april 30, 2020 by Legacy Tree Genealogists Leave a Comment

“The Milkman’s Son”: Tips for Writing a Captivating Family History, and a Giveaway!

Randy Lindsay, author of The Milkman’s Son, shares tips for writing a family history others will want to read, PLUS a giveaway for a copy of his book.

Randy’s Story

In the summer of 2005, an ordinary trip to visit my dad changed my life. I should have known I was in for a surprise when he muted the sound on the television and had an actual discussion with me. Dad told me he was having dreams. He saw the faces of people he believed were his ancestors and even though none of these ghosts spoke to him, he knew they wanted their family history work done.

The responsibility for researching the family tree fell upon me. I became The Keeper of Names for both sides of my family. While I loved all of the work, the research into my surname was by far my favorite. The Great Lindsay Quest took me back as far as William “The Immigrant” Lindsay.” And that’s where I hit a serious brick wall.

William was born around 1800, in Ireland, but I could find no trace of him there. I switched gears and worked on other branches of the family tree. All that time, William taunted me. At least, in my imagination, he taunted me. Daring me to find him. Bragging about his skill in hiding from modern investigation techniques.

But I knew he couldn’t hide his DNA. I had it running through my blood. I pulled out the big guns, technologically speaking, and ordered a DNA test kit. Fortunately, they didn’t want any of my blood, just a little bit of spit. I sent in the kit and . . . waited.

Months passed by at a glacial pace. Then the results arrived. I scrambled to look through the information, looking for any evidence that would lead me to William’s location in Ireland.

Surprise!

William Petrauschke

I’m not a Lindsay. Not genetically. It turned out that I was a Petrauschke (pronounced Puh-trow-ski). Maybe it shouldn’t have been a surprise. Since high school, my siblings have teased me about being the milkman’s son. I don’t look like the rest of them. I don’t act like any of them either. The results sent a thousand thoughts reeling through my head. One emotional storm after another tossed my heart about.

It took some time, but I adjusted to having two families. Then my writer friends urged me to write about the experience. None of their efforts to persuade me worked. I wasn’t interested in writing about myself.

Then, one of my closest friends suggested that I had the ability to make this whole experience accessible to the many people who might be going through the same thing. In other words, it would help others.

Oh, horse feathers. How could I say no to helping others.

So, I wrote a memoir. People discovered I wrote about my family history and having my DNA tested and wanted to know how to do the same. These people realized they needed to make their family stories interesting or else nobody would read them.

Then it hit me. These stories were important. Future generations would benefit from know more about their origins by reading about the lives of relatives who had passed away. Since then, I’ve switched from writing fiction to helping others to tell their stories in a way that’s interesting for others to read. I mean, what’s the point of writing a family history if the readers are going to lose interest and put the story down after the first page?

Not only do I love teaching people how to write their personal and family stories, but I also want all of these amazing stories to reach as many readers as possible. Here are a few tips that I hope will help you craft an engaging story.

Limit Your Material

It’s impossible to write about everything that happens in a person’s life. Not only do you not have the time to write that much material, but even if you did the story would fill hundreds of books.

Find a theme instead. Choose a single aspect of the person’s life and write about that. Show the reader how the situation came about. Describe the related events that came afterward. Discuss how it affected the people in the story. And then tell us how it ends. Write only about that single event.

My memoir, The Milkman’s Son, is not the story of my life. It’s about how I discovered I had a family I didn’t previously know, how that discovery affected both sides of my family, and how it changed my life.

Don’t Start at the Beginning

The beginning of a story needs to grab the reader’s attention or else they probably won’t make it past the first page. True stories are no different. The beginning of your story should start at the point when things get interesting. There will be plenty of time to add in details you want the reader to know, once you have their attention.

An immigration story might start as the person, or family, boards the ship that will take them to their new home. That’s the point where everything is new and scary for the immigrants. Readers will be intrigued to see what happens on the journey across the sea and in the place where they plan to settle.

The Milkman’s Son starts with my dad telling me that his dead ancestors are visiting him in his dreams. Talk about an attention-grabber. My book starts where the story gets interesting.

Goals and Struggles

At the heart of every great story is a person with a goal. Humans are instinctively drawn to find out whether a person succeeds in obtaining any goal they might have. Then when obstacles are placed in the way of those goals, we have . . . struggles.

Struggles are the reason people read stories. We want to find out if the characters in a story can overcome adversity. Hopefully, to grow stronger and wiser in the process. That is a central concept in our lives. All of us face obstacles. All of us must deal with adversity. Reading about how someone else has managed to succeed gives the rest of us the courage to work through our own struggles.

The obstacles in a family story need to be related to the theme, or event, you are writing about. Obstacles in paying off a student loan might be a distraction in a story about a young woman dealing with a fractured relationship with her sister.

For example, the obstacles I used in The Milkman’s Son include long-established beliefs about what it meant to be family, emotional conflict over meeting my new family, and financial difficulties in making a second trip out to visit my biological father.

Include Plenty of Details

Details bring a story to life. Without them, the readers are basically staring at an empty stage. Without details, the readers have nothing to picture in their mind’s eyes. Writing about a trip to your grandparent’s house will have a greater impact if you give it a colorful description. The more details you include, the more vivid a picture you place in the reader’s mind.

Compare the following two sentences.

I drove my car over to grandma’s house.

I drove my cherry-red 1967 Camaro, along the crowded I-17 freeway, to Grandma Jenny’s paint-peeling, two-story house.

The first sentence tells what happens, but the second sentence allows the reader to visualize what happens. It’s the details in the second sentence that makes the reader feel as if they are right in the middle of the action. And for me, that’s what writing memoirs and family histories is all about, letting readers experience the lives of their ancestors.

Keep the memory of your family members alive with stories that are interesting enough to grab the attention of future generations. These simple tips are a good start to writing family stories that people will want to read.

Win a Copy of the Best-selling Memoir, The Milkman’s Son

The Milkman’s Son reveals author Randy Lindsay’s family tree, pulling back layers of new information as he gets closer to the truth—a biological father, siblings, and family members he never knew about.

This is a story of accepting, forgiving, reuniting, and, most importantly, it’s about the bonds that connect us and the unconditional love that makes us feel like we belong.

To learn more or to purchase your own copy, visit: https://milkmanssonbook.com/

win a copy of "The Milkman's Son"
[giveaway id=59282]

april 17, 2020 by Legacy Tree Genealogists Leave a Comment

Forensic and Probate Research Frequently Asked Questions

Legacy Tree Genealogists has a dedicated probate research division, and has been servicing the forensic needs of attorneys, paralegals, estate administrators, fiduciaries and investors since 2004. Check out our forensic and probate research FAQ.

