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.
With your ancestor’s origins in hand, it’s time to start looking at records in the Old Country. In this lecture we will review what types of records exist, how to use them in your research, and how to access them. We will pay special attention to resources that can be accessed from home, online.
Newspapers were the first form of "social media" and captured more than just obituaries. From birth announcements to crime reports to land sales, this lecture will delve into the wealth of information that can be found in newspapers. This lecture will show you how to discover your ancestors' stories using various newspaper collections.
Adoption as a legal process in America is a relatively new invention. This lecture will provide an overview of adoption in America, the types of records that document adoption and guardianship (including aid societies and maternity homes), general access restrictions, and other considerations when researching adopted ancestors.
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.
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.
Canadian baptisms, burials, and marriage records date back to the early 17th century for some parishes, though there is no central repository for these records making it difficult to know where to look. This lecture will help you understand where to find these church records as well as civil vital records which have been recorded since the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Substitutes for these church and vital records, such as newspaper records, will also be discussed.
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.
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.
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.
