Everyone is always asking me where do I get my information from. Well, I mainly go to the courthouses, cemeteries, etc. to get my records. However, there are times when I need help getting through a brick wall or two. I've chosen 25 of my favorite websites to use when I search on the internet.
1. Find A Grave (http://www.findagrave.com) -- Technically Find A Grave is not a genealogy site. It is a memorial site, though most people use it for genealogy. I have been able to get through many brick walls by just knowing where my family members were buried at. It gave me insight as to where they were possibly living at the time of their death; loaded with that information I then know where to search for records.
2. Rootsweb (http://rootsweb.ancestry.com) -- It is always nice finding someone who is researching the same family as I am. With Rootsweb I just plug in the information that I already know. Word of warning about the World Connect Project: Though it is nice that someone else may have the missing information that I need, ALWAYS verify their information. Most of the trees on Rootsweb are copied from other trees and placed on the site without source information.
3. The Olive Tree Genealogy (http://www.olivetreegenealogy.com/) -- Created by Lorine because she believes in FREE genealogy. Tons of useful information since February 1996.
4. Cyndi's List (http://www.cyndislist.com/) Cyndi's List has been the starting point of many internet genealogist for 18 years now. She has lots of pointers for getting started. Don't forget to check out her personal pages section.
5. US GenWeb (http://www.usgenweb.org/) -- The US GenWeb Project is a great way to learn about the history of the area that your ancestors lived in. It consists of a group of volunteers who gather information and put it online for other researchers to use.
There are other wonderful websites out there that can be used. If you have a website that you have found to be useful to you in your research, please let me know so that I can review it...who knows it may make my next Top 5 List!
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Ohio Death Records Free Online
By: Mary Scotte
Ohio Death Records Free notices are used to announce the death of a person who resides in Ohio. A death notice is usually confused with a death certificate but they are two different things. Death certificates are the documents that are used when dealing with legal transactions.
There are several reasons why the people of Ohio request for a copy of a death certificate regularly. One of the primary uses of such document is for genealogy research. The research would use the information obtained from a death certificate to update the family history. With this, the family and the relatives of the deceased would be updated on the addition and death of their line. Some government transactions cannot be processed without presenting the certificate. This is true when the immediate family of the deceased would claim the insurance. Planning to get married is another reason that is usually used by the spouse of the deceased. Marriage application cannot be granted without presenting the death certificate of the late spouse.
Information about the death of an individual is the main highlight of the said document. The document would show the real name of the deceased. Details as to when and where the person died are documented on the record. One would also know the cause of death through the said document.
The state of Ohio only releases records which have been registered from the year 1954. One can still get a copy of the records from 1909-1953 by requesting it at the Historical Society of the state. One has to pay $21.50 when requesting for a copy of a death certificate in the state. The office only releases the document if the one who request for it is an immediate family of the person whose name is on the file. It is important to provide the basic details about the file that is being obtained to help hasten the search process. One is also required to indicate their contact details on the application form along with the reason and the relation to the person on the record. Requests may not be processed without that information.
One can go to the office of the Department of Health in Ohio to get a copy of a death certificate and any other public documents. Such office is where the public records of the state are kept and archived. If going to the state office is not possible, one can go to the county where the death of the person was registered. The county health office should have a copy of the record and can provide you a copy of it. Processing fees are not the same for each county.
Going online can also help you get information about the death of an individual who resides in Ohio. Thanks to the internet, access to free public death notices are readily available. Websites that offer such services have their database linked in order to provide the best possible result. This is evident when the search has been paid.
Ohio Death Records Free notices are used to announce the death of a person who resides in Ohio. A death notice is usually confused with a death certificate but they are two different things. Death certificates are the documents that are used when dealing with legal transactions.
There are several reasons why the people of Ohio request for a copy of a death certificate regularly. One of the primary uses of such document is for genealogy research. The research would use the information obtained from a death certificate to update the family history. With this, the family and the relatives of the deceased would be updated on the addition and death of their line. Some government transactions cannot be processed without presenting the certificate. This is true when the immediate family of the deceased would claim the insurance. Planning to get married is another reason that is usually used by the spouse of the deceased. Marriage application cannot be granted without presenting the death certificate of the late spouse.
Information about the death of an individual is the main highlight of the said document. The document would show the real name of the deceased. Details as to when and where the person died are documented on the record. One would also know the cause of death through the said document.
The state of Ohio only releases records which have been registered from the year 1954. One can still get a copy of the records from 1909-1953 by requesting it at the Historical Society of the state. One has to pay $21.50 when requesting for a copy of a death certificate in the state. The office only releases the document if the one who request for it is an immediate family of the person whose name is on the file. It is important to provide the basic details about the file that is being obtained to help hasten the search process. One is also required to indicate their contact details on the application form along with the reason and the relation to the person on the record. Requests may not be processed without that information.
One can go to the office of the Department of Health in Ohio to get a copy of a death certificate and any other public documents. Such office is where the public records of the state are kept and archived. If going to the state office is not possible, one can go to the county where the death of the person was registered. The county health office should have a copy of the record and can provide you a copy of it. Processing fees are not the same for each county.
Going online can also help you get information about the death of an individual who resides in Ohio. Thanks to the internet, access to free public death notices are readily available. Websites that offer such services have their database linked in order to provide the best possible result. This is evident when the search has been paid.
About the Author:
All about Free Ohio Death Records and the paid version, the specialist information is here for us to share and for you to learn. Check out Public Death Records Now.
All about Free Ohio Death Records and the paid version, the specialist information is here for us to share and for you to learn. Check out Public Death Records Now.
Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Illinois Marriage License Records
By: Mary Scotte
Marriage is considered to be one of the most important events in a persons life and proof of this is a contract of a life-long commitment which is a marriage certificate. A marriage certificate is an officially authorized document which is very useful in various ways. This certificate is required in immigration purposes, legalizing a name, adding a spouse to a health insurance, and even checking an individuals background particularly his or her marital history. Should you wish you obtain Illinois Marriage License Records, you can do this by requesting a copy of it from the county where the matrimonial ceremony occurred.
In some states in the US, the fundamental repository for all vital records is the states Vital Records Division. However, in Illinois, marriage records or certificates are not issued by this office as requests for copies of marriage records are directed to the office of the county clerk where the ceremony took place. This Vital Records division only verifies the facts of a marriage that occurred starting from the year 1962 through the current index date available.
In Illinois, marriage records are under the jurisdiction of the clerks county where the license was originally issued and where the wedding happened. Should you wish to acquire a copy of a marriage record, you can contact the county clerk of go directly to the clerks office. Marriages recorded during the year 1962 to present are available in this office. Routing out the marriage record you need is a piece of cake once you have the significant identifying information on hand. Some of the essential details that you can provide are the complete names of the couple, the date when they married, and the relevant county. Each copy is worth $14 and $2 for each additional copy of the same certificate.
In case of genealogy research, marriage records should be 75 years ago or earlier to be considered as genealogy records. Genealogical records are not certified, but are stamped For Genealogical Purposes Only. In getting a marriage certificate, the processing time for each request usually takes two to five business days once the request is confirmed. The application is the same and the fee is $1 per record. The usual processing time takes around two to five business days. Nonetheless, turnaround times vary widely from state to state and from county to county.