What is forensic genealogy?

Forensic genealogy is genealogical research in relation to legal matters. This most often involves genealogical research to define the identities and locate contact information for potential heirs based on descendancy. While often involved in matters of probate, forensic research has additional legal applications, such as in real estate investments, mineral rights investments and unclaimed property. See How Can Investors Benefit From Probate Researchers for additional information.

What is a forensic genealogist?

Traditional genealogists generally research only backwards in time to find further ancestors. Forensic genealogists, also referred to as probate researchers, start with a decedent, researches backward in time only as appropriate according to individual country or state succession laws, then researches forwards in time to define extended family members and potential heirs to the decedent.

How do I hire a forensic genealogist?

If you’re interested in hiring Legacy Tree Genealogists for estate research, also called probate research, forensic genealogy, heirship research, or heir searching, here’s some helpful information:

Legacy Tree has experience working with Public Administrators, court-appointed administrators, individual executors, and even geneticists in their quest to account for heirs of common ancestors.
Unlike many probate research companies, we do not work on a commission that takes a percentages of the estate. Each hour is billed and appropriately accounted for as we strive to productively accomplish the work as quickly as possible.
We provide copies of all documents used to assemble the relationships presented, which are accompanied by citations for easy reference.

How much does probate research cost?

Payment is required in advance for a minimum of five hours used as a research retainer to initiate the research process and the corresponding Affidavit of Diligent Search for Kinship. If additional research time is required to bring the research and affidavit to completion, the client will receive a summary update of the results achieved so far and an estimate of the amount of any additional research time required. This will include cost proposals to present to courts for release of funds to facilitate advance payments. This can generally be delivered within several days. If there are time constraints we need to work within, please let us know and we will make every effort to meet those deadlines. Client approval and payment is required to proceed.

In addition to the hourly rates for research services, Legacy Tree may need to bill for outside services such as death certificates, marriage records, obituary notices/local newspaper searches, background checks (on relatives discovered, for potential relationships to other individuals), database fees, and other incidentals that may occur. Client approval will be obtained prior to incurring any additional costs.

How long does probate research take?

After client approval of proposed costs, the final report has a turnaround time of about 3-8 weeks. If success is reached with additional time remaining, the balance will be refunded upon conclusion of the project.

In order to facilitate the providing of research results as soon as possible and/or preserve estate assets, certified death certificates for deceased persons affecting the line of succession will not be purchased at this time. Deaths will be exhibited with the use of databases such as the Social Security Death Index and exhibited by documents such as obituaries. Should the client later require the securing of certified certificates, Legacy Tree Genealogists can assist the client in the ordering of certified certificates that the various identified heirs at law cannot produce themselves and make them available in an addendum report.

If an affidavit is required, these are generally completed in 8-10 weeks, depending on the availability of needed official records and certificates that may need to be ordered through the mail.

What is the difference between an affidavit and simply a report?

The kind of report you need us to provide for you depends upon the goal which you want to accomplish. All reports explain the results of the diligent and unbiased research conducted in a narrative written form. If the report is going to be used as evidence in legal proceedings, or as the basis to begin legal proceedings, the report must be in the form of a notarized report of written sworn testimony called an “affidavit.”
what is an affidavit

What are the key components of an affidavit?

An “affidavit” is simply sworn expert testimony presented in written form. The “affiant” is the person who signs the report as their personal notarized and sworn expert testimony.

Your affiant, the professional forensic researcher assigned to your case, begins the affidavit by swearing to a series of statements. Your affiant swears that they are:

An employee of Legacy Tree Genealogists.
A United States citizen over 18 years old age.
Credentialed.
Not related to the decedent or heirs.
Paid on an hourly plus costs basis and have no financial interest in the outcome of the case.
Have inspected or caused to be inspected documents.
Have personal knowledge of the facts and matters discussed in the affidavit.
Believe any statements made in the affidavit are true.

The affidavit then discloses the specific state laws the research was conducted to align with.

The affidavit also contains a series of summary charts overviewing the research results.

The main body of the affidavit is a series of facts describing the research results. Each statement of fact presented in a numbered paragraph and is accompanied by an exhibit showing the basis for the fact, including a full source citation. For example: sample affidavit exhibit
Finally, the affiant swears under penalties of perjury that the facts stated in the affidavit are true.

Will the affidavit say for sure who the heirs are?

No, only potential heirs based on familial kinship and the applicable state laws. Only a judge has the legal right to adjudicate heirship.

What if the court wants the affiant to testify in person?

As providers of expert testimony, we are happy to testify in person. However, in person testimony is rarely required by the court.

Can you answer my legal questions so I will not need an attorney?

No. As professional genealogists and not attorneys at law, we cannot offer any legal advice.

Can I, as the client, request changes be made to an affidavit or request that certain information be left out?

As providers of expert testimony, we must remain completely unbiased as to the research results, else our testimony would not be of value. If a client shares documents, directly related to the case, we are happy to include them. We cannot remove information from the affidavit and remain unbiased.

How long does an affidavit take to complete?

Normally an affidavit can be completed in 8-10 weeks from the time of client payment, depending on the availability of needed official records and certificates that may need to be ordered through the mail.

How am I charged for an affidavit?

Research is conducted on an hourly plus actual costs basis. As providers of expert testimony that is unbiased, we cannot accept commission or contingency agreements.

Is all forensic research conducted in the same way?

No. Forensic research is conducted in a way consistent with appropriate state laws. Each state has different intestate succession laws. See our article, Intestate Succession – 50 Laws for 50 States for additional information.

Can I help keep costs down?

Yes. Provide us with all the documents you can such and birth, marriage, and death certificates. We do not want to waste resources ordering and waiting for documents that you already have. Be open with us about your concerns so we can address them cost effectively.

How do I order my forensic research project?

Orders may be placed using our secure online order form here, or by contacting our Client Solutions Team at 800.818.1476 (U.S. and Canada) or 0800 0488530 (UK and International).

As a probate research firm, our forensic genealogists are experienced at providing expert genealogical research, analysis and reporting for legal proceedings involving kinship. Contact us today for expert probate research assistance.

april 6, 2020 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 4 Comments

Horses Not Zebras: 5 Tips for Evaluating Conflicting Evidence

“How do I evaluate conflicting evidence in my family history?” Read on to discover tips from professional genealogists.

A common medical aphorism states, “When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras.” Essentially, this means that when making a diagnosis, doctors should avoid jumping to an exotic conclusion when there is a more commonplace explanation. The same principle applies when evaluating genealogical evidence.

One of the most common mistakes a novice researcher can make is coming up with a wild or convoluted theory when encountering something in a record that doesn’t make sense. However, the reality is, most of the time, the simplest answer is the correct one, and while unusual circumstances did happen, they are just that, unusual.

