The Search: A Memoir of an Adopted Woman

"A compelling story of an adopted woman's search for her truth and a mother lost, found, and lost again. The Search is a poignant memoir of the reality of an adoptee's life. I couldn't put it down." - JOE SOLL, LCSW, PSYCHOTHERAPIST, AUTHOR OF ADOPTION HEALING...A PATH TO RECOVERY.

Titia Ellis remembers the exact moment her life changed forever. Her mother, still in her dressing gown, sat in the chair opposite five-year-old Titia and her older sister, twisting a handkerchief between her hands, while her father paced the floor behind her. Titia's stomach rolled over as her mother announced, "Daddy and I want to tell you something important about when you were born."

As soon as she learns the story of her birth parents' untimely deaths and her subsequent adoption, Titia realizes that her adoption is to be kept a secret-never to be discussed again out of fear of upsetting her mother. Wanting to be loved and to fit in, she obeys her parents' wishes-until a mid-life crisis shatters her illusion of being the perfect daughter, wife, and mother. As Titia chronicles her poignant journey to find her birth mother, she details how she jeopardizes her relationship with her adoptive parents and threatens the privacy of unsuspecting strangers-all without any guarantee of a happy outcome.

When Titia embarks on her quest to find her birth family, she immerses herself deep into her past, not knowing that what she discovers in the end will transform her entire life.

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Virginia Land, Marriage, and Probate Records, 1700s-1900s (Genealogy Lookups)

More than 135,000 Virginia settlers are mentioned in this collection of fully searchable abstracts of deeds, marriages, and wills. Every person is linked not only to a specific event but to a number of family members, associates, and friends who were also involved in the land record, marriage, or will administration. This information will help you establish relationships and approximate arrival times in the colony...

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Family Tree Maker Platinum

• Software for discovering your family history and preserving it for generations to come 
• Enhance family tree with charts, reports, photos, audio, video, and more 
• Sync desktop and online Ancestry.com trees together with TreeSync 
• View timelines and interactive maps; create keepsakes, charts, and reports Includes Family History Toolkit, photo-retouching software, bonus gift disc, and a 6-month membership to Ancestry.com

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Pennsylvania Colonial Records, 1600s-1800s (Genealogy Lookups)

Discover this significant collection of records comprehensive in their coverage of colonial Pennsylvania. Approximately 190,000 individuals are referenced within the newspaper abstracts, naturalization records, land records, court records, and family histories.

Much of this collection's importance stems from the fact that neither the State of Pennsylvania nor its counties had a centralized system of collecting vital information prior to the late 1800s. Among the unique resources, you'll find abstracts of Benjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette as well as the esteemed series known as Colonial Records - one of the cornerstones of early American record sources.

Books Included:
- Virginia Court Records in Southwestern Pennsylvania, Records of the District of West Augusta and Ohio and Yohogania Counties, Virginia, 1775-1780
- Index to Pennsylvania's Colonial Records Series
- Early Pennsylvania Land Records: Minutes of the Board of Property of the Province of Pennsylvania
- Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania, Volumes I, II, and III
- Names of Foreigners who Took the Oath of Allegiance to the Province and State of Pennsylvania, 1727-1775
- Persons Naturalized in the Province of Pennsylvania, 1740-1773
- Names of Persons who Took the Oath of Allegiance to the State of Pennsylvania Between the Years 1777 and 1789
- Abstracts from Ben Franklin's 'Pennsylvania Gazette,' 1728-1748
- Genealogical Abstracts from 'The American Weekly Mercury,' 1719-1746

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Family on the Loose: The Art of Traveling with Kids

Pack your bags, hop a plane, and take a trip! Family travel is a great way to expand your cultural horizons and help cultivate our next generation of global citizens. Wondering how to turn a journey with your kids into an enriching and rewarding adventure? This book offers hundreds of easy-to-use ideas for: 

• Drumming up excitement for the journey ahead 
• Teaching your kids to pack themselves 
• Having fun at the airport and on the plane 
• Easing jetlag and schedule changes 
• Involving everyone in setting itineraries and expectations 
• Making museums and tourist stops engaging for everyone 
• Enriching your travel experience through journaling 
• Keeping the joy of the journey alive long after your return 
• Discovering cultural education in your own back yard 

This book is intended for well-seasoned travelers and newbies alike who enjoy being with their children, want to enrich their education, and are excited to discover, as a family, the vast and unique experiences this world has to offer.

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Bound Away: Virginia and the Westward Movement

Bound Away offers a new understanding of the westward movement. After the Turner thesis which celebrated the frontier as the source of American freedom and democracy, and the iconoclasm of the new western historians who dismissed the idea of the frontier as merely a mask for conquest and exploitation, David Hackett Fischer and James C. Kelly take a third approach to the subject. They share with Turner the idea of the westward movement as a creative process of high importance in American history, but they understand it in a different way. 