Technological advancements of today even make most, if not all, transactions be accomplished in such a way that is more practical compared to how things were done in the previous centuries. The existence of computers most especially the Internet has really helped people greatly. That means that even obtaining records such as marriage certificates can be done over the computer too. There are several online record providers which can actually offer you the same service the traditional method provides but in a more expedient and practical way. Compared to the traditional way, you can actually obtain a marriage record in a matter of minutes instead of the usual two to five days with these online record providers. Choices for online record providers which you can hire range from free service providers to fee based service providers. However, if quality assurance is what youre after, then you are better off with the one that charges a minimal fee for a fast acquisition and comprehensive results.
Free marriage records are definitely significant not only for legal purposes but also because it will provide you all the essential information you need about the person you are investigating. Aside from that, a marriage record can also bring light to important details in genealogy research.
About the Author:
If you are in the market for Illinois Marriage Records, visit us at Marriage Records for specialist information about them.
Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com
Marriage is considered to be one of the most important events in a persons life and proof of this is a contract of a life-long commitment which is a marriage certificate. A marriage certificate is an officially authorized document which is very useful in various ways. This certificate is required in immigration purposes, legalizing a name, adding a spouse to a health insurance, and even checking an individuals background particularly his or her marital history. Should you wish you obtain Illinois Marriage License Records, you can do this by requesting a copy of it from the county where the matrimonial ceremony occurred.
In some states in the US, the fundamental repository for all vital records is the states Vital Records Division. However, in Illinois, marriage records or certificates are not issued by this office as requests for copies of marriage records are directed to the office of the county clerk where the ceremony took place. This Vital Records division only verifies the facts of a marriage that occurred starting from the year 1962 through the current index date available.
In Illinois, marriage records are under the jurisdiction of the clerks county where the license was originally issued and where the wedding happened. Should you wish to acquire a copy of a marriage record, you can contact the county clerk of go directly to the clerks office. Marriages recorded during the year 1962 to present are available in this office. Routing out the marriage record you need is a piece of cake once you have the significant identifying information on hand. Some of the essential details that you can provide are the complete names of the couple, the date when they married, and the relevant county. Each copy is worth $14 and $2 for each additional copy of the same certificate.
In case of genealogy research, marriage records should be 75 years ago or earlier to be considered as genealogy records. Genealogical records are not certified, but are stamped For Genealogical Purposes Only. In getting a marriage certificate, the processing time for each request usually takes two to five business days once the request is confirmed. The application is the same and the fee is $1 per record. The usual processing time takes around two to five business days. Nonetheless, turnaround times vary widely from state to state and from county to county.
Technological advancements of today even make most, if not all, transactions be accomplished in such a way that is more practical compared to how things were done in the previous centuries. The existence of computers most especially the Internet has really helped people greatly. That means that even obtaining records such as marriage certificates can be done over the computer too. There are several online record providers which can actually offer you the same service the traditional method provides but in a more expedient and practical way. Compared to the traditional way, you can actually obtain a marriage record in a matter of minutes instead of the usual two to five days with these online record providers. Choices for online record providers which you can hire range from free service providers to fee based service providers. However, if quality assurance is what youre after, then you are better off with the one that charges a minimal fee for a fast acquisition and comprehensive results.
Free marriage records are definitely significant not only for legal purposes but also because it will provide you all the essential information you need about the person you are investigating. Aside from that, a marriage record can also bring light to important details in genealogy research.
About the Author:
If you are in the market for Illinois Marriage Records, visit us at Marriage Records for specialist information about them.
Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com
Monday, November 3, 2014
Leaving Secrets: How to Create a Personal Instruction Manual for Life
By: Joe Vitale
Imagine if your great, great grandfather or grandmother had left you a book with their secrets for living. Maybe it contained nuggets of wisdom, yummy recipes, favorite jokes, or just insights for how to lead a good life. Ever since people learned of my next book, Life's Missing Instruction Manual, people are curious how to create their own "manual" for life.
You can leave such a book for your own family. What are the key lessons you've learned in your life? Are you ready to share them with your children and grandchildren - or with your friend, siblings, parents, and grandparents?
What you've gleaned from your life experiences can make things easier for your children or your relatives. In fact, the lessons you've earned from trial and error can be the perfect gift for everyone in your life - or for one person who matters to you. Here's how to commit your insights to writing and share them with your fellow life travelers.
Author Bio
Joe Vitale is the author of the forthcoming book, Life's Missing Instruction Manual (Wiley, March 2006). Read more about it at www.missingmanual.blogspot.com.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
Imagine if your great, great grandfather or grandmother had left you a book with their secrets for living. Maybe it contained nuggets of wisdom, yummy recipes, favorite jokes, or just insights for how to lead a good life. Ever since people learned of my next book, Life's Missing Instruction Manual, people are curious how to create their own "manual" for life.
You can leave such a book for your own family. What are the key lessons you've learned in your life? Are you ready to share them with your children and grandchildren - or with your friend, siblings, parents, and grandparents?
What you've gleaned from your life experiences can make things easier for your children or your relatives. In fact, the lessons you've earned from trial and error can be the perfect gift for everyone in your life - or for one person who matters to you. Here's how to commit your insights to writing and share them with your fellow life travelers.
- Carry a pad of paper around with you everywhere for a week.
- Jot down your thoughts and observations as they occur to you. Don't judge them. Just make note of them.
- Add personal stories and memories, as they come to mind. Again, don't edit your thoughts. Just commit them to paper.
- Take a few days to go through your notes, and underline the most important passages, and make additional comments in the margins.
- From this, distill the lessons you most want to share with others: your perspective, your values, what matters most to you, and your reactions to the world around you.
- Find a beautiful journal or blank book - one that you feel a strong connection with. You might find it at a bookstore, an antique store, an online auction site, a craft store, or even a flea market. Where you find it doesn't matter. How you feel about it does.
- Fill the journal with your own instruction manual for life. Make sure to include a title and your name.
- Find a special person to share it with, and turn the presentation of the journal into a celebration.
Author Bio
Joe Vitale is the author of the forthcoming book, Life's Missing Instruction Manual (Wiley, March 2006). Read more about it at www.missingmanual.blogspot.com.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
Sunday, November 2, 2014
15 Resources For Tracing Your Family Ancestry
by Debbie Pettitt
If you're like me, when you were young, looking beyond your mother and father to find out where you came from just wasn't important.
Well, I've found that the older you get, the more important your ancestry becomes. I'm not sure why. Maybe I have a broader perspective on things now. Maybe I'm just curious as to whether there was nobility in my family. Perhaps I'm looking for some closet skeletons.
Whatever my reasons, I do find tracing my ancestry fascinating. It is so interesting to learn about other people--how they lived, what they did, who they knew. But I've also learned along the way that most people haven't a clue what resources are available to them beyond the usual - interviewing family, checking birth certificates and newspapers, etc.
So here I've compiled a list of 25 resources you should take advantage of if you're really serious about finding out "where you came from."
1.The obvious, of course, is interviewing family members; not only mom and dad, but aunts, uncles, distant cousins. Start by drawing a quick family tree going back just two generations and start making calls or sending mail or emails. Here are some of the basic things you'll want to know:
Complete names (married and maiden names)
Addresses throughout their live
Birth records
Military service (when and where)
Marriage records (even attendants, if possible)
Property records (state and county)
Burial records (where)
Old pictures, especially if they have names and dates
2.Family Bibles. While it doesn't seem to be such a common practice these days, in the past, families kept their Bible forever, often keeping record of family members, births, marriages, and deaths on pages within the Bible.
3.Old family letters. Once again, with technology, we've all but lost the art of letter writing (what will our own children and grand children have to look back on in years to come?). But older generations tended to preserve letters of importance. These letters can oftentimes be of great value in tracing your ancestry. They may contain important dates, facts, and places that will be of help. Check return addresses and postmarks for information.