Although any small detail can feel extraordinary when learning about your ancestors, the explanation for contradictory evidence is usually simple, but may require thinking outside the box. Here are some tips to follow when evaluating records that don’t seem to fit:

Where did your known information come from? Are there original sources to back it up?

When verifying family information, go as far down the tree as needed to find information that you can confirm. Then work your way back up, proving the links generation by generation with sources to make sure you are following the right line.

Do the geography and timeline make sense?

This is a common mistake, especially when researching in a foreign country. Just because both places are in Germany, or England, doesn’t mean that they are near each other. Pull out a map and see if you can locate the different towns. Is it feasible that one child was born hundreds of miles away from the others when the younger children were back in the original place? Probably not.

Could they be two different people with the same name? Evaluate differences carefully—if things aren’t lining up, consider the possibility that the records could be for two different people who were the same age or living in the same place.

For example, it is much more likely that there were two people with the same name who married different people, than a case of bigamy (plus there are usually other records that would indicate that). It helps to map out a timeline and examine details such as addresses to separate them out. If they are not the same person, a piece of evidence will eventually provide you with the necessary genealogical proof to substantiate this.

Were there circumstances surrounding the creation of the record that could lead to mistakes or misinformation?

For example, an informant on a death record reporting the deceased’s parents or birth likely received the information secondhand from someone else, or they could misremember details due to grief.

Other circumstances could include changing one’s age to enlist early in the army or to appear younger, details getting lost in translation, coming from a culture where exact age was not important, changing a name to fit into a new country, etc.

Could it be a clerical error? Keep in mind that records (and people!) are not infallible. Many records, including censuses, were copied down by a clerk or someone who did not know the family in question, and they could have made a mistake in spelling, understanding the information and/or a copying error.

If a reported relationship isn’t making sense with the details confirmed by other records, consider the possibility that the clerk heard it wrong, wrote it on the wrong line, or misunderstood. For example, I’ve seen a passenger list where the clerk inverted a brother and a brother-in-law. Instead of jumping to a convoluted conclusion to explain the different surnames, the simplest explanation was that the clerk just mixed them up, which fit with all of the other evidence.

So, next time you encounter evidence that doesn’t seem to make sense, check to see if your theory involves an unusual circumstance. If it does, reevaluate all of the evidence and see if there could be a simpler explanation. When you have found the right theory, the evidence should build on itself, and new evidence will only strengthen it. If it really is an unusual circumstance, then you will likely find other records that support that, and if it’s not, you will have resolved the conflict.

If you need help evaluating conflicting evidence in your family history research, the team at Legacy Tree Genealogists is here to help! We’re experts at scouring every possible record source for clues to ensure our client’s genealogy is accurate and verifiable. Get started today by requesting your free quote.

marts 27, 2020 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 2 Comments

Legacy Tree Onsite: A Genealogist’s Guide to Australian Archives

Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked one of our onsite researchers to share an inside look at the resources available for family history research at various Australian archives.

Australian archives can be broadly sorted into governmental, public and private collections. They can occur at each of the three levels of government (federal, state and local), within other public institutions such as state libraries, or within private organisations – either the creating body such as the Lutheran Church of Australia or collecting bodies such as genealogical and historical societies.

There is a certain lack of consistency about which records can be found in which archives for any particular record type or series before the mid 20^th century. As such, it is important to know at least which state or territory your family member lived in.

It’s also important to remember several key points about searching these records:

Nearly all of the colonial and federal census household census returns and enumeration sheets have been destroyed.
Naturalisation was only relevant to non-British subjects.
Migration records were often only created and kept if the migrant was sponsored by the government.
Where US spelling uses a ‘Z’, Australian spelling often uses an ‘S’, and archive search tools often need both spellings used to return all records.

National Archives of Australia (NAA)

The National Archives of Australia collects governmental records created by the government and agencies of the Commonwealth of Australia, although certain records sit with specialist collections such as the Australian War Memorial or Parliamentary Library.

The NAA holds the following important records for family historians:

migration and naturalisation and defence post 1901 (Australian Federation) as well as some pre-1901 colonial records in these areas
WWI Army Service Records (B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920)
naturalisation records for colonial South Australia and Victoria (other states pre-1901) records are still held at a state level. A large number of these records are available as digital images for free, and other records can be requested for digitisation at a cost.

Check the NAA for a more complete list: https://www.naa.gov.au/help-your-research/whats-collection.

Australian archives - Certificate of Naturalisation

South Australia Certificate of Naturalisation (NAA: A821, SET 1/NO 4 FOLIO 1 Page 1 of 4).

State/Territory Government Archives

In each state or territory (Australia has 6 states and 2 self-governing territories) there is an agency responsible for the archiving of government and governmental agency records. A different name is given for this agency in each jurisdiction:

South Australia – State Records of SA (archives.sa.gov.au)

Victoria – Public Records Office Victoria (prov.vic.gov.au)

Western Australia – State Records Office of WA (sro.wa.gov.au)

Tasmania – Tasmanian Archive & Heritage Office (libraries.tas.gov.au/archive-heritage)

New South Wales – NSW State Archives and Records (records.nsw.gov.au)

Queensland – Qld State Archives (archives.qld.gov.au)

Northern Territory – NT Archives Service (https://dtsc.nt.gov.au/arts-and-museums/northern-territory-archives-service)

Australian Capital Territory – Archives ACT (archives.act.gov.au)

These collections are less accessible than the National Archives records. All have online collection search functions; however the amount of material digitized or even indexed varies greatly. Some of the archives have partnered with providers such as MyHeritage, Findmypast, Ancestry and FamilySearch to provide access to digital versions of these records.

The collections are particularly useful for colonial migration documents, access to local government annual land assessments (if not stored with the local government), police and court files, wills and probate, school attendance, and government employment records. Some state records are managed by a different state body, but there are usually links from state archives to the relevant department. This includes vital records (known as BDM in Australia) and land titles in particular, but also some probate and will documents.

South Australia Certificate of Title (SAILIS: Certificate of Title Vol. 584 Fol. 30).

State Libraries

Most state and territory government archives grew out of their respective state libraries, with non-government collections staying with the state libraries after the service splits. These collections include diaries, journals, photographic collections, maps, organisational archives, and private archives. A number of religious bodies have chosen to archive their material with state libraries, for example the Uniting Church and the Anglican Church in South Australia have archived their records with the SA State Library. Even where a state or national organisational archive exists, such as the National Lutheran Archives, some individual parish records can be found in state libraries.

The rise of interest in family history research means that most state libraries have a dedicated section for family historians and have created significant indexes of their holdings where they relate to family history.

