July 30, 2012

Marriage Index: Louisiana, 1718-1925

This database contains indexes to approximately 285,000 marriage records from 58 selected parishes (counties) in Louisiana. Records begin as early as 1718 in St. Helens Parish. There are no records for any parishes for the years 1719-1727 and 1729-1733. After 1734, there is a general increase in records throughout the state, and the collection continues into the mid-1900s. Most of these records were compiled from courthouse marriage records. Records indexed may not be comprehensive for the time and region covered. Request a Free Lookup From This Database.

Request a Free Lookup From This Database.

July 27, 2012

The Family Tree Problem Solver: Tried-and-True Tactics for Tracing Elusive Ancestors

Genealogy research can be hindered by a number of problems: incomplete or missing records, census irregularities, individuals of the same name and burned courthouses. In "The Family Tree Problem Solver" readers find proven methods for overcoming all of these 'brick walls' and more. Real-life case studies illustrate the solutions without burdening the readers with overly complicated explanations of theories and record overviews. And new appendices provide readers with best practices for using DNA and online research to solve their genealogy problems... Read More

July 26, 2012

Kentucky, 1774-1924 Land Records (Today's Free Lookup)

Land records are important in genealogy research because they place an individual in a specific location at a specific time. They are especially important when researching ancestors who lived prior to the Civil War since most free adult white males owned land at that time.

Listings Can Include:
- Number of acres held
- Record entry date
- Landholder's residence
- Nearest watercourse to the landholding
- Information on military service (for those individuals who were granted land based upon their service in the Revolutionary or French and Indian Wars)
A Systematic Index to All of the Land Grants Recorded in the State Land Office at Frankfort, Kentucky, 1782-1924 Usually the first book used by anyone researching Kentucky ancestors, this standard two-volume reference work contains abstracts of approximately 150,000 Kentucky land grants. Arranged alphabetically according to the type of grant, it provides the full name of the grantee, number of acres, date of survey, name of county, watercourse, and the volume and page number of the original entry.


Early Kentucky Landholders, 1787-1811
This volume lists 17,000 landholders, individuals who claimed land but did not necessarily occupy land, whose names appeared in the annual tax lists for Lincoln County, Kentucky, between 1787 and 1811. Information includes the date of the tax list, the number of the tax book, the page number of the original entry, the amount of acreage, the nearest watercourse, and the name of the prior assignee.


A Calendar of the Warrants for Land in Kentucky, Granted for Service in the French and Indian War
This is a complete list of the land surveys made in Kentucky, at the time still a part of the Virginia Colony, on behalf of men who fought in the French and Indian War. Each entry gives the name of the soldier, his rank, acreage, date of the survey, and various notes by the surveyor indicating where the land was situated and, when available, to whom it was subsequently assigned.


Old Kentucky Entries and Deeds
A Complete Index to All of the Earliest Land Entries, Military Warrants, Deeds and Wills of the Commonwealth of Kentucky For a grantee listed in this index, you can learn the number of acres granted, dates, locations, and references to the pages in the original records (held in the Land Office at Frankfort, Kentucky). The 45,000+ entries are concentrated in Fayette, Lincoln, and Jefferson Counties. The volume also includes information on military warrants (1782-1793), Court of Appeals deeds-grantees (1783-1846), grantors (1783-1846), wills (1769-1850), and attorneys (1781-1853).


Request a Free Lookup From This Database.

July 25, 2012

Family Tree Maker Platinum 2012

  • Organize your family story privately and conveniently on your PC.
  • Build your family tree as Ancestry.com searches 5 billion historical records, including immigration, marriage and census data.
  • Get started quickly with an enhanced, easy-to-use interface.
  • NEW! Update and share your tree from any Internet connection with TreeSync.
  • IMPROVED! Create Smart Stories automatically with improved content generation and editing options.
  • IMPROVED! Build your tree more easily with upgraded help topics and video tutorials.
  • NEW! View combined families, including step families and adoptees, at a glance.
  • IMPROVED! Print more informative family trees by including generation labels and text boxes.

