Hello! If you need more details of who lived where and with whom or just general locations of where your relatives lived, contact the county Register of Deeds office for the county in which they have been shown to live. Census records will tell what county or city they lived in for specific years. I recently contacted the Dickinson County Register of Deeds in Abilene, Kansas, who have records for Abilene, Kansas and all the county and smaller towns in that area. My great, great grandparents lived in the country in that county in the 1800's so I sent an email and asked if I could get copies of their property deeds. The wonderful woman working in that office informed me that she came across other records like mortgages, bills of sale and agreements if I would also like copies of those! I received them and they reveal some wonderful details of 1870's to 1890's life in rural Kansas and give me more information on my relatives, who went from being new immigrants, to owning lots of land and properties. Just remember, any place that may keep records for an area where your relatives lived, may still have records available to copy. As I said previously, Cemeteries and the churches or cities that oversee them, often have nicely detailed records of the family members and some obituaries. The local historical societies usually have a wealth of information. The local library often has old newspapers on microfilm and churches often have records of marriages, baptisms and other events. Have fun!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Ancestry.com: More Ways to Connect and Learn About Your Family Tree
There are options available for building your family tree online that don't have to cost you anything, like My Heritage Family Tree Builder, which is one of the favorite options of many people, but, I have to praise ancestry.com for making it possible for me to link up with cousins I didn't know I had through member family trees that have people in common with my family tree. I discovered a third cousin, twice removed in Virginia who very kindly sent me some photos of my great uncle and two of my great great aunts. I really loved getting to see what they looked like. I had heard so much about that side of the family being jovial and ornery and their pictures showed some very jovial, smiling people with their arms around each other. I wish I could have known them. She had complete details on my great grandfather's parents and siblings that I didn't even have any names for.
I have linked up with several cousins this way. It is quite nice to be in touch with them, now. They have given me details on family members I knew nothing about. Combining family trees on ancestry.com has allowed me to fill in dates, spouses and children that were complete blanks before. In this way, I am able to keep building the family trees and have gone back into the 1700's without much difficulty, when, in the past, I never really got anywhere with tracking down family members before the 1900's. In a couple months of being on ancestry.com, I have pretty well filled in my family tree and several other family trees I wanted to explore for other family and friends. Before this, I just got nowhere, not realizing it could be so easy to find names, dates and events just by searching on ancestry.com. I found a few items such as obituaries other places, but, I found most of my information on ancestry.com.
Ancestry.com also has a cool feature that lets you send your whole family tree to your other family trees on the free site myheritage.com. That allows one to pay for a membership on ancestry.com as long as you can afford it, then transfer information to other sites to keep your family tree going. I have also found lots of family stories, photos and documents on ancestry.com, mainly from other member trees, but also from newspapers. This is pretty cool-I found wedding and engagement photos of my parents in newspapers, as well as, photos of my other great grandfather at his business in Iowa. Besides all the great information that is at your fingertips, being on ancestry.com is like discovering a hidden attic full of fascinating bits of history, just waiting for you to go through it anytime you feel like sitting down at the computer and wandering through the past. If you are temporarily at a standstill on your own family tree, you can search other ones like those of famous people, presidents, people you suspect are relatives but you aren't quite sure, or just spend a little more time reading through actual census and other documents to see if you can learn a little bit more about the lives of the amazing people in your family tree. After learning where relatives lived, I have then looked up the history of the cities they lived in and added them, along with photos of those areas, to those people so one can get a more complete picture of what their lives were like. I learned that the "New Suspension Bridge" that crossed the Ohio river, connecting Cincinnati and Kentucky, was the first of it's kind and designed by John A. Roebling who, later designed and built the Brooklyn Bridge in the same style, which was the longest suspension bridge in the world until 1903. My great aunt remembered her mother and grandmother and father paying a penny to cross that bridge in the 1890's and have a picnic on the other side. Her father fished and the kids played. She said it was beautiful. I love history and our relatives helped make history during rich and fascinating times in our country's development. You can see how learning about them helps you connect with history in a more meaningful way. It is a cookie jar that is always full.
