The end of the year with its holidays focused on family and gratitude always bring me back to thinking about my ancestors and their lives and being grateful that I’ve had the time and funds to research and explore their lives for the last thirty plus years. One ancestor who I heard a lot about … Continue reading Miles Jerome King and Dorothy Marie Rice King: Military Lives Well Spent
Author: Northwest Florida History
“Family” Research – Genealogy Tips – Ancestors & Their Families
I am always surprised at the number of times I search for an ancestor on Ancestry.com and see entry after entry for a person of the same name and when you click on one of the family trees and look at the family, the person appears to be an only child, at least from that … Continue reading “Family” Research – Genealogy Tips – Ancestors & Their Families
Florida and the 19th Century “Panics”: 1837, 1857, 1873 and 1893, Part 2
This post follows Part 1 on the 19th Century financial panics and their impact on Florida. The first two, The Panic of 1837 and the Panic of 1857 were both covered here. We turn now to 1873. Reconstruction was still in force in the South and would be until close to the end of this … Continue reading Florida and the 19th Century “Panics”: 1837, 1857, 1873 and 1893, Part 2
Tricks of the Trade – Genealogy Tips – Timelines
If you’ve been doing family history for a while, you have at least one, and likely several, brick walls. Those lines that just seem to slam the wall and make you wonder if they were born under rocks. And if you’ve followed my blogs, both history and genealogy, you’ve probably noticed I’ve said several times … Continue reading Tricks of the Trade – Genealogy Tips – Timelines
Military Records – Genealogy Tips – Make the Journey More Than Names and Dates
There is no doubt that our male ancestors left more records behind than our female ancestors did. One place where nearly all the records will be about male ancestors is military records, at least through World War I. When I say military records, I mean not only the actual record of service but also military … Continue reading Military Records – Genealogy Tips – Make the Journey More Than Names and Dates
Florida and the Major 19th Century “Panics”: 1837, 1857, 1873 and 1893, Part 1
When most of us think about economic downturns, we think about the Great Depression of the 1930s and early 1940s or the Great Recession of 2008. In reality, economic downturns have happened regularly throughout the history of capitalism. Some are minor but painful and sometimes multiple strands of events come together at the same point … Continue reading Florida and the Major 19th Century “Panics”: 1837, 1857, 1873 and 1893, Part 1
Probate Records – Genealogy Tips – The Dead Do Talk
If there are any genealogy records that most people don’t try to find, transcribe and understand as they should, it is probate records. There are few that are online, though FamilySearch does have some they just aren’t indexed, and going to a courthouse and wading through records can seem intimidating. But if there is one … Continue reading Probate Records – Genealogy Tips – The Dead Do Talk
Using Land Records and Maps – Genealogy Tips – Location, Location, Location
One good way to separate your John Smith from other John Smiths is to locate him in a specific location. Coupled with age and spouse, it can really help to separate out people with the same name. Let’s assume you’ve discovered all of your ancestors up through your great-grandparents. You’ve identified all the children, maiden … Continue reading Using Land Records and Maps – Genealogy Tips – Location, Location, Location
Did Your Southern Ancestor Serve With the Union? An Exploration of the 1st Florida Union Cavalry Volunteers
The War for Southern Independence, aka the American Civil War or the War Between the States, was a difficult war as experienced by Floridians and south Alabamians. It was not just about “do I side with the Confederacy or the Union”, it was about the safety of families left behind and whether they would survive … Continue reading Did Your Southern Ancestor Serve With the Union? An Exploration of the 1st Florida Union Cavalry Volunteers
Census Records – Genealogy Tips – Getting the Most from Censuses
As I mentioned in the previous genealogy post, once you’ve finished entering what you know and what you acquire from your interviews, the records to start with are census records. Even if you obtained birth, death and marriage dates from an interview or a family Bible, it doesn’t hurt to search for the family in … Continue reading Census Records – Genealogy Tips – Getting the Most from Censuses