Where Turner studied the westward movement in terms of its destination, Fischer and Kelly approach it in terms of its origins. Virginia's long history enables them to provide a rich portrait of migration and expansion as a dynamic process that preserved strong cultural continuities. They suggest that the oxymoron "bound away"—from the folksong Shenandoah—captures a vital truth about American history. As people moved west, they built new societies from old materials, in a double-acting process that made America what is today. 

Based on an acclaimed exhibition at the Virginia Historical society, the book studies three stages of migration to, within, and from Virginia. Each stage has its own story to tell. All of them together offer an opportunity to study the westward movement through three centuries, as it has rarely been studied before. 

Fischer and Kelly believe that the westward movement was a broad cultural process, which is best understood not only through the writings of intellectual elites, but also through the physical artifacts and folkways of ordinary people. The wealth of anecdotes and illustrations in this volume offer a new way of looking at John Smith and William Byrd, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, Daniel Boone, Dred Scott, and scores of lesser known gentry, yeomen, servants, and slaves who were all "bound away" to an old new world...

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Colonial Virginia Source Records, 1600s-1700s (Genealogy Lookups)

Comprehensive in its coverage of colonial Virginia, this database references approximately 353,000 individuals in a unique collection of family histories, local histories, military records, court records, newspaper abstracts, tax lists, and marriage records.

The sources collected here are especially useful because they were collected from local sources and often cover a period of time before centralized record keeping was established. For example, although the first federal census was not taken until 1790, in Virginia Tax Payers, 1782-1787, you'll find a list of 34,000 early residents. In Early Quaker Records in Virginia you'll find an exact transcription of genealogical data in the oldest Quaker records in Virginia, the so-called Chuckatuck Record. Among the more unusual resources is a collection of abstracts from 18th century Virginia newspapers (found in the book Genealogical Abstracts from 18th-Century Virginia Newspapers).

Extracted from more than 7,000 issues of 80 newspapers, each abstract provides at least two pieces of genealogical data. This is an especially exciting resource for obtaining information on enslaved African-American ancestors since many of the abstracts are advertisements for the return of runaway slaves.

Books Included:
- Gleanings of Virginia History: An Historical and Genealogical Collection, Largely from Original Sources
- Virginia Wills Before 1799: A Complete Abstract Register of All Names Mentioned in Over 600 Recorded Wills
- Virginia Court Records in Southwestern Pennsylvania: Records of the District of West Augusta and Ohio and Yohogania Counties, Virginia, 1775-1780
- Virginia Tax Payers, 1782-87, Other Than Those Published by The United States Census Bureau
- Genealogical Abstracts from 18th-Century Virginia Newspapers
- Historical Collections of Virginia
- Index to Obituary Notices In The 'Richmond Enquirer' From May 9, 1804, Through 1828, And The 'Richmond Whig' From January 1824 Through 1838
- Virginia Wills and Administrations, 1632-1800
- Early Quaker Records in Virginia
- Marriages of Some Virginia Residents, 1607-1800

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North Carolina's Amazing Coast: Natural Wonders from Alligators to Zoeas

Fun and learning come together in North Carolina's Amazing Coast, an inviting collection of one hundred short, self-contained features about the flora, fauna, and natural history of that fascinating place where land meets sea. Each page includes a full-color illustration and breezy, fact-filled commentary on coastal wildlife from fifty-foot-long northern right whales to single-cell plankton, from shy red wolves to overbearingly sociable sand gnats. Readers will learn about the super-sized fox squirrel, the acting talents of the hognose snake, the health benefits of eating pawpaws, the importance of tidal fluctuations, and much more. North Carolina's Amazing Coast will spark a sense of wonder and inspire readers to learn more about their natural heritage and what they can do to preserve it. Used in the "Our Amazing Coast" elementary curriculum developed by the Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence-Southeast, this book makes an excellent educational tool, as well as an inspiring gift for coastal enthusiasts of all ages... 

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North Carolina Wills, 1665-1900 (Genealogy Lookups)

The four titles reproduced here reference approximately 134,000 individuals who were authors of or mentioned in a will or inventory. Ranging from abstracts to full, unabridged texts of wills, these probate records can help you gain an understanding of North Carolina's industrial and social life by giving you insights about its citizens and their property. Probates, such as those indexed and collected here, are especially valuable because they often provide details not only property held by a person but on the nature of that person's relationships with family and friends...

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Voyageurs, Lumberjacks, and Farmers: Pioneers of the Midwest (Shaping America)

Describes lives of eight people who played a significant role in the exploration of territory and founding of settlements in the American Midwest. Includes Antoine Cadillac, Charles Langlade, Jean du Sable, George Rogers Clark, Rufus Putnam, Julien Dubuque, and Josiah and Abigail Snelling...