4.Legal documents are a great resource. Such documents include deeds (property addresses), wills (names of kin you may not have known about), marriage licenses (note the witnesses), birth certificates, voter registration, adoption records, and even judgements. Your search for these documents should begin with state and county records.
5.What about associations your ancestors may have belonged to? These would include churches, clubs, veterans groups and lodges, all of which may be able to provide background information for your search.
6.Census data. After 1840 the Census collected age, place of birth, occupation, personal wealth, education, spouse, children, hired hands, and even immigration information. Copies of the original decennial census forms from 1790 through 1930 are available on microfilm for research at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, DC ( http://www.archives.gov/), at Archives regional centers, and at select Federal depository libraries throughout the United States.
7.Naturalizations records. For Pre-1906 Naturalizations: Contact the State Archives for the state where the naturalization occurred to request a search of state, county, and local courts records.
Contact the NARA regional facility that serves the state where naturalization occurred to request a search of Federal court records.
For Naturalizations After 1906: After 1906, the courts forwarded copies of naturalizations to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Naturalizations from Federal Courts are held in the NARA's regional facilities for the Federal courts for their area. Learn more: http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/naturalization/
8.Grave sites. Headstones will give dates and possible family names.
9.Libraries. Here you'll find newspaper articles (look for obituaries, and birth and marriage announcements) and books on local history (what was taking place during their life). Many libraries can be accessed online. You will also find genealogy information in several libraries, the Allen County Public Library in Indiana having the second largest genealogical collection in the US. Another good source is the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, UT.
10.Genealogy message boards. Google "genealogy message boards" and join in--you'll find a wealth of information available!
11.Military records. You'll find several sources online, including NARA ( http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/).
12.High school and college yearbooks. These sources can help locate a relative or provide other resources for your search. Check online.
13.Family pedigrees. These are family groups already linked in a computer system. Accessing an individual's family group sheet in a linked pedigree will also give you access to all of the records that are linked to that individual. Two great sources are Kindred Connections ( http://www.kindredkonnections.com/index.html ) and the Family History Library ( http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asp ).
14.U.S. Immigration records. Two great sources are Ellis Island Records ( http://www.ellisislandrecords.org/) and Ancestry.com ( http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/default.aspx?rt=40)
15.Social Security Death Index. This is a database of people whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA) beginning about 1962. The best source is RootsWeb.com ( http://ssdi.rootsweb.com/?o_xid=0028727949&o_lid=0028727949&o_xt =41534187).
Now that you're all grown up and interested in finding your "roots," these 15 resources should get you well on your way. It'll be a fun and rewarding adventure.
Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article16277.html
If you're like me, when you were young, looking beyond your mother and father to find out where you came from just wasn't important.
Well, I've found that the older you get, the more important your ancestry becomes. I'm not sure why. Maybe I have a broader perspective on things now. Maybe I'm just curious as to whether there was nobility in my family. Perhaps I'm looking for some closet skeletons.
Whatever my reasons, I do find tracing my ancestry fascinating. It is so interesting to learn about other people--how they lived, what they did, who they knew. But I've also learned along the way that most people haven't a clue what resources are available to them beyond the usual - interviewing family, checking birth certificates and newspapers, etc.
So here I've compiled a list of 25 resources you should take advantage of if you're really serious about finding out "where you came from."
1.The obvious, of course, is interviewing family members; not only mom and dad, but aunts, uncles, distant cousins. Start by drawing a quick family tree going back just two generations and start making calls or sending mail or emails. Here are some of the basic things you'll want to know:
2.Family Bibles. While it doesn't seem to be such a common practice these days, in the past, families kept their Bible forever, often keeping record of family members, births, marriages, and deaths on pages within the Bible.
3.Old family letters. Once again, with technology, we've all but lost the art of letter writing (what will our own children and grand children have to look back on in years to come?). But older generations tended to preserve letters of importance. These letters can oftentimes be of great value in tracing your ancestry. They may contain important dates, facts, and places that will be of help. Check return addresses and postmarks for information.
4.Legal documents are a great resource. Such documents include deeds (property addresses), wills (names of kin you may not have known about), marriage licenses (note the witnesses), birth certificates, voter registration, adoption records, and even judgements. Your search for these documents should begin with state and county records.
5.What about associations your ancestors may have belonged to? These would include churches, clubs, veterans groups and lodges, all of which may be able to provide background information for your search.
6.Census data. After 1840 the Census collected age, place of birth, occupation, personal wealth, education, spouse, children, hired hands, and even immigration information. Copies of the original decennial census forms from 1790 through 1930 are available on microfilm for research at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, DC ( http://www.archives.gov/), at Archives regional centers, and at select Federal depository libraries throughout the United States.
7.Naturalizations records. For Pre-1906 Naturalizations: Contact the State Archives for the state where the naturalization occurred to request a search of state, county, and local courts records.
Contact the NARA regional facility that serves the state where naturalization occurred to request a search of Federal court records.
For Naturalizations After 1906: After 1906, the courts forwarded copies of naturalizations to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Naturalizations from Federal Courts are held in the NARA's regional facilities for the Federal courts for their area. Learn more: http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/naturalization/
8.Grave sites. Headstones will give dates and possible family names.
9.Libraries. Here you'll find newspaper articles (look for obituaries, and birth and marriage announcements) and books on local history (what was taking place during their life). Many libraries can be accessed online. You will also find genealogy information in several libraries, the Allen County Public Library in Indiana having the second largest genealogical collection in the US. Another good source is the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, UT.
10.Genealogy message boards. Google "genealogy message boards" and join in--you'll find a wealth of information available!
11.Military records. You'll find several sources online, including NARA ( http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/).
12.High school and college yearbooks. These sources can help locate a relative or provide other resources for your search. Check online.
13.Family pedigrees. These are family groups already linked in a computer system. Accessing an individual's family group sheet in a linked pedigree will also give you access to all of the records that are linked to that individual. Two great sources are Kindred Connections ( http://www.kindredkonnections.com/index.html ) and the Family History Library ( http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asp ).
14.U.S. Immigration records. Two great sources are Ellis Island Records ( http://www.ellisislandrecords.org/) and Ancestry.com ( http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/default.aspx?rt=40)
15.Social Security Death Index. This is a database of people whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA) beginning about 1962. The best source is RootsWeb.com ( http://ssdi.rootsweb.com/?o_xid=0028727949&o_lid=0028727949&o_xt =41534187).
Now that you're all grown up and interested in finding your "roots," these 15 resources should get you well on your way. It'll be a fun and rewarding adventure.
Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article16277.html
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Grandma Alberta's Cinnamon Apple Rings
(original source of recipe is unknown)
Cinnamon Apple Rings
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup red cinnamon candies
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups water
- 4 small cooking apples, peeled, cored & cut crosswise into 1/2-inch rings
In a 10" skillet combine candies and sugar; add water. Cook and stir over medium heat until the liquid boils. Add apple rings to candy mixture. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Stir occasionally and spoon candy mixture over apples. Cool apple rings in candy mixture. Drain. Makes about 3 cups.
Friday, October 31, 2014
52 Ancestors: #1 Charles Eugene Parker
by Laurie Kelley-Wentz
Amy Johnson Crow suggested a weekly blog theme -- "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks" (original post can be found here at No Story Too Small. She started the challenge in January of 2014 but I have just now run across the challenge so I am starting late. It is a wonderful research tool for getting to know your ancestors.
Charles Eugene Parker
Charles Eugene Parker was born 11 April 1920 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri to parents Robert Floyd Parker and Carrie Louvica Rector. He died 19 January 2010 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. Charles was cremated in January 2010 and his ashes were buried in April 2010 at Crown Hill Cemetery in Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri.
