National Archives Archive
5 Jun 2016
Sources and Strategies for Discovering Immigrant Origins
By Melissa Johnson On 5 June 2016 In Uncategorized
To research the ancestral line of an immigrant, a reliable connection must be made between that person and his or her place of origin. Tracing immigrant ancestors involves examining a wide variety of sources, and sometimes requires implementing
14 Mar 2016
Records of the Works Progress Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps
By Melissa Johnson On 14 March 2016 In Uncategorized
In response to the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced the New Deal, a series of domestic programs focused on relief for the poor and unemployed, economic recovery, and reformation of the nation’s financial system. Two of
14 Dec 2015
Navigating the National Archives
By Melissa Johnson On 14 December 2015 In Uncategorized
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the agency responsible for maintaining and providing access to historic records created by the federal government. To successfully plan and execute research at NARA facilities, genealogists need a basic
7 Nov 2015
U.S. Patent Records as a Genealogical Resource
By Melissa Johnson On 7 November 2015 In Uncategorized
In 1790, the United States Congress passed a bill establishing the Patent Board, an entity responsible for conferring rights to inventors for their inventions, a process known as “issuing patents.” Prior to this time, colonies and states
11 Jun 2015
Civil War Union Pension Files: Contents and Access
By Melissa Johnson On 11 June 2015 In Uncategorized
Many veterans who served for the Union during the Civil War received federal pensions.[1] These pensions provided support to those who qualified based on disability, service, and old age. In many cases, upon the death of a
13 Apr 2015
Finding and Using Alien Records
By Melissa Johnson On 13 April 2015 In Uncategorized
Researching immigrant ancestors can be challenging. Family historians often search for naturalization records to learn more about immigrants, but what if they were never naturalized? Alien records, including Alien Registration Forms (AR-2s) and Alien Files (A-Files), can