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Midwest Pioneers, 1600s-1800s (Genealogy Lookups)

The twelve books on families in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan and Missouri. The records range from military and land to census schedules and family histories from a variety of states which makes it an especially valuable resource.

Many pioneers who traveled west in the early days of the United States sought adventure and the opportunity to own and cultivate their own land. One of the most influential factors in westward expansion was the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, in which the fledgling U.S. government determined the criteria for a territory to become a state and provided new land for its citizens to settle with the promise of support from their government.

One of the determinations of the Northwest Ordinance was to afford a territory with more than 60,000 inhabitants the opportunity to petition for statehood. This population requirement for statehood was a powerful incentive for the territories to recruit immigrants and encourage settlement within their borders.

Books Included:
- An Index of Pioneers from Massachusetts to the West, Especially the State of Michigan
- Detroit River Connections: Historical and Biographical Sketches of the Eastern Great Lakes Border Region
- Revolutionary Soldiers Buried in Illinois
- Illinois Census Returns, 1810 and 1818
- Illinois Census Returns, 1820
- Revolutionary Soldiers Buried in Indiana (with Supplement)
- Roster of Soldiers and Patriots of the American Revolution Buried in Indiana
- Kansas Territorial Settlers of 1860
- Michigan Military Records
- A History of the Pioneer Families of Missouri
- Missouri Marriages Before 1840
- Pioneer Families of the Midwest

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The Social Transformation of American Medicine: The rise of a sovereign profession and the making of a vast industry

Winner of the 1983 Pulitzer Prize and the Bancroft Prize in American History, this is a landmark history of how the entire American health care system of doctors, hospitals, health plans, and government programs has evolved over the last two centuries. 

"The definitive social history of the medical profession in America... A monumental achievement." — H. Jack Geiger, M.D., New York Times Book Review

A landmark history of how the entire American health care system has evolved over the last two centuries.

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Directory of Deceased American Physicians, 1804-1929 (Genealogy Lookups)

The biographical information included in this database was extracted from the esteemed two-volume set titled Directory of Deceased American Physicians. Edited by Arthur W. Hafner and produced from a card file held by the American Medical Association, this database includes biographical and professional information on approximately 149,000 medical practitioners. The great variety of information included here will provide valuable clues to help you expand your research. By learning where your ancestor set up his or her practice, for example, you can get a general idea of where he or she lived. More fundamentally, the dates and locations of births and deaths may provide the clues necessary to locate vital records...

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Early New England Seaport

With this book of authentic, full-color architectural models, you can cut out and assemble a set of miniature buildings that when grouped together, evokes the salty charm of an early New England seaport. Placed behind ship models, this Schiffer paper-craft project provides a picturesque background. Lined up on a shelf, the ten buildings create a decorative display that mixes very successfully with country antiques... 

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Early New England Settlers, 1600s-1800s (Genealogy Lookups)

Within the lineages, family histories, vital records and historical essays compiled and indexed in this database, you'll find information on approximately 190,000 individuals. The 22 titles reproduced here are expertly sourced and comprehensive. 

Often, you'll have the opportunity to learn not only of your immigrant ancestor's voyage to America but of his or her new life once they settled in New England. Among the resources, you'll find: 

- Biographical sketches of early settlers 
- Historical essays on early New England life 
- Journal entries detailing the daily struggles of early New Englanders (including entries composed by John Winthrop and compiled by James Savage)

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Blood on the River: James Town, 1607

Twelve-year-old Samuel Collier is a lowly commoner on the streets of London. So when he becomes the page of Captain John Smith and boards the Susan Constant, bound for the New World, he can’t believe his good fortune. He’s heard that gold washes ashore with every tide. But beginning with the stormy journey and his first contact with the native people, he realizes that the New World is nothing like he imagined. The lush Virginia shore where they establish the colony of James Town is both beautiful and forbidding, and it’s hard to know who’s a friend or foe. As he learns the language of the Algonquian Indians and observes Captain Smith’s wise diplomacy, Samuel begins to see that he can be whomever he wants to be in this new land...

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Pennsylvania Dutch Cooking

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free... Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. 

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Immigrants to Pennsylvania, 1600s-1800s (Genealogy Lookups)

Pennsylvania's most influential early settlement was organized by a Quaker, William Penn. Chartered in 1681 by King Charles II, Penn's colony was primarily made up of English Quakers but also included German, Dutch, Welsh, Scottish, and Irish. Over the next century, Penn's "Holy Experiment" attracted huge groups of immigrants to Pennsylvania. 

Taken from passenger lists, records of indenture, oaths of allegiance, and studies of Quaker immigration from Germany, Holland, and Ireland (including the travels of William Penn), the records compiled here are comprehensive. Included among the ten volumes is the most important work on the mass immigration of Germans to Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania German Pioneers...