Charles Eugene Parker married first to Dorothy Marie Watson on 12 August 1939 in Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri. Dorothy was born 03 November 1922 in Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri to parents Oscar Samuel Watson and Nora Lee Fleming. She died 04 December 1970 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. She was buried in December 1970 at Crown Hill Cemetery, in Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri.
(Charles and Dorothy were my grandparents. To this day they can count for their legacy 6 children, 17 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren.)
After Dorothy's death, Charles remarried to Alberta McNiece-White Gunther in 1972 in Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri. Alberta was born 31 May 1918 in New Orleans, Nebraska to parents Albert James White and Anna Sophia Herr. She died 8 July 2006 in Lincoln, Benton County, Missouri. Alberta was buried at Floral Hill Cemetery in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri next to her first husband and only child (from first husband).
Grandpa Parker, as I have always called him, owned his own optometry shop in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri. It was located on Noland Road. I remember getting to go and visit him and he used to check my eyesight for me before he retired. One of his special mementos was a hand-written letter to him from President Harry S. Truman, thanking him for the eyeglasses Grandpa made him. The eyeglasses and the letter were donated to the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, located in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri.
I have no memories of Grandma Parker as she died just a couple of months before I was born. That is not to say though that she had no bearing on my life.
Grandma Alberta was a wonderful lady. She always treated us grand-kids as if we were her own...we pretty much all were as a majority of us were born after Grandpa and her were married. Grandma Alberta always had Cinnamon Apple slices available for us to snack on -- she did her own canning.
Family Tree of Charles Eugene Parker
Amy Johnson Crow suggested a weekly blog theme -- "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks" (original post can be found here at No Story Too Small. She started the challenge in January of 2014 but I have just now run across the challenge so I am starting late. It is a wonderful research tool for getting to know your ancestors.
Charles Eugene Parker
Charles Eugene Parker was born 11 April 1920 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri to parents Robert Floyd Parker and Carrie Louvica Rector. He died 19 January 2010 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. Charles was cremated in January 2010 and his ashes were buried in April 2010 at Crown Hill Cemetery in Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri.
Charles Eugene Parker married first to Dorothy Marie Watson on 12 August 1939 in Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri. Dorothy was born 03 November 1922 in Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri to parents Oscar Samuel Watson and Nora Lee Fleming. She died 04 December 1970 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. She was buried in December 1970 at Crown Hill Cemetery, in Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri.
(Charles and Dorothy were my grandparents. To this day they can count for their legacy 6 children, 17 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren.)
After Dorothy's death, Charles remarried to Alberta McNiece-White Gunther in 1972 in Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri. Alberta was born 31 May 1918 in New Orleans, Nebraska to parents Albert James White and Anna Sophia Herr. She died 8 July 2006 in Lincoln, Benton County, Missouri. Alberta was buried at Floral Hill Cemetery in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri next to her first husband and only child (from first husband).
Grandpa Parker, as I have always called him, owned his own optometry shop in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri. It was located on Noland Road. I remember getting to go and visit him and he used to check my eyesight for me before he retired. One of his special mementos was a hand-written letter to him from President Harry S. Truman, thanking him for the eyeglasses Grandpa made him. The eyeglasses and the letter were donated to the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, located in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri.
I have no memories of Grandma Parker as she died just a couple of months before I was born. That is not to say though that she had no bearing on my life.
Grandma Alberta was a wonderful lady. She always treated us grand-kids as if we were her own...we pretty much all were as a majority of us were born after Grandpa and her were married. Grandma Alberta always had Cinnamon Apple slices available for us to snack on -- she did her own canning.
Family Tree of Charles Eugene Parker
| Generation Number | Name | Birth year | Death year |
| 1 | Keegan Leigh Scherer | Living | Living |
| 2 | Kathleen Marie Biswell | Living | Living |
| 3 | Laurie Sue Kelley | Living | Living |
| 4 | Debra Sue Parker | Living | Living |
| 5 | Charles Eugene Parker | 1920 | 2010 |
| 6 | Robert Floyd Parker | 1897 | 1972 |
| 7 | Ellsworth Eli Parker | 1872 | 1941 |
| 8 | Robert Little Parker | 1840 | 1910 |
| 9 | Eli Ellsworth Parker | 1812 | ? |
| 10 | John D. Parker | 1770 | 1844 |
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Genealogy: YES I am ADDICTED!
by Laurie Kelley-Wentz
Twenty-Nine Years and Counting
I began working on my family tree over 25 years ago. At the time, I knew hardly anything about my family. What I did know came from the stories that were told when the relatives came to visit. I have always loved history. It was only natural I that I would want to know more about my ancestors.
Now I have a family tree with many, many branches. My database currently holds information on over 150,000 individuals, both living and deceased. When I started working on my tree I had no idea that I would become addicted.
It's been a very rewarding journey that I have taken. I've met cousins that I never even knew I had. I got to meet a grandmother who died before I was born. I learned about the successes and failures of my ancestors. The research, at time, has been a challenge...but I have always enjoyed it!
It All Started With A Teacher
When people ask how I got started I tell them. When I was in 9th grade I was given an assignment by Mrs. Dupree. She was my Child Development teacher. The assignment was this:
Twenty-Nine Years and Counting
I began working on my family tree over 25 years ago. At the time, I knew hardly anything about my family. What I did know came from the stories that were told when the relatives came to visit. I have always loved history. It was only natural I that I would want to know more about my ancestors.
Now I have a family tree with many, many branches. My database currently holds information on over 150,000 individuals, both living and deceased. When I started working on my tree I had no idea that I would become addicted.
It's been a very rewarding journey that I have taken. I've met cousins that I never even knew I had. I got to meet a grandmother who died before I was born. I learned about the successes and failures of my ancestors. The research, at time, has been a challenge...but I have always enjoyed it!
It All Started With A Teacher
When people ask how I got started I tell them. When I was in 9th grade I was given an assignment by Mrs. Dupree. She was my Child Development teacher. The assignment was this:
"Class, today when you go home, I want you to ask your parents about their parents. After you have learned everything they know about their parents, I want you to ask your grandparents about their parents."
The assignment seemed easy enough. One problem, I have been working on that assignment for close to 30 years and I still haven't finished it. Yes, I turned in my paper to Mrs. Dupree, but I am still working on my assignment all these years later.
It's been a wonderful journey. I haven't finished yet, and anyone who has ever done genealogy will tell you that you never really finish. You may stop for awhile, but you will always pick it back up!
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Genealogy -- Why You Should Get Involved in Your Family History
by Gene Hall
A few years ago I read a statistic that said that genealogy was the second largest hobby in the United States -- second only to gardening. It was no surprise to me as I have been finding and documenting my family tree for almost 30 years. Over that time a lot of people have asked me, "Why genealogy? What do you get out of it?" There are a lot of reasons to find out about your family and I'll cover just a few hoping that one of them will get you started.
Curiosity: A lot of people are just plain curious about where they came from, what their ancestors did, how they got here -- to this time and this place. Lots of people find themselves in this category when they are told that they are adopted. While they have adoptive parents, traditions, and history, they also have another history that calls out to them. Other people have lost touch and are curious about where people are, how they turned out, who they married.
It's a Great Puzzle: This applies to me in several areas of my life besides genealogy. I have worked with numbers a lot -- particularly with market research. I just love understanding what motivates people to buy certain products, where they shop, how much they want to pay, and where they want to hear about those products. When my wife and I go camping I spend hours working crypto quotes in the sun -- fun and challenging puzzles that help me relax.
