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Holiday Genealogy Gift Guide 2024

Many of our most cherished memories are made during the holiday season as we gather with family to participate in traditions both generational and new. Gift-giving is central to many family holiday traditions, and it can be difficult to find the perfect gift for those you love year after year. We hope this year’s gift guide helps you delight the family historian in your life as well as all of your family members who will be surprised at how much they love experiencing family history stories in so many creative ways.

The gift of genealogy is truly a gift that will enrich your family for generations to come. We hope one or more of these offerings from our friends will help you give a meaningful gift to those you love.

GENEALOGY RESEARCH PROJECT

For the family historian who has an obsession with accuracy and collaboration:

Happy Holidays! What is one of the most inspiring gifts you can give your family this holiday season that will impact generations to come? A professional genealogy research project! This is the perfect time of year to finally find those brick wall ancestors, or figure out who your biological great-grandparents were. 

Starting now through December 20th, you can receive $200 off select research projects. Visit www.LegacyTree.com/projects to get started and save.

If you’d like a free quote, please feel free to contact us to discuss your genealogy research goals.

 

GERMANOLOGY COURSE BUNDLE DEAL

For your family member who goes above and beyond to embrace the family’s German heritage:

Save a huge $160 on the Germanology Course Bundle Deal! With these extremely popular self-paced online courses “Reading the Old German Handwriting” and “German for Genealogists”, learn to transcribe AND translate your German genealogy records – and save $160 while doing so!

Deal good until December 24 only. With life-time access to both courses, you can start whenever you like, and go back and review whenever you need to work on your genealogy! These courses include video lessons, flashcards, games, worksheets, tests, quizzes, and actual practice records – all designed to help you learn to decipher your German records on your own. Join thousands of students who can now read their German ancestor's documents and start filling in their family tree. Use coupon code GERMAN15 at check-out.

Join us for the Handwriting Immersion Workshop! In just eight weeks, you'll go from frustrated and overwhelmed to confident and excited to tackle your German records. We can't wait to learn with you – sign up below to join the already great group of German genealogists ready to learn!

Dates: January 23-March 20, Thursdays at 2:00-3:30 pm ET

$150 off with code HANDWRITING150, expires Dec 24, 2024

 

STORIED BOOK CREATOR

For your creative family member who tells the family story with visuals and has a knack for storytelling:

StoriedBook™ transforms genealogy into a lasting legacy, where your family's anecdotes and memories are the heart of your history. With StoriedBook™, you can keep your memories alive for generations to come. 

 

  • Superior Value: High-quality books for less than the competitor's cost.
  • Rich Personalization: Customize design, layout, and more to fit your family's unique narrative.
  • All-In-One Platform: Research, write, collaborate, and now print, all within Storied.

10% OFF All Storied Gifts Use Code: LEGACYTREE10

 

HERITAGE TOUR TO ITALY with MY BELLA VITA TRAVEL

For your family member who’s been saving every penny to return to their Italian homeland for a visit:

Travel is a popular gift to give for the holiday season–why not make it more meaningful and secure a heritage tour to Italy with My Bella Vita?

My Bella Vita has been providing private heritage tours since 2007. They guide travelers through Calabria’s hidden treasures. Whether you’re diving into family memories or seeking an intimate cultural adventure, they’ve got you covered, making every moment truly special.

To receive 10% off your heritage tour package with My Bella Vita, simply mention this Legacy Tree Genealogists Holiday Gift Guide by January 20, 2025 to receive your discount and a luxury welcome gift upon your arrival in southern Italy.

 

ARTIFCTS MEMBERSHIP

For your decluttering expert family member who doesn’t want to simply throw away so many cherished memories:

From saving memories while decluttering to preserving the value behind your family objects and heirlooms, Artifcts gives you a digital way to organize stuff and capture their meaning for generations to remember for years to come. 

An Artifcts membership allows you to stay organized, connect with family, declutter and downsize, and create books to keep and share. 

Use code LegacyHoliday24 for 25% off an Artifcts membership for you or a loved one + receive a bonus packet of Artifcts QR code stickers. Offer valid through Dec. 20, 2024 at 11:59 pm PST.

 

IMPROVE YOUR GENEALOGY SKILLS WITH A MEMBERSHIP TO GENEALOGYTV

For your genealogy-obsessed family member who can’t stop, won’t stop:

Giving the gift of genealogy education can be life changing.  With GenealogyTV you can gift that special someone a subscription to Genealogy TV Academy where they will find lessons, handouts, worksheets and 2 live Zoom sessions per month to continue learning and growing in their genealogy skills, on their own schedule.

Holiday special: 25% off with code GTVA25%

 

PHOTO RESTORATION WITH MEMORYCHERISH

For your family member who wears nostalgia on their sleeve:

MemoryCherish is a customer favorite as they transform aged or damaged photos into vibrant, preserved memories for your whole family to enjoy. This holiday, wrap up a gift that revives the past and enrichees the future, one restored photo at a time. 

Use LEGACYTREE to receive $5 off your order. This code and affiliate link do not expire, so feel free to feature us on your website or in future guides.

 

We hope this holiday genealogy gift guide helps you find the perfect gift for your family members this year. As always, if you'd like help with any of your genealogy research, please reach out!

 

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Expand Your Ancestry Research: the hidden power of family memorabilia

How can family memorabilia further your ancestry research? Read the first-hand account of one of our researchers about how a family photograph helped her extend her family tree.. 

Most of us know what it’s like to misplace our keys just as we leave home. We hunt high and low, then look down: they were “hiding” right in front of us, sitting on the windowsill or hanging from one of our fingers, obscured by other belongings. What a relief! We laugh at our distractedness and move on. 

Family research can be like that. I know from experience. Before my training as a genealogist, I searched for a couple of years for the birth village of my great-grandfather Louis Gruber in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. My initial geographical focus was Austria since my mother insisted that Louis, his brother Jacob, and their wives identified as Austrian. I had some information and promising leads, but when no birth records or other documents surfaced in Austria, I broadened my search to the entire empire. Eventually, I set the research aside — until one day, I examined an old family photograph more closely on a whim, and the astounding evidence I discovered unlocked the door to my quest. 