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Hands on the Land: A History of the Vermont Landscape

In this book Jan Albers examines the history--natural, environmental, social, and ultimately human--of one of America's most cherished landscapes: Vermont. Albers shows how Vermont has come to stand for the ideal of unspoiled rural community, examining both the basis of the state's pastoral image and the equally real toll taken by the pressure of human hands on the land. She begins with the relatively light touch of Vermont's Native Americans, then shows how European settlers--armed with a conviction that their claim to the land was "a God-given right"--shaped the landscape both to meet economic needs and to satisfy philosophical beliefs. The often turbulent result: a conflict between practical requirements and romantic ideals that has persisted to this day.Making lively use of contemporary accounts, advertisements, maps, landscape paintings, and vintage photographs, Albers delves into the stories and personalities behind the development of a succession of Vermont landscapes. She observes the growth of communities from tiny settlements to picturesque villages to bustling cities; traces the development of agriculture, forestry, mining, industry, and the influence of burgeoning technology; and proceeds to the growth of environmental consciousness, aided by both private initiative and governmental regulation. She reveals how as community strengthens, so does responsible stewardship of the land. Albers shows that like any landscape, the Vermont landscape reflects the human decisions that have been made about it--and that the more a community understands about how such decisions have been made, the better will be its future decisions...

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Lineages of Hereditary Society Members, 1600s-1900s (Genealogy Lookups)

Uncover significant evidence of your family's place in American history! Because membership requires exceptional documentation, hereditary societies' lineage records are especially valuable. These 27 volumes contain detailed lineages for members of such hereditary societies...

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Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, 1850 Census Microfilm Records

With images of the actual census pages (in the census taker's actual handwriting) linked to a heads-of-household index, this database provides unprecedented access to the Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont portions of the 1850 federal census. Approximately 369,000 heads of households are included in the index and approximately 1.2 million individuals can be found within images of the actual census pages.The 1850 census is an especially valuable one for genealogical research because it enumerates every member of a household rather than just the head of it. So, once you find a member of your family, you'll find information about that person and their entire household...

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Louisiana: A History

From its ancient Indian peoples to its troubled beginning as a French colony to the tragic events of Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana has a history that, whatever else one might say about the state, has never been dull. This fifth edition of our classic survey history of Louisiana reflects a re-examination on the part of its esteemed team of authors of recent historical findings as well as of their own research, ensuring that Louisiana: A History will continue to present the most comprehensive and current account of the many different peoples that have and currently do make the rich, colorful land known as Louisiana their home...

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Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, & Mississippi, 1850 Census Microfilm Records

Approximately 337,000 heads of household listed in the 1850 federal census from four southern states. It includes 123,322 individuals from Alabama, 40,238 individuals from Arkansas, 96,813 individuals from Louisiana, and 76,709 individuals from Mississippi. This database is especially valuable because it includes not only an index to these four states' portions of the 1850 census in their entirety but also images of the actual census pages - in the census taker's own handwriting.Often referred to as the first modern census, the 1850 census employed improved techniques for collecting information. For the first time, enumerators were provided printed instructions that explained their responsibilities, census procedures, and the intent behind census questions. These instructions accounted for a greater degree of accuracy in the census record. If you find evidence of your ancestors in this database, you may be able to determine their property value, marital status, education, location of residence, occupation, and the names of other household residents...

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Roadside History of Utah

Roadside History of Utah takes readers on a journey through time as it follows the state's highways, vividly portraying the determined people who faced the challenges of making a home in Utah. Readers will meet them all: the native peoples, early explorers and traders, Mormon pioneers, miners and ranchers, and even today's developers. In addition to detailing the state's major historical events, author Cindy Bennett displays a love of Utah that casts a warm glow on her accounts of tiny settlements taking root and growing into amiable towns like Pleasant Grove, whose main landmark today is a hamburger joint called the Purple Turtle, and Richmond, home of Utah's first evaporated-milk factory. Bennett relates stories such as the terror of Bear Lake, where for years a 75-foot monster was believed to lurk until it was discovered that the disturbance in the water were caused by local cattle. These, and many more tales, are the compelling stories of Utah's exceptional people... 

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California, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, & Utah, 1850 Census Microfilm Records

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Traveling Tennessee

A complete tour guide to the Volunteer State from the highlands of the Smoky Mountains to the banks of the Mississippi River.

