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GENEALOGY WEBSITES – CLASS FIVE

By Athna May Porter - March 2004

 

Athna May Porter’s Four Internet Classes http://www.rootsweb.com/~mtygf/websites.htm The link from the Yellowstone Genealogy Forum’s website lists the top genealogy sites used in my four Internet Classes of 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002. Keep in mind, that website addresses change constantly and may now be defunct or may direct you to another site. Be sure to bookmark any changes.

 

Vital Record Information http://vitalrec.com/usmap.html Select a State to obtain vital records information for that State and the counties within that state.

 

100 Top Genealogy Sites http://www.clickfortopsites.cjb.net/ Sites updated every 30 minutes and all sites return to zero on Sundays. Sites need one hit in to appear on rankings. Take time to search and be sure to bookmark.

 

Arizona Office of Vital Records http://www.hs.state.az.us/vitalrcd/ Documents on line http://genealogy.az.gov/ for Birth certificates recorded more than 75 years ago or Death certificates recorded more than 50 years ago are available as public records.  You can search our public records there and view images of original birth and death certificates in PDF format.  You will need the free Adobe Acrobat© Reader to view these images. You can then download the image and/or print copies on your own printer. 

 

Illinois Research http://www.sos.state.il.us/services/services_gov_record.html There are online databases for vital records and land patents and much more. Important information on using the IRAD system to locate the records you need without having to travel. You can pay a fee to receive a copy or go to the nearest FHC and find the film that corresponds and order it from them. Decide which is cheaper.

 

Library of Virginia http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/gene/index.htm If you have Virginia area ancestors, spend some time with this site. You may be surprised at just what you can find. Remember sometimes you have to spend time doing some old fashion research, like writing letters and ordering films and relearning patience. Heaven forbid!

 

Canadian Indexes http://www.ingeneas.com/ A diligent team of accomplished genealogy professionals based in Ottawa, Canada's capital city. http://www.ingeneas.com/ingeneas/index.html The inGeneas Database contains passenger list records for immigrants arriving at Canadian ports between 1748 and 1873. For the most part, these records have been extracted from microfilm of the original manifests held at several archives and libraries. Another section contains records from a variety of immigration records (other than passenger lists) for the time period of 1748 to 1906. For the most part, these records have been extracted from microfilm of the original records held at several archives and libraries. Immigration records such as those listed below are included in our database. Results will be displayed in an index format and then you could pay a fee to receive a copy or go to the nearest FHC and find the film that corresponds and order it from them. If only in book form then you can look at it the next time you go to Salt Lake. One database is free.

 

Canada http://www.grl.com/ Fee based site that contains five million Canadian ancestors in one massive index – actual images of source documents for 1 million ancestors. $10 – 1 week, $25 – 1 month, $45 – 3 months. May be worth trying.

 

Merchant Vessels http://www.geocities.com/mppraetorius/main-com1.htm This list consists of descriptions of merchant vessels, both sail and steam, compiled by Mr. Palmer over the course of many years from a variety of sources.

 

Online Indexes http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/databases.html Online indexes, records and databases. A wide variety of subjects and a site that you will need to spend some time with. Some are fee based, others not.

 

State of CT Site http://www.negenealogy.com/ct/index.htm Connecticut research and a great census map site for SE and NE States. Click on the state and then click on maps and while clicking watch the maps show the county formations and changes. A lot of printable information on this site.

 

Three Different Soundex Systems http://www.avotaynu.com/soundex.html An explanation of how you can use these three systems, instead of only the old standby to find your ancestor in indexes.

 

Directory of Genealogy Libraries in the United States www.gwest.org/gen_libs.htm These libraries have varying sizes of collections of genealogical material. Some are very limited while others specialize in genealogical and historical data.

 

 

Library of Congress List of Links to Other Institutions’ Online Catalogs http://lcweb.loc.gov/z3950/ This is an excellent site for accessing other libraries’ catalogs to search their genealogical holdings so you can interlibrary loan.

 

86 State Libraries http://www.familytreemagazine.com/articles/aug03/libraries1.html A complete guide to 86 state libraries, archives and historical societies including how to tap into their collections. There, you'll find birth, marriage and death records, plus state census records, tax records, business records, county records, maps, family papers and even photographs and oral histories. Most state archives also have launched ambitious programs to microfilm newspapers dating back to the first issues published in the state. While they usually focus on their own states, many of these libraries and archives have important holdings for family history research in other states as well. By Rick Crume The Family Tree Magazine, August 2003

 

United States Atlas http://www.livgenmi.com/1895/ A state table index includes name of the town, the population, county, the area of the state in which the town is located, post office, railroad, etc. There is a large map for each state, and a smaller map for counties.

 

German Surnames http://www.germannames.com/ Maps of Surnames in Germany are made up by using Telephone Listings. This can be a very helpful tool if you are stuck, also a rather cool researching tool. These must be ordered.

 

Free Book Downloads http://www.tfeeney.esmartbiz.com/page7.htm These 13 books cover areas in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont.  You can click on a link and purchase these and other CD’s for a very small cost, if you do not want to download them yourself to a CD or your computer.

 

Genealogy Bulletin http://www.genealogybulletin.com/archives/ The Genealogy Bulletin has assembled a trio of genealogy superstars providing its weekly content.  Contributing Editors include:  Nationally Acclaimed Author, William Dollarhide; Internet Guru, Cyndi Howells; and the lively Heritage Quest Magazine and Genealogy Bulletin Columnist, Donna Potter Phillips.

 

Worldwide Genealogy Community Online News Service www.genealogyblog.com All the news and gossip a genealogists can handle. Heritage Quest Magazine can be searched by category and view table of contents for back issues. Genealogy tips and techniques, new products, web site reviews.

 

Family Tree Magazine http://www.familytreemagazine.com/newsarchive/ This is a great newsletter to receive via e-mail that keeps you up to date with lots of good information and articles.

 

WWII War Memorial http://www.wwiimemorial.com/default.asp?page=home.asp Dedication will be May 29th 2004 and it is not too late to submit your war hero. They also have a section for those who supported the war effort from home.

 

Civilian Conservation Corps Alumni http://www.cccalumni.org/index.html The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a public works program that put over three million young men and adults to work during the Great Depression of the 1930's and 1940's in the United States. This is a site that remembers and celebrates the efforts of the Civilian Conservation Corps. Check out the State Listings to find the camp that your ancestor served and then click Research to learn how to order his papers or discharge.

 

8 MM Film Transfer to video or DVD http://www.film-to-video.com/tutorial.html A buyer’s beware on what you should know before you turn over your precious 8 mm film to any film company or average Joe to reproduce on a newer media.

 

Gravestone Motifs Information http://www.savinggraves.com/education/print/carvings.htm Listed here are a few of the many motifs that are found on gravestones along with some of the more commonly held interpretations of their symbolism.

 

Nicknames http://www.usgenweb.com/researchers/nicknames.html  Part of the USGENWEB Project for helping researchers figure out what the formal name of a nickname would be or visa versa.

 

Genealogy Graphics http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Estates/7923/ A website with free graphics that you can download to enhance your scrapbooks or framed projects, as background pages for documents or to add to the book you are writing on your family history.

 

Food Timeline http://www.gti.net/mocolib1/kid/food.html This is a fun, as well as, educational site on the history of different foods and when they were introduced. Also contains recipes from the times the item was “invented”. This is just another way to add more “potatoes to the meat” of our stories.