May 22, 2013

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Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Free Military Records on Two Major Sites

May 22, 2013 By
Military image at Findmypast.com.

Military image at Findmypast.com.

If you have relatives who have served in the military, why don’t you plan a little extra genealogical web surfing time this week? Here are two sites offering free temporary access to records:

1) In honor of Memorial Day in the United States,  findmypast.com is offering free searching of its collection of U.S. and international military records from midnight EDT on Thursday, May 23 until midnight EDT on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27.

Findmypast.com hosts over 26 million military records, with an emphasis on 20th-century records. That’s a plus for U.S. military records because so many from the 20th century were destroyed in a huge fire at the National Personnel Records Center in 1973. For the U.S., you’ll find World War I draft registration cards; World War II Army enlistments and prisoner of war records; Korean War casualties and POWs; Vietnam War casualties and even “casualties returned alive” (people thought to be dead but who came home) and an Army casualty file for 1961-1981.

There’s a much longer list for military records for the U.K. and Australasia, and a short, separate list of Irish military records. I’m guessing many of you in the English-speaking world have relatives who appear in these records.

Anyone can access these records by registering at findmypast.com.

2) In honor of Memorial Day next week, MyHeritage is granting free access to millions of military records from their most popular collections. The records can be accessed from here.

The free offer ends on May 28.

The collections will help you journey back in time to some of the most important conflicts in world history, which impacted American families as well as millions of families worldwide.

Here is the link to their official blog post – http://blog.myheritage.com/2013/05/memorial-day-free-access-to-us-military-records/

Filed Under: British, Findmypast, Military, Records, What's New Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

More Family History Records on FamilySearch.org

April 25, 2013 By

Thanks a BillionFamilySearch.org keeps adding records at a phenomenal pace, thanks in large part to the efforts of thousands of volunteer indexers around the world. In fact, they recently celebrated the billionth record indexed since they started community indexing in September 2006.

Here’s a list of online collections with records recently added or improved. Do you notice that this new list is “browsable only?” That means you can scroll through them online, but there’s not a searchable index yet. FamilySearch staff and volunteers are imaging record sets even faster than indexers can get them indexed!
Want to help? Join over 133,000 active indexers who index projects of their choice, from U.S. naturalizations to Brazilian church records. Join the effort here.

Collection

Indexed Records

Digital Images

Comments

Australia, Tasmania, Civil Registration, 1803-1933

0

73,580

New browsable image collection.

England, Northumberland, Miscellaneous Records, 1570-2005

0

11,631

Added images to an existing collection.

Italy, Bari, Trani, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1910

0

6,549

Added images to an existing collection.

Italy, Caserta, Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1929

0

2,961

Added images to an existing collection.

Philippines, La Union, Diocese of San Fernando de La Union, 1801-1981

0

25,464

New browsable image collection.

Spain, Cádiz, Testaments, 1550-1920

0

48,616

Added images to an existing collection.

Spain, Province of Cádiz, Municipal Records, 1784-1931

0

49,363

New browsable image collection.

Spain, Records of Widows and Orphans of Spanish Officials, 1835-1960

0

44,021

Added images to an existing collection.

U.S., Missouri, Cole County Circuit Court Case Files, 1820-1926

0

28,638

Added images to an existing collection.

U.S., Ohio, Southern District Naturalization Index, 1852-1991

0

92,436

New browsable image collection.

U.S., South Dakota, County Naturalization Records, 1865-1972

0

124,277

New browsable image collection.

