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Tracing Your Irish Ancestors is the definitive Irish genealogy book. In this fully updated edition by leading genealogist John Grenham, discover how to trace your Irish ancestry.

Mr. Grenham’s work combines all the best features of a textbook and a reference book, expertly describing the various steps in the research process while at the same time providing an indispensable body of source materials.

This fifth edition retains the familiar three-part structure, combining a detailed guide for beginners with thorough descriptions of all the relevant sources and county-by-county reference lists. All the information has been expanded and updated, and the extensively expanded index makes the book even easier to use.

Genealogical research in Ireland has always depended on records that are more fragmented, localized, and difficult to access than anywhere else. The Internet is changing that. More and more of these records are coming online. This book is an indispensable guide to what these records are, where they are, and what they mean. It serves as a directory to online records, discussing their uses and outlining research strategies. Most useful are the subsections to each of the county source lists, showing county Internet sources. References are given throughout for any online versions of the records dealt with.

With its step-by-step instructions in the location and use of traditional genealogical records, its discussion of civil records of birth, marriage, and death as well as land records and wills, and its list of Roman Catholic parish records and source lists, this guide is easily the most useful book in Irish genealogy.

John Grenham wrote the "Irish Roots" column in The Irish Times for years and ran the Irish Times Irish Ancestors website. He is a fellow of the Irish Genealogical Research Society and the Genealogical Society of Ireland, having come to professional genealogy in 1981 as one of the panel of researchers in the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland. He features frequently in the popular TV series Who Do You Think You Are?

Tracing Your Irish Ancestors is the definitive Irish genealogy book. In this fully updated edition by leading genealogist John Grenham, discover how to trace your Irish ancestry.

Mr. Grenham’s work combines all the best features of a textbook and a reference book, expertly describing the various steps in the research process while at the same time providing an indispensable body of source materials.

This fifth edition retains the familiar three-part structure, combining a detailed guide for beginners with thorough descriptions of all the relevant sources and county-by-county reference lists. All the information has been expanded and updated, and the extensively expanded index makes the book even easier to use.

Genealogical research in Ireland has always depended on records that are more fragmented, localized, and difficult to access than anywhere else. The Internet is changing that. More and more of these records are coming online. This book is an indispensable guide to what these records are, where they are, and what they mean. It serves as a directory to online records, discussing their uses and outlining research strategies. Most useful are the subsections to each of the county source lists, showing county Internet sources. References are given throughout for any online versions of the records dealt with.

With its step-by-step instructions in the location and use of traditional genealogical records, its discussion of civil records of birth, marriage, and death as well as land records and wills, and its list of Roman Catholic parish records and source lists, this guide is easily the most useful book in Irish genealogy.

John Grenham wrote the "Irish Roots" column in The Irish Times for years and ran the Irish Times Irish Ancestors website. He is a fellow of the Irish Genealogical Research Society and the Genealogical Society of Ireland, having come to professional genealogy in 1981 as one of the panel of researchers in the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland. He features frequently in the popular TV series Who Do You Think You Are?

Records created by the major Christian denominations before 1900 in the United States are an underutilized resource for family historians. In these records, you may find ancestors' births, maiden or married names, marriage details, deaths, family relationships, other residences, and even immigrants' overseas birthplaces. You may uncover information about ancestors who have been unnamed in other records--women, children, ethnic minorities, immigrants, and the poor. You may find details about your ancestors recorded long before the existence of civil records.

However, it is not always an easy task to track down U.S. church records. How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records is a unique, peer-reviewed publication that takes researchers step-by-step through the process of identifying, locating, and gaining access to these genealogical gems.

Included in this book are hundreds of links to church research resources, as well as chapters devoted to specific resources for the major Christian denominations before 1900. More than 30 archivists, historians, and genealogical experts in specific faith traditions have contributed their knowledge to these denominational chapters.

Records created by the major Christian denominations before 1900 in the United States are an underutilized resource for family historians. In these records, you may find ancestors' births, maiden or married names, marriage details, deaths, family relationships, other residences, and even immigrants' overseas birthplaces. You may uncover information about ancestors who have been unnamed in other records--women, children, ethnic minorities, immigrants, and the poor. You may find details about your ancestors recorded long before the existence of civil records.

However, it is not always an easy task to track down U.S. church records. How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records is a unique, peer-reviewed publication that takes researchers step-by-step through the process of identifying, locating, and gaining access to these genealogical gems.