When it comes to puzzles, I don't think anything can match the complexity and fun of genealogy. Just think about a jigsaw puzzle that has an almost infinite number of pieces -- some of them that don't fit and some of them missing. Nothing can match the satisfaction I get from finding one of those lost pieces of the puzzle and putting it into place. These are puzzle pieces that lead to long-lost cousins and far-off places.
Hobby: I did a lot of market research before organizing FamilyTrackers, Inc. The company was started out of my belief that Internet searches could be much more accurate than those usually conducted on the Internet. Interestingly, there is a group of genealogists who resist a more accurate way to find information. They are not interested in any tools that make the job faster. "That is the reason I do my family tree to fill up my time. Looking into page after page of results is the part I like about genealogy. It's my hobby," they said. Fortunately for me and for FamilyTrackers those who like the things I find most tedious are not a large portion of the market.
Leave a Legacy: Some people approach middle age or have a traumatic event at any age that prompts them to think about their mortality. "If I never meet my grandchildren, what will they know about me? What will they know about my parents? How will we be remembered?" Those of us who are fortunate enough to have ancestors in this category are indeed lucky. My grandmother wrote a short story about her trip as a young girl in a covered wagon from Illinois to Kansas. Thinking about it now, it must have been a dusty, hot, and miserable trip. The events that she wrote about were ordinary, daily occurrences that were taken for granted in her time -- something that she wrote about because the trip was out of the ordinary. Read the same story today and discover something that is unique to our experience -- herding cattle, rustlers, camping out every night. If you do nothing else with your family history, you should write down or record your life experiences in your own words in any way that you see fit.
Emotional Satisfaction: This is a huge reason for being involved in genealogy and one that I hear repeated by other people as they talk excitedly about their latest discovery. There are moments that happen during a search that are touching and immensely satisfying. This is the moment that you look at your great grandfather's signature on your grandparent's marriage license; put your hand on the baptismal font where your oldest known ancestor was baptized; stand on the ground where your great grandfather from the old country is buried -- knowing that your grandmother stood on this spot in front of an open grave grieving her loss. These moments are thrilling, goose-bump producing moments of a lifetime when you can almost reach across time and touch a person who you finally understand and know. This is a moment you must not miss!
Give Something Back: Lots of people get involved when they volunteer at their local genealogical or historical society. What a wonderful place to meet nice people who are willing to help you discover your roots. These groups are responsible for saving crumbling records all over the world and for making the information available to everybody. People who work in these places are almost always unpaid and give their time and effort on behalf of people like you and me every single day -- people they have never even met. This is important work and you can get the satisfaction of helping other people by volunteering yourself. It is easy. Pick up the phone and call.
Whatever your reasons, give genealogy a try. It is a stimulating hobby that will put you in touch with yourself and with a lot of nice people who are ready and willing to help.
Gene Hall is a genealogist with almost 30 years of experience and the CEO of FamilyTrackers, Inc., a world-wide genealogy exchange dedicated to serving the needs of genealogists, genealogical societies, professional genealogists, and transcribers all over the world.
FamilyTrackers is located at http://www.familytrackers.com/
This article comes with reprint rights. You are free to reprint and distribute it as you like. All that I ask is that you reprint it in its entirety without any changes including this text and the link above.
Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article39629.html
A few years ago I read a statistic that said that genealogy was the second largest hobby in the United States -- second only to gardening. It was no surprise to me as I have been finding and documenting my family tree for almost 30 years. Over that time a lot of people have asked me, "Why genealogy? What do you get out of it?" There are a lot of reasons to find out about your family and I'll cover just a few hoping that one of them will get you started.
Curiosity: A lot of people are just plain curious about where they came from, what their ancestors did, how they got here -- to this time and this place. Lots of people find themselves in this category when they are told that they are adopted. While they have adoptive parents, traditions, and history, they also have another history that calls out to them. Other people have lost touch and are curious about where people are, how they turned out, who they married.
It's a Great Puzzle: This applies to me in several areas of my life besides genealogy. I have worked with numbers a lot -- particularly with market research. I just love understanding what motivates people to buy certain products, where they shop, how much they want to pay, and where they want to hear about those products. When my wife and I go camping I spend hours working crypto quotes in the sun -- fun and challenging puzzles that help me relax.
When it comes to puzzles, I don't think anything can match the complexity and fun of genealogy. Just think about a jigsaw puzzle that has an almost infinite number of pieces -- some of them that don't fit and some of them missing. Nothing can match the satisfaction I get from finding one of those lost pieces of the puzzle and putting it into place. These are puzzle pieces that lead to long-lost cousins and far-off places.
Hobby: I did a lot of market research before organizing FamilyTrackers, Inc. The company was started out of my belief that Internet searches could be much more accurate than those usually conducted on the Internet. Interestingly, there is a group of genealogists who resist a more accurate way to find information. They are not interested in any tools that make the job faster. "That is the reason I do my family tree to fill up my time. Looking into page after page of results is the part I like about genealogy. It's my hobby," they said. Fortunately for me and for FamilyTrackers those who like the things I find most tedious are not a large portion of the market.
Leave a Legacy: Some people approach middle age or have a traumatic event at any age that prompts them to think about their mortality. "If I never meet my grandchildren, what will they know about me? What will they know about my parents? How will we be remembered?" Those of us who are fortunate enough to have ancestors in this category are indeed lucky. My grandmother wrote a short story about her trip as a young girl in a covered wagon from Illinois to Kansas. Thinking about it now, it must have been a dusty, hot, and miserable trip. The events that she wrote about were ordinary, daily occurrences that were taken for granted in her time -- something that she wrote about because the trip was out of the ordinary. Read the same story today and discover something that is unique to our experience -- herding cattle, rustlers, camping out every night. If you do nothing else with your family history, you should write down or record your life experiences in your own words in any way that you see fit.
Emotional Satisfaction: This is a huge reason for being involved in genealogy and one that I hear repeated by other people as they talk excitedly about their latest discovery. There are moments that happen during a search that are touching and immensely satisfying. This is the moment that you look at your great grandfather's signature on your grandparent's marriage license; put your hand on the baptismal font where your oldest known ancestor was baptized; stand on the ground where your great grandfather from the old country is buried -- knowing that your grandmother stood on this spot in front of an open grave grieving her loss. These moments are thrilling, goose-bump producing moments of a lifetime when you can almost reach across time and touch a person who you finally understand and know. This is a moment you must not miss!
Give Something Back: Lots of people get involved when they volunteer at their local genealogical or historical society. What a wonderful place to meet nice people who are willing to help you discover your roots. These groups are responsible for saving crumbling records all over the world and for making the information available to everybody. People who work in these places are almost always unpaid and give their time and effort on behalf of people like you and me every single day -- people they have never even met. This is important work and you can get the satisfaction of helping other people by volunteering yourself. It is easy. Pick up the phone and call.
Whatever your reasons, give genealogy a try. It is a stimulating hobby that will put you in touch with yourself and with a lot of nice people who are ready and willing to help.
FamilyTrackers is located at http://www.familytrackers.com/
This article comes with reprint rights. You are free to reprint and distribute it as you like. All that I ask is that you reprint it in its entirety without any changes including this text and the link above.
Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article39629.html
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Why Study Genealogy
by Merrick Kennworth
The basic definition of genealogy? It’s the study of family history. It’s the practice of researching family trees, tracing lineage back through generations of history. But in practice, genealogy is the study of real stories, of history on a personal scale.