lection  Indexed Records  Digital Images  Comments 
Australia, Tasmania, Civil Registration, 1803-1933  0 73,580 New browsable image collection. 
England, Northumberland, Miscellaneous Records, 1570-2005  0 11,631 Added images to an existing collection. 
Italy, Bari, Trani, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1910  0 6,549 Added images to an existing collection. 
Italy, Caserta, Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1929  0 2,961 Added images to an existing collection. 
Philippines, La Union, Diocese of San Fernando de La Union, 1801-1981  0 25,464 New browsable image collection. 
Spain, Cádiz, Testaments, 1550-1920  0 48,616 Added images to an existing collection. 
Spain, Province of Cádiz, Municipal Records, 1784-1931  0 49,363 New browsable image collection. 
Spain, Records of Widows and Orphans of Spanish Officials, 1835-1960  0 44,021 Added images to an existing collection. 
U.S., Missouri, Cole County Circuit Court Case Files, 1820-1926  0 28,638 Added images to an existing collection. 
U.S., Ohio, Southern District Naturalization Index, 1852-1991  0 92,436 New browsable image collection. 
U.S., South Dakota, County Naturalization Records, 1865-1972  0 124,277 New browsable image collection. 
Brazil, Civil Registration, 1870-2012 0 44,220 Added images to an existing collection.
Germany, Brandenburg, Berlin, Probate Records, 1796-1853 0 449,478 New browsable image collection.
Germany, Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach, Jena, City Directories, 1810-1935 0 3,721 New browsable image collection.
Germany, Saxe-Meiningen, Saalfeld an der Saale, Miscellaneous City Records, 1876-1920 0 8,433 New browsable image collection.
Italy, Benevento, Benevento, Civil Registration (Comune), 1861-1929 0 5,700 Added images to an existing collection.
Italy, Cagliari, Cagliari, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1929 0 53,195 Added images to an existing collection.
Italy, Siracusa, Siracusa, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1900-1942 0 146,387 New browsable image collection.
Luxembourg, Census Records, 1843-1900 0 199 Added images to an existing collection.
Netherlands, Bibliothéque Wallonne, Card Indexes, ca. 1500-1858 0 1,033,852 New browsable image collection.
Peru, Huánuco, Civil Registration, 1889-1997 0 13,015 Added images to an existing collection.
Peru, Junín, Civil Registration, 1890-2005 0 43,771 Added images to an existing collection.
Peru, La Libertad, Civil Registration, 1903-1998 0 28,331 New browsable image collection.
Ukraine, Kyiv Orthodox Consistory Church Book Duplicates, 1840-1845 149,902 0 Added index records to an existing collection.
U.S., Alabama, Estate Files, 1830-1976 0 181,004 Added images to an existing collection.
U.S., Maryland, Probate Estate and Guardianship Files, 1796-1940 16,963 173,751 Added index records and images to an existing collection.
U.S., Oregon, Tillamook County Records, 1854-1967 0 64,546 New browsable image collection.
U.S., Washington, County Records, 1856-2009 0 210 Added images to an existing collection.
Venezuela, Archdiocese of Merida, Catholic Church Records, 1654-2012 0 7,472 Added images to an existing collection.
Filed Under: familysearch, Records, Uncategorized, What's New Tagged With: , , , , ,

What Prompted Taxation, and How to Find Your Family History in Tax Records

April 10, 2013 By

It’s federal income tax season in the United States, and many Americans find tTax Recordshemselves mumbling about the 16th Amendment, which gave Congress the power to tax. But though nobody enjoys paying taxes, at least we can enjoy the benefits of our ancestors paying them. Where tax records exist, they tell us where our families were and sometimes what they owned.

According to the National Archives (U.S.), the Civil War prompted the first national income tax here, a flat 3% on incomes over $800. (See an image of the 16th Amendment and the first 1040 form here.) The Supreme Court halted a later attempt by Congress to levy another income tax, saying it was unconstitutional. In 1913 the 16th Amendment granted that power. Even then, only 1% of the population paid income taxes because most folks met the exemptions and deductions. Tax rates varied from 1% to 6%–wouldn’t we love to see those rates now!

Ancestry.com has indexed images of U.S. federal tax assessment lists from the Civil War period (and beyond, for some territories). Here’s a sample image from Arkansas:

Arkansas tax record 1867

Of course, the U.S. federal income tax is just one type. Taxes have been levied on real estate, personal property and income by local, regional and national governments throughout the world. In the U.S., you can often find real estate and personal property taxpayer lists in county courthouses or state archives. If you don’t find them, consult genealogical or historical organizations and guides to see what exists and where it might be. Or use your favorite internet search engine to find the ones you’re looking for. A Google search for “tax records genealogy Virginia” brings up great results from the Library of Virginia, the Virginia Historical Society and Binns Genealogy. (Use the keyword “genealogy” so historical records will pop up:  without that term, you’re going to get results that talk about paying taxes today.)

