Comparing genealogy software packages can be interesting and useful, especially if you’re just getting into genealogy. I’d like to have a dollar for every time someone has asked me which genealogy software program is the best. I now answer by telling folks that it’s the one you’re used to. I don’t know of any major [...]

The following News Release is from FamilySearch.org dated January 15, 2013: FamilySearch added an additional 7 million new, free indexed records and images this week to its collection. Notable additions include the 1,747,863 indexed records and images in the Slovakia Church and Synagogue Books collection from 1592-1910, the 1,308,956 indexed records from the United States [...]

FamilySearch added an additional 6.4 million new, free indexed records and images this week to its collection. Notable additions include the 1,034,803 records for the Netherlands, Zeeland Province, Church Records from 1527-1907, the 1,436,121 added from Italy Civil Registrations from 1824-1941, and the 1,069,308 added to the new Saskatchewan, Canada, collections from 1846-1957. Other new [...]

The following U.S.A. and Canada vital-records oriented databases have been recently added or updated at FamilySearch.org. We’ve also updated all of the GenealogyBlog Online Database Links Files. See: United States Birth & Christening Records Found at FamilySearch.org United States Marriage Documents & Indexes Found at FamilySearch.org United States Death & Probate Records Found at FamilySearch.org [...]

In 2008, WWII highly decorated First Lt. George Balthazor died alone, an “unclaimed indigent” in San Diego, CA. Through the research efforts of a nephew and records found on the Social Security Death Index, Balthazor’s story is told and a military memorial service is held in his honor. See the full details in this story [...]

Here is an important article about the future of the Social Security Death Index, and a petition genealogists can sign to show their concern over privacy laws while balancing access to critical research tools. The following article comes from Tampa Bay Online: Genealogists want to keep access to Death Index By SHARON TATE MOODY | [...]

The following teaser is from “The Legal Genealogist” website. This is best article I’ve seen written about the very real possibility that genealogists will lose access to the Social Security Death Index. PLEASE let the teaser lead you to the full article, It’s important… The man pictured to the left is Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner [...]

The following news release was received from Thomas MacEntee: Genealogy Community Responds To Efforts To Remove Access to Social Security Death Index and Other Records February 7, 2012– Austin, TX: The Records Preservation & Access Committee (RPAC) – a joint coalition of international genealogical societies representing millions of genealogists and family historians – announces the [...]

The following is old news to genealogists who follow the news. However, when all this was taking place, I was busy with other things and didn’t get the opportunity to blog about it. Naturally, I disagree with the ruling. It just makes it more difficult for genealogists. The following excerpt was written from a Canadian’s [...]

And now we have another assault on the limited access genealogists have to anything Social Security… Thus far, not exactly a bi-partisan effort, but just wait… Where do these senators think those records with dead folk’s social security numbers in them came from? Hmmm… It seems the Federal government sold them to those websites, and [...]

A broad range of records were added to FamilySearch.org this week from 20 countries, notably Australia, Austria, Canada (Saskatchewan), Chile, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Germany, England, Dominican Republic, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Slovakia, Spain, Venezuela, and the U.S.A. The U.S. additions include a variety of records from California, Illinois, Indiana, North [...]

The following U.S.A. vital-records oriented databases have been added or updated at FamilySearch.org since my last posting made October 20. Also included is the 1852 state census for California, and the Matagorda County, Texas School Census Records, 1923-1946 – as well as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police obituary card index and notices 1876-2007. We’ve also [...]

The following teaser is from an article printed in the July 8, 2011 edition of tcpalm.com: FORT PIERCE — James Kelly knows exactly how Mark Twain felt when the great American writer quipped, “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” The 49-year-old Kelly, who’s very much alive and kicking in Fort Pierce, was declared [...]

UNITED STATES DEATH RECORDS POSTED AT FAMILYSEARCH.ORG – UPDATED AS OF 6 May 2013. The following databases can all be accessed at FamilySearch.org. Alabama Deaths and Burials, 1881-1952- Name index to death and burial records from the state of Alabama – 105,825 Records as of 4 May 2010 Alabama Deaths, 1908-1974 -Name index to death [...]

Avery Anderson will turn 2 in August. With any luck, she will have a Social Security number by then. The toddler’s slow crawl through a thicket of red tape began last year when her father, Clay Anderson, went to file the family’s 2008 income taxes. To obtain a $1,000 child tax credit, he needed Avery’s [...]