Come Visit Us for Our Research Getaway “Filling in the Dash: Uncovering Ancestral Stories”
Escape to Boston for three days of research, orientations, one-on-one consultations, and social events. Explore the rich offerings at American Ancestors and benefit from the knowledge and assistance of expert genealogists. The lectures and demonstrations offered as part of this program are focused on resources and strategies that will help you uncover ancestral stories. Learn More
From American Ancestors
Free Download: Getting Started with Researching Loyalist Ancestors During the American Revolution
Learn more about researching loyalist ancestors during the American Revolution with our FREE guide. Download Now
Recently on Vita Brevis
Cato Freedom: Soldier of the Revolution
Using military records and pension application files, Jonathan Hill uncovers the life of Cato Freedom, a Black soldier who fought in the Revolutionary War. This story was discovered through our 10 Million Names project.
Ancestors Who Worked in Building Construction or an Associated Trade
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.
Have You Benefited from the Late Robert Charles Anderson’s Research on Great Migration Immigrants Who Arrived in New England Between 1620 and 1640?
Total: 2,469 Responses
56%, Yes, I have researched my Great Migration ancestors in at least one Great Migration book or database.
35%, I made major discoveries about my Great Migration ancestors in at least one Great Migration book or database.
30%, I have purchased at least one Great Migration book.
11%, I subscribed to the Great Migration Newsletter.
41%, I read at least one article by Robert Charles Anderson in American Ancestors, the Register, or another publication.
10%, I benefited from Robert Charles Anderson’s 2014 guide, Elements of Genealogical Analysis.
11%, I attended an in-person or online lecture, or education program given by Robert Charles Anderson.
1%, I went on a research tour with Robert Charles Anderson.
2%, I don’t have Great Migration ancestors, but I have still benefited from Robert Charles Anderson’s Great Migration work.
5%, I have benefited from Robert Charles Anderson’s Great Migration work in a way not mentioned above.
22%, Although I have Great Migration ancestors, I have not accessed any of Robert Charles Anderson’s work.
16%, I have not accessed any of Robert Charles Anderson’s Great Migration work because I don’t have Great Migration ancestors.
Readers Respond
Many readers asked if the work of the Great Migration Study Project will continue. The answer is most definitely yes. Bob Anderson handed the reins to Nathan W. Murphy, FASG, who worked closely with Bob for the last two years and is currently preparing the next volume in the 1636–1638 series. We will announce details about future volumes in this newsletter and on our Great Migration publications page.
Linda Whitmore, The Villages, Florida: In 2016, my husband and I flew from Oregon to Boston to spend four days doing family and historical research at American Ancestors. One day I looked across the room and saw Robert Charles Anderson perusing a book. With an “Aha!” and a big, satisfied smile, he shut the book and left the library. I have read many of the biographies he wrote, and I admire all the research they entailed. It was exciting to see him—I felt as if I’d seen a movie star! He truly was a “monumental figure in genealogy.” He has left trustworthy works that will be used by others for many, many years.
Mary Beth Norton, Ithaca, New York: Years ago, I consulted Robert Charles Anderson while I was researching the midwife Alice Tilly for an article that I eventually published in the William and MaryQuarterly. Bob saved me from making a major mistake. That interaction led us to further exchanges about Alice Tilly over email. A few years ago, when he knew I would be in England, Bob asked if I would go to the Cambridge University library and photograph an entry in original court records about Alice Tilly that he had discovered but never had a chance to view. I was happy to do that in exchange for all the help he had given me earlier.
Roger Gay, Acton, Massachusetts: Robert Charles Anderson had a longstanding interest in my family line. I am glad that I had the opportunity to attend his recent seminar series via Zoom, but I regret that I never had the chance to thank him in person. Although I never met him, I was saddened by the news—like I lost an old friend. “When comes such another?”
Helen Ogden, Gorham, Maine: As the Registrar for the New Hampshire and Maine state societies of The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, I frequently check the Great Migration database for reliable information to support candidate applications for membership in NSDCA. I check for various vital statistics, but it is rare that I don't also get caught up in reading all the other fascinating information the entries contain.
Christine West, Annapolis, Maryland: I first accessed the Great Migration books at my county’s genealogy and history library. Within three visits of less than two hours each, I was able to locate thirty-three immigrant ancestors who were the founding settlers of fifteen different Massachusetts Bay Colony towns. These books led to an overflow of information that I have not yet finished exploring. Thank you, Robert Charles Anderson, for assembling this monumental work and for opening up a whole new world for so many of us!
What We’re Reading
Vesuvius Erupted, but When Exactly? “Two thousand years on, scholars still don’t agree on the day the destruction of Pompeii began. Two new studies only fan the fire.”
Eight Places to Experience a Movie Like It’s 1925 “Theaters from Washington to Florida and Massachusetts to Arizona show silent films accompanied by live music played on elaborate theater organs.”
Spotlight: Okmulgee County Genealogical Society, Oklahoma
by Valerie Beaudrault
Okmulgee County is located in east central Oklahoma. The Okmulgee County Genealogical Society has made a number of indexes available on its website. To begin your search, click the Records Index tab and select a database title from the dropdown list. The databases include searchable indexes to obituaries (1904–2020), funeral home records (1917–1995), cemetery card records (1909–1983), marriage records (1907–2020), and Civil War burials. On the Civil War database webpage, researchers can find biographical information about each of the veterans by clicking their name link. Search Now
Enter by April 1, 2025
Young Family Historians Essay Contest
The 2025 American Ancestors Young Family Historians Essay Contest is open for students enrolled in grades 4–12 in public, private, parochial, and home schools across the nation and US territories. This year's contest invites students to share a story from their personal family history about an ancestor who faced a challenge, and how they overcame it. We encourage teachers to use this essay contest as a class project. Our Family History Curriculum has everything you need to help students explore their roots, including inquiry-based lessons, teaching strategies, and editable student worksheets.Learn More
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