Some tax records are online, too. In addition to the federal records mentioned above, Ancestry.com hosts an enormous collection of tax records from London (1692-1932); significant collections from the U.S. states of Pennsylvania and Georgia; and many from Scotland, Ireland, Canada and Russia (there’s more: see a full list and descriptions here). FamilySearch.org hosts over a million records each of U.S. state tax records from Ohio and Texas.

I’ll leave you with this tantalizing list of data gathered in the Calhoun County, Georgia tax list of 1873: first, it enumerates whites, children, the blind/deaf/dumb, dentists, auctioneers, and those who have ten-pin alleys, pool tables and skating rinks. Then, real estate is assessed in detail. Finally, each person’s amount of money, investments, merchandise, household furniture, and investment in manufacturing is assessed. As you can see, it can pay you big to invest time in looking for your ancestor’s tax records! Just make sure that if you’re here in the U.S., and reading this before April 15, you’ve got your own taxes out of the way before you go searching for someone elses.

Filed Under: Ancestry, Records, Research, What's New Tagged With: , , , , ,

What the U.S. Federal Government Could Learn from Genealogists

April 9, 2013 By

Beware: Personal Opinions are coming your way in this article!

In my book The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox I emphasize how to use Google to determine what is already available and free online before investing your limited time and money in offline family history searching.  Smart genealogists allocate their resources wisely, getting the most bang for their buck. And collaboration between individual genealogists allows us to accomplish even more.

Money down the toiletIt looks like the U.S. Federal Government could learn a thing or two from savvy genealogists. The Washington Times is reporting that Congress’s auditor has discovered that our tax payer money given to the federal government isn’t being spent very wisely. (Imagine that!) Agencies fail to collaborate and share information, creating redundancy and overspending.

One example from the article: the Commerce Department “has been charging other government agencies millions of dollars for reports that the other agencies could just as easily have gotten online, for free – often with a Google search.”

This news makes it even harder to swallow the news that the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)  is suffering reduced hours of service due to budgetary issues.

The Bottom Line:
Google Twice, Pay Once (and only if you have to!)

 

 

Filed Under: NARA, Records, Research, What's New Tagged With: , ,

Find Your Confederate Civil War Soldiers

April 9, 2013 By

Confederate Fold 3

For the month of April, Fold3 is offering free access to its Confederate Civil War collections of more than 19 million records. Many of these are from the National Archives’ War Department Collection of Confederate Records: Confederate Compiled Service Records, Confederate citizens’ files and Confederate Casualty Reports. Whether you’re looking for specific Confederate Civil War soldiers or you’re just interested in history, these records are fascinating!

For example, there are compiled service records for “Galvanized Yankees,” or Confederate prisoners-of-war who obtained a release by enlisting in the Union army. Many of these files have the soldier’s declaration of “Volunteer Enlistment” and an oath of allegiance to the United States. You have to wonder what each man was thinking and feeling as he signed these papers. How did his Union enlistment go? How did his family and community react? If he survived the war, how was his life afterward affected by that choice? There are stories behind every record–and Civil War records are some of the most compelling.

You’ll also find other interesting records in this collection, many created post-war: the Confederate Amnesty Papers, Confederate Navy Subject File, papers relating to the Civil War Subversion Investigations, and files of the Southern Claims Commission.

 

Filed Under: History, Military, NARA, Records, What's New Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

FamilySearch Adds New Records

April 2, 2013 By

Recently FamilySearch announced the addition of another 1.7 million indexed Genealogy Takeout from GenealogyGems.comrecords and images to its free online Historical Records Collection. According to FamilySearch, “Notable collection updates include the 13,110 images from the new Arizona, Maricopa, Mesa City Cemetery Records, 1885-1960, collection and the 105,745 indexed records and images from the New Zealand, Immigration Passenger Lists, 1855-1973, collection.”

