Apr 2023
What Did They Say?: A Glimpse into 18th and 19th Anachronistic Vocabulary
Learning anachronistic eighteenth and nineteenth-century words might not seem like the most thrilling activity for some of us, but it can actually be quite useful for genealogists. By understanding words like “fazzolet” and “peradventure” we can gain a deeper appreciation for historical texts and better understand the cultural context in which they were written.
Apr 2023
Societies in Crisis: Disaster Planning for Genealogy Societies
As I worked on a new exhibit for the historical society where I serve as director, my mind wandered to the special responsibility I have to protect our valuable holdings. As I placed a wedding dress from 1886 on a mannequin for public display, I felt a visceral need to protect the fabric, to ensure […]
Mar 2023
City Directories in Genealogy Research
City directories are an excellent resource for genealogy research, providing valuable information about our ancestors’ lives and movements. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what city directories are, how they can be used in genealogy research, and where to find them.
Mar 2023
Attending a Conference: Reflections, Tips, and Advice for First-Time Attendees and Early-Career Professionals
I recently had the opportunity to attend RootsTech 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Reflecting on my experience, I wrote this article to guide future first-time conference attendees and early-career professional genealogists. While I had participated in smaller conferences such as Midwestern Roots 2022 and FGS 2018, the sheer size of RootsTech left me feeling […]
Jan 2023
Decoding the Numbers: Genealogical Numbering Systems
If you have read a genealogy publication or explored popular family tree software, you have likely seen numbers assigned to individuals in family trees. What do these numbers mean? Why are there so many different numbering systems? This article will introduce you to the most commonly used genealogical numbering systems and how you can utilize […]
Jan 2023
Not Everything is Online: How to Research in Archives
As more documents and records are digitized, genealogists often stick to the online, easy-to-access record sets. However, even in the age of digital information, not everything we need or want as genealogists is digitized. So, let’s get back to the basics and discuss how to research in physical archives and repositories.
Dec 2022
Finding Relatives Residing Elsewhere: A Brief Guide to Institutions
Like me, you may have a great-grandparent who seemingly went “missing” from records, family stories about a long-departed relative’s battle with mental illness, or an adopted ancestor. Or, like an increasing number of historians and genealogists across the globe, you may be interested in the stories of historically marginalized, underrepresented, and under-researched communities and individuals. […]
Oct 2022
Exceptional Digital Projects to Aid Black American Research
There are many missing pieces in American ethnic studies for people of color. Historians, librarians, and teachers are helping to fill in the gaps by curating materials and writing textual history that can be digitized for larger audiences to study. This issue highlights excellent digital projects that support the goal of identifying Black ancestors and […]
Oct 2022
Genealogy Records Roundup – October 2022
October is Family History Month and I hope you are celebrating by sharing your genealogy work and resources with family and friends. NGS has ideas and images available for you and for sharing, especially with your local societies. Celebrate with us… see the links on the NGS home page, ngsgenealogy.org. Also to celebrate this month, […]
Aug 2022
New Irish Resources: The Beyond 2022 Project
Researching Irish ancestors has often been described as difficult, and for many reasons. The reason most discouraging to American researchers, excited to discover their ancestors who flooded into this country in the nineteenth century, is that the Four Courts containing the Public Record Office in Dublin burned to the ground on 30 June 1922. It […]