Tennessee is a state of endless diversity. It boasts breath-taking scenery, the homes of three presidents, and the birthplace of legendary frontiersman Davy Crockett. It is the birthplace of the blues and the home of the King of rock 'n' roll. It offers a wealth of opportunities for hiking, canoeing, fishing, and wildlife viewing in state and national parks, recreation areas, and forests. From mountain highroads to delta lands, this comprehensive guide invites you to the best of Tennessee's bed and breakfasts, museums, historic sites, restaurants, antique shops, and such attractions as:

• The Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• The National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough
• The South's favorite outlet shopping in Pigeon Forge
• Coker Creek, the site of Tennessee's gold rush
• World-class whitewater rafting on the Obed and Ocoee Rivers
• The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
• The Chattanooga Choo Choo and the Tennessee State Aquarium
• Civil War battlefields like Stones River and Shiloh
• The Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg
• The Natchez Trace Parkway
• Musical venues from the Grand Ole Opry to Beale Street
• The largest Middle Woodland Indian Mound in the southeast
• A half-mile-long reprodction of the Mississippi River

Traveling Tennessee does more than get you where you want to go. It also educates you about the state's heritage, excites you about its vacation possibilities, and entertains you with accounts of the authors' own experiences...

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Tennessee, 1850 Census Microfilm Records (Genealogy Lookups)

This data set includes an index to the 1850 census and scanned images of the actual records themselves — in the census taker's own handwriting! In the index, you'll find approximately 200,000 Tennessee heads-of-household, and on images of the actual census pages you'll find information on approximately 960,000 individuals.

Often referred to as the first modern census, the 1850 census employed improved techniques for collecting information. For the first time, enumerators were provided printed instructions that explained their responsibilities, census procedures, and the intent behind census questions. These instructions accounted for a greater degree of accuracy in the census record...

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Civil War Dynasty: The Ewing Family of Ohio

For years the Ewing family of Ohio has been lost in the historical shadow cast by their in-law, General William T. Sherman. In the era of the Civil War, it was the Ewing family who raised Sherman, got him into West Point, and provided him with the financial resources and political connections to succeed in war. The patriarch, Thomas Ewing, counseled presidents and clashed with radical abolitionists and southern secessionists leading to the Civil War. Three Ewing sons became Union generals, served with distinction at Antietam and Vicksburg, marched through Georgia, and fought guerillas in Missouri. The Ewing family stood at the center of the Northern debate over emancipation, fought for the soul of the Republican Party, and waged total war against the South. 

In Civil War Dynasty, Kenneth J. Heineman brings to life this drama of political intrigue and military valor—warts and all. This work is a military, political, religious, and family history, told against the backdrop of disunion, war, violence, and grief...

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Ohio, 1780-1970 County & Family Histories

This data set is unique because it provides not only family histories but county histories as well. You can learn, for example, not only that your ancestor was married in Fulton County in 1800 but what Fulton County was like in 1800. With this information you are able to gain a more complete understanding of your ancestors and the times and locations in which they lived.

You can find the following information on this data set:

- An ancestor's birth date.
- An ancestor's marriage date.
- An ancestor's occupation.
- An ancestor's death date.
- A variety of genealogical source material, including private and public records.
- Information about the county or town in which your ancestor lived.

What are the data sources for this product? 

This data set includes information from the following books: 

• Ohio, Her Counties, Her Townships, and Her Towns

• Memorial to the Pioneer Women of the Western Reserve, Volumes I and II 
edited by Mrs. Gertrude Van Rensselaer Wickham

• Histories of the following counties in Ohio: Coshocton, Wood, Franklin, Pickaway, Fayette, Perry, Butler, Jefferson, Carroll, Harrison, Clinton, Cuyahoga, Erie, Fulton, Geauga, Lake, Greene, Hamilton, Hardin, Lower Ohio Valley, Marion, Medina, Montgomery, Preble, Sandusky, Seneca, Summit, Stark, Trumbull, Mahoning, Warren, Wayne, Auglaize, Geauga, Mercer, Van Wert, Springfield, Clark.

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The Hidden History of East Tennessee

Critically acclaimed author Joe Guy serves up a stout batch of East Tennessee history in this latest collection of articles from his popular newspaper column. From Chattanooga up to Knoxville, and every town and holler in between, Guy recounts the absorbing and oft-forgotten history of this great region with stories of revenuers, Overmountain Men, Confederate cavalry girls and the lost tribe of the Hiwassee, just to name a few. Discover how easy it is to get lost in The Hidden History of East Tennessee...

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Massachusetts Probate, Town, and Vital Records, 1600s-1900s (Genealogy Lookups)

Between 1630 and 1642, approximately 30,000 people left England for Massachusetts. By the time of the American Revolution, nearly everyone still in Massachusetts could trace their ancestry to one of those 30,000 people. This database lists more than 160,000 individuals in probate records, town histories, and vital records. This variety of records allows you to piece together quite a comprehensive record of your Massachusetts ancestors. 

Each of the following towns or counties has at least one volume dedicated to it in this Family Archive: Barnstable, Bristol, Duxbury, Eastham, Fairhaven, Haverhill, Middleborough, Orleans, Plymouth, Sandwich, Scituate, Stoneham, and Suffolk. This material may also be of interest to those with early Rhode Island ancestors since Massachusetts' Bristol County included the Rhode Island towns or areas of Bristol, Warren, Barrington, Little Compton, and Tiverton until 1747. 

