Lineage and Lingerers: Why Our Ancestors Stayed Put

This class will suggest various avenues that can be explored by those who are in the process of giving their study a worldwide flavour.

Beginner genealogists often research their surname origins first, and get stuck at a certain point. The skills needed to surmount these early brick walls come in time, with study and practice, and the increasing availability of DNA and online resources. In this webinar, Shellee describes her brick wall ancestor, Samuel...

When the United States acquired land that had been under the governance of foreign nations (Great Britain, France, Spain, and Mexico), the U.S. government agreed to grant title to landowners who could prove prior legal land rights from those foreign governments. This webinar shows how to access and use records…

Thorough analysis of each source document is how genealogists plan their next research steps. Including mind mapping as a visual method of analysis can help focus further research questions, point to missing sources, and support indirect evidence analysis.

Performing reasonably exhaustive research assumes researchers recognize the resources available to solve a research question. Genealogists must recognize pertinent resources available to solve a research question and understand the limits of each of those resources. This lecture helps to navigate the pitfalls.

This lecture reveals the most powerful methodology available to genealogists. Family historians often begin their genealogical quest by researching only their direct ancestors. For many reasons the direct ancestor they search for may have left few records. The records that survive may not shed light on where the ancestor came…

Family historians face significant challenges tracing immigrant ancestors. Changes in language, culture, family composition, given name, surname, country of residence, and occupation tend to obscure the origins of many immigrants. This presentation introduces seven methodologies to effectively trace immigrant origins, illustrated with examples from the early 1600s to the early...

Raw facts do not tell a story. They may not even tell the truth about what they do relate. As researchers, we seek original documents that offer us "the facts." But facts are impish devils, and historical records do not speak for themselves. They cannot explain themselves. They are inert...

The Moravians in the 1700s not only settled Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, but their mission work took them to other areas to work with Native Americans. Moravian records include Community Diaries which were required to be kept by each settlement. They were a way for them to record not only ecclesiastical events but other events that affected their settlement such as their interactions with native populations and slaves as they went about doing their missionary work. The German heritage of the Moravians shows in the details of naming visitors (along with any aliases) and relationships among the individuals mentioned. The Moravian records are truly a treasure-trove for anyone whose ancestors were in the same vicinity or time.