Australian archives - State Library of SOuth Australia, Map of Hundred of Bright

State Library of South Australia, Map of Hundred of Bright 1876 ([cartographic material] zsmp 830 bje 1:63,360 Bright 1876).

Local Government Archives

Records relating to the various local government bodies in Australia are kept in a variety of places and may include tax assessment (rates) registers, council minutes, and records of local health and welfare bodies prior to state management.

Larger councils may have their own archival facilities (eg the City of Adelaide Archives), while smaller councils may choose to co-locate records or deposit them with state archives. Others have passed records deemed as historic to local history groups for management and access. Due to significant reform within the local government sphere, there are currently only 537 local governments in Australia as of June 2018, so determining who holds which records is not too difficult. Most local council areas also have a local history group that works closely with the council on history and heritage matters and can help with accessing specific records.

Australian archives - assessment book from City of Adelaide

Assessment Book (City of Adelaide Archives, Series S5 Assessment Books, Series 2 1846-1849, Vol 1 1847-1848 p. 78).

Private Archives

As noted above, private organisations often use state archives and libraries as their repositories of record, but others maintain their own archives at a state or national level. Access may be freely available or heavily restricted, so it is necessary to contact each organisation individually. The most important of these organisations for family history are the various church archives and the collections they hold beyond parish registers.

Lutheran Archives, Hope Valley Parish Papers (researcher’s personal file)

Australia is one of the world’s largest immigrant-based countries, meaning the majority of the people living there have family trees that originate from somewhere else. If you need help researching your Australian ancestry, the team at Legacy Tree Genealogists is experienced at tracing and extending family lines, wherever they originate from. Our network of onsite researchers have access to the archives you need to make serious progress on your family history. Contact us today to discuss your research goals and request a free quote!

marts 26, 2020 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 3 Comments

8 Essential Tips to Maximize Productivity While Working Remotely

As employers and employees around the globe scramble to implement and adjust to remote work options in the face of COVID-19, for Legacy Tree employees, it’s just another day “in the office”. Legacy Tree Genealogists has been a remote-based company since its inception in 2004–allowing us to attract top talent regardless of geographical location, access records around the globe for our clients, and grow our company to allow us to serve even more individuals and families worldwide.

As work from home veterans, our team shares some of our best tips for overcoming common remote work challenges while staying organized and productive:

#1: Have a dedicated work space

Not everyone has a designated home office, but it’s crucial to have a private, quiet space for your work, free of distractions. Create a workspace you can walk away from (even if that’s just shutting a laptop), and stick to a regular work schedule as much as possible. This helps you mentally separate work from personal life.

remote work tips - have a dedicated office space

Elly Catmull, Director of Client Services in her dedicated office space.

#2: Establish expectations and accountability

Make sure expectations are clearly communicated. Are work hours set or flexible? How are team members accountable for their time, and how is success measured? At Legacy Tree Genealogists, we utilize time keeping software and KPIs so everyone knows what’s expected and can report on it.

#3: Collaborate with shared schedules and files

We love our project management software, and if you want free, Google also does wonders for helping with team organization through their shared spreadsheets and calendars.

For file organization, it’s tough to beat Dropbox. It’s fast, it’s intuitive, and up to a limit, it’s free. Another great cloud-based option for teams is OneDrive.

#4: Implement weekly to do lists

Once a week, our team members review a list of items they planned to complete in the previous seven days, mark off what’s done, and create a new to do list for the next seven days. This list is sent to a manager and becomes the employee’s roadmap for the next seven days.

Daily planning time or aimlessness is minimal because next tasks are already all mapped out. This also encourages more completion of “deep work.”

#5: Keep the team together digitally

Working remotely, it can be easy to feel isolated. One way our team overcomes this is through regular virtual meetings using software, such as Zoom. You can screenshare, whiteboard, and record meetings for later use. Tip: before you start a call, turn around and look behind you. This is what people will see on your Zoom calls. Make sure you want to share those things with others!

There are also great chat options, such as Slack, that help remote teams feel united and get “water cooler” time.

#6: Agendas and recaps

Every team meeting follows an agenda and includes an emailed post-meeting recap with assignments. This keeps us on-task and ensures that stuff gets done as a result of the meeting. One way to track pre-meeting topics is through Trello.

As items come up during the week, it’s easy to drop a note in Trello and then quickly create a meeting agenda based on those notes.

#7: Consolidated tasks

Most of us have rather boring, repetitive items to take care of – you know, checking the spam folder, going over audio notes, reviewing stats, etc. We’ve found it helpful to consolidate these little items into one big tasklist that’s taken care of once a week, all at once. That way, the rest of the week can focus on other more complicated things.

A Google sheet, Trello list, or to do list app works fine.

#8: Increase efficiency with routines

The more you hold yourself and your team to a routine, the less time needs to be spent thinking about when to do something. Holding team meetings on the same day and time each week or month makes it something no one has to think about. Scheduling the way we use our time each day, and holding ourselves as individuals to a routine, can also be helpful. One approach is to schedule the most complicated projects first thing in the morning, before hitting the inbox or answering the phone. That way those important things that take more brain power don’t get pushed out of the way by “fires,” and get attention before any late-afternoon drowsiness can set in.

As you embrace a work from home situation, or, look to refine your current processes, we hope these tips will be useful in ensuring your remote work situation is productive. Are there any tips you would add to our list?

By offering flexible work options, Legacy Tree Genealogists has established a team of leading experts with the knowledge and expertise necessary to help you connect with your ancestors and preserve your legacy for generations to come. There’s no genealogy “brick wall” too difficult for our team! If you’re ready to make serious progress on your family history research, get started today by requesting your free quote.

marts 13, 2020 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 1 Comment

Tips for Using City Directories for Genealogy Research

The R.L. Polk company, though not the earliest company to do so, published their first city directory in the 1870s, as a way to centralize community information. They employed sales associates and census enumerators to go door to door to collect information, sell advertising and make sales for their new directories. These handy guides were the quitessential Google search of their day–the go-to resource for finding information. These same directories can be an important resource for genealogy research today, providing details such as name (and spouse), address, occupation and more.

Where Can I Find City Directories?

Libraries have long been loyal customers who have yearly subscriptions for the city directories in their town and surrounding area. These directories, often dating back decades, can be found in their reference or genealogy departments. If the local public library does not have them, the local college and university libraries likely will. Local historical societies or genealogical societies are great places to look as well.

City Directories are also starting to be digitized on the websites of libraries, historical and genealogical societies, and even in large databases, such as MyHeritage, Ancestry, or Google Books.

What Information Can You Find in City Directories?