Included in this book are hundreds of links to church research resources, as well as chapters devoted to specific resources for the major Christian denominations before 1900. More than 30 archivists, historians, and genealogical experts in specific faith traditions have contributed their knowledge to these denominational chapters.

This is the second volume by David Dobson focusing on 18th-century inhabitants of the Grampian Highlanders. It is part of a larger series by Mr. Dobson designed to identify the origins of Scottish Highlanders who traveled to America prior to the Great Highland Migration that began in the 1730s and intensified thereafter. In all cases, Mr. Dobson gives each Highlander's name, a locality within the Northern Isles (place of birth, residence, employment, etc.), a date, and the source. In some cases, we also learn the identities of relatives, the individual's employment, vessel traveled on, and so forth.

This is the second volume by David Dobson focusing on 18th-century inhabitants of the Grampian Highlanders. It is part of a larger series by Mr. Dobson designed to identify the origins of Scottish Highlanders who traveled to America prior to the Great Highland Migration that began in the 1730s and intensified thereafter. In all cases, Mr. Dobson gives each Highlander's name, a locality within the Northern Isles (place of birth, residence, employment, etc.), a date, and the source. In some cases, we also learn the identities of relatives, the individual's employment, vessel traveled on, and so forth.

The Hebrides are those islands lying off the coast of the Western Highlands of Scotland. They form parts of the counties of Ross and Cromarty, Inverness, and Argyll, and contain thirty-six parishes.  During the Seven Years War, 1756 to 1763, Hebrideans comprised part of the Highland regiments raised to fight in America, namely Fraser’s Highlanders and Montgomery’s Highlanders. They and the Black Watch played a significant role in the campaigns and afterwards many former soldiers chose to settle in the former French Canada and in America rather than return to Scotland.  These military settlers with their friends and families formed a substantial portion of the Highlanders who settled in the years before the outbreak of the America Revolution in 1776.

Genealogical research in this region can be challenging because the parish registers, which are the backbone of Scottish genealogical research, only exist for about a quarter of the Hebridean parishes before 1800—and then only for Presbyterian ones. Such alternative sources as do exist include court records, estate papers, wills and testaments, services of heirs, registers of sasines, registers of deeds, port books, rent rolls, tax records, monumental inscriptions, and published works--on both sides of the Atlantic—and they comprise the basis for Dr. David Dobson’s  second volume of Hebridean source records. In all of the roughly 1,500 completely new entries for Volume 2, Dobson  identifies a Hebridean by name, location, occupation, date, and source. In many instances the records also indicate an individual’s kinsmen, intention to emigrate, military service, and other valuable characteristics. Since Celtic was still spoken in the Hebrides in the 18th century, researchers will find evidence of this in the surnames and place names that arise in the entries.

The Hebrides are those islands lying off the coast of the Western Highlands of Scotland. They form parts of the counties of Ross and Cromarty, Inverness, and Argyll, and contain thirty-six parishes.  During the Seven Years War, 1756 to 1763, Hebrideans comprised part of the Highland regiments raised to fight in America, namely Fraser’s Highlanders and Montgomery’s Highlanders. They and the Black Watch played a significant role in the campaigns and afterwards many former soldiers chose to settle in the former French Canada and in America rather than return to Scotland.  These military settlers with their friends and families formed a substantial portion of the Highlanders who settled in the years before the outbreak of the America Revolution in 1776.

Genealogical research in this region can be challenging because the parish registers, which are the backbone of Scottish genealogical research, only exist for about a quarter of the Hebridean parishes before 1800—and then only for Presbyterian ones. Such alternative sources as do exist include court records, estate papers, wills and testaments, services of heirs, registers of sasines, registers of deeds, port books, rent rolls, tax records, monumental inscriptions, and published works--on both sides of the Atlantic—and they comprise the basis for Dr. David Dobson’s  second volume of Hebridean source records. In all of the roughly 1,500 completely new entries for Volume 2, Dobson  identifies a Hebridean by name, location, occupation, date, and source. In many instances the records also indicate an individual’s kinsmen, intention to emigrate, military service, and other valuable characteristics. Since Celtic was still spoken in the Hebrides in the 18th century, researchers will find evidence of this in the surnames and place names that arise in the entries.

This is the second and concluding book for New Jersey by author Joseph Lee Boyle, who has written multiple volumes that identify colonial era runaway servants for Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. Mr. Boyle’s earlier New Jersey volume covered the period 1720-1766.