The Often-Overlooked First Step in Genealogical Research 

I made a rookie mistake when I was an amateur genealogical researcher. I failed to glean information from all the family memorabilia available to me. Photos, letters, objects with company or place names printed on them, and more could have provided clues that changed the progress of my research. I also neglected the importance of comprehensively interviewing family members, especially the eldest living, beginning with open-ended questions about family origins, history, and individuals and then clarifying details with specific queries.  

Expanding My Personal Ancestry Research: introducing Louis Gruber and Paulina Springer, my great-Grandparents 

My great-grandfather Louis Gruber immigrated to the U.S. from “Bohemia” on the S.S. Westernland, arriving in New York in 1894. At the 1900 census, Louis lived in St. Paul, Minnesota, in the household of his older brother Jacob. Louis was reportedly born in November 1873 and was 26 years old. His birthplace, as well as that of his parents, was listed as Germany. 

In August 1902, Louis married my great-grandmother, Paulina Springer. Paulina, 22, arrived in New York in October 1901. On the ship manifest, she was identified as Bohemian, and her last place of residence was “Kuschwarda.” Kuschwarda was the German place name for what is now the Czech village of Strazny in the South Bohemian region of the Czech Republic. This information about Paulina’s origins helped narrow down possibilities for Louis’s home village since Paulina might have been intended as Louis’s wife, and the families were connected in their homeland.   

The Conundrum of Identifying Nationality in the Austro-Hungarian Empire 

One point of confusion in my research was the discrepancy regarding Louis Gruber’s nationality. Were Louis and Jacob indeed Austrian? Did they identify as such? The various U.S. and Minnesota censuses between 1900 and 1930 identified Louis’s nationality differently from census to census. In 1900, he was enumerated as German, in 1905 and 1910 Austrian, in 1920 Bohemian, and 1930 German. We often don’t know who provided census information to enumerators – the head of household, the wife, a child, a neighbor? This calls into question the accuracy of the information. Also, detecting a German accent or being told that the family spoke German might lead an enumerator to mistake a family’s origins. Given the numerous border changes and regime shifts in Germanic Europe during the nineteenth century, these discrepancies made it difficult even to know where to look!  

A Place Name to Go On 

As I continued my research, I found death and Social Security records that narrowed down the name of Louis’s home village. Jacob’s 1937 Social Security application listed his parents as John Gruber and Maria Lusick, and his birthplace was given as “Neuoven, Austria.”  Notably, Neuoven translates in English to “new oven.” Louis’s 1930 death record recorded his parents’ names as Johannes Gruber and Maria Lustig – likely the same woman as that noted on Jacob’s Social Security application.  This was confirmed by Jacob’s 1956 death record, which cited his mother’s name as Maria Lustig, precisely as in Louis’s. Louis’s death record listed no birthplace. 

If Louis and Jacob shared the same parents, Louis’s birthplace likely was in or near the “Neuoven” noted in Jacob’s Social Security application. Still, no German spelling variations of the place name Neuoven in Austria, Germany, or other Eastern European collections yielded birth records for Louis or Jacob. At a loss, I told myself the records were likely destroyed in the World Wars.  

Right in Front of My Eyes 

Having set this question aside for many months, I visited my parents one weekend and found myself admiring a portrait of my second-great grandparents, the parents of Paulina Springer. The photo is striking, with the couple dressed in travel clothes, their eyes seemingly set on some unknown destination. On a whim, I asked my father to remove the photo from the frame. The photo was nailed into the frame, and although I feared damaging the photo, I was determined to know what lay on the opposite side. On the reverse, we discovered the words, “GRAND[MA] + GRANDPA SPRINGER, Mother Gruber’s Parents.” Mother Gruber, of course, was Paulina. 

Beneath those words was an intricate illustration of a photography studio and the words “Ateliér Jos. Seidel, Krummau.” Atelier is the German word for studio, and Krummau is German for Cesky Krumlov, a city in the South Bohemian region of the Czech Republic. Joseph Seidel was a leading photographer of his day, known mainly for representing the life and culture of people living in the Czech-German-Austrian borderlands. What’s more, his photography studio – the very one illustrated on the back of my second-great-grandparents’ portrait – is now a museum that celebrates his work as a leading photographer of his time.  

A Second Chance at Finding Louis’s Home Village 

I began reconsidering geographical possibilities. Strazny, where Paulina originated, is in the South Bohemian region, as is Cesky Krumlov. Might there have been a Neuoven in that vicinity? Also, given that the place names were originally identified in German, I should look for a Czech translation of Neuoven. In Czech, “Neu” is translated as “Nova.” I began exploring the areas between Strazny and Cesky Krumlov for places containing the word “Nova.” I quickly found a village called Nova Pec, which translates to “new furnace.” Nova Pec is located roughly 35 miles from Cesky Krumlov. 

 

 

The Rewards of Locating Louis Gruber’s Home Village 

Having almost certainly identified the origin of Louis Gruber and his brother Jacob in Nova Pec, I verified their nationality as Austrian and ascertained why the Gruber men immigrated to the U.S. During the nineteenth century, Austrians increasingly moved eastward into the Czech lands. Although after 1867, Czechoslovakia was under the control of the Austrian crown, ethnic tensions between the staunchly nationalistic Czechs and German-speaking residents sparked conflicts large and small. War was always on the horizon, and all Austrian men were obligated to serve eight years in the army. In addition, with rapid industrialization and urbanization, population numbers boomed, reducing opportunities for quality employment. 

Advertisements recruiting German-speaking people for work in the U.S. were regularly circulated, particularly by the American railroad companies. Leaving Bohemia would release the Gruber brothers from conscription in the army. These may have been enticing opportunities for building a better, more peaceful life in America. After arriving in St. Paul, Louis and Jacob worked as sole cutters in the shoe industry. Later, they and their offspring worked for the Great Northern Railway as engineers, painters, and clerks. They thrived financially, brought their culture, traditions, and cuisines to St. Paul, and helped develop a community of immigrants who kept their cultural norms alive. Even my grandfather Walter Gruber carried on his family's traditional Austrian folk music, playing his concertina for me and my family whenever we visited him in Minnesota.  

Genealogical Research is Not Linear 

What did I learn from this experience that might help you avoid pitfalls in your family research? 

