Category Archives: Uncategorized

Presentations at IAJGS are wonderful.  Today, I went to 3 sessions all of which looked at records that I am very familiar with. So why, you might ask did I do that?  The presenters in each case were all experts … Continue reading →

I am very excited to be off to the IAJGS conference in Jerusalem.  One of the wonderful things about genealogy conferences is getting to explore local archives and resources.  Although many archival resources are on-line today, there is no substitute … Continue reading →

Sure we are all unique individuals.  Even identical twins are unique individuals.  So why would we think someone’s name we are researching is going to be a unique experience? The best way to illustrate or explain what I mean is … Continue reading →

I know I’m fortunate in that I have access to lots of databases through subscriptions, databases that I’ve purchased or for which I’ve made contributions to obtain,  and also because of a lot of volunteer work which I do.  I … Continue reading →

It’s true that not only is the last place you look the place that will uncover the lost item or reveal the information, but it’s often really the last possible place to look.  It’s also a truism that the shoemaker’s … Continue reading →

Many, many thanks to Jan Meisels Allen, Chairperson, IAJGS Public Records Access Monitoring Committee, for so articulately summarizing what is happening at Ellis Island.  She wrote: “…the new Ellis Island National Immigration Museum story goes to the present day whereas the … Continue reading →

As a genealogist I often work with transcriptions of documents not originally written in English.  Of course I also work with documents written in English.  A lot of the time, even if the document is one which a person filled … Continue reading →

Okay, what gives with this?  Why would there be duplicate marriage records a few days, weeks or months apart for the same bride and groom?  Really, they are the same couple – no mistaking this – their parents’ names are … Continue reading →

…it leads to more questions.  Some of those questions are waiting to be answered through discoveries of resources in archives, some will remain, regretfully, unanswered. At one time I had a stack of letters in many different languages – Polish, … Continue reading →

I have identified 5 unique family groups and 1 additional person all living in Tuckums, Courland with the same surname in 1871. I have no idea if these are related to each other.  I have tracked two of those families … Continue reading →