juni 10, 2014 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 9 Comments

Sons & Daughters of the American Revolution

Having the honor of joining the Sons and Daughters of The American Revolution is no simple task. Here is what you need to know before you apply to this historical lineage society.

We’ve been in business since 2004, and in that time, Legacy Tree has had countless numbers of people contact us about joining various lineage societies, with the most popular choice being the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution (SAR/DAR).

While the documentation requirements for these societies differ slightly, the general steps for obtaining membership are the same. (For more information about the SAR and DAR, and additional details about each step listed below, see http://sar.org and http://dar.org.

1) Determine If You are Eligible to Join

This can seem like a daunting task! In order to join the SAR or DAR, you must be descended from a person who provided support to the American Colonies during the Revolutionary War. A common misconception is that the ancestor has to have actually been a soldier. This is not the case! Some examples of non-military service include farmers who provided food or supplies, men or women who donated money or goods to support the cause, nurses who provided care, and ministers who promoted patriotic acts. The difficulty is that not only do you need to prove your lineage back to that ancestor, which is usually 7-9 generations back, you also need to prove that they provided some kind of service. Also, the lineage has to be a direct blood-line, which means there can be no adoptions, no step-parents, no uncles, etc. However, you do NOT have to follow one surname all the way back. You can jump from paternal line to maternal line and back again as much as needed. What this means is that since most Patriot ancestors are 7-9 generations back, many people have anywhere from 64 to 128 ancestors who potentially provided some kind of service, which gives you a lot of options.

2) Find and Contact Your Local SAR or DAR Chapter

While both the SAR and the DAR are National lineage societies, neither allows you to join the National Society without first joining your local or State chapter. It is recommended that you contact your local chapter early-on in the process because they will assign someone to your case, provide guidance about what is needed for your application, and help you prepare your application for submission.

3) Collect and Organize Your Documentation

Once you’ve determined which line you will use for your application, you’ll need to collect all the required documentation to prove your lineage back to your Patriot ancestor. This is where the requirements for the SAR and DAR vary somewhat, and your local chapter representative will come in handy. They can tell you what kind of documentation they want to see for each generation on your application. While this step can also be a daunting task, it’s not always as bad as it sounds. Both the SAR and the DAR keep databases of lineages submitted by other members. If your Patriot has already had their service proven by someone else, you can purchase a copy of that application with its accompanying documentation and use it for your own application. It’s even better if the member who submitted the application shares common early generations with you, because then you’ll receive documentation for those generations as well, and you won’t need to collect as much documentation of your own.

4) Fill Out and Submit Your Application

Each lineage society has a specific application form that will need to be filled out, and each has spaces to include source citations for your documentation. It is fairly common to turn in your application and have it come back stating that you need additional documentation for certain generations. Don’t get discouraged! This can be a good thing, because it gives you an idea of how close you are to being accepted, and what kind of documentation they are still looking for. Applications are always submitted to the local chapter first, and they will take care of forwarding them to the State and National level. There are different fees associated with applying to each level (local, State, National), and these fees vary depending on the state you live in, so your chapter representative will help you determine how much you need to pay, and to whom. After that, the only thing left to do is wait! Applications can take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months to be reviewed and accepted, but your chapter representative will contact you as soon as they hear back.

5) Celebrate!

Once you are accepted to either the SAR or the DAR, you can give yourself a huge pat on the back! Not only have you proven you are descended from a Patriot who helped make the United States the amazing place it is today, but you’ll have learned a lot of history and details about your family in the process, and that information is priceless.

How can Legacy Tree help you?

We can research your family tree to help you determine if you are eligible for membership, and then we can also help you obtain the documentation you’ll need to complete your application. While your chapter representative will provide you with guidance about what you need and help you fill out your application, they are generally not in a position to help you with the actual research. Since we have access to the largest collection of genealogical records in the world (at the Family History Library), and we also have professional genealogists on our team who have worked on lineage society applications for others, we can help you fill in holes in your family tree and find the documents you need.

If you need help evaluating 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.

juni 9, 2014 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 1 Comment

A Change in DNA Test Offerings By Ancestry

There are recent changes in the DNA test from Ancestry, noting that their storage may affect your notification of genealogy matches. Here’s what we recommend, and perhaps who to use in the future.

Ancestry.com announced last week that they are no longer offering yDNA and mtDNA tests and will no longer store the data obtained from these tests after September 5, 2014.

We haven’t recommended Ancestry for these particular tests for a long time, but if you have had these tests done through Ancestry in the past your data can be retrieved and transferred to Family Tree DNA for only $19. This is recommended so you can continue to be notified of matches that could help with your genealogy research.

Autosomal DNA testing (atDNA) IS still available through Ancestry. We recommend testing either through them, MyHeritage, Family Tree DNA, or 23andme.com, as they all run on the same basic laboratory platform and are about the same price.

