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Research Aids
I'd like to offer a few online research sites, that may aid you in your searches:
United States Vital Records Information
You can access vital records by state and/or territory-birth certificates, death records, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, naturalization, adoption and land records. Many state sites offer online records for pre-1900 records.
State Library Web Sites
Be sure to check out your state's or states', of interest, online Historical Resources, and Archives.
Land Patent Search-United States
Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
You can search by surname, regiment, battle, etceteras. Excellent resource!
Tip 1: The surnames you are researching, whether your ancestors arrived on America's shores from the 1600s-1800s, or later, probably have undergone numerous spelling changes, over the centuries. As well, in earlier days, the way in which a name was spelled/recorded, often depended on the nationality of the person recording the name. Thus, you have many English and Scotts names transformed into French names, or even German-sounding names, and French, etc. names English-ized, as an example. When researching surnames, try alternative spellings as well.
Tip 2: Early immigrants to America settled in areas where others of their nationality of origin had settled, and established small communities. Later immigrants tended to follow this pattern as well. By researching the history of states and territories, for years in which you know or suspect your ancestors lived in those areas, you can better determine where they settled, if this information is unknown to you.
In Touch With Jeannine
United States Vital Records Information
You can access vital records by state and/or territory-birth certificates, death records, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, naturalization, adoption and land records. Many state sites offer online records for pre-1900 records.
State Library Web Sites
Be sure to check out your state's or states', of interest, online Historical Resources, and Archives.
Land Patent Search-United States
Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
You can search by surname, regiment, battle, etceteras. Excellent resource!
Tip 1: The surnames you are researching, whether your ancestors arrived on America's shores from the 1600s-1800s, or later, probably have undergone numerous spelling changes, over the centuries. As well, in earlier days, the way in which a name was spelled/recorded, often depended on the nationality of the person recording the name. Thus, you have many English and Scotts names transformed into French names, or even German-sounding names, and French, etc. names English-ized, as an example. When researching surnames, try alternative spellings as well.
Tip 2: Early immigrants to America settled in areas where others of their nationality of origin had settled, and established small communities. Later immigrants tended to follow this pattern as well. By researching the history of states and territories, for years in which you know or suspect your ancestors lived in those areas, you can better determine where they settled, if this information is unknown to you.
In Touch With Jeannine
Worth the Search
When one is faced with little to no information, on one's ancestors, a Search can be a trial and tribulation. Yet, if one persists, if one takes advantage of the incredible amounts of information on the internet, one may see the Search yield a bounty of information.
About two years ago, I began a search for my maternal Grandmother's ancestors. I had nothing to go on, save memories of the scant bits of information my mother had imparted to me, during her lifetime. I scoured every genealogy and ancestry site on the net. I posted queries on every board for every area of the country, wherein I'd been told my Grandmother's people had lived. I ran searches on every state and territory census record in existence, that I could access. I scoured online historical journals, and diaries, and states' online historical records. Slowly, I began to make discoveries. Then, a reply to one of my queries generated greater success. I had an e-mail from a gentleman who believed his Grandmother and my Grandmother were sisters. He sent a photo of his Grandmother, and her younger sister, and a young woman he could not identify. Imagine my surprise, my delight, when I viewed the photo, and yes! indeed, his Grandmother's sister was my Grandmother! The younger woman in the photo was my Mother.
Since that moment, I have made contact with numerous distant relatives, a few of whom had already done major research on my Great Grandmother's people, going back to her family's arrival in America about 1740. Armed with certain newly attained information, I was able to access online historical documents which made reference to a number of my ancestors, including Land Patents, Revolutionary War and Civil War records, and legal documents, such as Wills. My newly discovered relatives have been invaluable, and thanks to them I have scans of marriage and death certificates, obituaries, newspaper articles, old photos, etceteras.
Something worthwhile I'd like to state here...The little information I had obtained from my Mother, on her Mother's people, was absolutely correct. When researching, keep in mind whatever you may have been told, concerning ancestors such as family stories, even family scandals.
I continue my research, my search, my Quest. When I have success, it is definitely sweetly satisfying, and most certainly worthwhile.
My Maternal Great Grandfather's 1859 Land Patent
In Touch With Jeannine
About two years ago, I began a search for my maternal Grandmother's ancestors. I had nothing to go on, save memories of the scant bits of information my mother had imparted to me, during her lifetime. I scoured every genealogy and ancestry site on the net. I posted queries on every board for every area of the country, wherein I'd been told my Grandmother's people had lived. I ran searches on every state and territory census record in existence, that I could access. I scoured online historical journals, and diaries, and states' online historical records. Slowly, I began to make discoveries. Then, a reply to one of my queries generated greater success. I had an e-mail from a gentleman who believed his Grandmother and my Grandmother were sisters. He sent a photo of his Grandmother, and her younger sister, and a young woman he could not identify. Imagine my surprise, my delight, when I viewed the photo, and yes! indeed, his Grandmother's sister was my Grandmother! The younger woman in the photo was my Mother.
Since that moment, I have made contact with numerous distant relatives, a few of whom had already done major research on my Great Grandmother's people, going back to her family's arrival in America about 1740. Armed with certain newly attained information, I was able to access online historical documents which made reference to a number of my ancestors, including Land Patents, Revolutionary War and Civil War records, and legal documents, such as Wills. My newly discovered relatives have been invaluable, and thanks to them I have scans of marriage and death certificates, obituaries, newspaper articles, old photos, etceteras.
Something worthwhile I'd like to state here...The little information I had obtained from my Mother, on her Mother's people, was absolutely correct. When researching, keep in mind whatever you may have been told, concerning ancestors such as family stories, even family scandals.
I continue my research, my search, my Quest. When I have success, it is definitely sweetly satisfying, and most certainly worthwhile.
My Maternal Great Grandfather's 1859 Land Patent
In Touch With Jeannine
