Genealogy Research
Explore genealogy research articles and how-to tutorials designed to help you trace your ancestors and grow your family tree.
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How a 1950’s Photograph Led to a Family Reunion
Many of you my long time readers know how absolutely fortunate I was to receive a plethora of family photographs once I started my family research. Photographs arrived by way of large Rubbermaid boxes, snail mail, email and a lot of road trips. Identifying each of the individuals in the photographs has been a challenge. Frequently, I knew one or two of the individuals, but not the more distant relatives. For many of the photographs, the first step was to determine if the photo was of ancestors or their friends. This photograph of my great great grandmother Clara Haley was posted early in my blog’s history (back when Are You My…
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Using A Written Church History in Your Genealogy Research
Have you ever used a written church history in your genealogical research? Church histories are locally published by an individual church and provide a valuable information about its members and the surrounding communities : history of the area, church membership roles, church minutes, photographs of church members and activities. This is just a sample of what you can find in a church history. Let’s look what can be found in this paperback church history of Baptist Chapel Church located near Broadway in Lee County, NC.
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I Twitter-ized Another Ancestor
I twitter-ized another ancestor! I first twitter-ized my grandmother Cecile White Howard a couple of months ago. I had discovered (as many genealogists do) that my family really was not interested in a long in-depth story about our ancestors. What they want (think teens here!) is a quick snippet or overview. I took up the challenge again: Could I impart enough information about my great grandmother Stella White in 140 characters to spark a family member’s interest in future conversations? Stella Holyfield White was my great grandmother and the mother of Cecile White Howard. What are the important aspects of her life that I can share in 140 characters? The Result: Stella…
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Determing An Illegitimate Ancestor’s Parents
Most genealogy researchers run across illegitimacy at some point in their research. Friends often ask me if it is possible to prove an illegitimate ancestor’s parents. The answer: Sometimes. Bastardy Bonds and Apprentice Bonds