One of our DNA test experts has provided an excellent explanation of these tests, what they can do for you, and how to get them. We’ve re-posted her article HERE in case it’s helpful!

If you’re interested in DNA testing, or would simply like to see what DNA analysis can do for your family tree, contact Legacy Tree Genealogists for a free consultation.

juni 9, 2014 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 5 Comments

DNA Testing for Genealogical Research

DNA testing for genealogical research is a relatively new concept. Here we break down the basics of each type of DNA test, why it’s important, and who should do it.

It seems that every day there are multiple news articles regarding DNA and how it is used to solve a crime, make a new medical discovery, help an adoptee find their biological parents, or any number of other subjects. Just as DNA is used as a tool in these situations, it can now be used by genealogists to help uncover the truth of family rumors, find new relatives, provide clues to new avenues of research and break through brick walls. Although genetic testing should not be used as a replacement for accurate genealogical research, it can often provide answers and evidence for theories in cases where conventional records do not exist.

Types of DNA Tests

There are many types of DNA tests – some are useful to solve crimes, others are useful in diagnosing medical conditions, and still others are useful for genealogists. In many cases, the results from the tests are not cross compatible. It is important to note that there is not a single “DNA test” that an individual can have done or that will answer all of the questions a person may have about their DNA.* We will describe the three types of DNA tests that are useful for genealogical research purposes, and give limited examples of situations where testing might be useful. We note that these tests generally provide information regarding “ancient” origins or the ethnicity of ancestors who lived several hundred to thousands of years ago. We will focus on the application of these test results for making genealogical, rather than anthropological, connections.

* There is one “DNA Test” that will answer every question. This would be a complete sequence of a person’s entire genome. The cost of this test is approximately $7000, and it cannot be ordered through any of the DTC testing companies at this time.

yDNA Test (Paternal Lineage)

yDNA tests have been in use for genealogical purposes for over 10 years. They are the most common type of DNA tests used in genealogical research, and the type of test that most individuals are familiar with. yDNA tests get their name from the Y-chromosome. The Y-chromosome is unique to men, and is what confers “maleness” on a person. It is passed virtually intact from father to son in a patrilineal fashion. In many cultures, surnames are also passed from father to son in this same way. Because only men have a y-chromosome, only men can take a yDNA test.

A yDNA test can be particularly useful for answering questions about a surname and its origins, or the relationship between two individuals who have a shared surname, but no proven genealogical connection. Based on the strength of the match between two individuals who have taken a y-DNA test, fairly accurate estimations regarding how long ago a common recent ancestor lived can be made, giving clues to time periods and geographical areas to research in order to break through brick walls, or identify new avenues of research. Due to the nature of the DNA markers used in this type of testing, the estimations regarding how long ago a common ancestor lived are generally within a genealogical time frame of 8-10 generations, and sometimes less.

Currently, there is only one DNA testing company that we can recommend for a yDNA test – FamilyTreeDNA in Houston, Texas. In most cases a 12-marker test does not provide enough information to answer genealogical questions, and we generally recommend testing at least 37 markers. Tests for 67 and 111 markers are also available if further refinement regarding matches is necessary.

mtDNA Test (Maternal Lineage)

The mtDNA test is similar in many ways to a yDNA test. “mt” is short for mitochondrial, which identifies where in the cell this type of DNA is located, which is in the mitochondria. All other DNA is located in the nucleus of the cell. mtDNA is passed from a mother to all of her children, therefore this test can be taken by women and men. mtDNA is never passed on to children from their father. mtDNA testing provides specific information about an individual’s direct maternal line.

mtDNA testing is not as useful as yDNA testing for genealogical purposes for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that it is not associated with a surname. The surname on a direct matrilineal line changes at each generation based on marriage and the custom of women assuming their husband’s surname. The second reason is that even if there is a perfect match between two individuals, often the time to their most recent common ancestor is as many as 15-20 generations. Except for royalty, records that would be able to identify the genealogical trail to this shared common ancestor do not often exist.

mtDNA testing can be useful in situations to confirm hypotheses regarding the origins of a direct maternal ancestor. The most common example of this is to identify a suspected Native American connection for a person’s direct maternal ancestor. Recently, there were articles in the news media announcing Prince William of Great Britain had Indian ancestry. mtDNA testing was employed in order to make this statement
and draw these conclusions. mtDNA testing has also been useful in cases where a man had multiple wives and it is unclear which wife was the mother of a certain child (as long as the women were not sisters or maternal cousins).