  • Always collect and examine every memento, photograph, letter, and other tangible family treasure that might contain important clues to your research question. 
  • Don’t forget that you might not immediately notice certain pieces of evidence or have fully gleaned all evidence from an object on your first pass. Come back to them again with fresh eyes, and you might find something unexpected. 
  • Engage your family members in your efforts! Interview them and ask to see any family mementos they might possess that you haven’t seen. 
  • Research extended family members and acquaintances whose genealogical records might contain indirect clues to your research subject. 
  • When you find a new clue in your research, ask family members what it might mean to them if you think it’s relevant. 

You never know what hidden key might unlock the door to a family mystery! I will forever be grateful for that beautiful illustration of the Joseph Seidel photography studio on the reverse of my second-great-grandparents’ portrait! 

If you'd like to work with us to achieve one of your genealogy research goals, please reach out. We'd love to hear more about what you're working on to see if we're a good fit. Contact us here: www.LegacyTree.com/contact-us

 

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DNA and Genealogy Cold Cases: Five tips for using genetic evidence to break through brick walls in your family tree

In real life and in fiction, DNA is used to solve crimes that have stumped investigators for years or even decades. But what if the cold case you are trying to solve isn’t a crime, but rather a family history mystery that is hundreds of years old? What if you have already pored through available records sources to no avail? Many of us have these types of mysteries in our family trees, often referred to as “brick walls.”  

Do you have an ancestor whose origins are difficult to trace due to them being an immigrant, an orphan, or not leaving many records of their life? If so, DNA may be able to help you crack your genealogy cold case.  

Genetic Evidence Case Study: The Mysterious Gerry Mathews

One of our Legacy Tree clients spent years trying to identify the origins and family of his second great grandfather, Gerry Mathews. Gerry, who was born in about 1820, came to St. Louis, Missouri around 1860, where he married and had children. Gerry died in St. Louis in 1877. 

Census and other later records on Gerry’s children provided conflicting information on his birthplace, indicating New York, Connecticut, or Boston, Massachusetts as possibilities. Entries for Gerry were located in some New York City directories prior to his move to St. Louis, but this did not answer the question of where he was born and who his parents were. It was discovered that in 1865 Gerry underwent Catholic baptism in St. Louis. His baptism record identified his parents as Charles and Mary Mathews. However, these names were so common that this clue was not particularly helpful, especially without an exact location to search. 

We informed our client that DNA testing might be able to help us identify Gerry’s family.  

Five tips for success when using DNA to break through your brick walls 

Many of the following strategies were employed in our research on the origins of Gerry Mathews, leading to the identification of his correct parents. 

1. Test older generations.

While you may be a second great grandchild of the ancestor of interest, they could have great grandchildren living, such as your parent, aunt or uncle, or a cousin of your parent.  These older generation descendants of your ancestor often inherit a larger portion of your ancestor’s DNA, making their DNA more useful for historical research than yours. 

Because of this, older generation descendants are likely to have closer and more numerous DNA matches to your shared ancestor’s family, providing better clues about their identity. 

For a more in-depth discussion of some targeted DNA testing strategies, including testing older relatives, see this article:  

http://www.legacytree.com/blog/seven-strategies-to-set-up-your-dna-testing-plans 

2. Test or collaborate with descendants from other branches of your ancestor’s family.

Just like children inherit different traits from their shared parents (hair or eye color, height, health conditions etc.), other descendants of an ancestor inherit different pieces of that ancestor’s DNA, and thus have matches of interest to that ancestor’s family that you do not.  

This article describes how this can occur in greater detail: http://www.legacytree.com/blog/genealogical-genetic-family-tree-inheritance 

Your third or fourth cousins may also have helpful clues in the form of documents or family stories that were not passed to your branch of the family, which could be key to breaking through your brick wall.   

And if your research question concerns a male ancestor’s paternity, consider Y-DNA testing a direct male line descendant of that ancestor within your extended family. The Y chromosome is the male sex chromosome and is passed from generation to generation in a pattern of direct-line patrilineal inheritance. Only males inherit a Y chromosome. Therefore, it follows the same inheritance pattern as surnames in many western civilizations. This quality makes it particularly useful for answering questions regarding paternity or shared paternal ancestry.  

Not sure how to invite genetic cousins to collaborate with you? We have some ideas! 

http://www.legacytree.com/blog/five-tips-for-contacting-genetic-cousins 

3. Have a clear understanding of the other portions of your family tree.

If you don’t know who your other ancestral families are, it can be difficult to tell if unfamiliar DNA matches you discover represent the family of the ancestor you are seeking, or a different unrelated ancestor’s family. Along with researching all of your ancestral lines (not just your brick wall line), it may be necessary to DNA test relatives from other parts of your family tree to break through your brick wall. Testing representatives of other branches of your family can help quickly sort out DNA matches not relevant to the search for your target ancestor’s family.  

4. Watch for patterns of surnames and locations, especially if they are unexpected.

While your ancestor with unknown origins may have the last name Smith and lived in Indiana, his married sisters, cousins, and other relatives (and their descendants) could have used other surnames and lived in a variety of locations. Unexpected surname changes also sometimes occurred in families due to immigration, blended families, or for other reasons. Don’t discount new clues that don’t line up with what you already know about your family! New clues are exactly what you need when trying to break through a brick wall.  

5. Know that DNA alone is usually not enough to break through a brick wall in your family tree.

DNA evidence can provide new clues for your research, but you will need to follow up on these clues with thorough records research on the families or locations of interest to accurately place your ancestor within their family of origin. 

Genetic Evidence Case Study (continued): Identifying the parents of Gerry

As we reviewed the client's autosomal DNA results, we worked to exclude groups of matches not related through his direct line back to Gerry Mathews (in this case, the client's direct paternal line). These included matches related to the client's maternal family, as well as matches related through the spouses of our client’s direct patriline. 

We then analyzed the small group of matches that remained, but did not observe any clear patterns that might suggest specific parents or ancestors for Gerry. However, we noted that while our client's father was deceased, his father’s first cousin (a generation older than our client) had already done DNA testing and was a match to our client. This cousin agreed to allow us access to her results, and as we analyzed them, we noted she had many matches descended from a woman who died in Kansas named Mary Augusta Read.  