A wealth of information can be found in a city directory. Beyond contact information like addresses, city directories can also include:

a brief local history
a street guide and ward boundaries
a population count of the local city and sometimes the surrounding areas
social service staff members such as fire and police departments
city and county officials, including the courts and federal officers
a list of local churches and a separate list of the clergy, by name
cemeteries
schools and universities and sometimes a listing of their staff members
hospitals, orphanages, and homes
lodges and social organizations
a list of residents by name and by street
- among the information collected were names, spouse’s names (often in parenthesis), whether they are a widow, occupation, and address
- this makes them a great resource for collateral research to locate friends and relatives in the listings by street address.
business directory listed alphabetically and by type
ads for businesses that chose this option to advertise
newspapers and publications

Seattle City Directory – Courtesy of Google Books free Ebooks.

Helpful Hints for Searching City Directories

Be sure to look towards the front of the book for abbreviations used throughout.
Don’t stop in the first alphabetical list that you find! Depending on the size of the area, there may be several communities listed in the same directory.
If you already know your ancestor’s occupation, perhaps from a census record, be sure to take that one step further and see what can be found about that business in the directory.

Today we are fortunate to be able to sit at a computer and search the white pages, yellow pages, city and county web pages, Wikipedia, or business or personal names specifically. But back in the day, city directories were the best source to find all of this information all in one place.

What details may be discovered in city directories about your ancestors? The experts at Legacy Tree Genealogists can help you piece together all possible resources to preserve your legacy and the details that bring your family history to life. Contact us today for a free quote.

marts 2, 2020 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 2 Comments

RootsTech 2020 Recap: Celebrating 10 Years of Connection

A recap of all the happenings of RootsTech 2020.

There was a lot to celebrate this year at RootsTech 2020, and Legacy Tree Genealogists was there for it all. We discovered great stories, connected with friends new and old, shared our genealogy knowledge, and helped commemorate the conference’s 10^th anniversary.

The theme of RootsTech 2020 was “Discover the Story of YOU.” The story of each of us is made up of an intricate mix of not only our own experiences, but the trials, traditions, and adventures of the ancestors that came before us. This year’s theme resonated with us, since helping people discover their own stories and celebrate their family history is what we do best.

Legacy Tree Genealogists team members could be found throughout the conference, fielding questions, giving out prizes, and of course greeting attendees at our booth in the Expo Hall. It was great to see all those who stopped by to say hello!

With more than 300 classes to choose from, RootsTech 2020 featured educational opportunities for everyone. Conference attendees had two opportunities to catch the popular presentation, “DNA & Facebook: Finding Your Ancestral Community,” taught by Legacy Tree Genealogists’ team lead, Michelle Chubenko. Legacy Tree DNA Team Lead also gave several presentations in the Expo Hall, including, “Tips and Tricks for MyHeritage DNA,” and “Mitochondrial DNA Testing Plans.” Legacy Tree president, Jessica Taylor, also joined in on the presentation fun, offering a class titled, “Find Your Ancestors with MyHeritage SuperSearch.” RootsTech organizers have also made a selection of sessions available to watch for free in their Video Archive, including keynote and general sessions.

Paul Woodbury entertains and educates a crowd at the MyHeritage booth.

Wednesday’s keynote session opened the conference on a nostalgic note with reminiscences of RootsTech over the years. The dream of bringing together technologists and genealogists began a decade ago with a gathering of only 3000 and has grown to over 30,000 attendees, with many times that amount joining the conference virtually. Audience members were reminded of some of the incredible achievements in the industry since RootsTech began, including over 15,000 gallons of spit collected for DNA analysis! A giant digital scrapbook showed pictures of some of the inspiring speakers who have taken to the RootsTech stage during the past ten years, including Donny Osmond, Laura Bush, LeVar Burton, Buddy Valastro, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Scott Hamilton. Check out some of our recaps from previous years: RootsTech 2019, RootsTech 2018.

Joy was the theme of the keynote speech by Steve Rockwood, CEO of FamilySearch International, on Wednesday, specifically the joy of discovering the story of us. Rockwood’s sons have recently been documenting their 88-year-old grandmother’s life by sharing her past experiences and pictures on Instagram. They handle the technology, she tells the stories, and each is doing what is natural and comfortable for them. Rockwood encouraged audience members to rescue the stories at risk of being forgotten, our own stories and our ancestor’s stories.

The session came to an end with a reminder of a big reason why we do what we do. A group of the rising generation, the “YOU’s of tomorrow,” were introduced on stage among confetti and fireworks. The children and teens then traveled among the audience handing out 10^th anniversary commemorative pins.

RootsTech 2020 celebration

On Wednesday night as the conference wound down for adult attendees, over 20,000 youth between ages 11 and 18 flooded the convention center for a night of games and interactive activities, designed to motivate and excite them to discover their own history. Meanwhile, the Genealogy Business Alliance, co-founded by Family ChartMasters owner, Janet Hovorka, and Legacy Tree Genealogists president, Jessica Taylor, held their annual RootsTech Get-Together. The event was well-attended by industry professionals interested in networking and growing the genealogy sphere.

Legacy Tree Genealogists president, Jessica Taylor, with Thomas MacEntee, founder of Abundant Genealogy.

Amber Brown and Michelle Chubenko during the Legacy Tree Live broadcast.

Thursday marked Eastern European Day at the Legacy Tree Genealogists booth in the Expo Hall. The morning started with a Live Q&A featuring European Research Team Lead, Michelle Chubenko. Michelle answered questions users submitted about tracing their Eastern European ancestry, and provided research strategies and advice for viewers. If you missed the Live broadcast, you can watch the replay of the broadcast on the Legacy Tree Genealogists Facebook page. The video replay will also be available on our YouTube channel.

Adoption advocate Leigh Anne Tuohy gave a humorous and heartwarming address at the conference’s second keynote session. Tuohy may be best known as the woman portrayed by Sandra Bullock in the movie The Blind Side, telling the story of the Tuohy family’s adoption of Michael Oher, who eventually became an all-American NFL player. Michael was mired in the foster-care system and “society had deemed [him] valueless” when the Tuohys took him in. Tuohy stated that sometimes “all [people] need is a chance. They need someone that believes in them.” She illustrated the power of one person making a difference with the tale of a child on the beach throwing starfish into the ocean, one-by-one. We may not be able to help everyone, but we can help someone. She related this idea to family history research: “the one name you find can be the difference-maker.”

Capturing stories through photographs was a main theme of Friday’s keynote session as Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer David Hume Kennerly took to the stage. This “witness to history” shared many of his incredible photos taken over 55 years, including his first, of the family cat. Kennerly described the stories behind each photograph, inspiring us to look more closely at photos of our own families to discover the deeper narrative. Despite witnessing some dark moments in history, Kennerly remains optimistic that “human nature and spirit prevail over adversity.”