Again we recommend FamilyTreeDNA for mtDNA testing.

atDNA Test (For Both Paternal and Maternal Lineage)

atDNA or autosomal DNA tests are designed to look at over 700,000 DNA markers that can be found on a person’s “autosomes,” which are the 22 pairs of non-sex chromosomes found inside the nucleus of a cell. Because autosomal DNA is inherited from all of a person’s ancestors (up to at least 5 generations, sometimes more), it can be used to confirm recent relationships and provide clues to new research avenues for ancestors even further back in time. Parents pass on a random 50% of their autosomal DNA to each of their children. This happens at each generation, so on average, a person will have 12.5% of their great-grandparents’ DNA. This percentage is cut in half at each generation. The technology used in atDNA testing is fairly new, and is very powerful. An atDNA test can be taken by anyone, male or female. The results of an atDNA test provide information about a person’s ethnicity or “admixture” and a list of genetic cousins with whom a person shares a common ancestral couple.

The atDNA tests offered by the companies listed below are run on the same basic laboratory platform. The raw data/results from each company should not be significantly different, unless there is a laboratory error. The differences between the tests/companies are a result of the algorithms developed by each company to process the data and predict ethnicities and matches to genetic cousins. The algorithms to predict ethnicities are still being developed, as the science is fairly new. Therefore, there are often discrepancies between the ethnicity results between each company. It is worth noting that these companies are all continuing to adjust and revise their ethnicity algorithms, so a person’s ethnicity results may appear to change over time. This does not mean that the “raw data” has changed, only that the science has improved and is providing better analysis. Each company has a different database of subscribers, which will lead to matches with different “genetic” cousins. There are advantages and

disadvantages that should be considered when determining which company to test with.

FamilyTreeDNA

Family Finder is the atDNA test offered by FamilyTreeDNA. Many “genetic genealogists” prefer to test with FTDNA as their subscribers are generally the most responsive when it comes to sharing information (GEDCOM files, genealogical research data, etc.) to identify common ancestry and work through brick-wall research questions. FTDNA also provides several advanced analysis tools that are necessary to truly confirm a suspected match with genetic cousins.

Family Tree DNA allows transfers of the raw data results into their database from 23andMe and AncestryDNA, which results in a person’s information being in two databases for less than the cost of a single Family Finder test. Results transfers are not available through the other two companies. The last advantage to the Family Finder test is that it is done with a cheek swab, which is often easier to use than the “spit kit” used by the other two companies. Spit kits are often very difficult for older individuals to use.

23andMe

In addition to testing markers of genealogical significance, 23andMe also tests for 250,000 additional markers that provide information regarding a person’s susceptibility to various genetic diseases and other traits. It is important to note that because of the medical information provided by 23andMe, individuals who live in New York or Maryland cannot take a 23andMe test. Because the other two companies do not offer medical information, individuals in these states can take an autosomal DNA test through one of them.

Many of 23andMe’s subscribers have tested for medical reasons, rather than genealogical reasons. Therefore, the response rate to inquiries regarding shared genealogical connections is often quite low, which can be frustrating when working on shared ancestral connections or “brick-wall” questions. Most “genetic genealogists” find 23andMe’s ethnicity predictions to be the most accurate of the three companies. 23andMe also provides multiple, excellent tools that allow one to work with the data and make new medical and genealogical discoveries. The most common recommendation by genetic genealogists is to test with 23andMe and then transfer the results to FTDNA in order to take full advantage of the benefits of both companies and the tools each provides.

AncestryDNA

The primary advantage to testing through AncestryDNA is that match results are often linked to family trees. AncestryDNA “does the work” of identifying a common ancestor between two individuals if that person can be located in both trees by Ancestry.com’s computer algorithms. If a common ancestor cannot be located, then AncestryDNA provides a list of surnames and locations that are “in common” between the two trees. For the other two companies, this process is not automatic, and must be done by manually reviewing family trees and GEDCOM files for those on the match list.

AncestryDNA is not as widely available outside of the United States; therefore, most of the individuals in their database are “Americans.” If the test-taker’s ancestors have been in the United States since the mid 19th century or so, then often there are significant high quality matches in Ancestry’s database. If the test-taker or his ancestors are fairly recent immigrants to the United States, then often there are few matches of much significance for them.

AncestryDNA lacks several tools that are necessary for confirming and tracking match results, and this is the primary disadvantage to testing with them. Ancestry does not provide a way to download a list of matches, making it difficult to track and remember which matches one has communicated with. AncestryDNA also does not provide a way to view the shared DNA segments between two individuals. The DNA segment information is necessary to confirm potential matches identified through analysis of family trees. Both 23andMe and FTDNA provide these tools.