To reconstruct family trees and build the most accurate and complete family history, genealogists use a number of important resources, from oral traditions handed down by living members of a family to historical records, newspaper articles, and more. Some genealogists even use genetic analysis and other advanced methods to obtain in-depth information about a family in order to establish kinship and pedigrees. However, increasingly sophisticated ways of sharing personal stories, histories, and records from around the world has meant that anyone can grow a completely accurate and in-depth family tree without resorting to scientific methods.
Both family history enthusiasts and professional genealogists have similar motivations when it comes to researching and obtaining family history and ancestor origins. Some of these include very personal motives such as really understanding how a person fits in the larger backdrop of history or understanding where their family comes from and how they shaped the world you live in now, both personally and publicly. Genealogists are also interested in taking the responsibility for preserving the past for upcoming generations, as well as making sure history is clear, accurate and well-told. Genealogy can even be thought of as history told as a story.
Genealogists who study their family history as a hobby usually focus specifically on their own personal family trees as well as the ancestry of their partners or spouses, in order to create a shared family story. Professional genealogists usually make an in-depth study of their own ancestry, which is where their interest in the field may have started! But they also often do research on behalf of non-professionals who are interested in learning about their own histories. They will also often add to the body of knowledge about genealogy, including writing books about methods of research, teach genealogy courses, workshops, or seminars, or help cultivate or curate genealogy databases of their own research, public records, or the records of others.
Companies the provide genealogy research materials such as those important research databases will hire professional genealogists to make sure their information is as accurate and in-depth as possible, and to help keep expanding the database.
But professional or hobbyist, every genealogist has the same goal: to not just learn the basic facts of where and when people in the past lived, but how. Genealogists study the lifestyles and stories of ancestors, research biographies, and try to uncover motivations and real insight into how people lived in the past. This means genealogists often have a huge wealth of knowledge about old laws, the history of politics, wars, religions, and more.
To help their family history research, genealogists and family historians find that joining family history societies, attending conferences, and continuing to expand their education and knowledge of basic history helps expand their research and understanding of the past. These societies also take an interest in helping to preserve the past by indexing public records to make them easier to research, conducting personal interviews to deepen family stories, and advocating for the preservation of historical records.
More Information:
Merrick Kennworth is a blogger that writes about many things including family history One Great Family. He has a passion for life and living it to its fullest. Follow them on Twitter to learn more.
Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article456763.html
The basic definition of genealogy? It’s the study of family history. It’s the practice of researching family trees, tracing lineage back through generations of history. But in practice, genealogy is the study of real stories, of history on a personal scale.
To reconstruct family trees and build the most accurate and complete family history, genealogists use a number of important resources, from oral traditions handed down by living members of a family to historical records, newspaper articles, and more. Some genealogists even use genetic analysis and other advanced methods to obtain in-depth information about a family in order to establish kinship and pedigrees. However, increasingly sophisticated ways of sharing personal stories, histories, and records from around the world has meant that anyone can grow a completely accurate and in-depth family tree without resorting to scientific methods.
Both family history enthusiasts and professional genealogists have similar motivations when it comes to researching and obtaining family history and ancestor origins. Some of these include very personal motives such as really understanding how a person fits in the larger backdrop of history or understanding where their family comes from and how they shaped the world you live in now, both personally and publicly. Genealogists are also interested in taking the responsibility for preserving the past for upcoming generations, as well as making sure history is clear, accurate and well-told. Genealogy can even be thought of as history told as a story.
Genealogists who study their family history as a hobby usually focus specifically on their own personal family trees as well as the ancestry of their partners or spouses, in order to create a shared family story. Professional genealogists usually make an in-depth study of their own ancestry, which is where their interest in the field may have started! But they also often do research on behalf of non-professionals who are interested in learning about their own histories. They will also often add to the body of knowledge about genealogy, including writing books about methods of research, teach genealogy courses, workshops, or seminars, or help cultivate or curate genealogy databases of their own research, public records, or the records of others.
Companies the provide genealogy research materials such as those important research databases will hire professional genealogists to make sure their information is as accurate and in-depth as possible, and to help keep expanding the database.
But professional or hobbyist, every genealogist has the same goal: to not just learn the basic facts of where and when people in the past lived, but how. Genealogists study the lifestyles and stories of ancestors, research biographies, and try to uncover motivations and real insight into how people lived in the past. This means genealogists often have a huge wealth of knowledge about old laws, the history of politics, wars, religions, and more.
To help their family history research, genealogists and family historians find that joining family history societies, attending conferences, and continuing to expand their education and knowledge of basic history helps expand their research and understanding of the past. These societies also take an interest in helping to preserve the past by indexing public records to make them easier to research, conducting personal interviews to deepen family stories, and advocating for the preservation of historical records.
More Information:
Merrick Kennworth is a blogger that writes about many things including family history One Great Family. He has a passion for life and living it to its fullest. Follow them on Twitter to learn more.
Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article456763.html
Monday, October 27, 2014
Free Marriage Records Online
by Jed Elaine
There are basically four record categories that form the core Public Vital Records. They are Birth, Death, Divorce, and last but not least, Marriage Records. Anyone can retrieve these records about anyone from government offices free of charge although some specific requirements and clearance may have to be obtained for certain cases.
Their treatment may vary from state to state but Free Marriage Records are available in all states. Coming under state jurisdiction, they are maintained at state repositories. It is important to note that state records are not linked among themselves. If someone has resided in various states, all those states have to be covered in order for a marriage record search to be complete. If the person has never married in a state, the search will return with a ?no record found?. This is often the desired outcome of a search.
There are both Confidential and Public Marriage Records. The bulk of marriage records fall under the latter category and the information found in these free marriage records typically include personal particulars of the couple, their parents?, witnesses? and also the name of the conducting official of the marriage ceremony. Some related records may also show up such as Divorce and Birth Records.
Free marriage records have many widespread uses. They are an invaluable source of information for those in Genealogy and other forms of historical studies involving people. Lawyers, journalists and police use them to gather information. Separated children can search and locate their biological parents with free marriage records. Those in a romantic relationship often check their partner's marital background by retrieving their marriage records especially when wedding bells are round the corner.
It's actually easy and convenient to obtain free marriage records from the respective government departments. Requests can be made by mail, fax, telephone, in person or even online nowadays. With computerization, the retrieval proper can be swift but the formality and procedures may necessitate some queuing or waiting period. To get around that, turn to commercial providers. For a few dollars, you get them faster, better and easier.
For more in-depth views on How To Find Free Marriage Records and their related information, go to Online Marriage Records.
Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article151628.html
There are basically four record categories that form the core Public Vital Records. They are Birth, Death, Divorce, and last but not least, Marriage Records. Anyone can retrieve these records about anyone from government offices free of charge although some specific requirements and clearance may have to be obtained for certain cases.
Their treatment may vary from state to state but Free Marriage Records are available in all states. Coming under state jurisdiction, they are maintained at state repositories. It is important to note that state records are not linked among themselves. If someone has resided in various states, all those states have to be covered in order for a marriage record search to be complete. If the person has never married in a state, the search will return with a ?no record found?. This is often the desired outcome of a search.
There are both Confidential and Public Marriage Records. The bulk of marriage records fall under the latter category and the information found in these free marriage records typically include personal particulars of the couple, their parents?, witnesses? and also the name of the conducting official of the marriage ceremony. Some related records may also show up such as Divorce and Birth Records.
Free marriage records have many widespread uses. They are an invaluable source of information for those in Genealogy and other forms of historical studies involving people. Lawyers, journalists and police use them to gather information. Separated children can search and locate their biological parents with free marriage records. Those in a romantic relationship often check their partner's marital background by retrieving their marriage records especially when wedding bells are round the corner.