Since its early settlement, Massachusetts has been collecting vital records (births, marriages, and deaths) at the town level. Because these records have been kept locally, however, accessing them today for your research can sometimes be inconvenient. Six of the volumes included here deal specifically with vital records. Some of the titles, such as Vital Records of the Town of Plymouth, are collections of the work of renowned Mayflower scholar George Bowman who methodically transcribed the official records of Massachusetts' town clerks. Vital records usually contain the full name of the individual involved in the event, the date of the event, and the town in which the event took place. 

- Narrative histories of entire families 
- Biographies of early settlers 
- Abstracts of wills and administrations 
- Town histories 
- Land records 
- Dates of vital records (births, marriages and deaths)

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Tennessee Marriages, 1787-1866

Search this invaluable collection of marriage records produced with the Genealogical Publishing Company. Resources included were compiled almost exclusively by Edythe Whitley, who spent a lifetime studying the genealogical records of Middle Tennessee.

-- Most complete coverage of Tennessee marriages in 21 counties - time periods vary by county
-- Approximately 278,000 individuals referenced
-- Many early Tennessee marriage records have not survived or are extremely difficult to track down. In some cases, these records seem to be all that exist for particular counties and time periods.

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Directory of the Ancestral Heads of New England Families, 1620-1700

A highly esteemed guide to New England ancestry, this work consists of an alphabetically arranged list of nearly 15,000 heads of families who arrived in New England in the 17th century. For each, the known facts are supplied, and this includes the earliest place of residence in New England, the place of emigration, where the emigrant moved to in New England, occupation, dates of birth and death, the derivation of surnames, and the source citations...

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Marriage Index: Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington, 1727-1900

Approximately 154,000 individuals who were married between 1727 and 1900 in select Western states and counties.

Marriage indexes can save you research time by telling you that a particular marriage record containing your ancestor's name exists. With the information provided, you may be able to find a newspaper announcement, which may provide more details about the bride, groom, and their families.

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Family Photo Detective: Learn How to Find Genealogy Clues in Old Photos and Solve Family Photo Mysteries

Historical family photos are cherished heirlooms that offer a glimpse into the lives of our ancestors. But the images, and the stories behind them, often fade away as decades pass - the who, when, where and why behind the photos are lost. In this book, photo identification expert and genealogist Maureen A. Taylor shows you how to study the clues in your old family photos to put names to faces and recapture their lost stories.
Inside, you'll learn how to:

• Determine the type of image you have - from common paper prints to stereographs to historical daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and tintypes
• Use clothing, accessories, and hairstyles to date the image in the correct decade
• Research photographer's imprints to narrow down when and where the photo was taken
• Compare facial features in multiple photos to confirm identity and family resemblance
• Interview family members to gather more information about the image
• Identify props in the photo to create context for the image

Each chapter includes dozens of historical photos to illustrate key points and provide clear examples. Charts, timelines and resource lists make it easy to find the exact information you need. Dozens of case studies show you how to apply the techniques in the book to real-life photo research projects. The answers to your family photo questions are closer than you think. Let this book help you start finding them today.

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Marriage Index: Maine, 1743-1891

This database contains information on approximately 230,000 individuals who were married between 1743 and 1891 in select Maine counties. Fully indexed, it is a valuable resource because it brings together previously uncollected marriage records and gives you easy access to information that you would otherwise have to obtain from local sources. Information was collected from a variety of sources including the Family History Library and the Maine State Archives...

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The Romance of Names

The author's aim in this book was to steer a clear course between a too learned and a too superficial treatment, and rather to show how surnames are formed, than to adduce innumerable examples which the reader should be able to solve for himself. The subject matter is divided into a number of rather short chapters, dealing with the various classes and subdivision into which surnames fall; but the natural association which exists between names often prevailed over rigid classification...

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Selected U.S./Internat'l Marriage Records, 1340-1980 (Genealogy Lookups)

This database contains marriage record information for approximately 1,400,000 individuals from across all fifty United States and thirty-two different countries around the world. These records, which include information on more than 500 years of marriages, were compiled over thirty-four years of family history research by professional genealogist Bill Yates. This unique collection of records was extracted from a variety of sources including family group sheets and electronic databases. Originally, the information was derived from an array of materials including pedigree charts, family history articles, queries, letters, Bible records, wills, biographies, and manuscript genealogies.

Listings Include:
You may be able to learn the full names of the bride and groom, their birth dates, the year and/or month they were married, and the marriage location. 

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Becoming an Accredited Genealogist: Plus 100 Tips to Ensure Your Success

Do you need help in completing all of your personal family history research? 

Are you curious about how a professional genealogical researcher makes a living? 