On Friday night, RootsTech hosted a Young Adult After-Party. Attendees enjoyed dancing, cultural experiences, and other activities to celebrate their unique stories. They also joined the regular RootsTech crowd for Friday’s evening event, where family-friendly comedian Ryan Hamilton had the crowd laughing.

Saturday’s keynote speaker was an exciting one for fans of both football and ballroom dance. Emmitt Smith, NFL Super Bowl champion and former Dancing with the Stars contestant, shared some of the stories he has recently discovered about his family history. An ancestor named Mariah was from West Africa, enslaved as a teenager, and spent her life in Burnt Corn, Alabama. She became a stalwart family matriarch, keeping her loved ones together as best as she could “with the strength of a thousand people.” Finding his ancestors made Smith feel as if “their souls were released from heaven.” Smith talked about other ancestors, coaches, mentors, and family members who have influenced his life, claiming he stood “on the shoulders of giants” to accomplish his dreams.

Photo courtesy of RootsTech

RootsTech 2020 did more than ever before to inspire the rising generation, the “YOU’s of tomorrow.” Saturday was Family Discovery Day at RootsTech where genealogy enthusiasts of all ages and families of all kinds came to the conference together for speakers, classes, and fun crafts, games, and exhibits in the Expo Hall.

Our team enjoyed celebrating the “Story of You” with so many of our followers. With RootsTech 2020 in the books, we look forward to connecting with many of you at one of our other scheduled conferences for 2020.

The experts at Legacy Tree Genealogists are here to help you connect with your ancestors and preserve your legacy for generations to come. Get started today by requesting your free quote.

februar 21, 2020 by Legacy Tree Genealogists Leave a Comment

Legacy Tree Onsite: Genealogy Research at the Pest County Archives in Budapest, Hungary

Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked one of our onsite researchers in Hungary to share an inside look at the resources available for family history research at the Pest County Archives located in Budapest, Hungary.

The Pest County Archives | Pest Megyei Levéltár

Pest county (Hungarian: Pest megye) was formed after World War II, incorporating a part of the former Pest-Pilis-Solt-Kiskun county, as well as smaller parts of adjacent counties. Historically, Pest County (Pest megye) has been part of kingdom of Hungary since the 11th century and its territory was mainly the north-eastern part of the modern Pest County.

Today, Pest County Archive (Hungarian: Pest Megyei Levéltár) is one of the twenty county archives in Hungary and located in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, and has a regional branch in Nagykőrös.

Pest County in present-day Hungary. Source: https://pestpilis.hu/kettevalik-budapest-es-pest-megye

Additionally, the archive keeps records both from the historical Pest-Pilis-Solt-Kiskun county, and some from its present borders. For example, Pest county archive holds civil records of the villages of Tárnok and Diósd, which were historically part of Fejer county, but now are in Pest county. A good research practice is to check with each modern County Archive to determine whether or not it has historical records from a particular town. Note: The city of Budapest has a separate administrative status and is not included into Pest county.

Map of Pest-Pilis-Solt-Kiskun county, 1796, from Pest County Archive Guide, 2004, accessed on https://hungaricana.hu/

Accessing Records at Pest County Archives

Pest County Archive building in Budapest (From the researcher’s personal files)

Although the archivists are available to assist and advise you on the archive’s resources, they do not provide research services. Research work must be done by the interested person or their representative. Both Hungarian and foreign citizens alike have access to the archive’s holdings. It is advisable to contact the archive before the visit, via email or by phone, in order to request the records. You will be notified, when you can come to research. Access to records is granted from one to eight working days after the request, but the average is three days.

Research room at the Pest County Archives (From the researcher’s personal files)

Upon arrival, you will need to present your ID and complete a registration form. In case of successful research, you order copies of the found records or take copies yourself, having paid a photocopying fee. Contact information and research room opening hour are available on the website.

Location: Vágóhíd utca 7, 1097 Budapest
Reading Room Hours: 8:00 – 15:00 [8am-3pm]

Available Collections for Family History Research

A list of collections is available for download on the archive’s webpage (in Hungarian), or it can also be searched on the Digital Archival Portal:

The online services of the National Archives of Hungary (MNL) and Budapest City Archives (BFL) can be accessed through the Digital Archives Portal. Here you can search in the combined databases of registry and digital contents of the archives, register as a researcher, submit document requests or contact our client services.

The main collections of interest for genealogy at the Pest County Archives include:

Church records of Pest-Pilis-Solt and Pest-Pilis-Solt-Kiskun counties (duplicates), 1828-1895
Civil records from Pest-Pilis-Solt-Kiskun/Pest counties (duplicates), 1895-1983
Censuses and tax-payers lists from Pest-Pilis-Solt county from feudal period, listing names and size of the land plots
Censuses of the County General Assembly of various subjects, 1702 – 1848
Tax records, 1701-1770
Election lists, 1877-1950, containing valuable data from several elections, including names and occupations of those, who had the right to vote
Court records, notary records, probate records, 1875-1949
Obituaries, 19th – 20th centuries
Archival collections of prominent families and personalities, 1569-1965
Nobility documents, coat-of-arms and stamps

Civil Registration Records (duplicates)

While Hungarian church records are mostly accessible online through October 1895, not all civil records are, so oftentimes onsite archival research is the only way to research them. Hungarian Civil registration (Állami anyakönyvek) began on October 1, 1895 for births, marriages, and deaths and records are maintained by local civil registry offices.

The record format varies slightly over time:

prior to 1907 records were kept with a single event per page
beginning with 1907 the format is tabular with many events listed on the same page

It is important to note that the Pest County Archives, like other county archives, holds “duplicates” of the civil records. These duplicates are open for research, however, there is an important caveat to this: according to the Hungarian National Archives Regulations enacted in July 2014, “researchers are not allowed to take copies of the second copies of civil records”.

Researchers seeking copies of civil registration records need to contact the respective local civil registry authority and provide proof documents of family ties to obtain copies.

Example of civil marriage record held at Pest County Archives: 1920 marriage record of Gábor Erdélyi and Julianna Pregitzer.

Privacy Restrictions on Vital Records

According to the 2010 Law on Vital Records Procedures, the following limitations of access apply to vital records for research:

for death records – 30 years after the event
for birth records – 130 years after event
for marriage records – 86 years after the event

A catalog of the civil records held at Pest County Archive can be accessed on its website here.