Whatever the motivation, runaway servants were not an uncommon phenomenon in the 18^th century. One source estimates that between 20-25% of indentured servants fled their masters. From the genealogist’s standpoint, this presents a methodological problem since it was in the runaway’s best interest to conceal his/her identity after making a successful getaway. In other words, even if the runaway kept the same name, it is quite likely that the link to his original residence in America and to his country of origin was lost--lost, that is, unless his/her identity was uncovered in the thousands of, often very detailed, runaway ads placed in colonial newspapers by the disgruntled "owners." And this is precisely where the research and publications of Joseph Lee Boyle come in.

Mr. Boyle assembled this list of New Jersey runaways, for the period 1767-1783, from The New-Jersey Gazette and 40 other papers published from New England south through Maryland. Among them are the Boston Gazette, The Connecticut Gazette, The New York Chronicle, The Pennsylvania Evening Post, The Maryland Gazette, and the Philadelphia German-language periodical Der Wochentliche Pennsyvlanische Staatsbote. Although we will never know precisely how many New Jersey indentured servants and other runaways fled their masters, Mr. Boyle has transcribed over a thousand ads for missing persons, referencing more than 3,000 persons with New Jersey connections, including this one:

Run away from his bail, in July, 1771, a certain man, named WILLIAM HOPKINS (but it is likely he has changed it to WILLIAM WOOD) a middle aged man, about 5 feet 10 inches high, of a dark complexion, wears his hair tied behind, short fore-teeth, stoop shouldered, and commonly followed ditching; had on, when he went away, a light coloured coat, leather breeches, and a half-worn castor hat. Whoever takes up the said William Hopkins, and secures him in any of his Majesty’s goals, shall have FIFTY SHILLINGS reward, and reasonable charged, paid by JOHN McCUNE.—The Pennsylvania Gazette, December 23, 1772; January 6, 1773; January 27, 1773. See The Pennsylvania Gazette, October 28, 1772, From Tues., December 26, 1771 to Tues., January 1, 1722.

This compilation lists only white male and female runaways; however, for those ads where white and black runaways are listed together, blacks are so identified in the index at the back of the volume.

This is the second and concluding book for New Jersey by author Joseph Lee Boyle, who has written multiple volumes that identify colonial era runaway servants for Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. Mr. Boyle’s earlier New Jersey volume covered the period 1720-1766.

Whatever the motivation, runaway servants were not an uncommon phenomenon in the 18^th century. One source estimates that between 20-25% of indentured servants fled their masters. From the genealogist’s standpoint, this presents a methodological problem since it was in the runaway’s best interest to conceal his/her identity after making a successful getaway. In other words, even if the runaway kept the same name, it is quite likely that the link to his original residence in America and to his country of origin was lost--lost, that is, unless his/her identity was uncovered in the thousands of, often very detailed, runaway ads placed in colonial newspapers by the disgruntled "owners." And this is precisely where the research and publications of Joseph Lee Boyle come in.

Mr. Boyle assembled this list of New Jersey runaways, for the period 1767-1783, from The New-Jersey Gazette and 40 other papers published from New England south through Maryland. Among them are the Boston Gazette, The Connecticut Gazette, The New York Chronicle, The Pennsylvania Evening Post, The Maryland Gazette, and the Philadelphia German-language periodical Der Wochentliche Pennsyvlanische Staatsbote. Although we will never know precisely how many New Jersey indentured servants and other runaways fled their masters, Mr. Boyle has transcribed over a thousand ads for missing persons, referencing more than 3,000 persons with New Jersey connections, including this one:

Run away from his bail, in July, 1771, a certain man, named WILLIAM HOPKINS (but it is likely he has changed it to WILLIAM WOOD) a middle aged man, about 5 feet 10 inches high, of a dark complexion, wears his hair tied behind, short fore-teeth, stoop shouldered, and commonly followed ditching; had on, when he went away, a light coloured coat, leather breeches, and a half-worn castor hat. Whoever takes up the said William Hopkins, and secures him in any of his Majesty’s goals, shall have FIFTY SHILLINGS reward, and reasonable charged, paid by JOHN McCUNE.—The Pennsylvania Gazette, December 23, 1772; January 6, 1773; January 27, 1773. See The Pennsylvania Gazette, October 28, 1772, From Tues., December 26, 1771 to Tues., January 1, 1722.

This compilation lists only white male and female runaways; however, for those ads where white and black runaways are listed together, blacks are so identified in the index at the back of the volume.