It's actually easy and convenient to obtain free marriage records from the respective government departments. Requests can be made by mail, fax, telephone, in person or even online nowadays. With computerization, the retrieval proper can be swift but the formality and procedures may necessitate some queuing or waiting period. To get around that, turn to commercial providers. For a few dollars, you get them faster, better and easier.
For more in-depth views on How To Find Free Marriage Records and their related information, go to Online Marriage Records.
Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article151628.html
Sunday, October 26, 2014
9 Common Family Tree Research Challenges and Their Solutions
by Chris Simeral
Every amateur genealogist is bound to hit a dead end every once in a while. Don't lose hope. The information you're looking for IS out there and it just might take a little more digging to find it. Here are some common problems and and their solutions -- that trip up many family tree researchers:
1. Sorting out names.
Names can get you into a muddle if several of your ancestors share a name. Names were often passed on from one generation to the next, so you could find that three of your ancestors are all called James Clifton Sterling. Who's who? If you're confused about names, the answer is to talk to the older members of your family, NOW. This is a vital first step. If you don't talk to them first, you'll have to do it later. Ask for full names and nicknames, plus dates of birth, marriages, and dates of death of your ancestors. Ask whether anyone in the family has an old family Bible. You may even find that someone in the family has already traced his or her family tree, which will give a boost to your own searches.
2. Where do I start? Which line should I trace?
This is up to you. If you try to trace all your ancestors, it will likely take years because of the huge number of people involved. Start with your own surname; the surname you were born with. If you're a married woman, this means your maiden name. If you know your four grandparents, start with the family that used to live, or still lives, close to where you live now, because you can use the public library and the record's office in your area. If you don't want to follow that line, then choose the rarest of the four surnames, because, ironically, a rare surname is often easier to trace than a common one.
3. I can't find my great-grandfather!
Whenever you come to a complete dead-end, your first step is always to send for the birth certificate of the ancestor that you do know. Yes, it's frustrating to wait, but when you receive the document, you'll probably see why you were stumped. Let's say you're looking for your great-grandfather, Edward Thomas Carmichael, and he doesn't seem to exist. By sending away for your grandfather's birth certificate, you may find that his father was David Thomas Carmichael. In other words, someone's memory has failed them, and they gave you an incorrect name. This is very common; don't simply believe what your relatives tell you; people often confuse names and places and one branch of the family with another.
4. Why is it so hard to find information on European ancestors?
Everyone who was born in England or Wales since 1837 should have had his or her birth registered by the state. However, it's estimated that in some parts of the country, as many as 15% of all births were not registered in the decades after 1837, because there was no penalty on parents for failing to register until 1875. Also, some parents believed that it wasn't necessary to register the birth if the child was baptized. Therefore, if you're looking for your English ancestors, start with the birth registration. Genfindit (at http://www.genfindit.com/) offers to find birth, death and marriage certificates for a fee. Alternatively, try these free resources:
* The English Archives Network at http://www.a2a.org.uk (Note: this URL will eventually be changing to http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a).
* FreeBMD, which lets you search birth, death and marriage indices in England and Wales from 1837 to 1902, with some records also up to 1983: http://freebmd.org.uk
5. I'm trying to find __________ and ___________ and ________ but I'm getting nowhere.
Your problem here is a lack of focus. Always start with what you know: that is, with yourself, your parents, your grandparents, and your great-grandparents. Only after you've gathered all the names, dates and places of birth, dates of marriages, and dates and places of death for those who are deceased, should you attempt to go back further. Always focus on one branch at a time, and one or two names at a time. Once you have all the information on those, you'll find that the information you're looking for turns up and that there was really no need to stress over it in the first place. Also, remember to get proof. If someone in the family sends you a photocopy of great-great-grandfather's birth certificate, that's proof. But it's not proof if someone tells you when and where they think he was born. You could end up tracing a branch of a family that you're not even related to.
6. I spent hours at the library and I didn't find a thing!
We all have days where the pickings are slim, and we feel as if we're not getting anywhere. However, consider that you did learn that your ancestors are not in those particular records. You've eliminated those sources, and it's one more place you won't have to search in the future.
7. I have conflicting information.
This happens more often than you'd think possible. If the census documents say your great-great grandfather was born in 1840, the old family Bible says he was born in 1852, and burial records say he was born in 1848, which do you believe? When this happens, try and corroborate one of the dates from another source. Census documents can be wrong, as can the information in the family Bible. In the 18th and 19th centuries, many babies died in infancy. Sometimes another child was given the name of a child who died. Burial records can be wrong, too and perhaps the undertaker made an error, or someone in the family gave the date incorrectly.
8. I can't find the family in the census.
If you're sure that your family lived in the county when the census was taken, but you can't find them, there could be several reasons. Check:
* Alternate spellings.
* That you're looking at the right county in the right state, several states have more than one county with the same name.
* The end of the county enumeration. If pages were stuck together when they were microfilmed, the missed pages were then filmed at the end of the county enumeration.
Don't give up. It's possible that the indexer made an error. Names were alphabetized incorrectly, or misread, or even omitted. If the census that you're checking was indexed by several organizations, check to see whether your family appears in another index. It's difficult for us to imagine how laborious it was to write everything and and to make copies all by hand.
9. I have two people in the same place at the same time with the same name: which is my ancestor?
This is a slightly different challenge from the above, "Sorting out names." When you find two people with the same name in the same place at the same time, and either could be your ancestor, you're going to have to examine the information, and perhaps gather more information, so that you can create a biography of these two people. Find official documents: did they own land? What about the census documents of that era? Can you locate a will for either of them? Study the information that you have, locate more information, and then work out which one was your ancestor. Certain names were popular in families, and in localities, because there was such a small marriage pool: people didn't travel far in the 19th century and earlier, because travel was expensive and difficult. Names were passed on from generation to generation. This makes it difficult for you, so many years later, trying to work out who's who.
Chris Simeral is the creator of the 7 Day Family Tree Genealogy Research Toolkit. For a free genealogy mini-course, visit http://www.7DayFamilyTree.com.
Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article43099.html
Every amateur genealogist is bound to hit a dead end every once in a while. Don't lose hope. The information you're looking for IS out there and it just might take a little more digging to find it. Here are some common problems and and their solutions -- that trip up many family tree researchers:
1. Sorting out names.
Names can get you into a muddle if several of your ancestors share a name. Names were often passed on from one generation to the next, so you could find that three of your ancestors are all called James Clifton Sterling. Who's who? If you're confused about names, the answer is to talk to the older members of your family, NOW. This is a vital first step. If you don't talk to them first, you'll have to do it later. Ask for full names and nicknames, plus dates of birth, marriages, and dates of death of your ancestors. Ask whether anyone in the family has an old family Bible. You may even find that someone in the family has already traced his or her family tree, which will give a boost to your own searches.
2. Where do I start? Which line should I trace?
This is up to you. If you try to trace all your ancestors, it will likely take years because of the huge number of people involved. Start with your own surname; the surname you were born with. If you're a married woman, this means your maiden name. If you know your four grandparents, start with the family that used to live, or still lives, close to where you live now, because you can use the public library and the record's office in your area. If you don't want to follow that line, then choose the rarest of the four surnames, because, ironically, a rare surname is often easier to trace than a common one.