Do you want to understand the steps and procedures involved in attaining the status of Accredited Genealogist? 

If you answered yes to any of these questions, Becoming an Accredited Genealogist is the resource book for you! Many professionals have established their personal reputation, in part, through the process of accreditation. Author Karen Clifford presents a clear understanding of what should be expected from the efforts of a professional family historian. Anyone can collect money for genealogical research and be called a paid researcher, but the knowledge, training, integrity, and efficiency of genealogists with credentials set them apart. Becoming an Accredited Genealogist will help you through the process of earning your credentials. This revised edition outlines the benefits of being an accredited genealogist and describes the knowledge and basic research skills expected of a professional. It also examines the experience, testing procedures, and application processes required to apply and ultimately pass the test for credentials. 

Even if your lifetime goal is not to become a professional genealogist, this scholarly work will teach you what to expect whenever you hire a professional to assist your personal family history research challenges!

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Marriage Index: New York #2, 1740s-1880s (Genealogy Lookups)

This database indexes nearly 100,000 individuals who were married in the state of New York from the mid 1700s to the late 1800s. The marriage records indexed in this database have been collected from a variety of sources including church records, newspapers, census records, and state vital records...

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Documents for Genealogy & Local History

An essential guide to reading and understanding the old documents necessary for researching family or local history

Genealogists and local historians have probably seen every birth, marriage, death, and census record available, and are adept at using the internet for research. However, once they have learned everything they can from them, the next step is reading and understanding older documents. These can be hard to find, as not many are online, and they are often written in challenging handwriting and use legal and other unfamiliar terms. Some will be in Latin, antiquated English, or Scots. Readers need to be able to understand the nature and intent of a range of documents as well as the palaeography (the handwriting) and orthography (the "shape" of the contents). Wills, testaments, contracts, indentures, charters, land records, personal letters, official records, church records, and others, mainly from the period 1560 to 1800, are covered here as are dates, numbers, calendars, measurements and money, abbreviations, transcription conventions, letter-forms, and glossaries. It also includes a Latin primer...

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Marriage Index: Selected Areas of New York, 1639-1916 (Genealogy Lookups)

This database contains marriage information from selected areas of New York for approximately 152,000 individuals. This database contains some of the earliest known church and government marriage information, from 1639, and continues through the 18th and 19th centuries. Marriage information may not be comprehensive for the time and region covered...

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Scottish Genealogy

Authoritative, entertaining, and informative, this reader-friendly reference explains how to get beyond the standard births, marriages, deaths, and census search and dig deeper into genealogy

 

A comprehensive guide to tracing Scottish family history, this book is designed to exploit the rich resources that the country with possibly the most complete and best-kept set of records and other documents in the world has to offer. Using worked examples and addressing the questions of DNA, palaeography, and the often confusing issues of clans, families, and tartans, Bruce Durie covers both physical and electronic sources, reminding the reader that there are more routes to follow than just the internet, and that not everything written down is correct. Comparisons are made with records elsewhere, and all of the 28 million people throughout the world who claim Scottish ancestry will find something here to help, challenge, and stimulate. Complete with templates and methods which will enable family historians everywhere to exploit the resources available, this is the definitive reader-friendly guide to genealogy and family history in Scotland...

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Marriage Index: Ohio, 1789-1850 (Genealogy Lookups)

This database contains indexes to approximately 303,000 selected marriage records from 85 counties in the state of Ohio. Fulton and Monroe counties are not included, as records from these counties were destroyed by fires. Records indexed may not be comprehensive for the time and region covered...

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Collecting Dead Relatives: An Irreverent Romp Through the Field of Genealogy

For the first time . . . a book that looks on the comic side of genealogy! Here you'll meet the people and situations you're already familiar with--the BORE, the BLUEBLOOD, the OLD MASTER, and the BRIEFCASE MAGNET, and a clutch of dissembling officials, wet-nosed beginners, and tongue-clucking harridans--but this time the meeting will drive you wild with laughter.

You'll learn about the latest techniques used by county clerks in repelling genealogists, about projector fatigue, and about acceptable and unacceptable behavior in graveyards. And you'll read about the sins of the D.A.R., research trip survival tactics, sadism in the county courthouse, the banality of workshops and seminars, the proper etiquette in prying information from reluctant relatives, and much, much more. This work is guaranteed to keep you sane and keep you laughing...

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Marriage Index: District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, 1740-1920 (Genealogy Lookups)

This data set contains information on approximately 250,000 individuals who were married between 1740 and 1920 in select Mid-Atlantic states. Marriage indexes can save you research time by telling you that a particular marriage record containing your ancestor's name exists. With the information provided, you may be able to find a newspaper announcement, which may provide more details about the bride, groom, and their families. 