I have linked up with several cousins this way. It is quite nice to be in touch with them, now. They have given me details on family members I knew nothing about. Combining family trees on ancestry.com has allowed me to fill in dates, spouses and children that were complete blanks before. In this way, I am able to keep building the family trees and have gone back into the 1700's without much difficulty, when, in the past, I never really got anywhere with tracking down family members before the 1900's. In a couple months of being on ancestry.com, I have pretty well filled in my family tree and several other family trees I wanted to explore for other family and friends. Before this, I just got nowhere, not realizing it could be so easy to find names, dates and events just by searching on ancestry.com. I found a few items such as obituaries other places, but, I found most of my information on ancestry.com.
Ancestry.com also has a cool feature that lets you send your whole family tree to your other family trees on the free site myheritage.com. That allows one to pay for a membership on ancestry.com as long as you can afford it, then transfer information to other sites to keep your family tree going. I have also found lots of family stories, photos and documents on ancestry.com, mainly from other member trees, but also from newspapers. This is pretty cool-I found wedding and engagement photos of my parents in newspapers, as well as, photos of my other great grandfather at his business in Iowa. Besides all the great information that is at your fingertips, being on ancestry.com is like discovering a hidden attic full of fascinating bits of history, just waiting for you to go through it anytime you feel like sitting down at the computer and wandering through the past. If you are temporarily at a standstill on your own family tree, you can search other ones like those of famous people, presidents, people you suspect are relatives but you aren't quite sure, or just spend a little more time reading through actual census and other documents to see if you can learn a little bit more about the lives of the amazing people in your family tree. After learning where relatives lived, I have then looked up the history of the cities they lived in and added them, along with photos of those areas, to those people so one can get a more complete picture of what their lives were like. I learned that the "New Suspension Bridge" that crossed the Ohio river, connecting Cincinnati and Kentucky, was the first of it's kind and designed by John A. Roebling who, later designed and built the Brooklyn Bridge in the same style, which was the longest suspension bridge in the world until 1903. My great aunt remembered her mother and grandmother and father paying a penny to cross that bridge in the 1890's and have a picnic on the other side. Her father fished and the kids played. She said it was beautiful. I love history and our relatives helped make history during rich and fascinating times in our country's development. You can see how learning about them helps you connect with history in a more meaningful way. It is a cookie jar that is always full.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Look to Churches and Cemeteries for Family Information
I knew some of my relatives were buried in Catholic cemeteries in a couple of different towns, so I called the Catholic Churches, which had the information for those cemeteries and found that one of the churches actually had some obituaries, as well and even some information on one of the relatives buried in another state.
I found where relatives are buried going back to the great great grandparents and great great great aunts and uncles. I was able to go to these cemeteries and take photos of their headstones and learn about children who died young or as infants that were not listed on the census records.
Some of these churches even have copies of all of the people buried in the cemetery which you may be able to purchase for a few dollars. Other churches have archives and you can send a request for them to research names and send copies, for a small fee.
I usually begin my search online, looking for churches of the area, then, the type of church or diocese. I call the numbers listed and usually learn more about who I need to contact. Three phone calls led me to the Diocese of Pittsburgh - Archives and Records Center Information, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where my great grandmother's baptismal records might be available. I need to send a research request form, available at their website http://www.diopitt.org/archives/arcinfo.htm and the fee of $15 which covers one hour of research and includes as many people or records as can be researched in that one hour. They will bill you for any additional time. They advise you not to send more than the initial $15.
I often find an email address with the cemetery websites and send an email to learn what the next step is to get more information on my relatives. I received a reply from a Catholic cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio, today and for just $6 and a letter requesting information on specific names, I can get that information sent to me. I also inquired about a listing of all those buried there in case there are other surnames I am not aware of yet.
Everyone is so nice and helpful. I am discovering cousins across the country, too. It is nice to feel like you have roots going so far back. Have fun!
I found where relatives are buried going back to the great great grandparents and great great great aunts and uncles. I was able to go to these cemeteries and take photos of their headstones and learn about children who died young or as infants that were not listed on the census records.
Some of these churches even have copies of all of the people buried in the cemetery which you may be able to purchase for a few dollars. Other churches have archives and you can send a request for them to research names and send copies, for a small fee.