3. I can't find my great-grandfather!
Whenever you come to a complete dead-end, your first step is always to send for the birth certificate of the ancestor that you do know. Yes, it's frustrating to wait, but when you receive the document, you'll probably see why you were stumped. Let's say you're looking for your great-grandfather, Edward Thomas Carmichael, and he doesn't seem to exist. By sending away for your grandfather's birth certificate, you may find that his father was David Thomas Carmichael. In other words, someone's memory has failed them, and they gave you an incorrect name. This is very common; don't simply believe what your relatives tell you; people often confuse names and places and one branch of the family with another.
4. Why is it so hard to find information on European ancestors?
Everyone who was born in England or Wales since 1837 should have had his or her birth registered by the state. However, it's estimated that in some parts of the country, as many as 15% of all births were not registered in the decades after 1837, because there was no penalty on parents for failing to register until 1875. Also, some parents believed that it wasn't necessary to register the birth if the child was baptized. Therefore, if you're looking for your English ancestors, start with the birth registration. Genfindit (at http://www.genfindit.com/) offers to find birth, death and marriage certificates for a fee. Alternatively, try these free resources:
* The English Archives Network at http://www.a2a.org.uk (Note: this URL will eventually be changing to http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a).
* FreeBMD, which lets you search birth, death and marriage indices in England and Wales from 1837 to 1902, with some records also up to 1983: http://freebmd.org.uk
5. I'm trying to find __________ and ___________ and ________ but I'm getting nowhere.
Your problem here is a lack of focus. Always start with what you know: that is, with yourself, your parents, your grandparents, and your great-grandparents. Only after you've gathered all the names, dates and places of birth, dates of marriages, and dates and places of death for those who are deceased, should you attempt to go back further. Always focus on one branch at a time, and one or two names at a time. Once you have all the information on those, you'll find that the information you're looking for turns up and that there was really no need to stress over it in the first place. Also, remember to get proof. If someone in the family sends you a photocopy of great-great-grandfather's birth certificate, that's proof. But it's not proof if someone tells you when and where they think he was born. You could end up tracing a branch of a family that you're not even related to.
6. I spent hours at the library and I didn't find a thing!
We all have days where the pickings are slim, and we feel as if we're not getting anywhere. However, consider that you did learn that your ancestors are not in those particular records. You've eliminated those sources, and it's one more place you won't have to search in the future.
7. I have conflicting information.
This happens more often than you'd think possible. If the census documents say your great-great grandfather was born in 1840, the old family Bible says he was born in 1852, and burial records say he was born in 1848, which do you believe? When this happens, try and corroborate one of the dates from another source. Census documents can be wrong, as can the information in the family Bible. In the 18th and 19th centuries, many babies died in infancy. Sometimes another child was given the name of a child who died. Burial records can be wrong, too and perhaps the undertaker made an error, or someone in the family gave the date incorrectly.
8. I can't find the family in the census.
If you're sure that your family lived in the county when the census was taken, but you can't find them, there could be several reasons. Check:
* Alternate spellings.
* That you're looking at the right county in the right state, several states have more than one county with the same name.
* The end of the county enumeration. If pages were stuck together when they were microfilmed, the missed pages were then filmed at the end of the county enumeration.
Don't give up. It's possible that the indexer made an error. Names were alphabetized incorrectly, or misread, or even omitted. If the census that you're checking was indexed by several organizations, check to see whether your family appears in another index. It's difficult for us to imagine how laborious it was to write everything and and to make copies all by hand.
9. I have two people in the same place at the same time with the same name: which is my ancestor?
This is a slightly different challenge from the above, "Sorting out names." When you find two people with the same name in the same place at the same time, and either could be your ancestor, you're going to have to examine the information, and perhaps gather more information, so that you can create a biography of these two people. Find official documents: did they own land? What about the census documents of that era? Can you locate a will for either of them? Study the information that you have, locate more information, and then work out which one was your ancestor. Certain names were popular in families, and in localities, because there was such a small marriage pool: people didn't travel far in the 19th century and earlier, because travel was expensive and difficult. Names were passed on from generation to generation. This makes it difficult for you, so many years later, trying to work out who's who.
Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article43099.html
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Free Genealogy Websites
Nowadays, genealogy research is easy. There are many websites that offer family databases. The more you research your family's past, the larger your family becomes.
Do you know your family history? If you are trying to fit together the pieces of your past, it helps to understand your family roots. You can learn about your family by researching and studying your family history. To do this you must collect bits of information from reliable sources to trace your family line back through the generations. The easiest and least expensive way to get started is by using a free genealogy website.
Thanks to the internet, anyone can research their family history. At one time, researching a family's roots was a daunting task. It entailed long distance travel and digging through old records in libraries and other repositories. Today, most of that data is available at the click of a mouse and sometimes for free. However, to get the best results, you need to work with a reliable and accurate website. You should learn about the various search techniques and the documents you're likely to encounter.
One important thing to remember is to keep highly detailed notes as you go about your research. You may run across an detail that may not seem important right now, only to find out later that it was the most vital piece of information that you needed. If you rely on your memory, you may miss out on a clue that allows the pieces of your past to fall into place. Keep track of website addresses, data, and information. Don't use abbreviations that you might not understand later. Print out the historical documents that pertain to your family. These documents could be the key to resolving conflicting information that will invariably pop up during your research.
Don't forget your living relatives. They can be a great source of information too. They can verify facts that you uncover and tell you details that lead you down the right path on your research. Record the stories of your older relatives BEFORE they pass away so that they can be handed down to future generations.
Some databases you can search through online are census records, obituaries, death indexes, and other public records. (I will include links at the end of this article.) Many newspapers publish death notices and are now archiving them for future use.
Threading the information together is a laborious task but when you have one branch of your tree completed and verified, then you're ready to begin the next. When you complete an area of research, you should share your findings with other researchers. You may have a distant relative searching for the information you have and they may be able to assist your efforts too.
Do you know your family history? If you are trying to fit together the pieces of your past, it helps to understand your family roots. You can learn about your family by researching and studying your family history. To do this you must collect bits of information from reliable sources to trace your family line back through the generations. The easiest and least expensive way to get started is by using a free genealogy website.
Thanks to the internet, anyone can research their family history. At one time, researching a family's roots was a daunting task. It entailed long distance travel and digging through old records in libraries and other repositories. Today, most of that data is available at the click of a mouse and sometimes for free. However, to get the best results, you need to work with a reliable and accurate website. You should learn about the various search techniques and the documents you're likely to encounter.
One important thing to remember is to keep highly detailed notes as you go about your research. You may run across an detail that may not seem important right now, only to find out later that it was the most vital piece of information that you needed. If you rely on your memory, you may miss out on a clue that allows the pieces of your past to fall into place. Keep track of website addresses, data, and information. Don't use abbreviations that you might not understand later. Print out the historical documents that pertain to your family. These documents could be the key to resolving conflicting information that will invariably pop up during your research.
Don't forget your living relatives. They can be a great source of information too. They can verify facts that you uncover and tell you details that lead you down the right path on your research. Record the stories of your older relatives BEFORE they pass away so that they can be handed down to future generations.
Some databases you can search through online are census records, obituaries, death indexes, and other public records. (I will include links at the end of this article.) Many newspapers publish death notices and are now archiving them for future use.
Threading the information together is a laborious task but when you have one branch of your tree completed and verified, then you're ready to begin the next. When you complete an area of research, you should share your findings with other researchers. You may have a distant relative searching for the information you have and they may be able to assist your efforts too.
- FamilySearch FREE
- WikiTree FREE User submitted information. Some is sourced, some is not
- Rootsweb FREE User submitted information. Some is sourced, some is not
- Ancestry 14 Day Free Trial
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