When Genealogy Challenges You….
What obstacles are you facing this week? A research brick wall... finding a particular record... getting your stuff organized? Leave your comments below so we and other Gems can cheer you on. Have a wonderful week!...
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DNA and Privacy: No Man is a Genetic Island
The recent identification of the Golden State Killer through a DNA database for genealogy is just one way your DNA may be used in unexpected ways. Lisa Louise Cooke shares 5 key principles to keep in mind when considering your online DNA presence. Golden State...
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Making Family History Accessible for the Visually or Hearing Impaired
Making your family history accessible to your visually or hearing impaired relatives may require a little extra work. But the effort can mean making your genealogy discoveries more available and vivid for EVERYONE--now and in the future. Let these ideas help you! ...
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Unclaimed Persons Celebrates 10th Anniversary
Ten years ago, Unclaimed Persons launched as a volunteer effort within the genealogical community to help coroners reunite unclaimed bodies with their families. Here's what Unclaimed Persons has accomplished over the past decade--and how you can join the growing...
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Finding a Birth Father Using DNA: “How We Did It”
Finding a birth father using DNA is possible but can be hit-or-miss with DNA alone. Read this story about how the experts at Legacy Tree Genealogists combined DNA testing results with historical research and family knowledge to help one woman find the answers--and...
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New York Genealogy Records and More
Work on your New York genealogy research with these new naturalization and marriage license records. Also: WWII draft registrations; family history records for AL, ID, KS, KY, LA, OH, VA; and records from Australia, Canada (including a mapped-out photo archive of...
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Episode 218 – It’s All About You
The Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode #218 with Lisa Louise Cooke In this episode, Lisa answers your questions and shares your comments. Hot topics on your minds that are covered in this episode: discovering new records online, working with other people's online trees,...
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MyHeritage News: Pedigree View, End of WorldVitalRecords
We have three pieces of MyHeritage news to share with you. First: a quick summary of the billion records they've added recently--including U.S. newspapers. Second: a much-requested feature for their online family trees launches. Third: they're retiring the site that...
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Pennsylvania Genealogy Brick Wall Strategies
It’s a common Pennsylvania genealogy brick wall: “My ancestors are from PA—but I don’t know where!” Pennsylvania expert Jim Beidler has strategies that may help narrow down the needle-in-a-haystack problem of identifying your ancestor’s home county. Here, we also add...
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Here are the Genealogical Resources You are Not Seeing
In the digital era, it's more important than ever to digitize your family history: tree data, photos, stories, interviews, home movies and compiled research. Digitizing preserves the information against loss and allows others to enjoy it now. And for future...
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New Genealogy Records this Week: Chicago Catholic Parish Records and More
Chicago Catholic parish records top this week’s list of new and updated U.S. genealogy records online. Also: Japanese internment camp testimonies; AK and NC WWI digital archives; CO, GA and NC school records; GA and MT newspapers; ID, NY and OR photo archives; IL...
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Courthouse research tips for genealogists
Got a research trip coming up soon? These courthouse research tips for genealogists from The Archive Lady, Melissa Barker, will help you get organized before you hit the road. That way, you'll be prepared to use your time well at your ancestor's courthouse--to explore...
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Forensic Genealogy: Beyond the Golden State Killer Case
The Golden State killer DNA-credited arrest was just the beginning. Another cold case—a double murder—has new answers thanks to forensic genealogy research techniques and a company that helps criminal investigators use them. Though legal and privacy questions still...
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Irish history in pictures, film and folklore
This week’s records roundup features Irish history in pictures, film and folklore; 1939 Register updates; British and Irish newspapers; UK WWI War Memorials Register, British folk music, Norfolk and Somerset parish records, Wiltshire wills and probate and Scotland...
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“Archivist in a Backpack:” Create a Portable Archiving Kit
A new "Archivist in a Backpack" project to support community archiving offers genealogists a great idea: a portable archiving kit for on-the-go genealogy research and preservation projects. The Archive Lady Melissa Barker explains the initiative and offers her ideas...
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Create Your Family History Google Earth Tour
Tours are great way to see highlights in the shortest amount of time. Why not take your relatives on a virtual family history tour? You can do just that using the free Google Earth pro software. Read more as Lisa shares some tips and strategies to using Google Earth...
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Now Online: England Parish Records and More
English parish records top this week’s list of new online genealogy records. More new or updated family history collections: British newspapers, pensions and India records; records for Brazil, Germany, The Netherlands, Peru, and Poland; UK images and deaths; US...
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The Story of Memorial Day
The history of Memorial Day--formerly Decoration Day--and what he will be doing to honor it are shared here by Military Minutes contributor Michael Strauss. We also give you quick links to more free family history articles on researching your ancestors who gave the...
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