The Windward Islands form part of the Lesser Antilles, which stretch from Puerto Rico to the fringes of Venezuela. Since the 17th century, these islands attracted immigrants from Europe, initially from Spain but soon also from the British Isles, France, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia. The Windward Islands include Guadaloupe, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, the Grenadines, Carriacou, Dominca, and Grenada. This volume covers 200 years of inihabitants of the Windward Islands, as well as those of Curacao, Trinidad, and Tobago, which lie close to the coast of Venezuela.

Some of the early settlers to this region were transported there as prisoners of war or were escaping from persecution, including Jews and Huguenots. The economy and society of the West Indies was very much dependent on slaves brought from Africa. In due course some of the descendants of these various population groups chose to move to North America or to Europe.

In all, Mr. Dobson identifies over 2,000 inhabitants of these islands between the years 1620 and 1860. For each, we are given a name, occupation, date and the source, and sometimes the names of family members, additional dates (marriage, death, etc.), vessels traveled upon, and other details.

This book is based on research into manuscript and published sources, mainly located in Great Britain, but also in the West Indies. A list of those sources is included at the back of the volume.

The Windward Islands form part of the Lesser Antilles, which stretch from Puerto Rico to the fringes of Venezuela. Since the 17th century, these islands attracted immigrants from Europe, initially from Spain but soon also from the British Isles, France, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia. The Windward Islands include Guadaloupe, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, the Grenadines, Carriacou, Dominca, and Grenada. This volume covers 200 years of inihabitants of the Windward Islands, as well as those of Curacao, Trinidad, and Tobago, which lie close to the coast of Venezuela.

Some of the early settlers to this region were transported there as prisoners of war or were escaping from persecution, including Jews and Huguenots. The economy and society of the West Indies was very much dependent on slaves brought from Africa. In due course some of the descendants of these various population groups chose to move to North America or to Europe.

In all, Mr. Dobson identifies over 2,000 inhabitants of these islands between the years 1620 and 1860. For each, we are given a name, occupation, date and the source, and sometimes the names of family members, additional dates (marriage, death, etc.), vessels traveled upon, and other details.

This book is based on research into manuscript and published sources, mainly located in Great Britain, but also in the West Indies. A list of those sources is included at the back of the volume.

This book by David Dobson identifies roughly 1,200 Moray inhabitants, giving the name, occupation, a date and the source, and sometimes the names of family members, vessels, and other details.

Moray lies between the Moray Firth and the Grampian mountains, and is composed of a fertile coastal plain with river valleys, such as the Spey. The district of Moray now includes the former adjacent counties of Banff and Nairn. The major families or clans in the district included Gordons, Grants, Innes, Dunbar, Rose, Leslie, Fordyce, Brodie, Geddes, and Ogilvie.

In 1130 the Mormaer [Earl] of Moray and his followers rebelled against the rule of King David I of Scotland based in Edinburgh. King David suppressed the revolt with the assistance of Flemish knights who had settled in Scotland. These knights, men such as Freskin and Berewald, were granted the lands of the rebels. The knights mostly adopted the names of the lands as their surnames, thus founding several notable Scottish families such as Murray, Innes, and Duffus, while some used Fleming as their surname. A branch of the Dunbar family from southeast Scotland also settled there.

By the early modern period, the main settlements and burghs in Moray were Forres, Nairn, Auldearn, Findhorn, Spynie, and especially Elgin. Moray's economy was based on agriculture, fishing, and trade. Vessels traded from the ports of Moray to Scandinavia, the Baltic, the Netherlands, England, and on occasion to the Americas. These trading links facilitated emigration. The Moray inhabitants identified here may be the antecedents of persons living in those countries today.

This book by David Dobson identifies roughly 1,200 Moray inhabitants, giving the name, occupation, a date and the source, and sometimes the names of family members, vessels, and other details.

Moray lies between the Moray Firth and the Grampian mountains, and is composed of a fertile coastal plain with river valleys, such as the Spey. The district of Moray now includes the former adjacent counties of Banff and Nairn. The major families or clans in the district included Gordons, Grants, Innes, Dunbar, Rose, Leslie, Fordyce, Brodie, Geddes, and Ogilvie.

In 1130 the Mormaer [Earl] of Moray and his followers rebelled against the rule of King David I of Scotland based in Edinburgh. King David suppressed the revolt with the assistance of Flemish knights who had settled in Scotland. These knights, men such as Freskin and Berewald, were granted the lands of the rebels. The knights mostly adopted the names of the lands as their surnames, thus founding several notable Scottish families such as Murray, Innes, and Duffus, while some used Fleming as their surname. A branch of the Dunbar family from southeast Scotland also settled there.