Whether you have roots in North Carolina or New Zealand, it may be worth it to check out their list of new records:

Collection Indexed Records Digital Images
Australia, Tasmania, Miscellaneous Records, 1829-1961 0 8,191
Austria, Upper Austria, Linz, Miscellaneous City Records, 1485-1894 0 20,711
China, Collection of Genealogies, 1239-2010 0 120,111
Dominican Republic, Miscellaneous Records, 1921-1980 0 29,543
England, Northumberland, Miscellaneous Records, 1570-2005 0 3,897
Italy, Bologna, Bologna, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1941 0 188,632
Mexico, San Luis Potosí, Miscellaneous Records, 1570-1842 0 171,391
Mexico, Yucatán, Civil Registration, 1860-2005 0 297,064
New Zealand, Immigration Passenger Lists, 1855-1973 105,744 1
Nicaragua, Civil Registration, 1809-2011 0 47,728
Paraguay, Asunción, Cemetery Records, 1842-2011 0 11,121
Peru, La Libertad, Civil Registration, 1903-1998 0 203,673
U.S., Arizona, Maricopa, Mesa City Cemetery Records, 1885-1960 0 13,110
U.S., Delaware, Death Records, 1855-1961 28,958 33,144
U.S., Maine, Veterans Cemetery Records, 1676-1918 51,541 0
U.S., Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Estate Files, 1686-1915 0 147,293
U.S., Montana, Sweet Grass County Records, 1885-2011 0 64,754
U.S., North Carolina, Civil Action Court Papers, 1712-1970 0 220,321
U.S., Tennessee, Death Records, 1914-1955 26 0

 

Filed Under: familysearch, Records, What's New Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Find Your Criminal Ancestors: UK collection from Findmypast.com

March 6, 2013 By

Criminal Records from findmypast.comIf you have British roots, you’ll want to check out the new collection available on Findmypast.com: a half million criminal records dating from 1770-1934!

This sounds like a pretty gripping collection, whether you’ve got British roots or not. It contains records like mug shots, court documents, appeals letters and registers from prison ships (which were used when mainland prisons were crowded). According to Findmypast.com, the records “provide a wide variety of color, detail and fascinating social history, chronicling the fate of criminals ranging from fraudsters, counterfeiters, thieves and murderers and their victims.” The 500,000 records you can search now are only a fifth of the full collection of 2.5 million that will be online soon.

The company calls this the largest collection of historical criminal records from England and Wales to be published online and is done in association with the National Archives (UK). Findmypast.com members can click here to access the criminal collection directly (make sure the box for “Institutes and Organizations” is checked).

Here’s a little more background on connections  between British convicts and the U.S. and Australia….

During colonial times, Britain often punished criminals by forcing them to emigrate. The most famous destination was Australia: the first British settlement on that continent in 1787 was actually a penal colony. Australia celebrates that fact about its heritage today: learn more about the “First Fleet’s” arrival here.

Up to about 50,000 British convicts were also forced to emigrate to the American colonies during the 1700s. These included prisoners of war from Ireland and Scotland. Read more about this in Bound for America: The Transportation of British Convicts to the Colonies, 1718-1775 (Clarendon Paperbacks) by A. Roger Ekirch. Findmypast.com isn’t able to tell us yet how many records in the criminal collection relate to forced emigrations, but anyone with roots in the U.K. should check out this collection for sure.

Filed Under: British, History, Immigration, Records, What's New Tagged With: , , ,

WorldCat + FHL Catalog = True Genealogical Love!

February 14, 2013 By

Match Made in HeavenIt’s a match made in genealogical heaven: two of our most important online tools for finding family history resources, WorldCat and the Family History Library catalog, will soon be searchable simultaneously.

Recently OCLC (the company that runs WorldCat.org) announced that Family History Library holdings will soon appear in WorldCat search results, and vice versa. For several years we’ve had to remember to search both catalogs, because holdings didn’t overlap.

