personal history Archives

Talking to Relatives: The Family History Interview

by Kimberly Powell | Oct 23, 2022 | Genealogy Basics | 0

Your relatives may just have the family history answers you can’t get anywhere else. The next time you’re interviewing a relative, try these ten tips for digging up great family stories.

The Historical Records Survey of the Works Progress Administration

by Kimberly Powell | May 12, 2022 | Research Planning, Social History, U.S. Genealogy | 0

Works Progress Administration surveyors inspect records storage conditions in Massachusetts, 1936. Courtesy of the National Archives, Records of the Work Projects Administration, RG 69.

The 1950 Census – A Research Guide

by Kimberly Powell | Apr 1, 2022 | Census Records | 0

Learn how to research individuals in the 1950 census, including what questions were asked of U.S. residents and where and how to access the records.

Enumeration Districts and Census Tracts

by Kimberly Powell | Mar 30, 2022 | Census Records, History and Laws | 0

A census enumeration district (ED) is a defined geographic area representing a specific portion of...

Coroner’s Records & Inquest Case Files

by Kimberly Powell | Jan 8, 2022 | Death Records | 0

Coroner inquest record of Mary Zema, Pitt County, North Carolina. When someone dies in a violent,...

Find Your Family in the Census – 10 Search Strategies for Success

by Kimberly Powell | Jan 4, 2022 | Census Records | 0

We all have ancestors we would swear were somehow skipped or overlooked by the census taker....

Sanborn® Fire Insurance Maps Online

by Kimberly Powell | Jan 3, 2022 | Land Records, Online Records, U.S. Genealogy | 0

Explore online collections offering free access to digitized copies of Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps for select states, cities, and towns.

Digging Details from Pre-1850 U.S. Census Records

by Kimberly Powell | Sep 15, 2021 | Census Records, Featured | 0

Learn how to make use of the tick marks in pre-1850 US census records to reveal valuable information about your ancestors.

Missouri Genealogy Online – Sources for Researching Missouri Ancestors

by Kimberly Powell | Aug 11, 2021 | Online Records, U.S. Genealogy | 0

Research and explore your Missouri genealogy online with these online Missouri databases, indexes, and digitized record collections focused on Missouri and family history – many of them free!

Tract Books: An Index to Public Domain Land

by Kimberly Powell | Apr 13, 2021 | Land Records, U.S. Genealogy | 0

Federal tract books serve as a master index to sales, leases, homesteads, and other transactions related to the disposition of the majority of surveyed public land in the 30 U.S. public land states. Learn how to use tract books to locate information on your ancestors or the original ownership of a particular parcel!