July 24, 2012

Passenger and Immigration Lists Index: 1500s-1900s (Today's Free Lookups)

A supplement to the 1999 Edition of Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, this database contains information on approximately 293,000 individuals. Compiled by P. William Filby and published by Gale Research, these records can provide valuable family history information to those with immigrant ancestors. This information was collected from published passenger lists, naturalization records, church records, family and local histories, as well as voter and land registrations. Because it has been indexed by name and is searchable by keyword, this outstanding supplementary resource is now more accessible than ever.
The knowledge provided here may help you determine additional information such as the name of the ship on which your ancestors sailed and the location of their
naturalization.
Listings Include:

- Name and age of immigrant
- Year and place of immigration
- Full source information
- Source code of immigration record
- Names of family members with whom they traveled

July 23, 2012

Red Book: American State, County & Town Sources

No scholarly reference library is complete without a copy of Ancestry's Red Book. In it, you will find both general and specific information essential to researchers of American records. This revised 3rd edition provides updated county and town listings within the same overall state-by-state organization. Whether you are looking for your ancestors in the northeastern states, the South, the West, or somewhere in the middle, "Ancestry's Red Book has information on records and holdings for every county in the United States, as well as excellent maps from renowned mapmaker William Dollarhide. In short, the "Red Book is simply the book that no genealogist can afford not to have. The availability of census records such as federal, state, and territorial census reports is covered in detail. Unlike the federal census, state and territorial census were taken at different times and different questions were asked. Vital records are also discussed, including when and where they were kept and how" ... Read More

July 21, 2012

Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1538-1940 (Today's Free Lookup)

A supplement to the original Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, this database contains information on approximately 245,880 individuals who arrived in United States and Canadian ports between 1538 and 1940. Compiled by P. William Filby and published by Gale Research, these records can provide valuable family history information to those with immigrant ancestors. This information was collected from published passenger lists, naturalization records, church records, family and local histories, as well as voter and land registrations.

This knowledge may help you determine additional information such as the name of the ship on which your ancestors sailed and the location of their naturalization.

Listings Include:

- Name and age of immigrant
- Year and place of immigration
- Full source information
- Source code of immigration record
- Names of family members with whom they traveled

Request a Free Lookup From This Database.

July 20, 2012

Virginia Genealogies and Biographies, 1500s-1900s (Today's Free Lookup)

A rare five-volume Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography, spanning three centuries. Also note the two-volume Maryland and Virginia Colonials, providing detailed, well-documented genealogies on 22 colonial families and hundreds of affiliated families. Within this database, you'll find an incredible variety of genealogical source material, including private and public records - family Bibles, newspaper excerpts, parish notices, gravestone inscriptions, wills, inventories.

Books Included:

- Virginia Historical Genealogies
- Virginia and Virginians, 2 volumes
- Maryland and Virginia Colonials: Genealogies of Some Colonial Families, 2 volumes
- Some Prominent Virginia Families, 4 volumes
- Virginia Genealogies
- Old Churches, Ministers and Families of Virginia, 2 volumes
- The Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers, 4 volumes
- Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography, 5 volumes
- Colonial Virginians and Their Maryland Relatives

Request a Free Lookup From This Database.

The Source: A Guidebook Of American Genealogy

Genealogists and other historical researchers have valued the first two editions of this work, often referred to as the genealogist's bible." The new edition continues that tradition. Intended as a handbook and a guide to selecting, locating, and using appropriate primary and secondary resources, The Source also functions as an instructional tool for novice genealogists and a refresher course for experienced researchers. More than 30 experts in this field--genealogists, historians, librarians, and archivists--prepared the 20 signed chapters, which are well written, easy to read, and include many helpful hints for getting the most out of whatever information is acquired. Each chapter ends with an extensive bibliography and is further enriched by tables, black-and-white illustrations, and examples of documents. Eight appendixes include the expected contact information for groups and institutions that persons studying genealogy and history need to find.... Read More

July 15, 2012

History of the Games


History of the Games

The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad, will be in London - the first city to officially host the modern Olympic Games three times.

