We have spent countless hours researching the brave men and women who have fought for this country. One recent case uniquely showcases the strong connection between the public and those who fight for our freedoms—even when there is no familial relationship. James William DeGraff, a private in the 81st Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion, 101st Airborne Division of Alachua, Florida, died on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. He left no wife or children, but in 2015 he touched the life of a … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Inside the Polish National Archives in Kraków
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked Ireneusz, onsite in Poland, to share his experiences researching at the Polish archives. Using the Polish Archives for Genealogy Research The State Archives in Kraków was founded in 1878 and is one of the largest in Poland, containing nearly 1.5 million items in its collections. Due to its size and overall value to Poland’s heritage, its name was changed in 2012 to the … [Read more...]
Event Recap: The Small Business Administration Awards
This week we had the honor of being recognized as the Small Business Administration Woman-Owned Business of the Year. The event was hosted at the new Silicon Slopes venue in Lehi—an eclectically chic locale, complete with exposed ducting, concrete walls and murals from local Utah artists. Clint Betts, CEO of Silicon Slopes, welcomed attendees of the sold-out event, thanking supporters of the genealogy industry in attendance for their work in staying at the forefront of the tech … [Read more...]
The Need for Speed: Genealogical Records and Natural Disasters
When we think about onsite research in a foreign country, most of us might imagine sitting in beautiful reading rooms of libraries and archives. Cool marble, hushed librarians, and possibly some classical paintings or sculptures dot the room. All is serene as the researcher pours over onsite records--leafing through the ancient books or scrolling through dated microfilm in search of the next ancestor. But sometimes the situation is more stressful and potentially perilous for the researcher. … [Read more...]
Beginner’s Guide to Tracing British Ancestry
With about one-third of Americans claiming British ancestry, chances are that at some point you will need to extend your research across the Atlantic Ocean. The purpose of this blog is to clarify some of the confusing terms with regards to the British Isles and get your genealogical research started on solid footing. British Ancestry? English? The United Kingdom? First, let’s talk about British and English genealogical research. There are several terms which get used interchangeably but … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Finding Lutheran Ancestors at the Church Registry Office in Hanover
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers all over the world to access records for our clients. We asked Sylvia, onsite in Germany, to share her experiences using the Kirchenbuchamt Hannover (Church Registry Office of Hanover) to find ancestors in the 19th century. Many descendants of German immigrants will be all too familiar with the problem: you’re trying to find that hometown in Europe, but passenger lists or documents give only "Hanover" or "Hannover" as the birthplace. (The … [Read more...]
3 Essential Websites for German Family History Research
If you have German ancestors in your family tree, or if you have worked on German family history research for anyone else, you may have noticed that Germany is a country that doesn't include national indexes to their records. In order to conduct research for your German ancestors you need to know the specific town or city where your family lived, and also usually the parish they attended. Since parish churches could cover several nearby towns, the parish where your ancestors' records are located … [Read more...]
Finding Funeral Home Records for Your Ancestors
In genealogy research, as we've mentioned before, it is important to leave no stone unturned. You want to look for every available record about your ancestors, and that includes looking for the obvious sources (like census records and vital records), and then you also want to look for the less obvious sources (like newspapers, military service records, land transactions, etc.). We've written about several of these less-obvious sources before, and today we have another one to talk about: Funeral … [Read more...]