dream. One in particular is of great value in my … [Read more...]
U.S. Passport Applications: a Genealogical Gold Mine
We have a wide variety of documents to search for information about our ancestors: birth, marriage, and death certificates come to mind, as well as baptismal records, census forms, obituaries, and naturalization documents. But another source is one that we don’t often consider: passport applications. If you have any ancestors or relatives who may have left the country at any point – even just on vacation – this is an excellent resource not to be missed. In the United States, passports have … [Read more...]
7 Important Clues From the 1880 U.S. Census
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 facts: name, age, occupation, marital status, place of birth. The 1880 U.S. Census is well-known for being the first census to (finally!) report the relationship of each … [Read more...]