By the early modern period, the main settlements and burghs in Moray were Forres, Nairn, Auldearn, Findhorn, Spynie, and especially Elgin. Moray's economy was based on agriculture, fishing, and trade. Vessels traded from the ports of Moray to Scandinavia, the Baltic, the Netherlands, England, and on occasion to the Americas. These trading links facilitated emigration. The Moray inhabitants identified here may be the antecedents of persons living in those countries today.

This fascinating and fun book is filled with unusual or little-known aspects of the American Revolution, such as the reason that future General Nathaniel Greene was compelled to enlist as a private, an early instance of "trash talking," and who and why someone tore off most of the roof of Harvard Hall during the war. Do you know who the tenenager Christopher Seider was or why his death pre-figured the famous Boston Massacre? Can you name the first Native American to serve in the Patriot Cause? You will find out if you get a copy of Strange, Amazing, and Funny Events that Happened during the Revolutionary War. It will intrigue you and your friends, and it has the makings of a great coffee table book as well.

This fascinating and fun book is filled with unusual or little-known aspects of the American Revolution, such as the reason that future General Nathaniel Greene was compelled to enlist as a private, an early instance of "trash talking," and who and why someone tore off most of the roof of Harvard Hall during the war. Do you know who the tenenager Christopher Seider was or why his death pre-figured the famous Boston Massacre? Can you name the first Native American to serve in the Patriot Cause? You will find out if you get a copy of Strange, Amazing, and Funny Events that Happened during the Revolutionary War. It will intrigue you and your friends, and it has the makings of a great coffee table book as well.

DNA testing for genealogical purposes has become increasingly popular: As of this writing, nearly 20 million people have had testing to uncover additional information about their heritage, approximately 17 million more than had been tested when the first edition of this guide was published three years ago. Whereas DNA testing for genealogical purposes is primarily an American phenomenon, its popularity has been growing significantly in Australia, Canada, Great Britain, and mainland Europe.

DNA testing is not the final word in determining your ancestry, but it is extremely helpful. It is most effective when it’s used to confirm that documentation concerning your family relationships is accurate. It is also used to test hypotheses about ancestors for whom little or no documentary evidence exists. Equally important, DNA testing can be used as “cousin bait” to identify previously unknown cousins who may be able to add information to your genealogical research and/or confirm your ancestral connections. DNA test results give you crucial information about where your most ancient ancestor originated and his ethnicity.

The new Second Edition of this handy four-page guide has been completely revised, reflecting all the changes and advances in DNA testing since the first edition was written. Author Angie Bush continues to give the straightforward facts about (a) DNA testing, (b) DNA testing results, and (c) DNA testing companies. She includes a description of the three types of DNA tests: Y-DNA; mtDNA; and atDNA, or autosomal DNA, the most popular type of testing for genealogists. Also provided are a series of tips for getting the most from your DNA testing.

Perhaps most helpful, the section on testing companies has been completely rewritten and expanded. Two additional companies--MyHeritageDNA and LivingDNA/Findmypast--have been added to the three described in the original guide: AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and FamilyTreeDNA. Each of the testing companies has different tools and subscribers, although there is some overlap between them. The five companies featured were chosen because they all provide a list of "genetic cousin" matches, which is essential for genealogical research.

In the end, Bush cautions that there is no "one size fits all" DNA test that will answer all of your research questions about an ancestor. However, you'll often obtain solid proof regarding your genealogical research questions when you combine the analysis of DNA testing results with good old-fashioned genealogical research.

DNA testing for genealogical purposes has become increasingly popular: As of this writing, nearly 20 million people have had testing to uncover additional information about their heritage, approximately 17 million more than had been tested when the first edition of this guide was published three years ago. Whereas DNA testing for genealogical purposes is primarily an American phenomenon, its popularity has been growing significantly in Australia, Canada, Great Britain, and mainland Europe.

DNA testing is not the final word in determining your ancestry, but it is extremely helpful. It is most effective when it’s used to confirm that documentation concerning your family relationships is accurate. It is also used to test hypotheses about ancestors for whom little or no documentary evidence exists. Equally important, DNA testing can be used as “cousin bait” to identify previously unknown cousins who may be able to add information to your genealogical research and/or confirm your ancestral connections. DNA test results give you crucial information about where your most ancient ancestor originated and his ethnicity.