Further investigation revealed Mary was born in Connecticut (probably in the town of Milford), and that her maiden name matched Gerry’s surname. We suspected Mary might be a sister of Gerry, a fact that was confirmed when we discovered the following details in a book on the early families of Milford, Connecticut. 

Susan Woodruff Abbott, comp., Families of Early Milford Connecticut, 1st edition (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., and Connecticut Society of Genealogists, Inc., 1979), p. 119, Google Books. (https://books.google.com/: accessed 6 October 2023). 

This list of children born to “Polly” (a nickname for Mary) Sanford’s second marriage helped confirm that she and her husband Charles Mathews were the correct parents of George “Gerry” Mathews. Subsequent research showed that Mary “Polly” Sanford’s ancestral lines are well documented, but that almost nothing is known about the origins of her husband Charles Mathews.  

Future DNA and records research may yet identify Charles’s family. One exciting clue (based on our client doing Y-DNA testing) is that he has many Y-DNA matches to members of a Bean family with roots in colonial New Hampshire. It is possible there was misattributed paternity or a surname switch somewhere in the direct line of Charles Mathews. Breaking through one brick wall in your family tree often leads to new mysteries to unravel!  

If you’d like help using DNA to break through your genealogy brick walls, reach out to us here! 

 

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How Knowing Family Stories Helps Overcome Challenges

Family Stories Build ConfidenceEmbracing Your Family Stories

The genealogy journey is one fraught with unexpected discoveries and stories. As you delve deeper into family history and past stories, there can often be positive and negative surprises that shift your perspective of yourself and the world around you. As you learn about the past, you can choose to create a future that your descendants can be proud of and, in so many ways, come to understand yourself better and grow as an individual. 

Growing From Your Ancestor's Experiences 

No matter your age or experience with family history, putting the experiences of your ancestors into context and examining how their experiences have shaped your life can give you strength during tough times. 

One way family history can strengthen us in tough times is through the concept of «ancestor salience.» By exploring your ancestors' stories, you can gain perspective and resilience in facing your own challenges. Reflecting on your lineage and the trials and triumphs of those who came before you can foster a sense of belonging and purpose.

The Power of Family History

We all have inspiring stories from our ancestors. One client looked to his grandfather, a remarkable man who overcame significant adversity. Despite a challenging upbringing marked by poverty and loss, his grandfather went on to serve as a distinguished pilot in World War II and achieve entrepreneurial success. This rich family history showcases resilience and serves as a source of inspiration. 

As you think back on your family tree, you might ask yourself:

  • What trials and struggles did my ancestors face?
  • How did they overcome adversity?
  • What aspects of their personalities and characteristics have I inherited? 
  • How can I learn from their experiences to grow in my current situation?

By reflecting on our family stories, we can create new feelings of nostalgia, confidence, and gratitude that can guide our actions today. Nostalgia for our roots can instill a sense of calm, while confidence derived from our ancestors' accomplishments can drive us forward. Gratitude for the sacrifices made by those who came before us can bolster our resolve and willpower under challenging circumstances.

Get to Know Your Stories

Rather than just focusing on completing your family tree, learn about the people behind the names. What do you actually know about your ancestors? How many full stories can you retell? Nothing is more captivating than sharing true stories about people who have shaped who you are and where you are today. 

Sometimes, the challenges you face today can feel overwhelming or discouraging. But knowing that your ancestors made it through challenging times and thrived can help you have hope and determination to push through and find meaning and happiness in the everyday. 

The Impact of Family History on Young People

In the late 90s, psychologists Marshall Duke and Robyn Fivush of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, asked 48 families 20 questions about their family history. They found that the more the children knew, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem and the more successfully they believed their families functioned.

«Hearing these stories gave the children a sense of their history and a strong ‘intergenerational self.' Even if they were only nine, their identity stretched back 100 years, giving them connection, strength and resilience,» Duke said.

When we share these family stories with the younger generation, they benefit emotionally and are better able to handle the challenges that come their way. 

How to Get Started

There are so many ways to start sharing your family narratives and create positive change in your life and the lives of your family. Here are a few ways to get started:

When times are tough, we see the most growth. By connecting and relating to our ancestors and seeing how they overcame challenges, we have greater power to transform our experiences into sources of strength. 

To learn more about your family history, contact us for a free research quote.

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Why You Should Create a Family Office and Succession Plan

Many think they have unlimited time to organize a will, structure finances for descendants, and transmit the most important life details to their children and grandchildren. But sometimes, life gets in the way – illness, incapacity, and death come sooner than expected and can leave descendants to unravel the complications left behind.

That happened to Josh Kanter, son of tax lawyer and venture capitalist Burton Kanter.

«When my father passed away from cancer in 2001, I was in the room, and his last words to me were take care of your mother and your sister,» said Josh.

The death of Mr. Kanter posed a challenging situation for his three adult children. They now faced the task of considering their father's succession planning and navigating through his intricately detailed financial matters.

«It took over 12 years of restructuring the enterprise and finishing litigation over my dad's estate. It was almost a requirement that somebody step in and try to figure out how to manage through this,» Josh recalled. Given that Josh was a practicing lawyer, and spent 18 months with his father during his illness, Josh became the natural choice to manage his late father's affairs.

The Evolution of leafplanner

Unraveling his family estate led Josh to develop what is known today as leafplanner, a wealth succession planning digital platform for high-net-worth families. Initially, the plan was much simpler: an owner's manual for the family that could be updated and shared with family members to be ‘educated and empowered.'

But that owner's manual has evolved into a powerful digital resource for wealthy families.

«About three years ago, somebody saw and really liked one of the owner's manuals I created for another family. A lot of stuff has been developed in the wealth industry for data aggregation, sophisticated general ledger systems, specialty programs, and all these things. But nobody has really tackled this idea of information collection. There is nothing like it in the industry. We turned it into a platform with the idea of helping hundreds or thousands of families understand what they need to think about and how to collect, organize, and share information. So that became leafplanner.» Josh explained.

Succession Planning is for Everyone

As people consider their individual situations, they may wonder if they need succession planning. While leafplanner greatly serves complex financial situations, ‘the concepts of what we are doing apply to every single human. We've got $10 million and billion-dollar clients, but the concepts apply to everyone.'

