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
Start with What Your Know – Genealogy Tips – Build out the Foundation of Your Tree
You now know where you want to go on your first stop up your family tree and you’ve given some thought to a filing system that will work for you. It is now time to start fleshing out that family tree that is hidden just around the corner. You just have to get started. Most … Continue reading Start with What Your Know – Genealogy Tips – Build out the Foundation of Your Tree
The Shadow Occupation in the Florida Panhandle – Ancestors Bootlegging for Fun and Profit
Sooner or later if you study and/or write about America, the South, or the Florida panhandle, you will likely find references to the making of moonshine. I did not have to find my first reference to this once shadowy endeavor, my grandfather spent a year in the Atlanta Penitentiary after being picked up for his … Continue reading The Shadow Occupation in the Florida Panhandle – Ancestors Bootlegging for Fun and Profit
Too Many Files – Genealogy Tips – Slay the Dragon with Organization
I know of no better way to find yourself eyeball deep in information than to get busy collecting lots of stuff about possible ancestors. When I started many years ago, the majority of what you collected was either loose paper or entries in a notebook when you went to the library or on a walkabout … Continue reading Too Many Files – Genealogy Tips – Slay the Dragon with Organization
To Plan or Not to Plan – Genealogy Tips
I should do a confession at the beginning of this post. I spent years working as a planner, and then as an executive with multiple planning functions in my division. I find life a bit easier if I have a general idea where I want to go and I have at least a few steps … Continue reading To Plan or Not to Plan – Genealogy Tips
“The New County of Bay, a Paradise for the Homeseeker, Agriculturist and Sportsman”, Pensacola Journal, 12 April 1914
Bay County was one of the late-comer counties in the panhandle. It was created from Calhoun and Washington Counties in 1913 at the same time that Walton County obtained a significant shoreline from Washington County. Two years later, Okaloosa County was formed from Santa Rosa and Walton Counties. Unlike the other postings in this series … Continue reading “The New County of Bay, a Paradise for the Homeseeker, Agriculturist and Sportsman”, Pensacola Journal, 12 April 1914
Intro to Getting Started – Genealogy Tips – Plan, Organize, Interview
I'm going to start this new series on genealogy at the very beginning. Some who follow me may think this is way too basic. Stay with me. You might find a point or two that will help you with what you've accumulated and what you still haven't found, or lost in the piles of material … Continue reading Intro to Getting Started – Genealogy Tips – Plan, Organize, Interview
