Neglected Gold in Older Genealogical and Historical Periodicals

Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA
Apr 11, 2025
1.2K views
CC
Want to watch the full webinar?
Join now to access all 2,403 webinars and unlock all features.

Content

Play. Playing.
Welcome
1m 24s
Play. Playing.
Speaker's Introduction
1m 21s
Play. Playing.
Introduction
8m 00s
Play. Playing.
What Might Be in Them?
13m 26s
Play. Playing.
JSTOR
5m 59s
Play. Playing.
PERSI
3m 27s
Play. Playing.
Prologue Magazine
10m 24s
Play. Playing.
FamilySearch.org
6m 37s
Play. Playing.
Check These Places
8m 54s
Play. Playing.
Announcements / prizes
6m 20s
Play. Playing.
Questions / answers
11m 26s

About this webinar

Digitized, shelved, and some in obscure places. Online indexes and searchable images. Genealogical and historical society periodicals remain as important tools. This session illustrates the kind of treasures in those periodicals that might not be found anywhere else. Decades upon decades of articles have covered culture, migration, ethnicity, military, churches, cemeteries, family connections, queries, and other aspects of town, city, county, and state ancestral research. Indexes and record explanations with hundreds of names that are not on major genealogy websites. The webinar demonstrates how those periodicals are useful and vital for research, how to access them, and special considerations for using them to benefit your research.

About the speaker

About the speaker

Paula considers herself fortunate to be an internationally recognized genealogical educator, researcher and consultant focusing on unusual resources, manuscripts, methodology, and analyzing records. She also specializes in Native American research
Learn more...

Key points and insights

In the engaging webinar “Neglected Gold in Older Genealogical and Historical Periodicals,” esteemed genealogist Paula Stuart-Warren shines a light on a powerful but often underutilized resource for family historians. With her signature enthusiasm and depth of knowledge, Stuart-Warren guides viewers through the wealth of genealogical clues and historical context tucked away in older periodicals produced by genealogical societies, historical organizations, and niche publications. This session delivers an eye-opening exploration of how these sources can reveal family connections, migration stories, and local histories that are often absent from more commonly searched records or databases.

Key Takeaways from the Webinar:

  • Discover Rich Context and Hidden Records: Older genealogical and historical periodicals frequently contain abstracts of records, cemetery transcriptions, Bible records, migration accounts, and family histories that may not be available elsewhere. Stuart-Warren emphasizes how these publications can include unique details such as occupation-specific listings, ethnic group insights, and even early genealogical queries or corrections published decades before the internet era.
  • Master Finding Aids and Search Strategies: The webinar introduces a variety of finding aids like PERSI (Periodical Source Index), NUCMC, ArchiveGrid, JSTOR, and the Online Books Page. Stuart-Warren provides guidance on how to navigate these resources effectively, recommending keyword and surname variations, and suggesting libraries, genealogical societies, and digital archives where these periodicals may be accessed.
  • Expand Beyond Traditional Genealogy Sources: Stuart-Warren encourages researchers to explore beyond genealogy-specific publications, highlighting the value of occupational journals, ethnic group newsletters, scholarly journals, and historical society quarterlies. Examples include circus people periodicals, railroad telegrapher magazines, and publications focused on ethnic migration chains—each offering surprising and valuable genealogical insights.

To gain the full benefit of Paula Stuart-Warren’s expertise and discover strategies that could unlock missing pieces of your family history puzzle, watch the complete webinar. This presentation is filled with examples and techniques that can help genealogists at all levels tap into a resource-rich world of periodical research.

Don’t forget to explore the syllabus and additional resources included with the webinar. These tools offer even more pathways to locate periodicals, indexes, and archives, empowering you to uncover stories and details that bring your family’s past vividly to life.

Comments (64)

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

1000 characters remaining

Sort by Newest
Sort by Close.
  • Newest
  • Oldest
  • Likes
  1. TJ
    Tammy Jones
    1 week ago

    Neglected no longer! I love hearing Paula revel in unrelated articles just for the joy of learning. It’s a great reminder that we shouldn’t feel that time was wasted. Instead, let’s appreciate the incredible information available to us with the investment of our time. Thank you.

    Reply
  2. TL
    Tracy L Meyers
    2 weeks ago

    “I hope no one ever told you that it would be quick research . . .”

    Honestly, no one ever, until Paula today and Elizabeth Shown Mills, ever says it’s not. Many . . . too many . . . are given the impression by ancestry, genealogy shows such as Who Do You Think You Are? Finding Your Roots and the Genealogy Road show that “research” is both quick and easy. It is the single most disappointing thing to me about these websites, particularly Ancestry, and these shows.

    Reply
  3. CR
    Carol Rikerd
    2 weeks ago

    Paula is so easy to follow in her presentations. She does wonderful work.

    Reply
  4. JT
    Jean Tempke
    2 weeks ago

    I always enjoy Paula’s presentations and come away with lots of rabbit holes to go down.

    Reply
  5. GD
    Gillian Downie
    2 weeks ago

    Loved the subject the enthusiasm of the speaker and the rapport with the host.

    Reply
  6. JH
    Jacqueline Herring
    2 weeks ago

    Introduced many genealogy sources I never knew about and offered lot of great tips on how to find what you need for your research!

    Reply
  7. KA
    Kathryn Allahyari
    2 weeks ago

    Excellent lists of resources – may I add West Coast resources: (1) The Fiske Genealogical Library in Seattle WA has an online catalog of its superb collection and does InterLibrary Loans of genealogical books and periodicals: (2) The Sutro Genealogical Library in San Francisco has an awesome collection.

    Reply
  8. JF
    Jean Foster
    2 weeks ago

    Paula always has great information and enjoy listening to her ideas. Thanks for the refresher course on periodicals.

    Reply

Related Webinars