Roots and Branches by Josie Vaughn

Index to Articles  

Josie Plescia Vaughn wrote "Roots and Branches," a monthly column discussing subjects of genealogical interest, in the Grass Valley/Nevada City, California newspaper, The Union. Those articles, originally written in 2002 and 2003, are reprinted here with permission from The Union. 

• Question: There is much more interest in genealogy and I have been asked a lot of questions, such as: "How do I start?" Here are a few basic things to getting started. September 6, 2003

• Question: I recently attended a genealogy seminar, and someone mentioned research outlines. What are these, and where can I get one? April 5, 2003

• I have not mentioned the Internet much, but now that computers are available for all at public libraries, I will do so on occasion. March 1, 2003

• Question: I am planning a research trip. What do I need to know? February 1, 2003

• Question: I have checked the common records such as birth, death, marriage and census for an ancestor, what are some of the lesser known records? January 4, 2003

• Question: I have written to libraries for information, but do not hear from them. What am I doing wrong? December 7, 2002

• Question: What is a mortality schedule? October 5, 2002

• Question: How can I find out what cemetery my ancestor is buried in? He died in 1880, before death certificates were mandatory. September 7, 2002

• Question: I have noticed that there are seminars and workshops on genealogy nationwide, statewide and locally. How would I benefit from attending? August 3, 2002

• Question: I am planning on visiting several courthouses on a trip East. Do I go in and ask what they have? July 6, 2002

• Question: I cannot travel to do my genealogy research. How do I go about hiring a researcher? June 1, 2002

• Question: I found out my ancestors were in Montgomery County, Va., in 1830 and 1840, but cannot find more records on them, although I don't think they moved. What do you suggest? May 4, 2002

• Question: I understand that the 1930 Federal Census has been released. Where can I view it? April 6, 2002 (note: since this article was printed, the Foley Library has access to the 1930 census through Ancestry.com.)

• Question: Where might I look for names of parents of individuals when there are no birth or death certificates and there are no family Bible records? March 2, 2002

• Question: I have been looking for a deed to my ancestor's land and have been unable to find it, although I know they had property in the area. It seems the records are complete for the county, so where could the record be? February 2, 2002

• Question: I recently found that my great-grandfather had been divorced. Where can I look for the record, and what information might I find on this record? January 5, 2002
  

All articles are reprinted with the permission of The Union.