MyHeritage DNA

Beginning in 2016, MyHeritage also began offering autosomal DNA tests for genealogy. Similar to the other companies, this test offers information regarding a test subject’s ethnic admixture, genetic cousins, associated family tree and shared matches. In order to obtain full access to an individual’s test results and associated family tree, it is necessary to purchase at least a premium subscription to MyHeritage’s services. While MyHeritage’s autosomal DNA database is still quite small, it is rapidly growing, in part because they do accept autosomal DNA transfers from other testing services. In fact, we have already solved several cases in part through close matches at MyHeritage. Because of MyHeritage’s international customer base and its strong efforts to improve ethnicity estimates for many more geographic regions, it is expected that it may become the testing company of choice for those with recent immigrant or predominately foreign ancestry.

GEDMatch.com

GEDMatch is not a DNA testing company, but is mentioned here as it is a valuable resource for those who have taken an atDNA test. GEDMatch is a free website funded by donations and run by volunteers that allows for the upload of atDNA test results from any of the testing companies. This ability can be very valuable when reviewing matches between companies. It is also particularly valuable for those who have tested with AncestryDNA to confirm matches using DNA segment data, which is not provided by AncestryDNA. There are also triangulation features allowing comparison of genealogical (GEDCOM files) and genetic data available at GEDMatch. However, these features have had to be taken offline due to a large number of uploads from AncestryDNA customers (2013). Lastly, GEDMatch provides several tools for ethnicity and admixture analysis.

Conclusion

Just as there is no “one size fits all” genealogical record to answer research questions about an ancestor, there is no “one size fits all” DNA test to answer these genealogical questions, either. We recommend that there be a specific genealogical objective or research question in mind prior to completing a DNA test, just as there should be a specific objective in mind when undertaking traditional research. Once this question or objective is determined, then advice regarding which test to take, who should take the test, and with which company can be given. In some cases, good, old-fashioned genealogical research may provide the best answers to the questions being asked. In other cases, DNA may provide the only evidence or proof of suspected relationships and answers to questions. In most cases, both genealogical research and analysis of DNA testing results are combined to provide solid proof arguments regarding genealogical research questions.

DNA testing has been generally viewed as cost prohibitive for most genealogical research questions. However, with the recent drop in price for many of the tests, DNA testing is now something that can be used to confirm hypotheses and make new discoveries only dreamt of a few short years ago.

*Legacy Tree Genealogists does not offer DNA testing, only recommendations on which test to take and analysis after testing has been completed.

**Legacy Tree is not affiliated with any of the testing companies. Our testing recommendations and reports are based on giving our clients the best answers possible to their specific question without regard to the type of test and/or company offering the test. Recommendations are independent and based on evaluation of all products and companies in the marketplace.

Resources

As genetic testing is a fairly new and rapidly evolving tool in the genealogists “toolbox,” we recommend the following websites, blogs and articles for further information and answers to questions regarding DNA testing for genealogical purposes:

FamilyTreeDNA
23andMe
AncestryDNA
DNA Testing for Genealogy – Part 1 by CeCe Moore
DNA Testing for Genealogy – Part 2 by CeCe Moore
DNA Testing for Genealogy – Part 3 by CeCe Moore
DNA Testing for Genealogy – Part 4 by CeCe Moore
ISOGG (International Society of Genetic Genealogists) wiki

Our resident DNA experts would be happy to help you analyze and make sense of the results you get from any of the major DNA testing companies. Give us a call or drop us an email and let us know how we can help you!

mai 21, 2014 by Legacy Tree Genealogists Leave a Comment

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 work.

Lithuanian Family History

One of my favorite projects is one that has been ongoing for nearly seven years! The client originally ordered in July of 2007, asking us to translate the writing on the back of some photos from Lithuanian into English, and then to try to extend his paternal ancestral line in Lithuania.

It was determined that the records needed were not available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, so research had to be undertaken in the State Archives in Vilnius.

Research was completed via correspondence with the archive for the next FIVE years! The State Archive in Vilnius would only allow a certain number of requests at one time, and they would only search a certain number of years as well. I would compose an email, translate it into Lithuanian using Google Translate, and then it took several months to receive results each time. When the results were received, they would be in some combination of Polish, Russian, Latin, and/or Lithuanian, and had to be translated into English. In the course of five years we only completed two 20-hour projects for the client, but slowly, progress was actually being made, and it was exciting to be able to provide the client with new information about his ancestors in Lithuania.

Using Onsite Researchers

In 2012 I sent an email to our onsite Polish researcher with a query about another project and much to my surprise, I received an auto-reply from him that said something along the lines of “I’m currently at the State Archives in Vilnius, Lithuania, and will get back to you soon.” I was THRILLED! I immediately contacted him again about doing research for my client there, and then contacted the client with the great news that I had found a trustworthy researcher who could travel to Vilnius and conduct research much more quickly and efficiently.

