Genealogy Research Blogs

I love to wander around the internet reading genealogy blogs or articles. Here are a couple that I found this evening. Take a look when you have time.

http://paperangels.googlepages.com/genealogy_blogs

http://users.anet.com/~jeffb/jabco/gatj/index.html

When I see something I like I keep as a favorite so I can revisit.

happy searching

Genealogy Organization Week 6

1. Take your surname notebook and start typing into your genealogy program or if you have started this already make sure each name you have is in your program. Make it a goal to add names and information as you find it from now one.

2. Remember last month's filing of any genealogy papers you have. Well, this now is the time to verify every thing you have on paper is in your Computer program. This means typing in references to every document mentioning your ancestors. Be very specific
San Diego California Health department Birth certificate # 55558888 dated Jan 22, 1954 lists female child aaaaaa with father bbbbb and mother ccccc. Report date Jan 25, 1954 signed by Dr Paul Brown.

Genealogy Organization Week 5

Week 5 .. You need to decide on a genealogy management program, if you do not already have one. Go to http://www.cyndislist.com/faq/software.htm to check out about software programs.
Check out http://www.ancestry.com/ They offer a try it out program and I wish I had checked and joined years ago. I have found census reports, have found photos of my ancestors I would of never seen if I had not joined this site. Well worth the money in my opinion.

Family Notebooks

My family notebooks are large white notebooks with a plastic front piece where you can slip a picture or poem. Here is a copy of mine. I have the poem

The Recording of a Cemetary

Today we walked where others walked

On a lonely, windswept hill

Today we talked where others cried

For loved Ones whose lives are stilled

Today our hearts were touched

By Graves of tiny babies

Snatched from the arms of loving kin

In the heartbreak of the ages

Today we saw where the grandparents lay

In the last sleep of their time

Lying under the trees and clouds

Their beds kissed by the sun and wind.

Today we wondered about an unmarked spot; Who lies beneath this hollowed ground?

Was it a babe, child , young or old?

No indication could be found.

Today we saw where Mom and Dad lay.

We had been here here once before.

On a day we'd all like to forget.

But will remember forever more.

Today we recorded for kith and kin

The graves of ancestors past;

To be treasured for generations hence.

A record we hope will last.

Cherish it, my friend; preserve it my friend.

For stones sometimes crumble to dust

And generations of folks yet to come

Will be grateful for your trust.

by Thelma Greene Reagan

Surrounding this is pictures of headstones of some family.

As I do my searches they are always near even if they are gone from me for now.

I hope that all I have done will someday be treasured by my future generations. So much of today is emails and text messages. Nothing is recorded for our future generations. We need to record what is happening today with pictures and notes so that their will be something of us when we are gone.

Genealogy Organization Week Four

1. Learn to use
http://searches.rootsweb.ancestry.com/
Check out the post popular searches, from here you can see if anyone else is searching for your family. You will find unknown cousins with similar interest in genealogy.
2.Write any letters that you have been putting off.
3 Congratulate you self on all you have accomplished so far this month.

Searching Online Military Indexs and Records

I am so proud of my ancestors who fought in past wars. In my search to find information on them I found this wonderful website.

This website is a directory of links to online military indexes and records for USA genealogy research. Included are rosters, databases of soldiers, and listings of military and war casualties. Also included are some links to sources for military records in other countries (for World War I & II).


http://www.militaryindexes.com/

Happy searching

Searching for Death Certificates

One part of your genealogy is to find the death certificate. You will gain great information from this piece of paper. I will never forget when I received in the mail my first death certificate. Here was the information on one of my great grandfather.

To help you in your search I have found this great link to online death certificates. This information is thanks to Genealogy Roots Blog


Online Death Certificates -

Here is a list of some collections of online digitized death certificates or death ledgers (some are free, some fee-based). Note that some death certificate images at these websites may be unavailable because of errors or other reasons.