I usually begin my search online, looking for churches of the area, then, the type of church or diocese. I call the numbers listed and usually learn more about who I need to contact. Three phone calls led me to the Diocese of Pittsburgh - Archives and Records Center Information, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where my great grandmother's baptismal records might be available. I need to send a research request form, available at their website http://www.diopitt.org/archives/arcinfo.htm and the fee of $15 which covers one hour of research and includes as many people or records as can be researched in that one hour. They will bill you for any additional time. They advise you not to send more than the initial $15.
I often find an email address with the cemetery websites and send an email to learn what the next step is to get more information on my relatives. I received a reply from a Catholic cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio, today and for just $6 and a letter requesting information on specific names, I can get that information sent to me. I also inquired about a listing of all those buried there in case there are other surnames I am not aware of yet.
Everyone is so nice and helpful. I am discovering cousins across the country, too. It is nice to feel like you have roots going so far back. Have fun!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Search Google for your Family Tree!
Well, I looked and looked on ancestry.com with no luck, for the parents and siblings of my great-grandfather. Ancestry.com has been great for finding a lot of relatives and details, just not always the ones that I have no information at all on. Then, I tried a search on google, just listing names and birth dates of the few I knew and found not only a long post on all his family and siblings and birth and death dates and locations, but also found the same wealth of information on the family of a friend's great-grandfather.
This also worked for another family I was searching for. About 25 years ago, I went to a local auction in a nearby town, here in Central Kansas and bought a box of interesting stuff. In that box I found a very unique wooden tube that looked solid, but I found that the end could twist off and the inside was hollow and, stuffed inside, were some rolled up family records. The records were written in pencil on yellowed, crumbling, lined note paper and listed births of the children of Patrick Hogan, born in 1835 in Ireland, and his wife, Mary Ann Ryan Hogan. Some deaths were also listed and the most crumbly paper was the Pastor's handwritten page documenting their marriage. I wanted to find descendants of this family who would like to have this family treasure, but could find very little. Then, I did a google search and found Patrick's obituary which listed dates, surviving children, spouses' names, where they lived, and more. It was a bonanza of information. So, remember to try plain old search engines like google. I always have the best luck with google so I seldom bother with any others. Often, newspaper stories and obituaries will come up with a google search.
This also worked for another family I was searching for. About 25 years ago, I went to a local auction in a nearby town, here in Central Kansas and bought a box of interesting stuff. In that box I found a very unique wooden tube that looked solid, but I found that the end could twist off and the inside was hollow and, stuffed inside, were some rolled up family records. The records were written in pencil on yellowed, crumbling, lined note paper and listed births of the children of Patrick Hogan, born in 1835 in Ireland, and his wife, Mary Ann Ryan Hogan. Some deaths were also listed and the most crumbly paper was the Pastor's handwritten page documenting their marriage. I wanted to find descendants of this family who would like to have this family treasure, but could find very little. Then, I did a google search and found Patrick's obituary which listed dates, surviving children, spouses' names, where they lived, and more. It was a bonanza of information. So, remember to try plain old search engines like google. I always have the best luck with google so I seldom bother with any others. Often, newspaper stories and obituaries will come up with a google search.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Let me help you research your Family Tree!
Hello!
I love history and especially family history and I would love to help you find those illusive records of your family, or pick up local documents or photos for you.
I look at endless records and compare names and dates, research nicknames and ferret out the correct records for specific family members. I managed to find 112 people in my family tree in only a few days. I have done deed researching and can get copies of various types of records for you from Central Kansas, or possibly a little further, if necessary.
I love the excitement of discovering history and I respect the strength and perseverance of our ancestors in settling this country. My rates will be affordable. Please contact me for an estimate. I am happy to be of help.
I look at endless records and compare names and dates, research nicknames and ferret out the correct records for specific family members. I managed to find 112 people in my family tree in only a few days. I have done deed researching and can get copies of various types of records for you from Central Kansas, or possibly a little further, if necessary.
I love the excitement of discovering history and I respect the strength and perseverance of our ancestors in settling this country. My rates will be affordable. Please contact me for an estimate. I am happy to be of help.
Email me at prairie63@yahoo.com.
I would love to help you discover who your ancestors were, where they came from, who they married, who their children were, where they lived and who your modern day cousins might be!
I would love to help you discover who your ancestors were, where they came from, who they married, who their children were, where they lived and who your modern day cousins might be!
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