One of the toughest challenges faced by genealogists is the difficulty of identifying and tracking females. Wives and mothers traditionally have been “supporting characters” to the roles played by their husbands and sons—bearing no known name other than that of the males they married or bore. Historically, social mores and law codes made them second-class citizens, without a legal identity of their own and few rights or opportunities to create the range of records that genealogists customarily use to trace males. This session presents an array of resources—and, more importantly, techniques and strategies backed by case studies—we can use to establish the identities of elusive females.

Whether you’re missing a naturalization record or finding an unexpected one, this session helps you discover how female ancestors — both foreign-born and birthright — gained, lost, or regained citizenship in the United States between 1790 and 1945. US citizenship and attendant rights for women could be fragile, depending on marital status, prevailing laws, social norms, and other shifting factors. Examples of US naturalization and citizenship records, and search strategies for finding these records are featured in this presentation.

We will explore how implementing standard research methodology may open up new avenues of discovery to unlock previously “hidden” evidence of female ancestors’ stories. Using reasonably exhaustive research, evidence correlation, analysis proof standard elements and cluster research methodology, we can uncover critical information to help us develop our female ancestors’ stories. Today’s discussion includes two case studies of females born in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. An exploration of sources, beyond census and marriage records, was required to enhance their life stories. One subject was born into an affluent family who settled in north central Tennessee, and the second was enslaved from birth until Emancipation in western Kentucky.

We frequently bemoan the dearth of records left by women, but records left by spinsters and widows can be particularly valuable for reconstructing families when properly analyzed. Many people neglect to research spinsters (women who never married) as they have no descendants, but to whom shall they leave their estates? Extended family! Tracing widows to see who they live with can reveal previously unknown family members. See examples where women’s records have illuminated familial relationships and learn strategies to apply to your own research.

Searching for the maiden name of our ancestress can be frustrating. This webinar presents a hierarchy of search strategies for tracing the maiden name. Begin by trying to locate a marriage record, keeping in mind the record will vary by time period and geographic location. If a marriage record search proves fruitless, a second tier of sources is recommended including children’s death records, the women’s death record, census and other sources. Finally, the webinar presents strategies specific to the maiden name search such as following the husband and learning about history where the couple lived.

Using a case study we will take a look at their lives and the records they left behind as well as what 19th century records might record your female ancestor’s life.

One of the stumbling blocks for family historians is researching before 1850 when the US census is limited to only the names of the head of household. Compounded by laws that affected women, such as coverture, and those female ancestors can be fairly invisible to the researcher. So how do…

“Women can’t be found in genealogical documents.” “They are difficult to research.” While these statements can be true, there are records out there that document their lives. We will explore 50 records to consider as you research female ancestors from the colonial period to the 20th century in the United…

Like using negative space in art, the successful identification of women is often accomplished by using the records of friends and family.

For this 100th anniversary year of the US in World War I, we’ll look at the history of American women during World War I and what resources exist to research their story.

Mormon women in Utah have a rich history that includes suffrage, important work outside of the home, and of course polygamy. In this presentation learn ways to find out more about your Mormon ancestress aside from information about her in familiar sources like the census or vital records.

What resources are available for researching your California ancestress? California women received the right to vote in 1911 which results in records nonexistent in some other states but other activities like club memberships, church activities, and work leave even more. Periodicals, directories, cookbooks, and organizational records leave…