Since then, our agent has made six trips to Vilnius for this client (and is scheduled for a seventh), and has learned that they actually belonged to the noble class, and proved their nobility in the Russian Empire. The line appears to be documented back to at least 1633 in the nobility documents found so far. We’ve been able to find siblings to complete full family groups, and even provided the client with a video demonstrating how his ancestral names should be pronounced. The results have been amazing, and the client is extremely pleased!

Just in the 8 years I’ve been working with Legacy Tree, huge advances have been made in the availability of records, onsite research possibilities, and even DNA. I look forward to the great things we’ll continue to do in the future!

For an update on this client’s research project, check out this article: Perseverance Pays Off: A Lithuanian Case Study.

Legacy Tree Genealogists has extensive experience in helping clients trace their ancestors from all over the world, and we can help you dig through archives and onsite records to find details about your ancestors. Contact us today for a free quote.

mai 14, 2014 by Legacy Tree Genealogists Leave a Comment

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 essential documents.

In the case of this particular World War I Registration Card, this primary source document led to an amazing, personal discovery.

Discovering the Past

Robert Luther Harman was an elusive great grandfather and I was overjoyed to find that this document supplied many previously unknown facts about him. I quickly glanced past his current address, instead focusing on his exact birthdate.

Some time later, my son and I happened to be in the town that my great grandfather had recorded as his residence on his World War I Registration Card. I looked up the address on MapQuest then followed the directions into the most charming historic downtown. Lining the broad, tree-lined boulevards were exquisite turn-of-the-century mansions. I marveled at each one as I drove past. But the map led me to a little side street that was narrow and tucked away.

As I turned onto the street, I caught my breath, then grabbed my son’s wrist and yelled, “Look at that!” On each side of the street were these peculiar, unique lampposts. The bases were made of stacked, rounded stones, then a tall, tin post, then a rounded globe. Even though I had never been on that street before, I was as familiar with these lampposts as if I had made them myself. I possessed three photographs of my grandfather as a child, and in two of them, he and his brother were propped up and posing with their parents on a stacked, stone-base lamppost. These were the same lampposts!

My son and I got out of the car and walked to the house with the address listed on the World War I Registration Card, and there was the lamppost, found in the wintery photograph from my grandfather’s childhood. This was a poignant photograph of that little family, for Robert Luther Harman would soon abandon his sons and never see them again. But the link found in that one address on that one primary source document made magic for me as I stood in the same place as my family had stood over a century ago.

april 22, 2014 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 4 Comments

Estate Research – It Isn’t New

Estate research – also known as probate research or forensic genealogy – isn’t new. Here’s what you can expect when you hire our team of forensic genealogists.

Evening News (San Jose, California), 25 February 1916, page 4

Colonel “Jim” Smith, a millionaire farmer from Georgia, died without a will in 1916. People were eager to prove they were his next of kin and hired lawyers to try to do it! Estate research has been around for a long, long time.

Legacy Tree Genealogists: The Trusted Probate Research Firm

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.

Probate Research: What to Expect

In many ways, the processes and charges for probate research are the same as they are for general genealogical work. There are some aspects, however, that are unique to heirship research. Please consider the following:

Is the work time-sensitive? We do our best to accommodate court dates, but records are not always immediately available or must be ordered from other repositories or government agencies. We will keep you informed so that you can make adjustments as necessary.

How Much Does Probate Research Cost?

Payment is required in advance for a minimum of five hours used as a research retainer for initial analysis of the probate case to determine the scope of work. At the end of this allotted time, we will provide a proposal for additional time required, if necessary, and 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. 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 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.

Required Permissions to Proceed with Probate Research

You will be asked to clearly indicate whether Legacy Tree Genealogists can contact living descendants to help expedite the compilation of additional relatives, and whether the purpose for contact can be disclosed or not. By default, all client objectives and any research performed on their behalf remains confidential. However, since the very nature of heirship research is to uncover and collaborate living relatives, effective communication can save countless hours and reduce financial requirements considerably. Research will not proceed without this issue being explicitly addressed.

Affidavit of Diligent Search for Kinship

Each heirship project is presented to the client differently, tailoring itself to the unique environment surrounding that particular project. There is minimal narrative or historical content provided, except as needed for explanation of evidence. Rather, a concise display of information is shown in a way that readily explains the relationships and data of each individual, with citations for virtually every piece of data. We also provide an Affidavit of Diligent Search for Kinship with every report, at no additional cost, should legal proceedings become necessary.

As a probate research firm, our forensic genealogists are experienced at providing expert genealogical research, analysis and reporting for legal proceedings involving kinship. If you need help identifying potential heirs, please contact us and we can help evaluate your specific circumstances and identify how we can be of assistance.

mars 14, 2014 by Legacy Tree Genealogists Leave a Comment

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 Ancestry in Civil Registration Records

If your ancestor was born or married in Ireland after the mid-1800s, you may be able to locate him or her in Irish Civil Registration indexes. Civil Registration (governmental registration of births, marriages, and deaths) began in Ireland in 1845 for non-Catholic marriages and in 1864 for all births, marriages, and deaths.