Take a look at our Games page - there's a timeline, sporting celebrity family histories, and a competition!

Visit the Games page

July 13, 2012

Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History

In the groundbreaking NBC series Who Do You Think You Are? seven celebrities-Sarah Jessica Parker, Emmitt Smith, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Broderick, Brooke Shields, Susan Sarandon, and Spike Lee-went on an emotional journey to trace their family history and discover who they really are, and millions of viewers caught the genealogy bug. With the official companion guide, anyone can learn how to chart their family's unique path. Featuring step-by-step instructions from Megan Smolenyak, one of America's top genealogical researchers, this book offers everything readers need to know to start the journey into their past, from digging through old photos, to finding the best online resources...

Read More

One Great Family

OneGreatFamily is a online genealogical service which allows everyone to combine their knowledge and data to build one huge, shared database. OneGreatFamily is more than a simple collection of different family trees.  Using breakthrough technology, OneGreatFamily is actually linking all of the family trees together into one great family. The following is a list of five features that make OneGreatFamily stand out among genealogy services:

1. Everyone is working on the same family tree!

People using OneGreatFamily may be able to find new matching data and meet distant relatives after entering a few generations of their family trees . . . or even just a few ancestors! OneGreatFamily also uses technology to identify where family trees can be merged and identify when two listed individuals my be the same person. And unlike other services, EVERYONE benefits from new discoveries or corrections that are made to the family tree.

2. Everyone sees OneGreatFamily from his own perspective!

OneGreatFamily can help grow your family tree automatically, but the service still lets you choose which individuals and informaiton you want to see in YOUR family tree. You always see the information you have submitted and get to choose whether or not you accept the research submitted by others.

3. OneGreatFamily is a living, dynamic family tree that is always growing!

OneGreatFamily is continuously updated by thousands of subscribers. The results can be seen instantaneously by everyone around the world without any waiting or additional processing. You may be working on your family tree and receive a notificaiton that new ancestors have been discovered that belong to YOUR family tree.

4. OneGreatFamily provides the best framework for genealogy content.

Photos, sounds, sources, citations, and data can be added to OneGreatFamily for each individual in the family tree, where they can be enjoyed by the entire community. No more searching through billions of names or hundreds of web pages for the needle in a haystack. OneGreatFamily provides a simple infrastructure to organize all of this informaiton in one location.

5. OneGreatFamily listens to customers.

OneGreatFamily has grown to become one of the top destination sites for genealogy in only two years. How have we done it? By listening to customers ! We remain focused on providing the BEST collaborative family tree service available. Great strides are made to improve the service day after day, month after month. We are committed to continuously provide customers with more value and a better experience. OneGreatFamily continues to grow in value with each passing day by increasing the ability of people around the world to find new ancestors and discover new information about their family tree. Join the OneGreatFamily community today and start your free trial so you can how valuable the service is... 

Read More

Ohio Soldiers in World War I Military Records

Investigate your Ohio family's participation in the Great War. Because genealogical records for this time period are somewhat limited, the excellent coverage provided in this database can be especially significant. Here you'll uncover page images from all twenty-three volumes of The Official Roster of Ohio Soldiers, Sailors and Marines in the World War, 1917-18. In all, the military records in these volumes reference approximately 250,000 individuals who served in World War I.

Because they include each individual's name, address, and age, these records can be a helpful finding aid for your Ohio ancestors. Use these details to link back to additional genealogical archives like birth certificates and 1900 U.S. Census data.

What you may find: 
- Name and age 
- Residence 
- Branch of service and date of enlistment 
- Military rank and discharge status 
- Brief history of military career 
- Date and cause of death (if it occurred during enlistment)

Request a Free Lookup From This Database.

July 12, 2012

Pennsylvania Biographies and Genealogies, 1600s-1800s

Approximately 315,000 individuals referenced. Genealogically valuable because neither the State of Pennsylvania nor its individual counties had a centralized system of collecting vital information prior to late 1800s. Also valuable because you'll discover many hard to find and out-of-print volumes.

