Are you continuing to hit a genealogical brick wall searching for an elusive ancestor? Here are 4 unique tips that may help! One of the things I love about genealogy is the fascinating variety of names and the many forms that one particular name can take. One memorable name that I encountered recently was Cadwallader Slaughter, often shortened to Cad Slaughter. What a name! It’s a delicate science using names to determine the identity of one person, or distinguishing between many … [Read more...]
Walking in Their Footsteps: Italian Immigrant Ancestors
In preparation for an upcoming heritage tour to his ancestral homeland, our client enlisted our help to learn more about his Italian immigrant ancestors. One of my favorite things about being a Project Manager for Legacy Tree Genealogists is witnessing how our work directly affects our clients. We recently wrapped up a project for a client who will soon be traveling to Italy. After tracing her Italian immigrant ancestors through the United States Federal Census records in the early … [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...]
Exploring Your Genealogy: The Ordinary and the Extraordinary
When exploring your genealogy, you may come across ordinary aspects of our ancestors day-to-day lives, yet these details can seem extraordinary to us. Genealogy is hot. In 2012, ABC News ran a headline that said, “Genealogy Becomes $1.6B Hobby.” One reason for this trend is that we seem to have an innate need to know what extraordinary things our ancestors accomplished - even those who may be considered ordinary on a large scale - and we learn that through genealogical research. Look … [Read more...]
Small-Town Newspapers: Windows to the Past
Using local newspapers in your genealogy research can provide important glimpses into the lives of your ancestors. Here's how we used a small-town newspaper to uncover details about a client's ancestor not found anywhere else. Turn-of-the-century small-town newspapers are treasure troves of genealogical information. Offering so much more than just cold, hard facts, these small-town papers reported on the social lives of their citizens, retold the drama at city council meetings, or … [Read more...]
Lithuanian Family History Discoveries
Using onsite researchers, Legacy Tree Genealogists were able to help a client discover Lithuanian family history records. Perhaps hiring a genealogist will help you break through your genealogy brick walls. As a Project Manager with Legacy Tree Genealogists, I often find myself just as anxious as the client is to get a report back from a researcher and find out what was discovered. I really care about each and every project, and love that we have such amazing researchers who do such great … [Read more...]
Primary Source Documents: Standing Where Your Ancestors Stood
Primary source documents are a gold mine for genealogists. Here's how one of these simple documents created a defining personal experience for one of our researchers! Primary source documents are the lifeblood of genealogy. Filled with cold, hard facts, these documents provide evidence that researchers use to collect, analyze, and then make conclusions. Personal identity, parental linkage, or biographical details are some of the possible conclusions drawn by genealogists from these … [Read more...]
Researching Irish Ancestry
Researching Irish ancestry can be a challenge. If you find yourself with a genealogical "brick wall", checking these available records may help! Finding an Irish immigrant’s area of origin can be challenging, but there are several Irish, U.S., and Canadian records that may give you this information. This article will discuss civil registration, immigration, church, vital, and cemetery records and how these records can assist you in finding your ancestor’s place of origin. Researching Irish … [Read more...]