20 Questions Genealogy Basics

Resource List

• All print and electronic resources referenced in this class are listed here: http://www.delicious.com/eduserv/20_Questions_geneaology

Question One

• “"I think my great, great uncle was a civil war soldier --where can I find out more?" • Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System • http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/index.html

Question Two

• • • • • • • "I think my great, great grandmother Alice died in a fire in Chicago --where can I find her obituary?” Google News Search—Search newspaper archives http://news.google.com/ Internet Public Library, Finding Obits Pathfinder: http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/77286 Chronicling America http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/

Question Three

• “I know that a few members of my family entered the U.S. through Ellis Island. Is there a way I can find out more?” • Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Foundation • http://www.ellisisland.org

Question Four

• “I am interested in finding where several of my relatives might be buried. Is there I place I can look on line? I have an idea where, but I want to verify before I travel there.” • Find-a-Grave • http://www.findagrave.com/index.html

• www.interment.net

Question Five

• “Can you point me to a good place to get started with finding census records?” • Internet Archive Census Records (1790 1930) • http://archive.org/details/us_census • 1940 Census Online (National Archives) • http://1940census.archives.gov/

Question Six

• “I am looking for a place to seek out as much information as possible about my relative Nannie Gay Smith. She was born in Alabama in the 1870’s, near a town called Somerville.” • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints • FamilySearch.org

• http://pilot.familysearch.org/

Question Seven

• “What’s in a name? I’d love to know more about what people with my family name are doing in the genealogy research realm. Can you help?” • • • • • • • RootsWeb http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ Surname Resources Afrigeneas-African-American Surnames Database http://www.afrigeneas.com/surnames/ National Surnames Trust, UK http://www.nationaltrustnames.org.uk/

Question Eight

• “I have spent a lot of time doing my own family research. How can I give back and share my records with others who might be interested?” • U.S. GenWeb Project • http://usgenweb.org/

Question Nine

• “I would like to get involved with a genealogy society or historical society in my area. How can I find them? It would be nice to know have a listing of them so I can get info from around the U.S.” • Society Hill-Historical/genealogical societies listing • http://daddezio.com/society/ • familyhistory.com-Society Hall • http://www.familyhistory.com/societyhall/

Question 10

• “I am working with one of my oldest family members to get an oral history. What are some good questions I can ask to make sure I cover everything?” • About.com Genealogy • http://genealogy.about.com/ • “Fifty Questions for Family History Interviews” • http://genealogy.about.com/cs/oralhistory/a/inter view.htm

Question 11

• “I have lots of family photos going way back. I wonder if others from my family have a similar collection? Maybe we could help each other identify certain family members in old photos?” • Ancient Faces • http://www.ancientfaces.com/site/research

Question 12

• “I need a place to see if I can find the historical events, if any, in which family members participated.” • • • Fold3 http://www.fold3.com/ Original documents from national archives (some free, some come with subscription)

Question 13

• “Is there a database I can use to search for family members who participated in the American Revolution?” • • • • • Daughters of the American Revolution Patriot Index Lookup Service http://www.dar.org/natsociety/pi_lookup.cfm

RootsWeb—Also provides a list with some states http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ars/arw.htm

Question 14

• “I’m hearing more all the time now about the role of genetics in family history research. Where can I learn more?” • Genebase • http://www.genebase.com/ • The DNA Ancestry Project

Question 15

• • • • • “I need some help tracing my Native American roots. What sources are out there to help?” National Archives Guide to Native American Records http://www.archives.gov/research/native americans/index.html

US Department of the Interior http://www.doi.gov/tribes/trace-ancestry.cfm

Question 16

• “There are so many places out there, I get confused—what are the best, general starting places for online genealogy research?” • http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ • http://www.geni.com/ • http://www.distantcousin.com/ • http://www.cousinconnect.com/

Question 17

• “I need to find marriage records online. Where can I go?” • Genwed • http://www.genwed.com/

Question 18

• • • • • • • • • • • • “What about sites that help with genealogy research for people from certain countries or ethnic groups?” Jewish Family History http://www.jewishgen.org/ UK/Ireland http://www.genuki.org.uk/ Native American http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/ African-American http://www.afrigeneas.com/ http://www.slavevoyages.org/tast/index.faces

Italy http://www.daddezio.com/

Question 19

• “I understand that family Bibles have helped to maintain some fantastic family history information. Is any of that information available online?” • Access Genealogy, Bible Records • http://www.accessgenealogy.com/

Question 20

• “Clearly, we have only touched the tip of the iceberg in this class. I want more! Where can I go?” • • Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet http://www.cyndislist.com/ • • Family Genealogy and History Internet Education Directory http://www.academic-genealogy.com/ • • Genealogy Today http://www.genealogytoday.com/

Thank You for Attending!

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