July 15, 2009

Guillotine Victims of the French Revolution

Those condemmed to death shall lose their heads (Penal Code of 1791, Article 3)

Even though the guillotine stands today as a dark symbol of capital punishment, at the time of its invention it was perceived as a progressive step towards a fair and humane implementation of the death sentence which, previously, had been administered by varying and often terrible means. The first executions by guillotine were actually booed by crowds who were accustomed to long and bloody rituals and who were disappointed by the speed of the process.

This collection includes the names, residences, descriptions and accusers of 13,046 men and women who went to the guillotine starting in 1792 up to the time of the French Directory.

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In addition to name and date of death, this collection includes:

  • Occupation
  • Residence

July 3, 2009

Seeking Your Ancestor's Court Records

I've always wished some of my ancestors had been criminals because, if they had been, I would be able to find more records containing information about them...

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Can You Find Your British Ancestors?

Over 32 million Americans can trace their ancestry to England, butfor most of them, genealogical research is easier in America thanit is across the Atlantic...

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Orphans' Court Records

In most states, the county orphan court's responsibilities included appointing guardians for orphans, overseeing bastardy proceedings, and providing for the poor...

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“Cutting Through the Red Tape” of Military Records

I have learned from visits to the National Archives facilities in Washington, DC and in College Park, Maryland that the Archives of the United States contain far more records relating to a person’s military career than just those records that are contained in his service file and his pension file...

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