The new Second Edition of this handy four-page guide has been completely revised, reflecting all the changes and advances in DNA testing since the first edition was written. Author Angie Bush continues to give the straightforward facts about (a) DNA testing, (b) DNA testing results, and (c) DNA testing companies. She includes a description of the three types of DNA tests: Y-DNA; mtDNA; and atDNA, or autosomal DNA, the most popular type of testing for genealogists. Also provided are a series of tips for getting the most from your DNA testing.

Perhaps most helpful, the section on testing companies has been completely rewritten and expanded. Two additional companies--MyHeritageDNA and LivingDNA/Findmypast--have been added to the three described in the original guide: AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and FamilyTreeDNA. Each of the testing companies has different tools and subscribers, although there is some overlap between them. The five companies featured were chosen because they all provide a list of "genetic cousin" matches, which is essential for genealogical research.

In the end, Bush cautions that there is no "one size fits all" DNA test that will answer all of your research questions about an ancestor. However, you'll often obtain solid proof regarding your genealogical research questions when you combine the analysis of DNA testing results with good old-fashioned genealogical research.

In 2001 twenty-three genealogists collaborated to produce the first-ever textbook outlining professional standards and practices in the discipline of genealogy. Edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills, the groundbreaking Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers & Librarians (ProGen) addressed not just genealogy sources but also strategies and analytical skills, best practices and standards for historical research, and how to conduct a genealogical business. It remains a go-to manual for genealogists.

Now a new generation of genealogical educators have given the field an entirely new guide to the profession of genealogy--offering fresh insights and new specialties, grounded in more-solid standards and wider experiences and applications. In twenty-six chapters, written by twenty-two experts and edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills, Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards (ProGen PPS) is an invaluable resource for professional genealogists and students, as well as all family history researchers. "From genetic and forensic genealogy to ethics and contracts, business structures, marketing, writing, editing, and preparing books for press, ProGen PPS promises to inspire thought processes and ignite new discussions"(Billie Stone Fogarty, M. Ed. President, Association of Professional Genealogists).

"Searching for roots" is a popular hobby, but genealogy is a discipline. From courts of law to government agencies, from medical research projects to television shows, reliable genealogical research is an essential in modern societies. The public sector needs professionals who know historical archives well but, more importantly, understand the strengths and weaknesses of individual records. It needs professionals skilled not only in research principles but the far more difficult challenge of proving identities and kinship. It needs professionals who understand proof and the standards that produce reliable evidence.

ProGen PPS provides a complete course of instruction to prepare genealogists for a career in a complex field. Whether you discover this career path as a young adult or come into genealogy as a mature researcher trained in another professional discipline, ProGen PPS will ground you in the essential practices, standards, and language of genealogy--those expected by courts, government agencies, and others who commission research. If you are a librarian or archivist who assists family historians on a daily basis, ProGen PPS provides a framework to coach them well. If you are a family or local historian, seeking to learn and preserve your heritage, ProGen PPS will help you avoid common pitfalls and guide you through the production of quality works.

Reviews

About the Author

In 2001 twenty-three genealogists collaborated to produce the first-ever textbook outlining professional standards and practices in the discipline of genealogy. Edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills, the groundbreaking Professional Genealogy: A Manual for Researchers, Writers, Editors, Lecturers & Librarians (ProGen) addressed not just genealogy sources but also strategies and analytical skills, best practices and standards for historical research, and how to conduct a genealogical business. It remains a go-to manual for genealogists.

Now a new generation of genealogical educators have given the field an entirely new guide to the profession of genealogy--offering fresh insights and new specialties, grounded in more-solid standards and wider experiences and applications. In twenty-six chapters, written by twenty-two experts and edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills, Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards (ProGen PPS) is an invaluable resource for professional genealogists and students, as well as all family history researchers. "From genetic and forensic genealogy to ethics and contracts, business structures, marketing, writing, editing, and preparing books for press, ProGen PPS promises to inspire thought processes and ignite new discussions"(Billie Stone Fogarty, M. Ed. President, Association of Professional Genealogists).

"Searching for roots" is a popular hobby, but genealogy is a discipline. From courts of law to government agencies, from medical research projects to television shows, reliable genealogical research is an essential in modern societies. The public sector needs professionals who know historical archives well but, more importantly, understand the strengths and weaknesses of individual records. It needs professionals skilled not only in research principles but the far more difficult challenge of proving identities and kinship. It needs professionals who understand proof and the standards that produce reliable evidence.