With professional genealogists who specialize in Hungarian genealogy, along with onsite agents worldwide, we are able to help you identify the origin of your Hungarian ancestors, determine where the applicable records are kept, and obtain them for you so that you can learn as much as possible about your Hungarian ancestry. Contact us today to discuss your research goals!

februar 13, 2020 by Legacy Tree Genealogists Leave a Comment

Legacy Tree Genealogists at RootsTech 2020: Schedule of Events

This year marks the 10th anniversary of RootsTech, the world’s largest family history conference. With hundreds of classes to choose from and keynote speakers like Emmitt Smith and Leigh Anne Tuohy, this milestone anniversary will be filled with education, entertainment and connection as you are immersed in the conference theme of “Discovering the Story of You”. Held in Salt Lake City, Utah, the conference will run from Wednesday, February 26th through Saturday, February 29th. Legacy Tree Genealogists will be there in full-force–exhibiting in the Expo Hall, teaching classes and hosting a Facebook Live Q&A from our booth.

Check out our schedule of events below, and be sure to stop by our booth (#429) and say hello!

Legacy Tree Genealogists RootsTech 2020 Schedule

Wednesday, February 26th

1:30 p.m. – RootsTech “DNA & Facebook: Finding Your Ancestral Community” Michelle Chubenko | Room 250

This presentation will explore the success of multiple DNA genealogy groups on Facebook with specific interest in autosomal DNA testing for Palatinate German, Polish, Lemko (Rusyn/Ukrainian), and Slovak ancestry. These groups or virtual communities offer opportunity for descendants to join group discussions to locate records and repositories, crowd-source genealogical ‘brick walls’ solutions, contribute to a group member listing and use 3rd party comparison tools to identify familial connections across testing companies.

5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Expo Hall – Once again, the Expo Hall will be opening for a “sneak peek” on Wednesday evening, this year with extended hours. Make sure you stop by our booth to enter our giveaway!

8:00 p.m. Genealogy Business Alliance Get-Together – If you are involved in a genealogy-related business, come by our booth (#429) for details about this networking event.

Thursday, February 27th – Eastern European Day – Our European Research Team Lead, Michelle Chubenko, will be at our booth answering your questions about Eastern European research. Stop by and pick her brain!

9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – We’re kicking off our Eastern European day with a Facebook live session, broadcast from our booth at RootsTech. Our European Research Team Lead, Michelle Chubenko, will be answering YOUR questions about tracing your Eastern European ancestry. Have a question? Submit it at https://legacytree.com/live, or join us on our Facebook page on Thursday, February 27th between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. MT and submit your question during the live broadcast!

10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Expo Hall – note the change in Expo Hall hours this year–now starting later in the morning and running later in the evening.

1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Catch our DNA Team Lead, Paul Woodbury, presenting in the FamilySearch DNA Learning Center.

2:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Legacy Tree Genealogists researcher, Jacqueline Tritsch®, will be available to field questions at the Board for Certification of Genealogists booth. Stop by and say hello!

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Legacy Tree Genealogists European Research Team Lead, Michelle Chubenko, will be assisting at the Association of Professional Genealogists booth.

4:00 p.m. – “Brick Wall? How to Get the Most Out of Hiring a Genealogist” Jessica Taylor | MyHeritage booth

Have you come across an impasse in your family history research? If you’re ready to finally solve your genealogy brick wall and enlist the help of a professional, then this class is for you! Legacy Tree Genealogists’ president, Jessica Taylor, will share helpful tips for what to look for when hiring a professional genealogist, and how to get the most bang for your buck.

5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Stop by the FamilySearch DNA Learning Center and talk with Paul Woodbury about you DNA research questions.

Friday, February 29th – DNA Day – Our DNA Research Team Lead, Paul Woodbury, will be at our booth answering your questions about DNA and genetic genealogy. Have questions about how to use your DNA test results to resolve a research question? Come ask Paul!

10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Expo Hall – note the change in Expo Hall hours this year–now starting later in the morning and running later in the evening.

12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. – “Targeted Testing for Genealogy Success” – Paul Woodbury | MyHeritage booth

Sometimes your own DNA is not sufficient to answer your research questions. You might need to invite someone else to help you. In this presentation learn how to find and recruit others for DNA testing to make your genetic genealogy efforts a success.

1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – “Find Your Ancestors with MyHeritage SuperSearch” – Jessica Taylor | MyHeritage booth

MyHeritage calls their search engine for historical records ‘SuperSearch.’ It includes more than 6 billion genealogy records from all over the world, and an average of 200 million additional records are added every month. Jessica will share how to make the most of this useful tool.

2:00 p.m. – 2:20 p.m. – “Genealogist-on-Demand™: The Help You Need on a Budget You Can Afford” – Amber Brown | Demo Theater

You’ve come to that ominous “brick wall” in your genealogy research. You’ve tried every trick in the book and still can’t seem to make progress. What’s a savvy DIYer to do? Before you pull your hair out or throw in the towel, attend this session–where you’ll learn about an exciting new offering from Legacy Tree Genealogists that will allow you to continue your genealogy sleuthing, pride AND wallet in tact.

3:00 p.m. – RootsTech “DNA & Facebook: Finding Your Ancestral Community” Michelle Chubenko | Ballroom J

3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Extreme Genes host, Scott Fisher, will be recording a session of his popular family history podcast from the Legacy Tree Genealogists booth. Come watch how the magic happens, and meet the man behind the mic.

4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. – “Mitochondrial DNA Testing Plans” – Paul Woodbury | Family Tree DNA booth

Mitochondrial DNA is most effectively utilized in genealogy research when you are dealing with targeted research questions and competing research hypotheses. Learn the ins and outs of mitohcondrial DNA testing plans so you can use this powerful tool to explore your own family history.

5:30 – 6:00 p.m. – “Tips and Tricks for MyHeritageDNA – Paul Woodbury | MyHeritage booth

MyHeritage DNA provides excellent resources, tools and information to help you with your exploration of your DNA test results. Learn expert tips on how to squeeze the most information out of your own DNA test results using ethnicity clues, shared matches, clustering and segment analysis to help you make genealogical discoveries.

5:45 p.m. – Passport Drawing (main stage in Expo Hall)– complete your Expo Hall Passport and be entered to win great prizes, including a free Genealogist-on-Demand Virtual DNA Consultation™ from Legacy Tree Genealogists! Whether you want help understanding your ethnicity estimate, advice on getting the most out of your DNA Match list, or strategies for using your DNA test results to break down your “genealogy brick walls”, your virtual consultation will allow you to have your questions answered in real-time by an expert–all from the comfort of your own home.

Saturday, March 2nd – Family Day – Do you LOVE family history? Aspiring genealogists, young and old, can stop by the Legacy Tree Genealogists booth (#429) for their official badge and a treat!

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Expo Hall – Note the extended hours of the Expo Hall this year.

12:00 p.m. – We’ll announce the winner of our RootsTech booth giveaway on our Facebook page. Be sure to ‘Like’ Legacy Tree Genealogists on Facebook to find out if you’re the lucky winner!

