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You Got Your DNA Test Results – Now What?!
DNA test results are anxiously awaited by many genealogy researchers. After all, when – not if – we hit that brick wall in the search for our ancestor, DNA testing can provide clues to our questions. That was just the case with my 5th great grandfather Cagebeth White. For many years, Cagebeth was my genealogical brick wall. (Aspects of his life still are!) Having an unusual first name paired with a common surname, he was relatively easy to track in the records. Figuring out how he fit in among the other White families of North Carolina and Virginia was not so easy. DNA testing of White family descendants on several…
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How To Research Your Ancestor’s Estate Record
Researching your ancestor’s estate record can provide a gold mine of information and give your genealogy research a boost! A common source of genealogical information, I daresay estate and probate records are among some of the first records a researcher seeks out. Why? Well, you certainly find information on the deceased, but more often I am after information about any other family members and/or members of the community that are mentioned. Multiple generations, neigbors and those associated with the family can also be found among the pages of an estate record. And… If your ancestors were contentious and tended to sue each other over an estate, even better. Well, maybe…
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How to Use City Directories In Your Genealogy Research
Are city directories a part of your genealogy toolbox? It was bound to happen. You exhausted the more traditional genealogy records (census records, vital records, deeds….) for your ancestor and you still need more information. At a recent conference you attended, someone recommended you search for your ancestor(s) in the city directories. What is the city directory and why would you use one in your genealogy research? When I first heard of using city directories in my genealogy research, I immediately thought of phone books. Yes, phone books are directories, but relatively new in the evolution of city directories. City directories have been around for a long time with the…
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How To Find and Research Unusual Genealogy Sources
How to find and use unusual genealogy sources to research your ancestors. Jumpstart your research using uncommon records you may have missed. In a previous post, I shared one of my children’s favorite television shows when they were little – the Disney Channel’s show Out of the Box. We all loved that show! (I still have the theme song in my head.) Encouraged to use their imaginations, my children were soon using everyday objects to create castles and boats and forts and tea parties…..you get the idea. My children were thinking outside of the box when it came to their play. Now don’t worry. We are not going to be researching…