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...]
U.S. Passport Applications: A Genealogy Gold Mine
When researching your ancestors, U.S. passport applications can be a goldmine for genealogical information! 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 … [Read more...]
7 Important Clues From the 1880 U.S. Census
The 1880 U.S. census can provide important clues to aid in your family history research. We share 7 tips to utilize this resource effectively in your genealogy research. 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 … [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...]
Untangling a Varied Pedigree
On a recent client project, we untangled a varied pedigree consisting of Chinese, Japanese, and Southern American heritage. Here's how we dissected a complicated family history! As a Project Manager with Legacy Tree Genealogists, one of the best parts of my job is seeing the amazing things we are able to do for our clients. Clients come to us with questions, genealogy tangles, and often with a pile of old documents they don’t even know what to do with. We take these muddled ingredients and turn … [Read more...]
Deeds and Other Land Records
If you're stuck in your genealogy journey, access to deeds and other land records may help break through your genealogy "brick wall"! Deeds, and land records in general, can provide helpful pieces to the puzzle you are trying to solve about your United States ancestor. They are especially helpful in areas or time periods where few records of other types are available, like the southern United States before 1850. Most counties and some towns in the United States kept deed books, … [Read more...]