One of the goals of leafplanner is to capture the motivation or why behind decisions. «Using leafplanner or creating an owner's manual is a gift to your spouse, partner, kids, trustees, executors, advisors, or whoever is stepping into responsibility because there are so many ideas, concepts, and relationships, and the why behind these things needs to be passed on.»

The gift of legacy is often discussed in succession plans. While it is important to pay attention to the financial aspects of legacy, it can be equally important to pass on stories of values and character development.

«When you can get families to talk about the stories of what mom and dad went through, the trials and tribulations on their way to becoming financially successful, that's where the values are reinforced. The values don't come from a graph that goes into a straight line from bottom left to top right. The values come from the ups and the downs and what happened along the way,» said Josh.

Knowing about the past creates great momentum for future generations to build upon. In a study done at Emory University, adolescents were asked 20 simple questions about their families. The study found that adolescents who report knowing more stories about their familial past show higher emotional well-being and self-esteem. Combining family stories and values with traditional wealth succession planning creates a more successful future for descendants, and that is one of the benefits of leafplanner.

Creating a Family Office to Pass Down Values 

A term often used in the wealth management industry is family office, but Josh helps us understand, «There is no one definition of a family office. In my view, a family office is designed to manage the family – not just the family assets – for a multi-generational period. The most important function of a family office is to help with the family's success, however, the family defines that success. That could be about legacy, churning out good humans, philanthropy, investment and tax advice, etc. If you take that mental perspective, then all of us are running a family office in one way or another.»

leafplanner tries to take this kind of family office perspective by helping families answer essential questions holistically and comprehensively. Josh explains how every family can benefit from clarity on its mission and values.

«Every family could talk about what they stand for, what they're doing, and why they're doing it. And there doesn't have to be a lot of money involved. Mission statements are based on values. They're based on the family's legacy, where they came from, what they want to do, and how they want to change the world. And the world can be their little nuclear family, or the world can be the world.»

Knowing that every family, regardless of financial status, can benefit from creating a family office and succession plan is empowering. As Josh learned himself in picking up the pieces after his father's passing, ‘If it's going to take me 20 hours to organize the pieces, I guarantee you it's going to take my kids 200 hours to figure out those same pieces.'

It truly is a gift to our descendants when we create a plan and organize the family information to pass on our legacy financially and emotionally. Using resources like leafplanner, owner's manuals, and genealogy research to capture family stories, the future can be smooth and precise for future generations.

To learn more about leafplanner and see if they are right for your family, visit leafplanner.com

 

Ready to learn more about your family history and pass that legacy on to your children and grandchildren? Contact Legacy Tree today for a free research quote.

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Hire a Genealogist: Why, When, and How

Why would you hire a genealogist? Many people who are interested in finding out more about their family and ancestors find great joy in doing their own genealogical research. While the family history research journey can be quite thrilling, it can also be very frustrating and sometimes devastating.  Why devastating?. For those who are determined to find their family members, living or passed on, hiring a professional genealogist can bring back a sense of joy and peace of mind as you work with a team to accurately fill out your family tree one ancestor at a time.

WHY WOULD YOU HIRE A GENEALOGIST?

DEFINE YOUR GENEALOGY GOALS

Whenever you consider hiring a genealogist, you’ll want to have a clear goal in mind. If you simply want to fully complete your family tree, you’re not yet clear on your goal! Completing a family tree cannot be accomplished in one lifetime. But you can definitely create small goals of accurately documenting one ancestor at a time to help the coming generations continue the genealogical journey with confidence and joy.

Here are some questions you might ask yourself as you consider hiring a professional genealogist:

  • Do I want depth or breadth? Would I rather know as much as possible (biographical details) about one specific ancestor, or would I prefer to accurately connect 3-4 generations?
  • Do I want a family narrative or simply an accurate family diagram?
  • Do I need help understanding my DNA test results? Do I want to prove a biological relationship, or am I confused about my ethnicity results?
  • Do I have a blank spot in my family history that’s preventing me from moving on with my own genealogical research?
  • Do I need help organizing all of my family history documents and records? 

These are great questions to bring to a genealogist. Of course, there are thousands of possibilities for your genealogy research, but starting with clear and simple objectives will produce the best results.

When you hire a genealogist at Legacy Tree Genealogists, you’re hiring a team of professionals who have seen hundreds of scenarios that give them insight into possible strategies and resources that you might not even know about. We also have access to a network of translators and onsite specialists in countries worldwide who can help achieve your genealogy goals.

WHEN WOULD YOU HIRE A GENEALOGIST?

Many people who begin their family history research are quickly overwhelmed, and want to verify what documentation they already have to ensure they continue down an accurate path. How do you know if you have all the information you need to verify your relationship with ancestors who have been gone for generations? As soon as you start to feel overwhelmed, that’s a very good time to hire a genealogist!

For those who are deeper into their family history research, they might find that there’s one or two generations that seem to “disappear,” and it’s difficult to find any official documentation on them for many reasons including: immigration, class status, or by simply being a woman there isn’t much written about them. 

In the genealogy world, we often refer to “brick walls”–those maddening mysteries in your family history that no one seems to know anything about. When you hit a brick wall, it’s time to hire a genealogist! Some brick walls you might experience:

LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF GENEALOGICAL RECORDS, DOCUMENTS, LETTERS, ETC.

Many people hire a genealogist because they don’t know their ancestors’ language, and are struggling to accurately translate letters or vital records. Language evolves quickly, and if you’re reading through records from a few generations back, you could also struggle to understand a language that is easier to translate in modern usage. For example, German has evolved quite a bit in the last couple hundred years, and it takes an expert to translate older versions of the German language.

There’s also languages that don’t use western Roman lettering, such as Asian and Indigenous languages. Unless you take the time to learn Japanese, Chinese, or any character-based languages, you’ll need a professional genealogist to help you with translation. 

YOUR FAMILY’S VITAL RECORDS WERE LOST IN NATURAL DISASTERS OR WARTIME DESTRUCTION

There are countries that experienced natural disasters (floods, fires, etc.), or were bombarded by wartime aggressions that destroyed cultural artifacts, including vital records. This is the case for Ireland in the nineteenth century, and for records destroyed throughout Eastern Europe during World War II. When you’re looking for ancestors in these times and places, it’s not hopeless. It may be more difficult to find any documentation for them, but you’d be surprised what a professional can dig up!