Not Attending RootsTech This Year?

If RootsTech isn’t in your plans this year, you can still participate in the conference activities from the comfort of your home in one of two ways:

The RootsTech Virtual Pass is available to purchase for $129, and includes access to 30 exclusive recorded classes from the event that you’ll be able to watch and rewatch whenever you want. Recordings will be posted 15-20 days following the end of the conference.

The RootsTech Free Livestream Schedule includes free access to popular general sessions and a sampling of technology and family history presentations appealing to varied interests. We’ll also share our RootsTech Rundown of conference highlights, so be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for our recap of what you missed.

We’ll also be running a sweepstakes, just for our #NotatRootsTech crowd! Now through February 29th, 2020, enter to win a FREE Genealogist-on-Demand™ DNA Virtual Consultation with one of our genetic genealogists, who can explain your results and answer any questions you may have. Enter here: https://www.legacytree.com/blog/giveaway/notatrootstech2020. Winner will be announced on Saturday, February 29th at 12:30 p.m. MT on the Legacy Tree Genealogists Facebook page. Good luck!

If we can’t connect with you at RootsTech, we’d love to see you at another conference this year! Check out our upcoming conferences for 2020, and leave us a comment to let us know if you’ll be at any of the events listed!

januar 23, 2020 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 3 Comments

Top 3 Online Resources for Researching Your French-Canadian Ancestry

Legacy Tree works with researchers all over the world to access records for our clients. We asked one of our onsite researchers, located in Québec, Canada to share his top online resources for researching your French-Canadian ancestry in Québec.

Québec has a vibrant cultural heritage that reflects on its family history records. Thanks to records preservation and the efforts of many individuals and organizations, a large number of documents are available and well organized. With technological advances, many repositories, both public and private, have been placing documents online, especially the parish registers which are the foundation for researching Québécois ancestors. This post will guide you through the most relevant online resources for researching your French-Canadian ancestors in Québec.

resources for researching your Québécois ancestry

Québec City. Source: www.wikipedia.org

1. Genealogy Québec

Genealogy Québec is a genealogical research website that hosts more than forty-five million files, documents, and images on Québec family history. It is the largest and most comprehensive Québécois database online, and it belongs to the Drouin Genealogical Institute. Created in 1899 by Joseph Drouin, a lawyer specialized in genealogy, from 1899 to 1937 it sold more than 1,500 family genealogies. The institute work was kept by Drouin’s children and grandchildren after his death and kept expanding its collection until it reached the current size. It is a paid resource and offers different, and affordable, options of subscription.

Roman Catholic parish records (LAFRANCE collection), 1621-1918

Roman Catholic parish records, reunited under the LAFRANCE collection, are an essential database available at Genealogy Québec and can be searched by the names of individuals, couples, or parish. A user guide provides excellent instruction on how to use it.

Map of Quebec’s catholic parishes up to 1918. Source: www.genealogiequebec.com

Québec was colonized initially by France (where the Roman Catholic faith was the established church until 1789) and did not have separate civil records until 1994. Hence, the best way to obtain genealogical data from Québec families is through Roman Catholic church records—they start in 1621 and cover baptisms (Baptêmes), marriages (Marriages) and deaths (Décès). Québec also received an influx from French and non-French Protestants, especially after 1760, when the British rule started, but this must be addressed in a different post as many specificities apply.

One thing to note is that the Roman Catholic territorial parish system was not so organized as the Church of England or the Church of Scotland. That was especially true for rural towns. It means one’s ancestors could have lived their whole lives at the same address but had their baptism recorded in one parish, their marriage in another, and their death in yet another. The most common reasons are that the priest of one given church was responsible for the sacraments in the whole region and that the parish borders changed through time. In practical terms, you will need to start your search where your ancestors lived and, if their records are not there, expand the research to the neighbouring parishes and towns.

best resources for researching your Québécois ancestry

An original document in the LAFRANCE collection. Source: www.genealogiequebec.com

Marriages and Deaths, 1926-1997

Marriages and Deaths is a detailed index of marriage and death forms recorded in Québec between 1926 and 1997. The collection includes all religious denominations, with more than five million forms. The original document can be viewed for the marriages, and a detailed user guide is available.

Obituaries, 1860-2019

This section contains a majority of the obituaries, memorial cards and headstones available on the website, divided into four sub-sections:

Internet obituaries, which includes obituaries published online from 1999 to today;
Newspaper obituaries, with obituaries from newspapers published between 1860 and today;
Tombstones, which contains pictures of headstones from hundreds of cemeteries in Québec and Ontario; and
Memorial cards, which includes tens of thousands of memorial cards published between 1860 and today.

All of these subsections are indexed and can be browsed using a search engine, and a comprehensive user guide is available.

Example of a newspaper obituary that can be found in the Obituaries collection. Source: www.genealogiequebec.com

2. Canada Census

The first step in most genealogical research is to study the existing census reports. Designed as a means to count the population for a variety of years, the census of Canada is taken every ten years, with the earliest records available in 1851. Due to privacy laws, the most recent census available is from 1921. The census can give a snapshot of the family at the time. It can also provide valuable information such as the birthplace of the individuals recorded, occupation, birth year, and familial relationships. One can often discover elderly parents or widowed mothers, aunts, or sisters living with younger members of the family.

An example of an image from the 1921 Canada Census from MyHeritage

Detailed transcripts of Canadian census records are available for free on FamilySearch, and the images can be found for a fee at MyHeritage or Ancestry.

3. Land Petitions of Lower Canada, 1764-1841

In the province of Quebec, the seigneurial system established in 1627 and used until 1854 was the primary form of land distribution. The King granted Seigneuries to members of the bourgeoisie, members of prominent families, and former military officers. As a proprietor of a seigneurie, the seigneur had privileges and obligations towards the King or his representative. The seigneur granted parcels (concessions) of his land to tenants called censitaires or more commonly, habitants. From 1763 on, Québec also granted land based on the township system, while the British North America Act of 1867 established Crown lands as a provincial responsibility. The Government of Canada retained land petitions for Upper and Lower Canada (Ontario and Québec).

An example of a land petition. Source: http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca

Each petition includes the original submission by the petitioner and the various administrative documents added by the different offices of the government reviewing the petition. Some small maps, particularly those set within documents, remain with the petitions. The search screen allows you to search by surname and given name(s). The entries reflect the spelling of names as they appear on the documents, some of which are barely legible. A thorough user guide is available.

With genealogists specializing in all different types of research and onsite agents worldwide, we can help you track down those elusive records that might provide the clue(s) needed to extend your family line. Contact us today to discuss which of our projects would work best for you.