Genealogy and heraldry are, in essence, the pursuit of personal truth and collective memory. They speak to the human need to understand not only where we come from but also how the complexities of our past echo through time, shaping the world we live in today. Read More
Upcoming Free Online Lecture, November 14
Ten Steps to Writing & Publishing Your Family History
Writing and publishing your genealogy is a great way to preserve your family history for future generations and to share it with others. Join American Ancestors Vice President of Publishing Sharon Inglis as she discusses her top tips. Register Now
Fall Book Sale
20% off Great Migration and Mayflower Books
Explore your Great Migration and Mayflower ancestry this Thanksgiving with 20% off related titles from American Ancestors!
Don’t miss this chance to save on 47 books, as well as journal issues and puzzles, that focus on the earliest years of New England settlement. Select from a variety of Mayflower offerings and Robert Charles Anderson’s many Great Migration volumes. Use code GMMAYFLOWER24. Offer ends November 25, exclusions apply. Shop Now
The Weekly Genealogist Survey
This Week's Survey:
Ancestors or Relatives Who Eloped
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.
26%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors owned an inn.
10%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors worked in an inn.
11%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors owned a hotel or motel.
12%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors worked at a hotel or motel.
7%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors owned seasonal tourist accommodations, such as camps, cottages, or cabins.
7%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors worked at seasonal tourist accommodations, such as camps, cottages, or cabins.
19%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors owned a boardinghouse.
9%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors worked in a boardinghouse.
41%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors took in boarders.
12%, Yes, at least one of my ancestors provided lodging in a way not mentioned above.
26%, No, I don’t think any of my ancestors had a role in providing lodging.
Readers Respond
Robbie Gorr, Petawawa, Ontario: My great-grandmother Marie Jeanne Clouthier (1879-1966), usually known as Jane, lived in the rural hamlet of Black Bay located in the Upper Ottawa Valley in Ontario. She operated a “stopover”—a rural comfort stop for seasonal workers and visitors like lumbermen and hunters—in her own home. She cooked for patrons and provided lodging and laundry services, all the while keeping her own house and caring for a husband and eleven children (my grandmother was her eighth child).
Mary Walling, Hudson, Massachusetts: My maternal grandparents moved to a large Victorian house in Fredonia, New York, when my mother and her sister were about 3 and 5 years old. The house was within walking distance of Fredonia State Teachers College (now SUNY Fredonia). My grandfather worked at the steel mill and on the trolley line. Gramma decided to take in “girls” from the college for extra income. She provided room and board and did laundry for the girls. I recently discovered that Gramma and Grampa took in young men after my mother and aunt moved out of the house.
Megan Burns, Fuquay Varina, North Carolina: My great-great-grandfather John William Hall (1817–1887) of Hallsboro, North Carolina, was known for his kindness and generosity. Around 1860, he constructed and maintained a “tramp house”—a little hut for the safety and comfort of the transient community who traveled down the railroad. John supplied the hut with a bucket of fresh water with a dipper, a fireplace with firewood, and a bunk to sleep in.
Hardy Pottinger, Mission, Texas: My ancestor Sam Pottinger (1754-1831) was an early pioneer in Kentucky. Sam built “Pottinger's Station,” a sort of an early-day bed and breakfast, in what is now Nelson County, Kentucky. Pottinger’s Station included a "meat cabin" where venison was provided for travelers’ use. Kentucky historical marker #1433 notes the location.
Kathy Butts, Linden, Michigan: My sister and I traveled to Boston a few years ago to conduct research on our ancestors. During that time, we discovered that our 8th and 7th great-grandfathers John and Samuel How owned a tavern in Sudbury, Massachusetts. Imagine our surprise when we found out that the tavern was still in existence! It is now called The Wayside Inn. We ate lunch at the inn, sat in the How Room, and were invited to sign the How registry of descendants. It was a great day and a wonderful trip!
What We’re Reading
With DNA, Pompeii Narratives Take a Twist “In 79 A.D., a volcanic eruption engulfed a town’s residents. They weren’t all who scientists thought, newly extracted genetic material suggests.”
On its website, The Portal to Texas History is described as “a gateway to rare, historical, and primary source materials from or about Texas.” There are 850 collections from more than 500 content partners, comprising more than two million items, that make up the Portal, which was created in the early 2000s. It is maintained by the University of North Texas Libraries. The newspaper collection is largest, with more than one million searchable pages. Resource materials also include photographs, maps, patents, postcards, and yearbooks. Click the Search tab on the homepage to begin your search. Search Now
Upcoming Online Seminar, December 12–14
Online Research Workshop: Verifying Your Family Tree
Want to learn how to verify your conclusions and ensure your family tree is accurate? Join the experts at American Ancestors for a three-day, interactive online workshop that will help you stay focused, organized, and accurate in your genealogical findings. Attend lectures, real-time demonstrations, a one-on-one consultation, and lively Q&A sessions with participants and instructors. Register Now
Database News
AM Explorer: Children's Literature and Culture
Explore a stunning collection of rare books, games, ephemera, and artwork from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that reveal the socio-cultural history of these times. Showcasing innovative publishing methods characteristic of the golden age of children’s literature, from mass-produced chapbooks to richly illustrated "book-beautifuls," this collection examines the ways in which new concepts were introduced to young readers, challenging established notions of childhood. You must be logged into your American Ancestors account to view this collection. View 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
