Mission Statement
ShoeString Genealogy provides Family Historians with information about how to research their ancestors both on the Internet and in libraries and other repositories. Besides how, it indicates where—locations for information and the relative value of each.
Here you will find useful, free Genealogy Charts and free Genealogy Forms; free Presentations on Genealogy Topics; Tips and Techniques; new Developments and Resources; and diversions such as Trivia Quizzes and Crossword Puzzles.
ShoeString Genealogy focuses on lowering the costs of research and raising the quality of information obtained. Although not all online resources are free, many are. Same for many repositories. We'll show you an abundance of excellent resources that are quite inexpensive, too.
What's New? 23-July-2008
Wednesdae, 23-Jul-08, Lorax will hold her genealogy trivia game event at 9:30 pm EDT in the GLF Trivia Room.
Thursdae, 24-Jul-08, GENTREK will present "Passenger List Resources." Probably more time is spent hunting for our ancestors on ship passenger lists than any other type of research. In our naiveté we assume these records will reveal exactly from where in the "old country" our ancestors came. It is not always that simple. Depending on when your immigrant ancestors arrived, American ship passenger lists may or may not provide this information. In some instances determining the ancestral home can be discovered by tracking down naturalization papers, rather than ship passenger lists. Let's look at these together in the Genealogy Lookup Forum Chatroom: GENTREK from 10pm-11pm EDT.
Thursday, 24-Jul-08, "Vital Signs: using obits, newspapers, funeral records, cemetery records and more" with hosts GLF-CARI & GLF-RITA. It all happens at 9 pm EDT in the Ancestral Room.
Fridae, 25-Jul-08, GENTREK will present Researching Home Sources, by DarlaJo Vader. What do recipe files, old purses, dusty textbooks, yellowed notebooks, broken down trunks, and the revered family Bible all have in common? Any and all, if you can find them, may contain missing pieces to your family history! We begin at 4 pm EDT, or 9 pm British, in the AOL Genealogy Chatroom—UK.
Fridae, 25-Jul-08, GLF-Wohlford and GLF-Debbie explore the world of paranormal activity in our lives, our ancestors' lives and in our research. They may talk about ghosts, psychic phenomenon in research, or beliefs of our ancestors—whatever interests you. They even have some Reiki Masters who can discuss energy sources and ancestral guides and their influence on research. Hope to see you 9pm-10pm EDT in the StateRoom.
Saturdae, 26-Jul-08, Dae & Jayne are on summer hiatus from Mugs & Hugs, Saturdae edition. These are friendly chats, where any topic may come up—even genealogy. And you don't have to remain the entire hour. <grin> Each Saturdae, from 9am-10am EDT in AOL chatroom Ancestral Digs.
Saturdae, 26-Jul-08, UK Genealogy Chat Room, dedicates the evenings of Wednesdays and Saturdays as Search Only days for anyone wishing to discover their Ancestors. If you are interested in discovering your Roots, please join us. Regulars in the room are also willing to do searches on any other days — just ask when you enter the room. Join us at 4 pm EDT, or 9 pm British, in the AOL Genealogy Chatroom—UK.
Saturdae, 26-Jul-08, KittyKate will hold her genealogy trivia game event at 9:30 pm EDT in the GLF Trivia Room.
Sundae, 27-Jul-08, Happy Dae will present "City Directories" and "What's Next" at the Discovery Theatre in the Fort Worth Public Library. If you're in the Fort Worth area that afternoon, stop in and join our group.
Mondae, 28-Jul-08, GENTREK will present Errors in the Census — Blessings in Disguise, by Dae Powell. Before you mutter under your breath yet again over the errors in the census, come to THIS presentation! Sometimes there are serendipitous errors made by those much-maligned enumerators—errors where they recorded more information than the census designers intended. Join us, won't you, in AOL Chatroom: Genealogy Chat from 9pm-10pm EDT.
Tuesday, 29-Jul-08, GLF-GEORGE will hold the New England States chat starting at 8pm EDT. This chat will be held in the StateRoom. George discusses researching in New England, with emphasis on Maine and New Hampshire. He also has resources in Massachusetts, since he resides in its western part. And he has full membership at NEHGS, along with ANCESTRY.COM and GENEALOGY.COM. Take advantage of these New England States chats.
