"It wasn’t just the scope of their collections that the clerks knew by heart. Many of them also seemed to have the history of the county committed to memory." This week on Vita Brevis, writer Diane Parrish recounts the story of a genealogical road trip and the invaluable contributions of the county clerks she met along the way. Read More
Upcoming Online Seminar
Verifying Your Jamestowne Lineage
Learn how to verify your connection to Jamestowne, the first permanent English settlement in America. In this three-week online course, Executive Director of the Jamestowne Society Bonnie Hofmeyer and Genealogist Ann Lawthers will discuss essential resources, record collections, research strategies, and historical context. Members save 10%. Register Now
Student Essay Contest Deadline Extended to April 1
The submission deadline for our student essay contest has been extended! The contest is open to all students in grades 4-12 across the nation and U.S. territories. Please share this opportunity with the young family historian in your life! Learn More
The Weekly Genealogist Survey
This Week's Survey:
Ancestors or Relatives Who Lost Fingers, Toes, or Limbs
Share your thoughts about the survey!Please limit submissions to 150 words or fewer. Your submission may be featured in an upcoming newsletter or shared on social media; please note in your email if you do not want your story to be shared. Published responses may be edited for clarity and length.
Last Week's Survey:
Ancestors' Experiences with Love and Marriage
Total: 2,790 Responses
9%, At least one of my ancestors had an arranged marriage.
17%, At least one of my ancestors had a broken engagement.
26%, At least one of my ancestors had a fiancé or spouse who was killed in a war.
8%, At least one of my ancestors had a spouse who died within six months of their wedding day.
21%, At least one of my ancestors died within six months of a spouse's death.
13%, At least one of my ancestors was involved in a bigamous marriage.
34%, At least one of my ancestors was married more than three times.
4%, At least one of my ancestors was reunited with a long-lost love.
47%, At least one of my ancestors was married 60 years or more.
10%, At least one of my ancestors had a significant long-term romantic partnership that did not include marriage.
19%, None of my ancestors fit into any of the categories mentioned above.
Readers Respond
David De Vecchis, Providence, Rhode Island: My father, Virgilio De Vecchis, was born in Italy; my mom, Mary (Coccio), was born in America, of Italian descent. Virgilio’s uncle wanted to arrange a marriage between them, but Mary’s father refused. Mary thought the situation was funny and asked to see a picture of Virgilio. She was instantly smitten and asked for Virgilio’s address. They corresponded by mail for two years. In 1949, Mary traveled to Italy to meet Virgilio. They married in Rome three weeks later and were together for fifty-three years, until Mary passed.
Cynthia Russell, Logan, Utah: At age 17, my mother married her first love, John. They had two children together. Sadly, John was killed in World War II. After the war, Mom married John’s best friend, Russell. They had three more children together, including me. Mom’s first marriage certificate lists my father as a witness. I have a picture of Mom and Dad at a picnic when they were thirteen years old. Mom was dating John at the time, but he couldn't make it, so he asked his best friend, Russell, to take her. Who knew they would be married some day?
Joanne Olivier, Frankenmuth, Michigan: My grand-aunt was 28 and her husband 18 when they married in 1912. They lived in the same small town of Tecumseh, Ontario, all their lives. They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1962. Their seventy-fifth anniversary in 1987 prompted a telegram from Queen Elizabeth acknowledging their achievement. The telegram is a cherished family memento.
“Harry and Zilphia Lund donated their letters to a UMaine library with the caveat that they'd stay sealed for 50 years. Now, they're available to the public.”
"‘I was in so much shock when the picture popped up,’ said Hope Tomkins, who lost almost everything in a tornado that destroyed her Iowa home in 2008.”
Spotlight: Hall County Newspaper Digitization Project, Nebraska
by Valerie Beaudrault
Hall County, seated in Grand Island, is located in central Nebraska. Several Hall County organizations collaborated to create the Hall County Newspaper Digitization Project. The collection comprises nearly 321,000 pages from 161 newspapers. The majority of the digitized pages are from 23 titles, which include The Grand Island Daily Independent (1885-1930), Wood River (1884-2003), The Cairo Record (1907-2012), Grand Island Independent (1882-1912), The Doniphan Herald (1923-2005), Grand Island Anzeiger Un Herald (1894-1918) (German), West Nebraska Register (1987-2020), The Nebraska Register (1947-1973), and The Grand Island Herald (1918-1942). The databases are keyword searchable and can also be browsed. Search Now
As a family historian, you know that wills are important in your research—but have you created a will for yourself? Free Will, an easy and free online will creation tool, will guide you step-by-step through identifying beneficiaries for your assets, supporting the causes that are important to you, and planning for the preservation of your research. Learn More
