Did you know that American Ancestors members can access databases published by other organizations for free? Discover external databases, an under-utilized yet invaluable resource for conducting your online family history research.
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 Homestead Act of 1862 encouraged mass settlement of federal lands in the frontier, resulting in millions of records documenting the transfer of public land to private ownership. Learn how these land entry case files can assist in researching your homesteading ancestors.
Towns recorded a wide range of information in the process of maintaining the financial health of the town and its residents. Town records in this category include ear and cattle marks, pauper and orphanage records, indenture agreements, payments by the town, mortgage records and dog licenses. Tax records name single males and property owning individuals. Depending on the jurisdiction, the tax records may provide important detail about the land and personal property being taxed.
During the Great Famine in Ireland (1845-1849), thousands of Irish families and individuals fled Ireland seeking a better life. This lecture will review the different resources to find your Irish emigrant ancestors in Canadian records including shipping records, quarantine databases, and online collections.
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.
During the War of 1812, New Hampshire provided nearly 6,000 soldiers. This lecture will review the different federal, state, and local resources available to research your War of 1812 ancestor.
This lecture will give a brief history of the often-complex legal system in the United States starting with the colonial times. We will discuss how to understand the laws specific to a region and time period, examine the types or format of records you’re likely to find (dockets, minutes, orders, case files, etc.), and explore the ways your ancestors may appear in the records.
Probate cases offer some of the most important information for family historians. The settling of an estate, assignment of guardianship, and cases of spendthrift can establish family relationships, provide maiden names, confirm origins and occupations, expand your ancestors’ FAN network, and may just be the key to breaking down a genealogical brick wall. In this lecture, we will provide an overview of these essential court records.
There are a variety of records available that can help you research land ownership of your Atlantic Canadian ancestors, including land board records, land grants, land petitions, land patents from the Indian and Inuit Affairs Program, maps, and more. This lecture will help you understand how to navigate the many record sets available and how to apply them to your research.