Just to remind you what a significant development this is, let’s run a few numbers. WorldCat is the world’s largest online library catalog with 1.5 billion resources from more than 10,000 libraries worldwide. They add new materials at the rate of one per second. The Family History Library’s collection is much smaller, but every one of its 3.5 million or so holdings supports genealogical research. Their catalog is actively growing, too; they have 200 cameras are currently digitizing records in 45 countries.

Once the interface is complete, searchers at WorldCat.org or the FHL site will be able to view relevant search results in the other catalog without having to leave the website they’re on.  According to OCLC Public Relations Manager Bob Murphy, there’s not a firm date yet for when the reciprocal service will be available. “It will likely take a few months,” he says. What he can say is how well received the announcement has been by genealogists and librarians: one response calls this the best collaboration since peanut butter and jelly.

What will this mean for our ability to borrow Family History Library materials? In the past, Family History Library books have not circulated through interlibrary loan, and microfilms have only circulated to designated FamilySearch Centers. FamilySearch has not said whether lending services will expand. However, in the past few years many public and private libraries have become FamilySearch affiliates. If you haven’t checked lately, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that you can now rent Family History Library microfilms through your favorite local library. We’ll keep an eye on this developing story for sure!

Filed Under: familysearch, Records, Research, What's New Tagged With:

Digitized War of 1812 Pension Files on Fold3

February 7, 2013 By
General Andrew Jackson commands his troops during the Battle of New Orleans. (Credit: Library of Congress)

General Andrew Jackson commands his troops during the Battle of New Orleans.
(Credit: Library of Congress)

According to the National Archives, pension files for the War of 1812 rate among their most-requested materials. But the files haven’t been easy to use because they’re only at the National Archives–they haven’t been available in published, microfilmed or digitized form. You’ve either had to research the pension files onsite in Washington, D.C. or order copies from the Archives. Not exactly easy access.

This is about to change. The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS), The National Archives, Ancestry.com and Fold3.com are partners in a huge effort: to preserve and digitize 7.2 million pages of War of 1812 Pension Records and make them available for free online.

This mammoth undertaking commemorates the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, which has been called “America’s Second Revolution.” Many U.S. citizens joined the fight against the British Empire to permanently resolve issues the Revolutionary War was fought over. It’s a near-legendary era in U.S. history when “The Star Spangled Banner” was penned (during the defense of Baltimore’s Fort McHenry) and the White House was burned (during the only foreign occupation of Washington, D.C.).

The pension files are already being digitized, and completed images and their associated indexes are being posted incrementally. You can view them for free at Fold3.com. Follow the progress of this enormous undertaking at FGS’ Preserve the Pensions blog, where you’ll see updates and get inspired by research success stories. Commemorate the War of 1812′s anniversary yourself by looking here for any ancestors who may have served!

Filed Under: NARA, Records, What's New Tagged With: , , ,

40 Million New Genealogy Records To Help You Locate Your Family History

December 28, 2012 By

In December the genealogy records website Findmypast.com released new and exclusive historical records that highlight significant life events of the past.  According to the the company, more than 40 million new records are included.  Here are all the details from their press release:

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 17, 2012) – …“The number of records released offers findmypast.com’s users a staggering amount of new data, ranging from exclusive United Kingdom records from as early as 1790 to modern-day vital records from the United States that will add new layers of information for researchers,” said D. Joshua Taylor, lead genealogist for findmypast.com, “Findmypast.com is constantly expanding our collections with thousands of new records being added each month. Moving into 2013, we look forward to increasing our record offerings to include rarer, more exclusive materials, in our dedication to provide the most comprehensive family history resource available.”

Many of the new records that can only be accessed through findmypast.com offer a unique glimpse into history. The Harold Gillies Plastic Surgery set, dating back to World War I, contains fascinating records of some of the world’s first restorative plastic surgery, while the White Star Line Officers’ Books include officer records from the Titanic.

Newly added employment and institutional records including the records of the Merchant Navy Seaman (aka the Merchant Marines) provide unique color to family history that can’t be created from just names and dates. Other record sets include probates and wills, such as the Cheshire Wills and Probates, which often offer crucial clues to link North American family trees back to the United Kingdom.