Finding an ancestor in a civil registration index will give you his or her area of origin. Original records can then be requested from the General Register Office in Dublin by mail or fax: General Register Office, Joyce House, 8/11 Lombard Street, Dublin 2, Ireland; fax: +353-1-6354527.

Events recorded after 1922 in Northern Ireland must be requested from the General Register Office in Belfast. Their website is www.groni.gov.uk/index.htm.

Pre-1870 marriages and pre-1880 births are likely in the International Genealogical Index and can be searched at www.familysearch.org.

Immigration Records

Beginning with the 1900 census, you can find an ancestor’s year of immigration and naturalization in U.S. census records. To find a date and port of arrival of your ancestor, we recommend checking the following indexes:

1) Filby, P. William and Mary K. Meyer, eds. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index. 3 vols plus supps. Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1981-. Each volume and supplement contains different persons, so all must be searched. Parts of this index are also available on ancestry.com.

2) Glazier, Ira A., ed. The Famine Emigrants: Lists of Irish Immigrants Arriving at the Port of New York, 1846-51. 7 vols. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1983-86.

Passenger lists (which list names and information of those coming to the U.S.) can give you names of others (possible relatives) who came across at the same time. They include details of last residence from 1883, and many are indexed. Naturalization records will give a person’s birthplace.

Church Records

Many Irish persons were Catholic. If your ancestor was married after immigrating to the U.S., a Catholic marriage record may give his or her Irish place of origin. Baptismal records will list a child’s sponsors, which were often relatives, and will also usually give the mother’s maiden names. These things are important clues to identifying your ancestor in records in Ireland.

Vital Records

A death certificate will give the decedent’s parentage and birthplace, which often includes more than just “Ireland.” If death certificates began too late in a state your ancestor died in, try checking for death certificates on a county level, which often began much earlier.

Cemetery Records

Cemetery records sometimes include an Irish immigrant’s county of origin.

Other records that may be helpful are Irish marriage indexes, probate indexes, indexes to Griffith’s Valuation, and Tithe Applotment records. These can help you locate your surname in certain areas of Ireland.

Although Irish research can be challenging, searching the records discussed in this article should help you locate your ancestor’s area of origin. We wish you luck as you seek to discover more about your Irish roots!

At Legacy Tree Genealogists, we love to help tell your family’s story. If you need help uncovering the stories of your ancestors or preserving your family history, our team of experts can help! Contact us for a free quote today.

februar 28, 2014 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 2 Comments

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 them into something beautiful and meaningful for the client and their family.

Focusing on Immigration

One of the most memorable projects that recently came across my desk involved a client who came to us with Chinese and Japanese immigrant ancestry as well as Southern American heritage, all in one pedigree. She had already gathered quite a collection of family documents in Chinese and Japanese, although she couldn’t read them, and just wanted to learn as much as she could about her entire varied heritage. Looking over everything, we decided that a project mostly focused on U.S. records would help her learn more about her immigrant ancestors and prepare the lines for research in their individual foreign lands in the future as well as explore her Southern American heritage.

As the research progressed, we were able trace the client’s Chinese and Japanese ancestors in California and Hawaii through census, immigration, and vital records – which is quite the challenge given the tendency for names to be completely hashed by record keepers unfamiliar with Asian naming traditions! Translations of the documents and letters provided by the client revealed not only the names of the villages of origin for many of the family members, but difficult stories of poverty and misery in the old countries. In the end, the client’s entire Asian pedigree was filled out and extended to the fifth generation on every line and details of the ancestors’ lives, both from their home countries and in their new homes and lives in the United States, were gathered along the way.

Discovering a Rich Heritage

But that was only the beginning! In digging into the client’s All-American Southern heritage in her maternal line, the leads just kept falling into place, one after another. We ended up discovering deep Colonial roots back to the tenth generation on some of the lines! Many of the client’s ancestors are even recognized participants in the Revolutionary War. It turns out this granddaughter of struggling Asian immigrants is eligible to apply for membership to the Daughters of the American Revolution, a unique meeting and meshing of the American Dream in one beautiful and varied pedigree.

For the record, this project was quite the beast and definitely not completed by a simple 25-hour project. It serves as a reminder, though, that keeping the research momentum going, following up on leads, and thinking outside the generic genealogy box can bring together a thing of true depth and beauty that the client and her family may cherish for generations.

We’d love to help you with your family history, whether we’re breaking down brick wall mysteries, finding your biological parents, or just starting from scratch finding the stories about your ancestors.Contact us today for a free quote.

desember 5, 2013 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 8 Comments

Analyzing Your Family Tree: Decoding Conflicting Evidence

When analyzing your family tree you may encounter conflicting evidence. We share our top tips for resolving conflicts in your family tree.