 Books Included: 
- Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania, Volumes I, II, and III 
- Pennsylvania Genealogies, Chiefly Scotch-Irish and German. 2nd Edition 
- Ohio Valley Genealogies 
- Some of the First Settlers of 'The Forks of the Delaware' and their Descendants, Baptisms 
- giving parents' names, infant's name, date of birth, and names of godparents 
- Early Friends Families of Upper Bucks with Some Account of Their Descendants 
- A Genealogical and Biographical History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania 
- A Genealogical and Personal History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Two Volumes 
- Biographical and Genealogical Sketches from Pennsylvania, Excerpted from "Chronicles of Central Pennsylvania Volume IV. Personal and Family History" 
- A Biographical History of York County, Pennsylvania 
- A Biographical History of Lancaster County [Pennsylvania]: Being a History of the Eminent Men of the County 
- A Biographical history of Greene County, Pennsylvania 
- Index to the Encyclopedia to Pennsylvania Biography, Two Volumes 
- Fayette County, Pennsylvania Biographies

Request a Free Lookup From This Database.



July 8, 2012

Early Alabama, Arkansas, & Mississippi Settlers, 1700s-1800s

Most of the books reference early settlers of Alabama. Among them, you'll find a transcription of Alabama's only remaining 1820 census return, an index to thousands of wills, and a collection of courthouse records of important events (for example, births, marriages, land transactions, deaths, etc.). Some of the most unique resources include a series of newspaper articles published between 1880 and 1899 on Alabama's earliest families.

Mississippi settlers are identified in three volumes of court records that represent a virtual census for the state while it was still a territory. You'll also find historical and genealogical information on Mississippi's participation in the War of 1812. Finally, early settlers of Arkansas are identified in one of the most important works on early pioneers and prominent families called Pioneers and Makers of Arkansas.

Books Included: 
- Burke's American Families with British Ancestry 
- A Genealogical History of the Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct Peerages of the British Empire 
- A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Extinct and Dormant Baronetcies of England, Ireland, and Scotland 
- Burke's Family Records 
- A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Colonial Gentry 
- The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales 
- A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland 
- The Prominent Families of the United States of America

Request a Free Lookup From This Database.

July 7, 2012

How to Do Everything Genealogy

Here's a great book that has helped me in my genealogy research by the award-winning researcher and genealogy writer George G. Morgan.  It shows how to start and continue your family history research using traditional records and techniques, as well as the full array of online databases, digitized records, social networks, and other tools. Learn how to organize and create your family tree; find documents about your family; research census documents, military service records, and land and property rolls; plan a successful genealogy research trip; evaluate sources; and other vital skills to help you uncover and illuminate your family's story.
  • Structure an effective research strategy
  • Locate and access genealogy resources for U.S., Canadian, UK and Ireland, and Australian research
  • See illustrations of scores of sample documents
  • Get past brick walls and dead ends in your research
  • Place your ancestors in geographical and historical context
  • Access libraries, archives, and other repositories online
  • Learn the most efficient Internet search techniques
  • Research and verify ancestors using genetic genealogy (DNA)
  • Use social networking sites and collaboration techniques
  • Discover and use alternative research paths to locate difficult-to-find records
  • Learn to integrate your research by reviewing a real case study
Read More

Massachusetts Genealogical Records, 1600s-1800s


Containing 24 volumes of vital records, family histories, passenger lists, military records, census data, and cemetery records, this collection provides an excellent cross-section of early Massachusetts genealogical data.

Comprehensive in its coverage of Boston marriages from 1630-1809, Massachusetts Genealogical Records also includes census information for both 1790 and 1800, the first two taken in the United States.

This wide variety of records might provide you with the following details:

- Name of individual and age
- Residence information
- Names and relationships of family members
- Immigration dates and details
- Occupation
- Dates and places of birth, marriage, and death
- Military service details

Request a Free Lookup From This Database.