What Does Your Family’s Medical History Look Like

Genetics can be a key indicator in determining one’s health risks and potential treatment of a problem. With all the buzz around tracing one’s ancestory through DNA testing, how often do we stop and think about our family’s medical history. Continue reading What Does Your Family’s Medical History Look Like

Index to German Marriages and Death in New York

Since 1834, the New-Yorker Staats-Zeitung has serviced the German community in New York City. Index to Marriage and Death Notices in the New-Yorker Staats-Zeitung 1836-1870; by Frank A. Biebel, is a name index to marriage, birth, and death notices in Continue reading Index to German Marriages and Death in New York

17th Century Scots in the West Indies

Since the earliest colonial days, Scots have immigrated to the New World in sizable numbers. In the 17th Century there were many Scottish colonies established, though some were short lived. Nova Scotia (1629), East Jersey (1683), and South Carolina (1684), Continue reading 17th Century Scots in the West Indies

Otto Ping: A Look into Rural American Life in the Early 20th Century

Most of the books I have the chance to review are directly related to genealogy research in one way or another. However, I recently have been fortunate to review a number of books that don’t directly relate to research; yet, Continue reading Otto Ping: A Look into Rural American Life in the Early 20th Century

A Thorough Vetting of Courthouse Research

Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures by Christine Rose is the step by step handbook every genealogist needs for researching court records. Rose brings her experience in researching at over 500 courthouses to bear in one Continue reading A Thorough Vetting of Courthouse Research

Famous Relative? A New Book Will Examine How People Are Related in the Modern World

A friend of Leland’s, Megan Smolenyak, has an interesting new book coming out in February. A recent article in the Chicago Tribune gives us an early peek at this fun new book. We’re all (likely) related to stars A genealogist Continue reading Famous Relative? A New Book Will Examine How People Are Related in the Modern World

Ancestry.com Progress in 2011 and Looking Forward to 2012

The following letter was received from Ancestry.com. The letter quickly recaps some of the advances made at Ancestry over the past year and plans for 2012: We all—myself included—turn to Ancestry.com with a driving goal in mind: making connections to Continue reading Ancestry.com Progress in 2011 and Looking Forward to 2012