As you search for your heritage, you may notice that sites such as Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and others might contain numerous family trees with information about your ancestors. In addition to this, your grandma, great-aunt, and other various family members may also have their own versions of your family tree. You could also find a book published by a distant cousin, county or town histories, or a variety of other sources which give information about your family tree.

In looking at all these sources, you will probably notice that some of them contain much of the same information, but others contain differing information. Some of the discrepancies may just be in the spelling of a name or in a birth date, while others will be more noticeable and concerning, such as a different spouse for your great-grandfather, or a different set of parents for your great-great-grandmother. The question then becomes, how do you know which one is right?

Do you just look at multiple trees and pick the one that’s most common?

The “Danger” of Published Trees

Just because several different family trees contain similar information does not mean that the information is accurate. With internet access so readily available, it is very easy for someone to find someone else’s published tree and copy the information to their own tree. Then someone else comes along and copies that tree, and someone else copies that tree. Before you know it, there are many trees that all contain the exact same information, and because there are so many trees with the same information, it can be tempting to assume they must be accurate. But, quantity does not equal quality! These trees can be a great foundation for starting your research and you should check to see what is out there when you’re researching your own family history, but just because they all contain the same information doesn’t mean they’re correct. They could all be copying and sharing the same incorrect information. It’s important to never accept any information as accurate without further research.

Documentation and Sources

When you’ve found a helpful family tree, the first thing you’ll want to look for is whether or not the family tree includes sources for its information, and what those sources are. If no sources are listed, check a few other trees to see if any of them list a source for the information. If none of them do, you’ll want to seek out these sources before accepting the family tree’s information as fact. So what constitutes genealogical proof? An accurate family tree should always contain the best available source for each piece of information. You’ll need to begin collecting birth, marriage, death, land, census, church, probate, and other records that will prove that each generation and date or place of birth, marriage and death is accurate. In cases where there is no record with parental information, you’ll need to collect all the circumstantial evidence you can to prove a link.

Many countries have kept census records for hundreds of years, and these will be a great place to begin. Birth, marriage, and death records (often referred to as vital records), along with their church counterpart (baptism, marriage, and burial records) are also great resources. As you search for your ancestor, you’ll want to ensure that you’ve found the correct person, and not someone else by the same name. For example, if your ancestor is Charles Smith, born in 1892, and you think he was living in Chicago, Cook, Illinois in 1900, one can’t assume that a tree that shows an 8-year-old Charles Smith living in Chicago on a cesus record is the right one. It’s recommended that you look for all Charles/Charlie/Chuck/Chas./C. Smiths born between a least 1890-1894 who are living in Chicago or other nearby towns, and then investigate those persons to determine which is your ancestor, or seek additional records as proof of his parents. Otherwise, all generations after that one migh be incorrect.

When looking at county histories, family histories, or other family information that is published in book form, it is important to look for what sources they list, and also when the book was published and who the author was. For example, if your ancestor lived in Washington County, Iowa from 1850-1920, and there is a county history that was published in 1894 by his next-door neighbor that includes a biographical sketch about him, it would be pretty safe to assume the information probably came first-hand from your actual ancestor. In that case, it is a lot more likely to be accurate than the same type of book published in 1948 by the great-grandchild of someone who once lived in that area.

Look for Red Flags in Your Genealogy Research

There are some quick indicators that a published family tree has not been carefully compiled. Checking for these will help you as you seek to document the information.

Ages – On average, people had children between the ages of 20 and about 45. Sometimes published family trees end up skipping a generation or linking ancestors that probably don’t belong together. If someone was born in 1765 and their child is listed as born in 1825 – that should throw up a red flag. While it is possible that someone had a child at age 60, it is not very probable. If someone was born in 1765 and their child was born in 1777, that’s another red flag, as it is extremely unlikely that a child was born when the parent was age 12. In these cases, there is likely a mistake in the identity of the parents, which would then mean that all generations before that could be incorrect, and/or there is a mistake in the date for one or both ancestors. In some cases, such as the first example, it may just mean that there is a generation missing. The person born in 1765 might actually be the grandparent (rather than the parent) of the person born in 1825. In that case, you’d want to identify and add that missing generation to your tree.

Dates – Look for discrepancies. If someone is listed as dying in 1856, but their child is listed as born in 1860, you’ve got a problem. Children can be born about 9 months after their father’s death, but definitely not more than that, and they certainly cannot be born after their mother’s death! This could mean the wrong parents have been identified, or it could just mean that one or both dates is incorrect. In either case, more research is needed to make sure the tree is accurate.