Wednesdae, 30-Jul-08, LeeW will hold his genealogy trivia game event at 9:30 pm EDT in the GLF Trivia Room.
Tip o' the Dæ: 23-July-2008
WorldVitalRecords Completes Simmons
Historical Publishing Collection
Researchers of Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee families should be pleased when they see the resulting 756 titles from the Simmons Historical Publishing Collection online at WorldVitalRecords.com. Originally announced in December 2007, the collection will be finished uploading to the site as of this next week.
Delayed Birth Certificates
Many people born before the advent of birth certificates obtained delayed birth certificates to get Social Security benefits or pensions. Any person could apply for delayed certificate by proving an age with other documents, such as baptismal certificates, signed affidavits, family Bibles or insurance papers. Delayed birth certificates may not be subject to the same privacy restrictions as regular certificates, and you may find them on microfilm. Run a keyword search of the Family History Library online catalog for delayed birth certificates to see if there are records for your ancestors' birthplace and time period.
How to Find an Email Address
Look for the email address in your existing email correspondence. If you have emailed her earlier, you may still have her address.
Look for people in Email Address Directories or White Pages. Browse the public records, MySpace.com, email address directories and change of address services. Try using dedicated search engines — even variants of the person's name.
Try guessing the email address. Many organizations assign email addresses by name. Take advantage of that by guessing the address of the person whom you seek. For example: DPowell@HappyDae.com or PowellD@Clotmail.org
Search Usenet Newsgroups. Perhaps email address is lurking in discussion a group.
Try Vanity Searches. Make it known on the Web that you are looking an email address, and if he searches for himself, he will find you.
Check Business Cards. Look through your collection of business cards. You may find email addresses of more people than you probably know.
Ask directly for the email address. This is still the easiest way to find an email address.
Try using specific people searching sites such as the following:
World Vital Records Special Offer
U.S. Collection 2 years for the price of 1 offer: Get the U.S. Collection and save $50 off the standard website price. Get access to over 800 million names. World Vital Records Special Offer
The Teaching Company—Free Lecture
While the D-Day invasion proved to be the watershed moment in World War II, the preparations for the operation (known as Operation Overlord) were fraught with tension. This FREE lecture examines the difficult choices the Allied forces faced in planning for what would become the largest amphibious assault in military history, investigates the disagreements among German commanders over how to prepare for an expected invasion, and reveals the pressures faced by Supreme Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower in deciding whether to proceed in uncertain weather conditions. Download Eisenhower and Operation Overlord between now and July 31, 2008, to get a detailed perspective on the tense preparations for the assault on which the fate of the free world depended at The Teaching Company Free Lecture.
Black Civil War Soldiers in Alexandria National Cemetery
Arranged alphabetically by last name, this database includes information about the soldier's birth date, birthplace, condition/occupation at enlistment, date/place of enlistment, regiment/company, rank, date/place of discharge, post-military activities, and date of death/cause of death as reported by local historian Edward A. Miller, Jr. Wedding dates, names of wives, and names/birth dates of children are included when available. For many soldiers, details beyond the "Notes" column are available at the library. Go have a look at the Alexandria Library.
Divorce Records And Genealogy
You may not think of divorce papers as so-called "vital records," but in many ways they are and in American society it is commonplace, making them important in genealogy. Knowing of a divorce, for instance, can spur you to look for a second (or even third or more) marriage. Any terms in the divorce settlement—regarding children or property—can also help open up new avenues of research for a genealogist. As with the other vital records, you'll need to contact State Records offices. They'll not only need the full names of both parties in the divorce, but where possible, the date and place of the divorce and the type of final decree, as well as why you're looking for the record. It's probably best to include your phone number or email, in case of problems.
Classic Sketch: 21-July-2008
"Fair and Cool"
What a contrast there is between a charming young woman who looks refreshingly cool in her dainty thin dress and shadow hat, and a young man from whom the sun exacts its tribute! But the contrast is no greater than that which he feels when—eager and hopeful— he begs her to be kind and she acts precisely as she looks, "fair and cool"!
