Encountering tragedy is common in family history research, and understanding the historical context can make the events even more personable to us. Learn how to research beyond names and dates to discover the stories of your ancestors. In doing genealogical research, it’s extremely important to look beyond the bare-bones names and dates of your ancestors, and learn about the culture, history, and events that took place during their lives. If we neglect this vital piece of the puzzle, there will … [Read more...]
6 Valuable Resources for Tracing French Ancestors
These are the resources you've been searching for to trace your French ancestry! Use the tools professional genealogists use to break through century-old brick walls. One of the greatest challenges in tracing immigrant ancestors is determining their town of origin in the home country. Some records may provide clues of their nationality or ethnicity, but narrowing the search further can be difficult. Though this article deals specifically with tracing French immigrants, these principles … [Read more...]
Biological vs. Cultural Heritage
Biological vs. cultural heritage, also known as nature vs. nurture, is a question withstanding the test of time. If DNA testing reveals surprises in your family tree, consider what "family" means to you. Genealogy is full of surprises. As I was wrapping up a large pedigree project for one of our clients recently, a couple of birth records that had been lost in the mail finally arrived. They revealed that the man the client had always known as her paternal grandfather was not actually … [Read more...]
Ancestor’s Photographs: Worth a Thousand Words
Discovering an ancestor's photograph is one of the highlights of genealogy research. Bringing a face to a name is a priceless addition to any family tree. Here are a few ideas to help you locate ancestral photographs. Photographs can be very interesting genealogical records, and we have been told are worth a thousand words. The picture above, taken sometime around 1908 at Warm River, Idaho, certainly tells something. Of particular interest is a couple in the back corner. They were Zina Gunter … [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...]
Robin Williams – Genealogy and the Whole Person
A younger Robin Genealogy affects each and every single person who has ever and will ever, live on Earth - including the beloved Robin Williams. Although a celebrity, Robin William's family history is rich just like each of ours. We love that genealogy celebrates people as whole individuals - not just people in their vocations or locations but as people who had parents and ancestors, people who were born, grew up, married, and experienced life. Robin Williams made a significant … [Read more...]
Free World War I Records Through the End of July and Beyond
One of the best things to hear as a genealogist is, "Free records!" World War I records have been offered free from MyHeritage through the end of July. Enjoy! 100 years ago, Serbia was invaded by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The date was July 28, 1914. This act marked the beginning of World War I, one of history's deadliest conflicts and the impetus of many political changes worldwide. In memory of this event, MyHeritage is offering free access to its World War I records through the end … [Read more...]