DNA ANALYSIS FOR BIOLOGICAL FAMILY

If you were adopted, and want help finding and potentially contacting your biological family members, you’ll want to hire a professional genetic genealogist. They can help you put together your DNA test results as well as pursue traditional genealogical documentation that will help you find your bio family. It can also be an emotional roller-coaster, and having a professional genealogist guide you through the process is a game-changer. 

You can also use a genetic genealogist to help you use DNA evidence to accurately identify some of your ancestors a few generations back. Genetic genealogy often goes hand-in-hand with traditional genealogy, and it’s incredibly helpful to have someone who knows how to bring it all together in one clarifying package. 

HOW DO YOU HIRE A GENEALOGIST?

There are individual genealogists who work independently and have areas of expertise, and there are genealogy firms, like Legacy Tree Genealogists, who have experts all over the world and access to a professional network of onsite researchers to help when digital research hits a dead end. Whether you hire an individual or a genealogy firm, you’ll want to take the following steps:

VERIFY THEIR GENEALOGY CREDENTIALS

The two primary credentials for genealogists that you’ll come across are:

  • AG: Accredited Genealogist®
  • CG: Certified Genealogist®

An Accredited Genealogist (AG) is a professional who has passed several levels of testing through ICAPGen (The International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists). This accreditation is geography-specific–meaning that someone with an AG after their name has tested for at least one region within the United States or another region in the world. Make sure to ask genealogists which region they are accredited for.

A Certified Genealogist (CG) requires similar expertise and testing, with a slightly different focus. CG’s are not geography-specific, but allows a genealogist to display their ability to interpret documents and resolve contradictory evidence. This interpretation skill is often what people hire a genealogist to help them do.

LEARN ABOUT THEIR PROCESS AND TIMELINES

Every genealogist has different timelines and capacities. An individual genealogist might have the specific expertise you’re looking for, but might not be able to communicate with you regularly or have your project complete within a few months. Ask how often they will communicate with you on their progress, when and how to ask questions and deliver more information, and when they will be able to complete your project.

A genealogy firm has one to multiple genealogy researchers working on your project as well as a project manager who communicates regularly with you, and ensures that the project stays on track and is finished within a reasonable timeline. 

SCHEDULE A QUOTE OR CONSULTATION 

Most individuals and firms will provide you with a free quote or consultation to answer any questions you might have as you describe your genealogy hopes and goals. 

INQUIRE ABOUT COSTS

Ask as many questions as you need to get a good idea of how they will spend their time researching and organizing your genealogy project. With individuals, it’s pretty straightforward as they either bill hourly or per project. A genealogy firm may cost  more, but you have an entire team working towards project completion to ensure timely reporting and full documentation of all research. 

WORKING WITH LEGACY TREE GENEALOGISTS

If you're curious about working with Legacy Tree Genealogists, you can fill out a form for a free quote and conversation with one of our experts to find out if we're a good fit!

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How to Organize Old Photographs and Memorabilia For Genealogy Research

Do you have old photographs and memorabilia you'd like to organize for your genealogy research? Read on to discover the best ways to start organizing and discovering more of your family's rich history. 

old photographs genealogy

Photographs bring history to life and are a very important part of genealogists' research. Being able to match faces to names on a family tree can help us fully embrace the reality of our ancestors. While we can't always find photographs from the past to add to a family tree, we can make an effort to carefully document our current photo libraries so that future generations will come to know their ancestors more intimately.

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with an expert in the photo organization space, Cathi Nelson, founder of The Photo Managers. Cathi has a long history of photo organization, starting with paper scrapbooking many decades ago and leading the industry today in digital photo management at The Photo Managers. This international business supports professional photo organizer members who work one-on-one with clients to organize and document their photos and history.

Why You Need to Organize Old Photographs and Memorabilia

Many of us have totes and boxes of old photographs, documents, and memorabilia. It can be easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of photos to organize. Still, by following a systematic process, these photos can significantly improve your genealogy efforts and help the next generation embrace their ancestors through the stories and legacy that come to life through photos.

Cathi shared the importance of photo organization:

I believe that as humans, we're wired for connection, to tell stories, to reminisce, and to remember. Photos and videos document our visual heritage. Thus, photo organization is about leaving behind a meaningful, curated story of your family's history and traditions, the things you cared about. Why you laughed and why you cried, and all those things.

Rather than viewing photo organization as a task that must be endured, the focus can rest on the stories and the true meaning behind our personal history.  

photographs genealogy

Cathi then shared a great way to view the process of photo organization. «Think of photo organizing like telling a story. You need a beginning, middle, and end. As you go through and digitize photographs, look for the story lines”

While this may be second nature to a professional like Cathi, we often face obstacles during photo organization. Cathi shared her perspective from her years of experience:

First of all, when you open the box of photos, you're usually overwhelmed by nostalgia. There's going to be a lot of emotions when you look at old photos. Also, there is a lot of concern because people think photos must be organized chronologically. And if they threw them into boxes or somebody dropped  them , it's a mess. Suddenly you think, I can never put all that back together, but you can!  I love to tell people; there are no rules. You don't have to do this in a specific way.

Organizing Old Photographs and Memorabilia by Theme

Cathi recommends that we focus on organizing photos by themes instead of focusing only on chronology. Our brains enjoy looking for patters or themes such as holidays, vacations, birthdays, travel, sports etc. Themes can make this process less overwhelming and you can showcase your family values by sharing your most treasured memories.

Because starting can be difficult, The Photo Managers has certified and trained hundreds of business owners who can work with clients to get them started or complete the organization projects for them.

Cathi shared a few ways The Photo Managers work with clients:

Working with a professional photo manager can be incredibly beneficial, and there are several ways to do so. Many professionals begin by offering an initial call to help you get started, guiding you through the necessary steps and processes. They often provide virtual workshops or in-person classes, ensuring you have the resources to learn and succeed. Another great option is to hire a professional to collaborate with you on your project, akin to having your own personal coach. This approach allows for a more hands-on experience, with the professional guiding you through each step.