ProGen PPS provides a complete course of instruction to prepare genealogists for a career in a complex field. Whether you discover this career path as a young adult or come into genealogy as a mature researcher trained in another professional discipline, ProGen PPS will ground you in the essential practices, standards, and language of genealogy--those expected by courts, government agencies, and others who commission research. If you are a librarian or archivist who assists family historians on a daily basis, ProGen PPS provides a framework to coach them well. If you are a family or local historian, seeking to learn and preserve your heritage, ProGen PPS will help you avoid common pitfalls and guide you through the production of quality works.

Reviews

About the Author

Most Americans with sizable New England Yankee, mid-Atlantic Quaker, or Southern "planter" ancestry are descended from medieval kings--kings of England, Scotland and France especially. This book tells you how. Outlined on 997 pages of charts are the best royal descents--i.e., from the most recent king—of 900 (actually 970) immigrants to the American colonies, Quebec, or the United States who were themselves notable or left descendants notable in American history. This volume is a massive expansion on previous books on this topic, even the author’s own 1993 and 2004 volumes, The Royal Descents of 500 Immigrants and The Royal Descents of 600 Immigrants. To the latter new work adds over 85 colonial immigrants, over 150 nineteenth- and twentieth-century immigrants, and 45 French Canadians (about half from France to Quebec, and half from Quebec to the U.S.).

The Royal Descents of 900 Immigrants is also a comprehensive survey, undertaken over a period of more than 50 years, of virtually all printed sources that lead to these royal lines. A survey of this size has never before been attempted. The result is a book that quantitatively and qualitatively redefines this area of genealogical research and outlines--definitively to date--American genealogical links to medieval kings and their "dark age" and “ancient world” forebears. It summarizes all pertinent research published through 2017 and is by far the most comprehensive treatment of the subject in print. RD900 does not supersede such works as Weis’s Ancestral Roots and Magna Charta Sureties; Plantagenet Ancestry, or Magna Carta Ancestry; or the five-volume 2013 Royal Ancestry by Douglas Richardson; The Complete Peerage; or the Europäische Stammtafeln series. Rather, RD900 builds on and outlines the "best" royal descents from these and similar works, providing a bibliography for each immigrant and ready means of access to royal-descent literature.

Of the 970 immigrants treated in this work, 489 came to the American colonies and left descendants, in some cases now numbering several million, but almost always many thousands. Among the progeny of each of the 489 is at least one figure in the Dictionary of American Biography, American National Biography, or similar works covering 20,000 or more important people in American history. The remaining immigrants (colonial governors or other officials, "Great Awakening" or Revolutionary figures who often returned to Europe, and many nineteenth- and early twentieth-century notables) collectively suggest much about distant kinships of living Americans, the total contributions to American life of persons of noble, royal, and gentle ancestry, and genealogical connections between Americans and many major leaders in world history.

The index to both volumes appears at the end of Volume I.

Most Americans with sizable New England Yankee, mid-Atlantic Quaker, or Southern "planter" ancestry are descended from medieval kings--kings of England, Scotland and France especially. This book tells you how. Outlined on 997 pages of charts are the best royal descents--i.e., from the most recent king—of 900 (actually 970) immigrants to the American colonies, Quebec, or the United States who were themselves notable or left descendants notable in American history. This volume is a massive expansion on previous books on this topic, even the author’s own 1993 and 2004 volumes, The Royal Descents of 500 Immigrants and The Royal Descents of 600 Immigrants. To the latter new work adds over 85 colonial immigrants, over 150 nineteenth- and twentieth-century immigrants, and 45 French Canadians (about half from France to Quebec, and half from Quebec to the U.S.).

The Royal Descents of 900 Immigrants is also a comprehensive survey, undertaken over a period of more than 50 years, of virtually all printed sources that lead to these royal lines. A survey of this size has never before been attempted. The result is a book that quantitatively and qualitatively redefines this area of genealogical research and outlines--definitively to date--American genealogical links to medieval kings and their "dark age" and “ancient world” forebears. It summarizes all pertinent research published through 2017 and is by far the most comprehensive treatment of the subject in print. RD900 does not supersede such works as Weis’s Ancestral Roots and Magna Charta Sureties; Plantagenet Ancestry, or Magna Carta Ancestry; or the five-volume 2013 Royal Ancestry by Douglas Richardson; The Complete Peerage; or the Europäische Stammtafeln series. Rather, RD900 builds on and outlines the "best" royal descents from these and similar works, providing a bibliography for each immigrant and ready means of access to royal-descent literature.

