Ancestry Magazine

Locating Union & Confederate Records
By Nancy Justus Morebeck. Heritage Quest, 2001. 152 pages. $14.95. To order, call (800) 760—2455.

Finding records of Civil War enlistment, draft, actual military service, and pension are the focus of Locating Union & Confederate Records.The author presents keys to unlocking regimental histories, prisoner of war records, Confederate amnesty papers, records of soldier’s homes, and veterans organizations. The most important finding aids of the National Archives and of libraries and archives with important Civil War research prospects are highlighted in this book.

Also discussed are pertinent federal (1890 and 1910) and state censuses and Civil War Web sites. As the title indicates, the discussion is limited to the most commonly used Civil War records. The information is presented in a solid and substantial format and will make your quest for Civil War records quicker and more productive.

Annals and Antiquities of the Counties and County Families of Wales
By Thomas Nicholas. Reprint of 1875 edition, 2 volumes. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2000. 964 pages. $75 set plus s/h. To order, call (800) 296—6687.

If you can track Welsh ancestry back to the late nineteenth century, this book is your next step. Compiled in 1872, when Thomas Nicholas personally investigated county records and family papers, Annals and Antiquities of the Counties and County Families of Wales is purported to be an accurate and reliable compendium of Welsh family history. The subtitle explains the entries of “all ranks of the gentry, their lineage, alliances … armorial ensigns … old and extinct families … the history, antiquities, physical features … of each county; … sheriffs and members of parliament for three hundred years, etc.”

The 1872 edition was “revised and much enlarged” in 1875, and is reproduced in its entirety in this 2000 reprint. The small print is packed with detail on Welshmen. Descendants of Alban Thomas Gwynne, for example, will learn his parentage, schooling, siblings, residence, and lineage.

Virginia Militia in the War of 1812

Two volumes, reprints. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2001. 593 pages and 989 pages. $1 25.00 plus s/h. To order, call (800) 296—6687. These volumes first appeared as Pay Rolls of Militia Entitled to Land Bounty Under the Act of Congress of Sept. 28, 1850 (published in 1851) and Muster Rolls of the Virginia Militia in the War of 1812 (a supplement published in 1852). The timing of this 2001 reprint is excellent because a project of the Stern-NARA Gift Fund, coordinated by the Federation of Genealogical Societies, is to microfilm the War of 1812 pension and bounty-land warrant records held by the National Archives. Researchers can find their military ancestor within Virginia Militia in the War of 1812, then survey the microfilmed records. They will learn the name and enlistment place of the veteran; his date and place of death; and the date and place (and bride’s name) for any marriage.

Shaking Your Family Tree: A Basic Guide to Tracing Your Family’s Genealogy
Second edition. By Ralph J. Crandall. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001. 193 pages. $19.95 plus s/h. To order, call (888) 296—3447.

With the publication of another getting started guide, there is no excuse for untutored research. This revision of a 1986 work adds a chapter on computer software and Internet research, entitled “Connecting Lines.” Other topics covered in Shaking Your Family Tree are records of vital events (birth, marriage, and death), church, cemetery, court, land, census, and military. Case studies are used to illustrate the research process although the abundance of eighteenth-century (and some seventeenth-century) examples may intimidate the beginner. Oft-appearing “contemporary situations” such as divorce and adoption are not covered. But the friendly, conversational tone of the writing and the fine array of illustrations (taken mostly from the collections of the New England Historic Genealogical Society) combine to create a delightful guide.

Directory of Professional Genealogists 2001-2002
By Pamela Boyer Porter, editor, compiler. By Association of Professional Genealogists, 2001. 208 pages. To order, visit .

The alphabetically arranged entries in Directory of Professional Genealogists 2001-2002 include name and full contact information, research specialities, related services, and geographic specialities. Dual indexes make searches easy. Need an editor, a Web designer, or a specialist in Catholic records? Use the Research Speciality or Related Services index. Want an expert to explore records in New York, Texas, England, or Spain? Check the index to Specific Location or Geographic Specialities. There’s more: tips for hiring a professional researcher; an explanation of credentials, postnominals, abbreviations and acronyms; a list of the APG board, chapters, and subscribers; and a membership application.

Sandra H. Luebking, FUGA, a genealogical and historical researcher and lecturer, is the editor of the Forum and co-editor of The Archives and the revised edition of The Source.