By Jeanne Rollberg Click here to read more, and learn the context of this post, American President and Presidential Libraries: Their Genealogy and Yours! (Part 1)! In the first part of a series on presidential libraries, we identified some of the reasons that they are fascinating repositories to explore if a family is connected either…
By Jeanne Rollberg When a new President of the United States takes office on January 20 every four years, the entire world notices: He is considered the most important secular newsmaker on the planet. But did you know that the president leaving office, such as President Barack Obama this year, is likely establishing a presidential…
By Jeanne Rollberg If genealogy could ever be measured in research hours or impact on the economy, the results might astound us. We may know about the hundreds of hours we’ve personally spent chasing hidden ancestors, but do we realize that four-fifths of us in America and many millions of people in other countries visit…
By Rachel Silverman Seven years ago, I embarked on the search for my great grandmother’s family history. I knew they were from a town in the Russian Pale of Settlement called Lanivtsy, which is within the borders of modern-day Ukraine. The family was Jewish and spoke the local dialects of Yiddish and Russian. They were…
By Ericka Grizzard I won’t keep you in suspense because I can tell you without even looking at your tree, that the answer to that question is going to be “No.” I’ve actually encountered a few people who have proclaimed their entire tree to be “finished,” and they’ve definitely garnered an eye roll because they…
By Jayne McGarvey Whether you are about to search for a new ancestor or an undiscovered chapter in a known ancestor’s life, it is worth while taking time to compile a Research Plan. Start with your Objectives Deciding what you want to find is the most important part of your research. Be realistic, – do…
By Lori Samuelson Contrary to physical brick and mortar structures, genealogical brick walls can be surmounted. Although it may seem counter-intuitive to look backward to be able to move forward, that is often the needed approach to take in solving genealogical mysteries. Backward design is another tool to add to your genealogical toolbox. Backward design…
By Jeanne Rollberg “Erin go Bragh” means Ireland forever! The holiday season is a good time to think of the traditions of each country of our migrant ancestors. When we think of Irish forebears, we may often envision Midnight Mass or the tradition of leaving two candles on the sill on Christmas Eve –to symbolize…
By Marge Bitetti Have you ever thought about writing your life story? How about writing the story of one of your relatives? You don’t need to be Danielle Steel, Nicholas Sparks or James Patterson to write about your life story. You are the only person who can tell your story. Don’t worry about not having…
By Jayne McGarvey If you are serious about making sure your family history is accurate then it is important to understand how to resolve conflicting evidence. Recognise That a Conflict Exists As you progress your family history research, you are likely to meet many different types of conflicting information. This could be as obvious as…