Historical Records

This class will briefly explain the different types of DNA (autosomal, Y-DNA and mtDNA) and provide helpful tips for analyzing your DNA matches to identify your strongest matches to help you go back to your immigrant ancestor. A few examples of using this approach will be shown through mini case studies.

It’s not over ’til the fat lady sings? Nope. It’s not over until you find where the big girl was buried. This presentation offers examples of records that can lead genealogists to an ancestor’s elusive final resting place.

Legalese. Boilerplate. Obsolete laws. Ancestral idiosyncrasies. The documents our ancestors created are full of such traps. This session uses two typical documents from different regions to illustrate, line by line, how to sort chaff from wheat, interpret deceptive language, and develop clues.

Genealogists LOVE cemeteries but we don’t always know the history behind them. When we know the history, types, and traditions of cemeteries we can do better research that helps us understand our ancestor’s final resting place. In this presentation we will take a look at the history of US cemeteries, what you would expect to find depending on time and place, and where you can find records beyond the usual places.

This talk will discuss how to obtain deceased 20th century veterans’ claims files, of which 1.1 million boxes are languishing in warehouses around the US.

Church record research is a must for any genealogist. Many of our archives have church records available to researchers. There are also independent church archives for specific religions or denominations that can help you discover your ancestor. Learn from a seasoned genealogist and archivist how to find church records in archives.

Divorce in Queensland Australia was very difficult to obtain. Some couples then just lived together and some underwent a bigamous marriage. What were the penalties? The records? Follow these ten bigamy case studies.

Topographic maps and soil maps should help us identify a community, including neighbors, ferries, mills, cemeteries, historic houses, and many other landmarks. By using a combination of resources, the picture of this community will be more visible and more clearly understood.

As researchers, family historians, compilers, bloggers, or writers of other ilk, genealogists face legal and ethical perils they often do not anticipate. This crash course offers practical guidance to enhance your skills and keep you safe as you explore history, reconstruct lives, and “write up” your findings. While the issues are serious—from the legal issue of copyright to the ethical issue of plagiarism—the lessons are taught with a light heart and humor.