Neglected Gold in Older Genealogical and Historical Periodicals
Paula Stuart-Warren, CG®, FMGS, FUGA
Content
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
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.
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.
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Comments (64)
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.
"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.
Paula is so easy to follow in her presentations. She does wonderful work.
I always enjoy Paula's presentations and come away with lots of rabbit holes to go down.
Loved the subject the enthusiasm of the speaker and the rapport with the host.
Introduced many genealogy sources I never knew about and offered lot of great tips on how to find what you need for your research!
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.
Paula always has great information and enjoy listening to her ideas. Thanks for the refresher course on periodicals.