It is an exciting moment to look at an ancestor’s original signature on a document. For a moment in time, it is as if we are standing there with them, pen in hand, imagining the land to be bought or sold, the will and the properties to be divided, the marriage that will join two lives.
Death certificates, registers, and indexes are only a few of the documents created to document a death. One of them may contain the information you seek.
Nothing brings genealogy to the surface of everyday life like the passing of a loved one. That was exactly our situation this past summer when we each lost a parent within a two-week time span.
I was asked about family history on a radio show. The first question was, “How many people are actually interested in family history, and more importantly, why?”
Not long ago, I was asked to answer some questions about family history on a radio show.
Thorough family history research depends on the ability to find and evaluate all the evidence available to document a particular ancestor and his or her family.
To do this, you need to step outside the normal routine of collecting documents and begin to harvest other important information by exploring the history surrounding an individual and a particular family.
Family historians must balance their need for contact with their need for privacy.
Genealogists approach the Internet in a schizophrenic manner. Their trusting, giving side wants to share their contact information with every potential cousin on the Internet in hopes of furthering their research.
Ritual and tradition are important elements of human life. Traditions connect the participants in a common endeavor (such as being a family) with a common goal.
Every year for Thanksgiving, each member of Debbie and Stas Mintowt’s family writes a short speech about what he or she has been thankful for during the past twelve months.
I have come to believe that there could be a message in those missing pieces. Maybe our ancestors who cherished these delicate cups understood something we haven’t quite figured out.
Have you ever noticed that it’s often the cups and saucers that are missing in old sets of china? I have come to believe that there could be a message in those missing pieces.
In searching for valid documentation, even experienced family historians risk making conclusions, based on certain irrefutable facts, that appear to be true but are not. Expressed in mathematical terms, these erroneous solutions occur because at least one relevant factor has been omitted from the equation. In order to illustrate this point, three case studies will be examined and discussed here.
Hesitant to publish that family history you’ve written? With the latest advances in print technology, the task is made easier and much less costly.
If you’re like most dedicated family historians, you’ve accumulated a great deal of information on your family.