Finally, once trust is established, many clients prefer to turn their projects over to the professionals entirely. These experts, trained in best practices, manage the project for you, often resulting in significant progress and results. Initially, many people believe they can handle the task themselves, but as they become overwhelmed, they realize the value of professional help.

Understanding the photo organization process can make the experience much more meaningful and enjoyable, whether you are a DIY photo organizer or choose to hire a professional.

5 Steps For Photo Management

At The Photo Managers, they teach five steps to photo management that can keep you aligned and moving forward.   

  1. The first step is setting a goal and knowing what you want to accomplish. For example, do you have a life event like a graduation or wedding coming up that you want to make an album for?  Are you ready to downsize and share the best photo with future generations? Get clear on your goal.
  2. The next step is to take an inventory. We call it the hunt and gather stage. Grab a notepad and start writing down, what you have in your collection. For example, I have four boxes of old photos under the bed and 6 magnetic albums on bookshelves. In my desk drawer I have two old iPhones, and a baggy of memory cards. Don’t forget to look for old home movies, letters and newspaper articles. The more you look the more you’ll find, and the goal is to write it all down.
  3. Step three is the curation. I created the ABCs of photo organizing to help people think through the process.
    1. A: First, ask yourself: Is this archival worthy? Is it album-worthy? You want about 10% in the A category.
    2. B: If the photo is not an A photo, then ask yourself if it is a B photo, one you want to keep but it’s not album worthy. Those go into a photo safe box. You will probably end up with 50% going back in the box.
    3. C: Many people resist throwing away photos, but we say C is yes you CAN throw photos away into the CAN. To make it easier, start with blurry, doubles, scenery shots, and many travel shots that don't have a story behind them. Throw away as many as you possibly can. We don't need to keep them unless they belong in the A or B pile. Be ruthless, no one wants boxes or files of photos unless they are a…S Photo.
    4. S: is Story. You are looking for the story behind the photo. Does it tell a story? If there is a story that is worth remembering, then put it in the A file.
  4. Step four is to scan your photos and we recommend you organize before you scan. This will save you a lot of time, money and frustration. Now is the time to also back up your photos onto an external hard drive and the cloud. 
  5. Last of all, Step five is the best part, once your photos are organized, you can celebrate and share by making photobooks, on-line photo galleries and share via digital photo frames and more. The ideas are endless!

When digital photography came on the scene, there was a natural decline in printing physical photos. However, as Cathi has noticed, this trend is reversing.  

Printing is having a renaissance. It's fascinating. Film is returning in a huge way, especially with the younger generation. They buy film cameras, take photos on film, then scan them using an old-fashioned scanner so that the photos can be shared on Instagram, and it's really fascinating.

The Stories Behind Old Photographs and Memorabilia

The story behind photos can be very helpful in genealogy research. When an old photo is found with names and dates noted, it can be a true treasure. At The Photo Managers, clients often want to learn more about their family history as they go through old photographs.

«Clients have started asking these questions because maybe the client has started doing genealogy on their own, and then when they discover those really old photos, they want to put those pieces together.»

Because The Photo Managers does not specialize in genealogy, its partnership with Legacy Tree Genealogists can be very useful in helping these clients continue their genealogy research.  

Similar to the many online platforms useful for genealogy, there are many online resources for managing photo organization. Cathi shared a few of her favorites with us.   

If you are proficient on your own PC or  Mac, you can start within the folder structure on your computer. Date the folders and move photos into folders. That's as basic as you can get. When you are ready for a more robust software program,  Mylio is a digital software program we recommend. For on-line sites, we recommend  Permanent , PC Cloud and Forever.

When organizing photos, Cathi outlined several options to help you think outside the box.   

The next generation does not think in terms of the folder structure. They think in terms of search. Search engines have trained their brains to think according to themes. Those of us at a certain age still organize by folders. As we move along, thematically is fine because the search is already available on all your digital photos, including the date and times. They're already timestamped and geotagged, and all of that will be there. You can get your arms around it more thematically. If you take the time to think about the themes of your life, it can be overwhelming. So, just choose a few to start with. And there is no right way to do this; it's all very personal.

If you have been inspired to roll up your sleeves and start organizing your shoeboxes full of photos, random memory cards, and old phones full of images, you can learn about all the options for you at  https://thephotomanagers.com/. They offer weekly classes, a year-long training program for people who want to organize their own photos, as well as certification and educational conferences for professional members. You can also visit The Photo Managers YouTube channel for live-events, classes, tips and  information.

 

As you organize your photos and discover the stories behind your ancestors, Legacy Tree Genealogists is here to assist you in extending your family tree and finding those meaningful family connections. Contact us for a free quote today.  

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World War II Genealogy Research in The UK

Are you working on World War II Genealogy Research in The UK? This article will help you get started as you create your research goals and strategy. 

How Did World War II Affect Your UK Ancestors?

For many genealogists and family historians, the Second World War is an integral part of researching our ancestors’ lives, especially if you have British ancestors.   

By the end of the Second World War 12% of the male population had served and 7 million women had been involved in ‘war work.’  As a result, every family was impacted in one way or another, even before the civilian and local impact of the war such as the Blitz.

Military Records

For those genealogists seeking the service records of a soldier or sailor who served in the Second World War, it is both disappointing and heartening that their records have recently been transferred (March 2024) from the Ministry of Defence to The National Archives (TNA) at Kew as part of an extensive digitisation project.  In total there are just under ten million of these records.  Additionally, the non-officer Royal Air Force records will follow in 2024-25, with the full transfer to complete in 2027.  However, the current backlog and project now mean a request for a service record are experiencing delays of up to a year. However, if you can wait, the records will be easier and faster to locate, and a lot cheaper to obtain.

As the project evolves, names are added to Discovery, the TNA’s catalogue, and it is possible to search for the soldier you seek.  However, if you do not find a record for someone you know served, it is more likely to reflect the fact his records have not yet been indexed than that he did not serve at all.  When available, there should be two sets of records for most soldiers: service records and medal records.  If you know your soldier’s unit, there are unit diaries and maps accessible at the TNA.