Arizona Arizona Death Certificates 1844-1958 (free) also includes birth certificates 1855-1933

Georgia Georgia Death Certificates 1919-1927 (free)

Illinois: Chicago and Cook County The Cook County Clerk's office has birth certificates more than 75 years old, marriage certificates more than 50 years old, and death certificates more than 20 years old available online for a fee. The records go back as far as 1872 -- earlier records were lost in the Chicago Fire of 1871. See: Historical Cook County Vital Records - Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates (searches are free; requires a fee to download copies of the records; note that some records may not yet be available online)Also see: Online Chicago and Cook County Death Records Indexes and Obituaries

Kentucky As part of their subscription-based collection of genealogy records, Ancestry has digitized Kentucky death certificates from 1911-1953. See: Online Kentucky Death Records Indexes and Obituaries

Michigan currently being tested in the Family Search Labs are scanned Michigan death ledgers from 1867-1897. Family Search Labs is a pilot program so there may occasional errors or downtime. Note these are not death certificates, but death registers or ledgers. (free)

Michigan Death Records 1897-1920 (ongoing project - not yet complete) from the Archives of Michigan and the Library of Michigan (free)

Missouri Missouri Death Certificates 1910-1957 (free) from the Missouri State Archives

North Carolina As part of their subscription-based collection of genealogy records, Ancestry has scanned North Carolina death certificates from 1909-1975 available for downloading. See: Online North Carolina Death Records Indexes and Obituaries

Ohio (beta testing)Currently being tested in the Family Search Labs are scanned Ohio death certificates from 1908-1953. Family Search Labs is a pilot program so there may occasional errors or downtime. (free)

Pennsylvania: Philadelphia (beta testing) Currently being tested in the Family Search Labs are scanned Philadelphia City death certificates from 1803-1915. Family Search Labs is a pilot program so there may occasional errors or downtime. (free)

South Carolina As part of their subscription-based collection of genealogy records, Ancestry has digitized South Carolina death certificates from 1915-1955. See: Online South Carolina Death Records Indexes and Obituaries

Texas (beta testing)Currently being tested in the Family Search Labs are scanned Texas death certificates from 1890-1976. Family Search Labs is a pilot program so there may occasional errors or downtime. Very few certificates are available prior to 1903. (free)UtahUtah Death Certificates 1905-1956 (free)

West Virginia West Virginia Death Certificates 1917-1958 (free) coverage varies by county - also has birth and marriage records for some counties

Other States - Death Indexes For a directory of online death indexes, including some cemetery records, obituaries, and probate records see: Online Search able Death Indexes and Records

Genealogy Organization Week Three

Now the fun starts...
1. Buy tons of top loading sheet protectors. You can buy a box at Sam's Club or Office Depot. I just bought 200 protectors at Office Depot which are a lighter weight, but I got them at a reasonable price.

2 Take a deep breath

3. Now start to put all the important documents (from the "to be filed" pile - week one) in these page protectors. File everything away in the notebook for each surname. If necessary make photocopies to place in more than one family member surname notebook.

I like to put copies of the wedding certificate right after the family group sheet where the couple is listed as the father and mother in the family. I can put copies of awards received, favorite copies of pictures of the family (when we get to the photos), copies of diary entries or letters, death certificates and obituary at the end of that family member. Be imaginative this is your family story. Perhaps have a recipe in the the family member's handwriting. What a piece of historical treasure this will be in the future! I include copies of the census so it shows where they lived at different times.

This way each family history notebook makes a GREAT coffee table book. Everything is there when I want to share it with a family member. I file either an extra or original copy of each certificate, original awards, etc., in a file cabinet under person's name in case anything ever happens to my notebook. When our copies are right there in the notebook with the correct family group sheet, it is so easy to photocopy and forward to a newly found cousin I've met on the Internet.

Once again this will be an on going process, as your family research grows so does your family notebook.

Correction on Week 2 on Surname book

Hi, this is one correction on Surname notebook. Instead of putting brothers and sisters behind your parents , grand parents ect they can go behind the grandparents as their other children.

Genealogy Organization Week Two

The goal of week two is to develop a filing system, if you have not done so yet. The steps are as follows:
a. Create a SURNAME NOTEBOOK for each major name. If you are just starting out you could combine them into one notebook for now. I like large 3 ring binders rather than folders. These can sit in your book case or even be a coffee table book eventually.
b. I put each direct line family group sheets in chronological order starting (youngest to oldest) with myself the youngest. In the future, when I do a book for my sons and grandchildren , I will put them first. Put a divider tab clearly labeled DIRECT LINE ( parents, grandparents, great grandparents, etc) For my grandparents and great grandparents where I have more information, I have divided my grandfather and grandmother with a divider tab. For each person, I have a pedigree chart printed out to show family line.
c. I then put COLLATERAL LINES in chronological order in same note book. ( my uncles and aunts are right behind my parents, great uncles and aunts after grandparents and so on.)
d. file any papers you have that are not proven individuals or families in the same note book with a divider tab marked .. "Further Research." You could also have a separate note book with this information divided in to family lines. Have fun developing your Surname notebooks and getting organized with all your information.

This will be an on going process as you find more family members to add to your family notebook.