The full set of exclusive records recently released by findmypast.com includes:

United Kingdom Court & Probate

  • ·   Cheshire Wills and Probate
  • ·   Suffolk Beneficiary Index

United Kingdom Education & Work

  • ·   Cheshire Workhouse Records, Admissions and Discharges
  • ·   Cheshire Workhouse Records, Religious Creeds
  • ·   Derbyshire Workhouse Records
  • ·   Match Workers Strike
  • ·   White Star Line Officers’ Books

United Kingdom Military

  • ·   Army List, 1787
  • ·   Army List, 1798
  • ·   British Officers taken Prisoners of War, 1914-1918
  • ·   De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honor
  • ·   Grenadier Guards, 1656
  • ·   Harold Gillies Plastic Surgery – WWI
  • ·   Harts Army List, 1840
  • ·   Harts Army List, 1888
  • ·   Manchester Employee’s Roll of Honor, 1914-1916
  • ·   Merchant Navy Seamen (aka Merchant Marines)
  • ·   Napoleonic War Records, 1775-1817
  • ·   WWI Naval Casualties
  • ·   Paddington Rifles
  • ·   Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 British Navy & Air Force Officers
  • ·   Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 Officers of Empire serving in British Army
  • ·   Royal Hospital, Chelsea: documents of soldiers awarded deferred pensions, 1838-1896 (WO 131)
  • ·   Royal Hospital, Chelsea: pensioners’ discharge documents 1760-1887, (WO 121)
  • ·   Royal Hospital, Chelsea: pensioners’ discharge documents, foreign regiments, 1816-1817 (WO 122)
  • ·   Royal Hospital, Kilmainham: pensioners’ discharge documents, 1773-1822 (known as WO 119 at the National Archives)
  • ·   Royal Navy Officers Medal Roll, 1914-1920
  • ·   War Office: Imperial Yeomanry, soldiers’ documents, South African War, 1899-1902 (WO 128)
  • ·   WWII POWs – British held in German Territories

In addition to the exclusive records sets, this recent release includes additional records from the United States, Australia and Ireland. An update to the World War I Draft Cards collection provides registrations and actual signatures of more than 11 million young Americans from the beginning of the twentieth century.

Additional records released include:

United States Military

  • ·   Japanese-Americans Relocated during WWII
  • ·   Korean War Casualty File
  • ·   Korean War Deaths
  • ·   Korean War Prisoners of War
  • ·   Korean War Prisoners of War (Repatriated)
  • ·   U.S. Army Casualties, 1961-1981
  • ·   Vietnam Casualties Returned Alive
  • ·   Vietnam War Casualties
  • ·   Vietnam War Deaths
  • ·   WWI Draft Cards
  • ·   WWII Prisoners of War

Life Events

UNITED STATES:

  • ·   Kentucky Birth Records, 1911-2007
  • ·   Kentucky Death Records Index, 1911-1999
  • ·   Kentucky Marriage Records Index, 1973-1999
  • ·   Texas Divorce Records Index, 1968-2010
  • ·   Texas Marriage Records, 1968-2010

AUSTRALIA

  • ·   Northern Territory Anglican Baptisms and Confirmations, 1900-1947
  • ·   Northern Territory Anglican Burials, 1900-1968
  • ·   Northern Territory Anglican Marriages, 1902-1953

IRELAND

  • ·   Irish Catholic Church Directories, 1836-37

Census Land and Surveys

 AUSTRALIA

  • ·   Northern Territory Census, 1881-1921
  • ·   Northern Territory Electoral Rolls, 1895-1940 

Institutions & Organizations

AUSTRALIA

  • ·   Northern Territory Parliamentary Index, 1884-1890

Newspapers, Directories & Social History

AUSTRALIA

  • ·   Northern Territory Section of the Queensland Post Office Directory, 1920-1921
Filed Under: British, Candian, Records, Uncategorized, Who Do You Think You Are? Tagged With: , , ,
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