About American Ancestors
An award-winning publication
American Ancestors is a unique, full-color magazine that comes out four times a year, and offers compelling information for family historians of all levels. Features cover useful genealogical sources, helpful research strategies, compelling historical accounts, and interesting case studies. American Ancestors is a benefit of membership starting at the Individual level, as both a print publication and an online PDF.
Winter 2025 issue now available
This issue of American Ancestors focuses on the topic of heraldry with articles on how heraldic arms and imagery are represented in a range of historic art and artifacts, including early New England personal wax seals, Boston tombstones, and Scotland’s Lyon Register. An additional feature examines the life of one of the men enslaved, and later freed, by the family of Founding Father John Jay. As always, the issue contains information about our membership benefits, news, events, and educational opportunities.
Volume 25, Number 4, Winter 2025
The Enduring Power and Promise of Family History
| A Message from the President and CEO | In This Issue |
Your Member Benefits | Your Photo Submissions |
News | 10 Million Names Update |
Programs & Tours | Highlights from the 36th International Congress of Genealogical |
On the Road with American Ancestors | Obituaries |
| Staff Profile | American Ancestors Staff List |
| Member Notices |
Features
Heraldry in America Joseph McMillan | The Committee on Heraldry Ryan J. Woods |
Art & Artifacts of American Heraldry Nathaniel Lane Taylor, PhD, FASG | Lives Preserved in Wax: Early American Personal Seals Daniel Bottino, PhD |
Some Heraldic Tombstones in Boston, Massachusetts David Allen Lambert | Scots Heraldry, a Global Phenomenon Ross M. McEwen |
Tradition & Innovation: Contemporary Heraldic Artists Jean Powers | Defining Their Absence: The Valentine Family of Rye Suzanne Clary |
Columns
From Our Collections Saving the Promptuarium Armorum Todd Pattison | Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center Spotlight Saving the Scrolls: An All-Community Response to a Synagogue Disaster Rachel King, Gabrielle Roth, and Sarah Dauer |
State Spotlight Minnesota, Names of the North Kyle Hurst |
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You can access and download all past issues of American Ancestors magazine from 2010 to present with your American Ancestors membership.
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Search the magazine database by name, date, keyword, and more. You can also access a database of past issues of New England Ancestors (2000-2009), predecessor to American Ancestors magazine.
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Email letters to magazine@americanancestors.org or American Ancestors magazine, 10 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116. We regret that we cannot reply to every letter. Published letters will be edited for clarity and length.
Have you hit a brick wall in your research?
We seek stories of members’ most challenging “brick walls” for publication in American Ancestors. Send your story to magazine@nehgs.org. Please limit your submissions to 200 words or less; include your name and American Ancestors member number. We regret that we cannot publish or respond to every submission. Published submissions will be edited for clarity and length.
SUBMIT A BOOK NOTICE
American Ancestors is pleased to list members’ recently published family history and source records publications. Books must be published within twelve months of the date of submission. Visit AmericanAncestors.org/Book-Notices
GENEALOGIES IN PROGRESS, FAMILY ASSOCIATIONS, DNA STUDIES, AND WEBSITES
Genealogies in progress, family association events, and DNA studies in progress are announced free for members on a space-available basis. (The same notice will be published only once per year.) Event notices should be submitted at least six to nine months prior to the event date. Visit AmericanAncestors.org/Notices
SUBMIT AN ARTICLE
For information on writing and submitting an article to American Ancestors, please click here to review our writer’s guidelines.