Places – If your ancestor is listed as born in the United States, and his parents are born in a foreign country, then you may have found the immigrant generation. However, if that ancestor then has children listed as born in a foreign country, you may have a problem. Once people immigrated to the United States, they rarely went back to their home country. This could be a case of incorrect places listed, or the wrong parents altogether. Another example is varying states. If a published tree shows one ancestor as born in New York, and his parents are listed as born in New York also, but then you start looking at census and other records to document the connection and he consistently says his parents were born in Massachusetts, the published tree might have the wrong parents, or at the very least the wrong place of birth for them.

Making a Tree Your Own

Overall, published family trees (either online, in book form, or obtained from a family member) can be a great place to start with your research, especially if you don’t have a lot of prior information or knowledge about your family tree. Before accepting the information as accurate, it will be very important to analyze the information and sources to see where they came from and whether it all makes sense, then begin collecting your own documentation to prove everything is accurate. You’ll want to begin with the most recent generation that you are unsure of and work backwards, making sure each one is correct as you go along. Otherwise if you find a mistake just a few generations back, you might have wasted a lot of time researching people who were not really your ancestors!

As you create your own family tree, be sure to list sources for each piece of information so that people who look at it in the future can feel confident that your information is correct. It may seem tedious at first, but it will save them a lot of work (not to mention yourself, since a few years from now you likely won’t remember where exactly you found all your information). If you get stuck or need additional guidance, we are happy to help.

Our team of professional genealogists are experienced at pouring over every record and shred of evidence to weave together the details of your ancestors’ lives into a meaningful narrative that will be cherished for generations to come. Get started today by requesting your free quote.

november 18, 2013 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 2 Comments

Genealogical Societies – An Under-utilized Resource

Genealogy societies are a great resource for family historians whether you are a beginner or advanced. Genealogical societies are formed for a variety of reasons. They can be created around a common lineage (Mayflower Society), surname (Descendants of John Simmons), ethnicity (American Historical Society of Germans from Russia), geographical research locality (Adams County Genealogical Society), or current place of residence (Utah Genealogical Association).

Why should I consider joining a genealogical society?

There are lots of good reasons for joining a genealogy society, but here are some of the best reasons for a novice genealogist to get involved.

Camaraderie. Chances are that despite your growing enthusiasm for family history research and your willingness to talk to friends and family about what you are learning, you will enjoy getting to know other enthusiasts and discussing the ups and downs of genealogy with someone who understands your excitement and frustration.
Mentoring. You can learn a lot from your fellow society members. While new members and beginners are generally welcome in these societies, you will find that many of the members have a wealth of knowledge and are happy to share their expertise with others.
Access to resources. Many societies are formed around a certain purpose and, as a member, you may have access to certain local records or archives that are otherwise unavailable or hard to find.
Extend your reach. Joining a genealogy society that is some distance away may give you connections to help you research without traveling to that location in person; conversely, you may be of help to someone on your end.
Educational opportunities. Many societies have educational classes, seminars, and publications that can help you to increase your knowledge base, either generally or specifically relating to the society’s mission. Genealogical societies based on a common ethnicity often have opportunities to learn about foods and customs with which your ancestors were familiar.

How to find a genealogical society

To find a genealogical society, you could do an Internet search using the terms that best describe what you are looking for in a society. Additionally, there are several resources that list some of the best genealogical societies. Most of the large commercial online genealogical sites such as FamilySearch.org will have information about different societies in their community or wiki pages. Cyndi’s List is another example of a site that maintains fairly comprehensive reference lists. Lastly, if the society is a member of the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS), you will find information about that society on the FGS website.

Is joining a genealogical society worth it?

If you’ve decided that you’d like to join a society and have decided which one you’d like to join but are unsure if it is worth your investment, many of them will allow you to subscribe to their newsletter. In fact, many of them have blogs that you can follow, Facebook pages that you can monitor, and web sites to peruse. All of these will allow you get to know the society and its members and this will help you determine if it is right for you. Arrange to attend one of their meetings prior to joining and ask questions as you get to know people.

If you are still not sure that your level of participation will be equal to the cost of the membership fee, consider that your fee is typically used for a good cause in promoting the mission of the society and that your added participation may bring something new to the table that the society was previously lacking.

Also, remember that when doing your research, you can contact various genealogy societies and request that they search their records and/or send someone to onsite archives to look at records for you. Some societies are more willing or able to help than others, so you have to contact them to find out what services they offer, how much they charge, and how long the wait will be – but they are a great resource to try when working on your genealogy, as they sometimes have collections of records not available in other places, and/or can complete onsite research that will save you from having to take a trip yourself.

If you have an ancestor in your lineage who may qualify you to join a lineage society, our experts can help you gather your documentation and prepare your application. If you’re not sure if you have a qualifying ancestor, we would love to look over your tree and find out! Contact us today to discuss your options!