Once you have the details provided by the marriage index on this resource, you may be able to contact the county in which the marriage took place to request a copy of the original marriage record. Original marriage records can often provide you with more information, such as the names and birthplaces of the bride's and groom's parents, addresses of the bride and groom, information about previous marriages, and witnesses' names...

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Genealogy Bundle: Free Sites - Maps - Cemeteries - Civil War - Case Study

Internet expert Nancy Hendrickson has bundled five of her most popular Kindle One-Hour Genealogist Guides in this super-savings bundle. Get all five today for the price of two and tackle fun family tree Internet research projects:

Bundle includes:

1. 101 of the Best Free Websites for Climbing Your Family Tree
2. Cemetery Research on the Internet
3. Family Tree Case Study
4. Family Tree Map Research on the Internet
5. How to Find Your Civil War Ancestor

What Family Tree Tips Will You Learn? 

1. Free websites for locating social history, military history, immigration, data in each of the U.S. states, and free databases.
2. Look over an expert's shoulder as she uses the Internet to track down an elusive ancestor - a case study.
3. It's the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Learn how to easily find your soldier ancestor, track his movements, locate Civil War photos and maps.
4. The value of old maps in tracking ancestors. Where to find free maps, how they contain clues to family migrations.
5. How to use the Internet to find ancestral burial spots; where to request photos, how to get the best photos in a cemetery, even under poor lighting.

The author has spent a lifetime tracking down her ancestral lines; learn her favorite tricks and short-cuts to finding your family on the Internet. All of the sites listed are free. 

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Marriage Index: Texas, 1851-1900 (Genealogy Lookups)

This data collection contains information on approximately 272,000 individuals who were married between 1851 and 1900 in select Texas counties. Fully indexed, it is a valuable resource because it brings together previously uncollected marriage records and gives you easy access to information that you would otherwise have to obtain from local sources... 

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Advanced Genealogy Research Techniques

A professional genealogist reveals how to get past brick walls in research and unearth hard-to-find ancestors

Advanced Genealogy Research Techniques uses up-to-date and highly organized methods and techniques to show you how to find the elusive details to round out your genealogy research. You’ll get past the brick walls that have stumped you and see how to move beyond basic types of genealogy resources. The book covers a variety of software programs and specialized genealogy tools and shows you how to create an online genealogical research log to preserve data found and organize it in ways to help you understand what you’ve uncovered. Nearly every form of modern social networking is addresses as is using DNA records. This practical, in-depth guide provides the next level of detail for anyone who wants to expand beyond the beginner tactics and techniques.

• Uses proven research methods to go deeper and uncover elusive details 
• Helps you to understand the details you uncover and keep track of data 
• Covers a variety of software programs and specialized genealogy tools 
• Offers multiple scenarios and examples to drive home the research methods explained

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Marriage Index: Connecticut, 1635-1860 (Genealogy Lookups)

Approximately 134,000 individuals who were married between 1635 and 1860 in select Connecticut towns. 

Starting in 1650, registration of vital events (marriages, births, and deaths) was the responsibility of each town's clerk in Connecticut. Since a fine was charged for not recording an event, some town clerks maintained quite comprehensive records. While recording of vital events lagged from the Revolution to the mid-nineteenth century, recording in all towns improved by 1870 when the State Board of Health was created. This database includes information on marriages that occurred before the establishment of the State Board of Health and, thus, before a centralized repository was established.

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British and American Coats of Arms (Genealogy Lookups)

Here you'll find crests, coats of arms, mottoes, and lineages referencing approximately 137,000 individuals. The information collected here ranges from illustrated compilations of coats of arms to definitions of terms used in heraldic research. 

Before incorporating a coat of arms into your family history, it is important to note that sharing a surname does not necessarily mean that you share the right to a coat of arms. There is, for example, no such thing as a coat of arms for all people whose surname is Spencer. A coat of arms can only be granted to an individual and, as such, arms are associated with specific lineages rather than surnames. Similarly, many families with different names may share the same coat of arms. To claim a coat of arms as part of your family history, you must trace your lineage to the individual to whom the coat of arms was granted. 

In order to discover whether an inherited right to arms exists, it is necessary to trace your male-line ancestry back as far as possible and then examine the official records of the heraldic authority concerned. For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the heraldic authority is the College of Arms and for Scotland the heraldic authority is the Lyon Office. 

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Books Include: 
- American Amoury and Blue Book, 1907 edition. 
- Amorial Addenda to the 1907 edition. 
- American Amoury and Blue Book, 1903 edition. 
- American Amoury and Blue Book, 1911-1923 edition. 
- Crozier's General Armory. 
- Bolton's American Armory. 
- Virginia Heraldica. 
- An Ordinary of Scottish Arms. 
- Fairbairn's Book of Crests. 
- Great Britain & Ireland Crests, Vol. I, Part I. 
- Great Britain & Ireland Crests, Vol. I, Part II. 
- The General Armory