Jewelry—create special family history jewelry to either commemorate a person in your family or using heirloom jewelry. You can share the story with your child. Family Recipe Book—write out your favorite family recipes, include some memories and pictures and bind … Continued
Blankets—older adults often get cold very easily. However, you can take a picture and have Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Shutterfly or another company create a blanket from a family picture. Coffee Mugs—each morning my grandmother has hot chocolate with her 3 great-grandchildren. … Continued
I’ve been sharing tips on vital records. Here is a case study on how I used vital records to unlock a genealogical mystery in our family: My great-grandfather had a sister that no one knew what happened to her. She … Continued
Have you ever viewed old wills, land records or other records and seen an X in the signature? Have you wondered what this meant? Well, this meant one of two things more than likely. The individual was illiterate and … Continued
Divorce records are very common today, but as little as fifty years ago they were not as accessible. Fifty years ago, marriage was considered a life time commitment. If a couple divorced, they were often looked down on and shunned. … Continued
Marriage bonds are different than marriage licenses. Marriage bonds were used by the states before marriage licenses were issued. A bond was often {especially in the late 18th and early 19th centuries} an agreement between the bride’s father {or … Continued
Marriage license are another great resource, along with death certificates. Marriage license are available to the general public at the probate court in the county of the marriage. Marriage license began to be issued in the early 20th Century. To … Continued
Some death certificates are easier to obtain than birth certificates. Like birth certificates, the death certificate was not a legal document until the early 20th Century. This has also proven to be a frustration in many of the earlier records … Continued
Last week, we discussed vital records and their importance. Now let’s dig a little deeper. When a person is born a birth certificate is filled out and filed with the state. The birth certificate list the date of birth and … Continued
When researching genealogy, one of the best places to start with vital records. So what are vital records? According the Wikipedia, “Vital records are records of life events kept under governmental authority, including birth certificates, marriage licenses, and death certificates.” Why are vital records … Continued