Linking Parents and Children—Without the Help of Vital Records
From land deeds and obituaries to chancery records, expert Jennifer Shakshober reviews some of the most useful resources for linking parents and children when vital records are not available. Read More
Now Available
Spring Issue of American Ancestors
The new issue of American Ancestors focuses on victims of witch hunts in early America, including a feature story on Salem's youngest accused witch, a look at Salem and Boston jails during the 1692 trials, an excerpt from The Ruin of All Witches by Malcolm Gaskill, and much more. Members of American Ancestors can read the new issue online for free. View Now
Upcoming In-Person Event in NYC
Tracing Colonial Ancestors in New York and New England
This in-person seminar will help you understand the foundations of early New York and New England research: migrations, go-to records and published resources, research strategies, and tracing your Revolutionary War ancestors. Join us May 13 at The Museum of the City of New York. Register Now
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:
Have You Experienced a “Genealogical Windfall” that Substantially Increased Your Family History Knowledge?
Total: 4,079 Responses
87%, Yes, I received at least one genealogical windfall that substantially increased my family history knowledge.
10%, No, I have never received a genealogical windfall.
3%, I don’t know.
Readers Respond
Mary Lee Keane, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: In the 1970s, when I was starting my research, I was told that some of my ancestors had lived in the town of Applegate Michigan. I knew of no living relatives there, so I sent a letter to the Applegate Post Office. I wrote on the envelope, "Please deliver this to any Vincent who might still live in Applegate." The postal worker who received my letter had Vincent relatives, and he gave the letter to them. Those relatives sent me information that took me back several generations.
Jim Meaney, West Roxbury, Massachusetts: In 2015, my brother Bill and I were contacted by a fellow Ancestry.com member, Steve Fraser of New Zealand. Steve enjoys researching photo albums and reuniting them with the family of those pictured. He had purchased an old leather-bound album on eBay and identified the family as our ancestors and relatives. Many of the photos had the subjects identified in ink below their pictures. The album’s owner was Robert Francis [Frank] Eldridge, a whaleman; the inscription reads "Robert Frank Eldridge's book. Carried to sea on his voyages for many years.”
Paula J. Richardson, Paxton, Massachusetts: A volunteer posted a picture of my maternal grandfather's gravestone to his memorial page on FindAGrave.com. I messaged her my thanks, and she responded that there were gravestones on both sides of his marker bearing the same last name. After countless hours of research, I identified my grandfather’s six siblings, their families, and the burial location of my great-grandmother. Thanks to that kind volunteer, I now have a better sense of who my grandfather was. It is true, in my case, that one picture was worth a thousand words.
Carol White, New Castle, New Hampshire: While researching a Revolutionary War ancestor, Elisha Clark, I requested his military records from the National Archives and received around 130 pages. I learned that Elisha Clark had married three times. The children from the third marriage claimed Elisha Clark’s entire pension payment after his death. But a year or so after the payments began, the children from the first and second marriages submitted claims. There were extensive legal depositions and complaints from all three families. These documents were a treasure trove of information as well as an interesting look at the family dynamics.
Nancy McCurdy, Williamsport, Pennsylvania: My genealogical windfall came from The Antiquarto, Episode 5: "Charles Courtenay, 19th Earl of Devon," with D. Brenton Simons and Curt DiCamillo. Courtenay mentioned that Mayflower passenger Thomas Rogers was a descendant of the Courtenay family; I was intrigued, as I am a descendant of the same Thomas Rogers. The Earl of Devon shared that the family line could be traced to France to the year 1000, where Athon became the first lord of an area known as Courtenay. I was able to confirm my connection to the Courtenay family and could then document one branch of my family back to the year 1000.
The Bookstore at NEHGS
Save 20% on All Great Migration Titles
Don't miss your chance to add a genealogical classic to your library! The Great Migration series has helped thousands of family historians discover ancestral connections to some of the earliest settlers in our country’s history. These are essential resources for any genealogist, historian, or descendant with early New England interests and connections. Now you can save 20% on all Great Migration titles through the end of May with discount code GMMAY23. Discount applied at checkout. Shop Now
What We’re Reading
He Bombed the Nazis. 75 Years Later, the Nightmares Began “Like most of his generation, John Wenzel returned from World War II with no interest in sharing memories. Just shy of his 100th birthday, he found he could no longer ignore the past.”
Turning Over the Stones of England’s Lost Jewish Past “Around eight centuries ago, Jews thrived in England, worshiping freely and living where they pleased. Then everything changed. You can uncover their stories, if you know where to look.”
Spotlight: Newspaper Database: Richards Free Library, Sullivan County, New Hampshire
by Valerie Beaudrault
Sullivan County is located in southwestern New Hampshire and seated in Newport. The Richards Free Library offers an online newspaper collection comprising more than 129,000 pages from ten titles, including Argus Champion (1925-2016), New Hampshire Argus And Spectator (1866-1925), Republican Champion (1881-1925), Argus Champion And Newport Lake Sunapee Times (1955-1971), and News Leader (1994-2000). Search by keyword across all titles or within a single newspaper, and limit your search by date range. Individual newspapers can also be browsed. Search Now
We're excited to announce an update to our collaboration with Canadian Headstones, adding 67 cemeteries from Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. We will continue to release updates regularly over the next few months. Search Now
Free Video from American Ancestors
Spilling the Tea: Researching Boston Tea Party Patriots
Was your ancestor involved in the Boston Tea Party? Learn how to research your genealogical connections to the beginnings of colonial rebellion in Boston, and find out about a new lineage society created in partnership with the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum. 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
