This is the first article in a series meant to introduce mortality schedules and the information contained within them. The follow-up article will include examples of interesting tidbits and intriguing stories that these records have helped to uncover. Across most of the United States, consistent, statewide registration of vital events, such as births, deaths, and marriages, did not begin until the twentieth century. For genealogists, this creates a gap that is sometimes difficult to … [Read more...]
A Genealogist’s Letter to Santa
A genealogist's letter to Santa--what we really want this year! Dear Santa, I have been a good genealogist all year. My research always conforms to the Genealogical Proof Standard: my research is reasonably exhaustive, my citations are complete and accurate, my analysis is thorough, I correlate records and data fully, I resolve conflicting evidence or offer some valid explanations for the conflicts, and my conclusions are soundly written. In addition, I use outside-the-box thinking to … [Read more...]
Super Human? Magician? Freaking Miracle Worker? Close…We’re Genealogists!
Have you hit a brick wall in your genealogy research? Have you considered hiring help? We share 4 tips for managing expectations when hiring a professional genealogist. As Legacy Tree’s high client ratings can attest, hiring a professional genealogist can be a deeply rewarding and exciting process. In nearly 20 years of service, we have helped thousands of clients learn about their heritage, identify biological parents, join lineage societies, break down brick walls, trace their immigrant … [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 one of our genealogists based in Washington, D.C. to tell us about her experience with the U.S. National Archives there. The largest repository of original and historic records in the United States is the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), located at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Washington DC. A few examples of the many original records available at the National … [Read more...]
8 Ways to Celebrate Family History Month!
October is such a great month. The first autumn chill, the beauty of the changing leaves, college football, the excitement of Halloween, and the prelude to the holidays are just a few reasons to love this time of year. For genealogists, however, there's one more reason: October is also National Family History Month in the United States! Many of our readers have used the research services of Legacy Tree Genealogists and/or have spent countless hours themselves uncovering their family’s history. … [Read more...]
7 Things To Understand About Professional Genealogists
Most people don't have a lot of experience working with professional genealogists. These seven tips will help you make the most out of your genealogy research experience. One of our most popular blog posts to date has been 7 Reasons to Hire a Professional Genealogist. As a refresher, here are those seven very good reasons to let us at Legacy Tree investigate your family history: You don’t have the time or the skills to do it yourself. You need a fresh perspective on your “brick … [Read more...]
Hidden in Plain Sight: A Guide to Image-Only Record Collections
For the countless hours spent looking for records to prove or provide a family relationship, Image-Only Records collections that have not yet been indexed may hold the hidden answer to century-old questions. Here is how to use these records, and tips on maximizing your time. If you’ve plugged your family names into the search databases of the major genealogical websites and didn’t find the answer you needed, consider that your search is not done! Did you know that there are millions of pages … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: A Look at the National Archives of South Africa
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers all over the world to access records for our clients. We asked one of our researchers in South Africa to talk about the National Archives and Record Service in Cape Town. When the Dutch East India Company arrived at the Cape in 1652, they left a legacy of fine record keeping. From the moment Jan Van Riebeeck left Holland, he began his diary recording every event of his journey. These diaries continued for some years and this is where the history … [Read more...]