Learn about researching your Colonial era Ancestors. After a short introduction to European settlement along the eastern seaboard, we will discuss published and other resources for learning about your ancestor. The available resources will differ depending on region: New England, mid-Atlantic or Southern colonies.
Breaking through the 1870 brick wall to discover more about ancestors prior to the end of slavery can prove challenging. Changing surnames, families ripped apart, and identifying the former enslaver are just a few roadblocks when researching enslaved families. This session will dive deep into creating a research strategy and organizing the records uncovered. We will also provide tips for making sense of all the information unearthed in the search and constructing a proof argument when records are limited. Best suited for those with intermediate-advanced genealogical skills.
As in much of genealogy, you must rely on multiple records and strategies to piece together your ancestor’s life. This is especially true for tracing ancestors on the move. This class will provide some essential strategies and research tools to understand your ancestor’s movements, providing several practical examples and case studies along the way.
The 19th and 20th centuries in America are a period of mass migration across the country. This class will discuss the push-pull factors that defined this era, the opening of the West, how advances in transportation aided our ancestor’s migration, and how federal policies encouraged the expansion of settlement.
This class will include the different types of record sets that enslavers may name enslaved persons (including probate records, land deeds, court records, and more). A brief case study will be discussed.
Much of New York City’s history in the 18th-century is closely tied with that of conflict: from the base of British operations during the French and Indian War to the center of the New York Campaign during the American Revolution. This lecture looks at just some of the many records of the era—pre- and post-American independence—including military records, tax lists, census records, newspapers, city directories, and more.
The 18th century was a transformative and foundational period for Massachusetts: continued colonial conflicts, movement westward, revolution, the abolition of slavery, and ultimately statehood. This lecture will look at just some of the many records of the era—pre and post American independence—including military records, tax lists, census records, newspapers, city directories, and more.
Understand how to locate and best utilize Revolutionary War muster rolls and service records for your ancestor. An overview of using local, state and federal source to determine whether your ancestor served during the war will be reviewed.
Many loyalists fled to areas firmly under British control including New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec. Still others crossed the Atlantic to the Mother Country, England. Some would stay for the duration of the war and eventually return to the U.S.; others would put down roots and stay for generations. This lecture will discuss the many resources available for learning about your ancestor’s lives in Canada, England, and other areas of the British Empire.
The 18th century was a transformative and foundational period for Connecticut: continued colonial conflicts, movement westward, revolution, the abolition of slavery, and ultimately statehood. This lecture will look at just some of the many records of the era—pre- and post-American independence—including military records, tax lists, census records, newspapers, city directories, and more.
