Find out how DNA evidence helped solve a long-running family mystery: the location of the missing member of a globally dispersed group of siblings. Read More
In-person Seminar at Boston College!
Finding Your Ancestors in Irish Church Records
Join experts from the Ulster Historical Foundation as they discuss Ireland's church records: where to find them, what information they provide, and strategies for leveraging them in your research. March 11 from 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Register Now
The Weekly Genealogist Survey
This Week's Survey:
Did Any of Your Ancestors or Relatives Relocate for Love?
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:
Has Visiting Museums or Historic Sites Helped You Understand Your Ancestors’ Lives?
Total: 3,883 Responses
50%, Yes, I have gained great insight into at least one of my ancestors’ lives through visiting a museum or historic site.
35%, Yes, I have learned some additional information about at least one of my ancestors’ lives through visiting a museum or historic site.
15%, No, I have not learned anything about any of my ancestors’ lives by visiting a museum or historic site.
Readers Respond
Kris Casucci, Brookfield, Massachusetts: While working on my genealogy, I learned that two of my ancestors were Scottish prisoners of war during the English Civil War. They were sold as indentured servants and sent to the New World in 1650 and 1651. One of them, George Darling, worked off his indenture at the Saugus Iron Works. I was incredibly moved when I visited this historic site and saw the conditions he would have had to endure. After completing his indenture, George became a tavern owner in Salem/Marblehead.
Connie Strand, Overland Park, Kansas: Many years ago, I stopped at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in northwest Arkansas. We were driving through, and what little I knew about my ancestor placed him at this 1862 battle. At the desk, I said, “I’m looking for information about Marcus D. Tenney, who was with a Kansas unit in this battle.” The staff person responded enthusiastically: “Oh, he led the Tenney Battery, which played a crucial role in the battle.” While I was still in a bit of shock, he took me to the Tenney Battery display case. I learned about how Tenney’s battery arrived late in the battle and helped secure victory for the Union, and then I reviewed a folder of information on my ancestor. I read through it with wonder and amazement. Details of Tenney’s entire life were included—from his birth in New Hampshire to his time in Illinois to his move to Lawrence, Kansas, as an abolitionist in 1858. This was the biggest gold mine I ever found in my research.
Cara Crosby, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: On a trip to the Yarmouth County Museum and Archives in Nova Scotia in 2019, I discovered an exhibit panel describing my ancestor Jonathan Crosby arriving in Yarmouth in 1761.
Sean Lamb, Madison, Wisconsin: Several years ago, before I was researching seriously, my wife and I visited Boston for the first time. We went on a bus tour of historic sites that took us through Minute Man National Historical Park. The tour guide pointed out Hartwell Tavern in Lincoln, Massachusetts, and we both immediately perked up since we knew that my wife was descended from Oliver Hartwell, who had fought in the Revolution. After the tour ended, we returned to the tavern and talked to the docent there. He helped us find where Oliver fit into the tree, making our vacation all the more meaningful.
Leslie Wickham, Queens, New York: Historic Huguenot Street is a 10-acre National Historic Landmark District in New Paltz, New York. French Huguenots, Protestants who had been persecuted in Catholic France, settled there in 1678. One of the eight original buildings is the Bovier-Elting House, which was built for my ancestor Louis Bovier between 1698 to 1703. Louis and his wife Marie raised eight children in a small portion of what is now the current structure. Touring the area in 2018 helped me picture what their lives might have been like in relative isolation on a tributary of the Hudson River.
What We’re Reading
Connecticut Confronted as Originator of New England Witch Trials “Descendants [of Connecticut’s accused witches] and others asked the legislature’s Judiciary Committee to exonerate them as victims of misogyny, religious intolerance, petty disputes writ large and polarizing political disputes of the time. Nine of the 11 executed were women.”
A House, Ten Feet Square “For those who were, in the contemporary parlance, ‘crazy-brained,’ ‘afflicted,’ or just simply ‘insane,’ legal records are invaluable for understanding how they would have been perceived, both legally and by their communities.”
The town of Blooming Grove is located in Dane County, in southern Wisconsin. The town's website hosts a number of resources for Blooming Grove Cemetery, which was established in 1856. Click the Community tab and select Cemetery, then Burial Information from the dropdown list. Resources include an alphabetical burial list, an ownership list, a cemetery map, and ‘space’ listings. The space listings combine burial and ownership information, and are presented by lot number. Data fields in the burials list include name, burial date, grave location information, and notes. Search Now
Treat yourself—or the family historian in your life—to our handpicked collection of genealogical classics. For a limited time, our popular Experts’ Choice books are 20% off, so there has never been a better time to add to your personal library. This limited-time offer runs through March and is subject to availability, so shop now! Use promo code ExpertChoice323. Save Now
Free Research Guide from American Ancestors
Vermont Genealogy
American Ancestors is fortunate to have a strong collection of Vermont vital, probate, and land records. This research guide provides a comprehensive overview of available resources for researching Vermont ancestors. Learn More
Database News
Volume 21 of Vermont Genealogy
We’ve updated our Vermont Genealogy database, adding Volume 21 from 2016. This update adds over 4,200 new records.Presented in partnership with the Genealogical Society of Vermont. Search Now
Upcoming Conference
Join us at NERGC, May 3–6, 2023
American Ancestors will be at this year's New England Regional Genealogical Consortium, held at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, MA. Attend lectures by experts in the field, including David Allen Lambert, Melanie McComb, Ann G. Lawthers, and Judy Lucey. Visit our exhibit booth for special discounts. Learn More
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
