It was an old family joke: when encountering places that shared his name, like the Lyman Lakes at Carleton College, Uncle Lyman would claim that they were named after him personally. Researcher Zobeida Chaffee-Valdes had a feeling that the connection might be more than a coincidence. Read More
Upcoming In-person Seminar in Pennsylvania
Tracing Ancestors on the Move
Join our experts at the Hagen History Center in Erie, Pennsylvania, on August 12 for a one-day seminar on researching ancestors on the move. Learn the context behind American migrations from the 17th to 20th centuries, and gain strategies for tracking ancestors across time and place. Learn More
Special Offer for American Ancestors Members
Get 10% Off Boston University’s Genealogy Studies Program
Boston University's Genealogy Studies Program offers three unique courses taught by practicing professionals in the field of genealogy. Develop your research skills, expand your professional network, and connect with peers in a flexible and supportive online learning environment. Members of American Ancestors receive 10% off tuition when they enroll in this unique program. Learn More
The Weekly Genealogist Survey
This Week's Survey:
Did Any of Your Ancestors or Relatives Meet a Celebrity?
Share your thoughts about the survey at weeklygenealogist@nehgs.org. Responses may be edited for clarity and length and featured in a future newsletter.
Last Week's Survey:
Ancestors Who Won Contests and Competitions
Total: 2,853 Responses
6%, At least one of my ancestors or relatives won a baby contest.
7%, At least one of my ancestors or relatives won a beauty contest.
1%, At least one of my ancestors or relatives won an eating contest.
8%, At least one of my ancestors or relatives won a cooking competition.
22%, At least one of my ancestors or relatives won a produce, livestock, or other agricultural competition.
4%, At least one of my ancestors or relatives won a contest for a pet.
12%, At least one of my ancestors or relatives won a singing or musical competition.
3%, At least one of my ancestors or relatives won a drama competition.
13%, At least one of my ancestors or relatives won an art competition.
7%, At least one of my ancestors or relatives won a literary competition.
17%, At least one of my ancestors or relatives won a scholastic competition.
18%, My ancestor or relative won a sports competition or one for physical prowess.
4%, My ancestor or relative won a significant sweepstakes or lottery prize.
16%, My ancestor or relative won a different type of contest or competition not mentioned above.
32%, I won at least one contest or competition in one of the categories mentioned above or in a different category.
30%, I don’t know if any of my ancestors or relatives won any contests or competitions.
Kim Lawonn, Omaha, Nebraska: In early elementary school I was one of several winners of a state competition campaigning for a clean environment. I drew a picture of a trash can with a skunk walking near it; my slogan was “Don’t be a skunk. Pick up the junk.” The prize was a seedling tree. I don’t recall if I ever planted the seedling, or even received it.
Will America Be Ready for Its 250th Birthday? “History is a partisan battleground. A troubled national planning commission is attempting a reboot. Here comes the Semiquincentennial, ready or not.”
Hold the Line “As telephony developed, so did a workforce of switchboard operators—all women—who were ultimately rendered obsolete by technological progress.”
Spotlight: Wilkin County Historical Society, Minnesota
by Valerie Beaudrault
Wilkin County, seated in the city of Breckinridge, is located in west-central Minnesota on the North Dakota border. The Wilkin County Historical Society has created an online obituary database comprising more than 11,000 records. Download the database as a Microsoft Excel file to search. Data fields include last name, given name, parents’ names, birth and death dates, cause of death (if known), place interred, and the newspaper in which the obituary appeared. Search Now
Stay up to date with what's new at American Ancestors.org! Learn about new searchable databases, digitized collections, scholarship, educational programming, and more. Watch Now
Your Legacy. Your Peace of Mind. Your Free Will.
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
