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RootsTech London 2019 Videos and Handouts
Rootstech London 2019 is over, but we can still enjoy it. You can download the syllabi from the presentation list here. Click on the arrow next to the name of the presentation to see the description and a link to the syllabus (if there is one). There are links for RootsTech London 2019 Keynotes & General Sessions and some selected Sessions here. More videos from past RootsTech presentations can also be found on that page....
read moreNational Archives Virtual Genealogy Fair 2019
Are you looking for an easy way to learn about using the National Archives? Would you like to know more about researching your genealogy at NARA? The 2019 National Archives Virtual Genealogy Fair has come and gone, but the videos have been posted on YouTube, and the handouts are still available. You can learn directly from NARA personnel in the videos and have the handouts for reference. This year’s topics are the History Hub, Preserving Personal Collections, Immigration Records, WWI Navy and Marine Corps Records, Indian Affairs School...
read moreResearching Washington WWI Ancestors
As you may know from my lectures and book, it is important to find your WWI ancestor’s military organization to unlock learning about his military service. An online way to find out about your Washington WWI Ancestors is to search the Washington State Archives – Digital Archives website. If you have Washington ancestors, check out all the online collections. In the Search by Name box, look at the dropdown menu for Collections dropdown menu on the left. You can certainly search from the homepage, but I wanted to narrow down my search to...
read moreResearching Tennessee WWI Ancestors
More than 130,000 Tennesseans served in WWI. If you are researching one of them, then check out the extensive collection of online WWI resources from the Tennessee State Archives. This archive contains items ranging from the compiled service records that are such an important starting place for WWI research, to a very special and personal collection of digitized items shared by descendants. They are hosted by the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), which is a global library cooperative. The compiled service records of the WWI soldiers...
read moreCivil War Pensions
(This is Part 1 of the blog post. Part 2 appears on the Twisted Twigs for Genealogy Blog.) So many people ask us in person, or post in Facebook groups: “Where do I go to find more about my ancestor’s military service?”. The short answer is that the records you need are at branches of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), but how you get access to them can make a difference. In this blog post, we outline the process of requesting a Civil War Pension, and what to do if NARA replies that the Pension file is...
read moreWhere Do I Find Out About My Ancestor’s Military Service? The OMPF!
(This is Part 1 of the blog post. Part 2 appears on the Twisted Twigs for Genealogy Blog.) So many people ask me in person, or post in Facebook groups: “Where do I go to find more about my ancestor’s military service?”. The short answer is that the records you need are at branches of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), but how you get access to them can make a difference. Undoubtedly you have seen the military records offered on Ancestry or Fold3. These may be rosters, muster rolls or ship’s manifests...
read moreFamily History Outing: U.S. Army Transportation Museum, Fort Eustis, VA
The U.S. Army Transportation Museum tells the story of the Army’s Transportation Corps, whose unofficial motto is “Nothing Happens Until Something Moves”. The Museum focuses on fielded and experimental equipment in: Aircraft, Rail, Vehicle, Watercraft Equipment. Camp Eustis was established in 1918 as a training center for railway coast artillery. It became a Fort in 1923. The Museum has a main building, a railroad pavilion, a vehicle pavilion, a marine park and an aviation pavilion. Although the U.S. Transportation began...
read moreFamily History Outing: The Mariner’s Museum, Newport News, VA
In the history of the U.S. Navy, at the heart of its modern heritage is the U.S.S. Monitor. The “Duel of the Ironclads” was fought in Hampton Roads on 8 March 1862. The C.S.S. Virginia, built from the burned remains of the U.S.S. Merrimac, faced the U.S.S. Monitor. The result was a draw. The U.S.S. Monitor Center at the Mariner’s Museum holds stories of the battle, the sinking of the Monitor, locating the Monitor in modern times, its exploration and preservation. These stories are all presented in engaging detail. On New...
read moreBook review: “From the Emerald Isle to the Cream City”
I had a chance to review “From the Emerald Isle to the Cream City: A History of the Irish in Milwaukee” by Carl Baehr. In family history, context is incredibly important. “From the Emerald Isle to the Cream City: A History of the Irish in Milwaukee” gives the reader that context of the Irish experience of settling in Milwaukee, along with the concurrent history of Ireland. If your family includes the initial settlers of Milwaukee or the famous or infamous, you may find details of their lives among the pages. Even if your...
read moreNew Tools from Ancestry and MyHeritage
RootsTech has become the time and place for new genealogical announcements and RootsTech 2019 did not disappoint! This blog post focuses on new some new tools available from Ancestry and MyHeritage that you need to check out. While there is plenty of buzz about these tools, I recommend that you check in with the experts, then try them yourself. The value of the tools is based on personal preference, so you want to form your own opinion. At the end of the post there is homework to do, but not to turn in! From...
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