From tracing ancestors on the move to understanding boundary changes to just becoming acquainted with the landscape of your ancestors' lives, maps are an incredibly important resource in your family history research. In this lecture, we will explore various ways in which maps can help broaden your genealogical horizons.
This program introduces the participants to the genealogical research process and the tools and techniques that support the research. The first part of the lecture introduces key genealogical tools such as the multi-generational chart, family group sheet, and the research log. Participants also learn how to create a solid research plan. The second part of the lecture introduces the range of records and documents that genealogists use in the course of research. Census, vital, and immigration records are highlighted. By the end of the program, participants will understand the most important types of records used in genealogical research and the strengths and weaknesses of each.
With all of the genealogical information at your fingertips today, it’s easy to become overwhelmed, go down research rabbit holes, and lose focus. In this first class, our genealogist will offer tips on how to make a research plan and stick to it! Using templates, worksheets, and other research tools available at AmericanAncestors.org, you’ll learn how to stay organized and get the most out of your research time.
Not sure what to do with that box of your great-aunt's research? Have you received binders of your parents' genealogy throughout the years? In this lecture, our genealogist will go over tips for sorting through inherited research—discussing how genealogical standards have shifted over time, assessing the credibility of the research, and organizing and preserving the materials.
Advances in DNA research over the last decades have had huge implications for the field of genealogy. In this lecture we will discuss what types of genetic tests are available to family historians, what genealogical problems they can—and can’t—assist you with, and ultimately how to choose the right test(s) to further your family history research.
Cluster research broadens the scope of your research to include your ancestor’s extended family, associates, and neighbors—all with the goal of solving a genealogical mystery. By expanding the scope of your research, you’re also increasing your number of leads, records, and results. Learn how a solid research plan can help you stay on track, stay organized, and achieve your research goals effectively and efficiently.
While we might wish all our ancestors’ records were typed in a standard format and perfectly legible, that simply isn’t the case. Many of the records family historians turn to are handwritten and may be faded, use archaic terminology, unfamiliar abbreviations, or are just plain illegible. This lecture will provide practical strategies for approaching handwritten documents, understanding and deciphering hard-to-read handwriting from different time periods, so that you can make the most of these important resources in your family history research.
Cemetery records can offer important clues to understanding the lives of those who came before us. Learn how headstones, family plots, and burial documents can shed new light on your ancestor’s life.
Cemetery transcriptions are a valuable resource for all family historians, especially when you’re unable to visit a cemetery or when the stones have worn away and are no longer legible. In this presentation, we will discuss the importance of cemetery transcripts and point you toward online and published collections at AmericanAncestors.org, the Digital Library and Archives at AmericanAncestors.org, FamilySearch.org, local historical societies, and more.
New York has been called “the first West for New England” because so many New Englanders settled there before continuing westward. Understanding patterns of settlement, expansion, and migration can help identify your ancestor’s deep New England roots. In this online lecture, we will discuss the historical context, records, and research strategies for tracing ancestors on the move in the Northeast.