World War II UK Prisoners of War

Prisoner of war (POW) lists may also capture a combatant’s details, but only a very small proportion are viewable online.  Those not online are held at the TNA which you can view in person or pay for copies to be emailed to you.  There is no definitive database for all POW records and a series of separate searches may have to be undertaken. These include records for civilian POWs, liberated POW questionnaires, escape plans, Merchant Navy POWs, accounts of treatment and enquiries into missing personnel, for the Far East as well as Europe.

Some 384,000 soldiers, 85,000 RAF members, 51,000 Royal Navy sailors, and 30,000 merchant navy sailors were killed in the Second World War.  Army rolls of honour and casualty lists are available on findmypast and Royal Navy registers of death on ships, along with those wounded are available at the National Archives. Allied air casualties found near or by their aircraft having been shot down were recorded by the German authorities and are also held at the TNA.  If your combatant died in the war, you are also likely to locate records on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for them. Another database worth searching is the Imperial War Museum’s War Memorials Register which over 1.6 million names and 50,000 images from the UK’s War Memorials.

Although non-combatants, the Merchant Navy was key to supplying the country with food, fuel, equipment, and raw materials to survive the war.  Their ship records are held at the TNA and the National Maritime Museum holds key works on the ships of the Merchant Navy.  The Imperial War Museum (IWM) as well as the main military branches specialist museums such as the National Army Museum, the RAF Museum or the National Museum of the Royal Navy also hold information on the various impacts of the war including first-hand accounts from participants.

Civilian Register of England

After the onset of World War II on 29 September 1939 a register of the civilian population of England and Wales was taken, and everyone had their actual birthdate recorded.  It was designed to track the population and administer ration cards and can be used as a census substitute as no census was carried out in 1941.  As it was taken at the start of the War, it includes those who were later conscripted. It does not include those who had already volunteered or were already in the forces.

Evacuating Children During World War II

In the early days of the war the government initiated ‘Operation Pied Piper,’ evacuating 800,000 children from major cities such as London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Glasgow.  Photos of children waving from trains or with name tags around their necks clinging to a small piece of luggage have become a key image of the Second World War.  The phoney war in the early months of the war, where there were no major hostilities, persuaded many families to bring their children home again inspiring the government’s campaign to ‘leave the children where they are’.

It wasn’t until bombing began in May 1940 that the need for evacuations was better understood. In total more than 3 million children were evacuated from the major cities.  Although a central database of evacuees does not exist, several local archives have lists such as Cupar in Fife and Berkshire (available on Ancestry) and various archives collecting evacuee stories: both the good and the bad.  As records are unredacted in the 1939 register, it may be possible to locate where more of the children were moved to.

German Blitz in London

The Germans launched the Blitz (from the German word Blitzkreig meaning ‘lightening war’) in September 1940 and it ran until May 1941.  When most people hear ‘the Blitz,’ images of London usually jump to mind, and it was indeed the most heavily bombed of the British cities.  However, the other major cities and ports were also targeted.  For instance, it is estimated that almost a third of Coventry’s houses were made uninhabitable and in Hull 10% of the population were made homeless.  Further details on the impact can be read at the IWM, among other resources.  In total over 43,500 civilians were killed.  A ‘roll of honour’ has been compiled by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and searching these registers can help tell you what happened to members of your ancestor’s family (select ‘Civilian War Dead 1939-1945’ from the ‘Served in’ dropdown menu). 

For London, a particularly interesting resource is the Layers of London maps overlaying the bomb damage to buildings on pre-war maps.  The hand-coloured ordinance survey maps show the scale of damage along with places bombs fell.  If your ancestors lived in London, they show you, on a street-by-street basis, the impact of the war and can explain why you cannot find the church your ancestors married in, for example.

The Second World War also had a profound impact on those who remained in Britain. Immortalised in the sitcom Dad’s Army, the Home Guard consisted of local volunteers above or below the age of conscription and those unfit or ineligible for front-line service.  They were designed to be Britain’s ‘last line of defence’ against a German invasion.  Initially a rag-tag militia with make-do uniforms and weaponry, it evolved into a well-equipped and well-trained army of 1.7 million men.  Whilst many records are held by the Ministry of Defence and can be requested directly, others are online such Lancashire, Surrey and Berkshire’s Home Guard records on Ancestry and Durham are held at the TNA.  Civil defence and non-combatants were eligible for awards, and these can be searched both at the TNA and on Ancestry.

It is also possible to find memorials to non-combatants, such as the one below found in west London.

Home front memorial in Margarvine Cemetery, London. Courtesy of Laura Doyle.

Land Girls Records

Additionally, the records of more than 90,000 ‘land girls’ who served in the Women’s Land Army have been digitised and are available on Ancestry.  Mostly handwritten they feature names, addresses, birth dates, membership numbers and employment details of the women.

When the contribution of animals in a World War is brough into conversation, many people think of the book/play/film War Horse or images such as the lithograph ‘Good-bye Old Man’ from 1916

However, at the start of the Second World War animals such as horses, mules and even camels were still used as carriers of men and supplies, and dogs became guards or did reconnaissance duty and mine detecting.  Additionally, some 250,000 homing pigeons were used to carry messages and in some cases were responsible for the rescue of ditched aircrew.

In 1943 Maria Dickin instituted the PDSA Dickin Medal to acknowledge outstanding acts of bravery or devotion to duty of animals serving with the Armed Forces or Civil Defence units.

 

The medal has been awarded 75 times and recipients comprise 38 dogs, 32 pigeons, 4 horses and 1 cat.  Their website contains the stories of each recipient including a collie called Rob who made over 20 parachute jumps with the SAS in North Africa.  

All forms of the media (radio, newspapers, magazines, films and newsreels) were censored and controlled by the Ministry of Information.  They were tasked to ensure morale did not drop, as well as informing people of successes.  From money-raising events held by the Women’s Institute, to lists of locals who joined up or letters from serving combatants, local newspapers were keen to play their part.  They also reported on casualties and more negative impacts of the war.  So don’t forget to try searching the British Newspaper Archives for the impact of the war on your family tree. And lastly, the BBC has collected some 47,000 stories and 15,000 images in an archive of World War Two memories submitted by the public in their WW2 People’s War site.

Should you need assistance in your search for British families affected by the war, please do contact us, we’d be delighted to help.