Of the 970 immigrants treated in this work, 489 came to the American colonies and left descendants, in some cases now numbering several million, but almost always many thousands. Among the progeny of each of the 489 is at least one figure in the Dictionary of American Biography, American National Biography, or similar works covering 20,000 or more important people in American history. The remaining immigrants (colonial governors or other officials, "Great Awakening" or Revolutionary figures who often returned to Europe, and many nineteenth- and early twentieth-century notables) collectively suggest much about distant kinships of living Americans, the total contributions to American life of persons of noble, royal, and gentle ancestry, and genealogical connections between Americans and many major leaders in world history.

The index to both volumes appears at the end of Volume I.

Your German genealogy research will not be complete until you have thoroughly examined all of the resources available—and that includes a search of German-language newspapers. Astonishingly, there are more than 2,000 historic German-language newspapers online at numerous public, private, and commercial websites. The combined newspapers comprise billions of pages and refer to millions of individuals. This new second edition of Historical German Newspapers Online will help you discover all digitally available German-language newspapers 50 years or older, search them by location and title, and narrow down the dates for which they are available online. The genealogical information you can find in these newspapers is almost limitless. It includes notices of births, marriages, and deaths from civil registrations; baptisms and wedding announcements from churches; intentions to emigrate; trade news; lists of pupils; appointments to office; promotions, transfers, and retirements; deaths and estate sales; lists of hotel guests; and a multitude of everyday notices.

Since the first edition of this book was published in 2014, a great many more historic German newspapers have been digitized, prompting the need for this enlarged second edition, which is nearly 100 pages longer than the previous edition. The book’s coverage is quite literally worldwide. Of course, by far the largest number of German-language newspapers online are from Germany, followed by Austria, then present-day Poland. But more than two dozen other countries throughout the world are represented, including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, France, Georgia (country), Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Norway, Paraguay, Russia, Samoa, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United States.

To use this book, first go to the Places section, look up your locality of interest or the largest nearby city, and note the title of the paper and the years covered. In non-German countries, look for large cities or capital cities. Next, go to the Titles section, noting the abbreviation for the URL (website) where it is located. Then click on the Key to URLs section and go to the website corresponding to the abbreviation you found.

Whether you are a genealogist, family historian, demographer, migration researcher, or social historian, you'll find that these newspapers are extremely useful resources.

Your German genealogy research will not be complete until you have thoroughly examined all of the resources available—and that includes a search of German-language newspapers. Astonishingly, there are more than 2,000 historic German-language newspapers online at numerous public, private, and commercial websites. The combined newspapers comprise billions of pages and refer to millions of individuals. This new second edition of Historical German Newspapers Online will help you discover all digitally available German-language newspapers 50 years or older, search them by location and title, and narrow down the dates for which they are available online. The genealogical information you can find in these newspapers is almost limitless. It includes notices of births, marriages, and deaths from civil registrations; baptisms and wedding announcements from churches; intentions to emigrate; trade news; lists of pupils; appointments to office; promotions, transfers, and retirements; deaths and estate sales; lists of hotel guests; and a multitude of everyday notices.

Since the first edition of this book was published in 2014, a great many more historic German newspapers have been digitized, prompting the need for this enlarged second edition, which is nearly 100 pages longer than the previous edition. The book’s coverage is quite literally worldwide. Of course, by far the largest number of German-language newspapers online are from Germany, followed by Austria, then present-day Poland. But more than two dozen other countries throughout the world are represented, including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, France, Georgia (country), Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Norway, Paraguay, Russia, Samoa, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United States.

To use this book, first go to the Places section, look up your locality of interest or the largest nearby city, and note the title of the paper and the years covered. In non-German countries, look for large cities or capital cities. Next, go to the Titles section, noting the abbreviation for the URL (website) where it is located. Then click on the Key to URLs section and go to the website corresponding to the abbreviation you found.

Whether you are a genealogist, family historian, demographer, migration researcher, or social historian, you'll find that these newspapers are extremely useful resources.

Historians and genealogists have mostly overlooked the role of women in the American Revolution, even though women’s roles in working their farms, raising their children, and generally supporting the morale of the Patriot side were of great importance. The suffering of the men at Valley Forge, on the British prison ships, and during long marches is well documented; however, women also faced daily pain and hardship. Many times they watched their homes burn, were threatened with physical harm, or had to bury their loved ones. Women also faced dangers working as spies, nursing, boycotting British goods, publishing writings in support of the American cause, and, when necessary, defending their homes against attacks from the British or their allies.

The purpose of this book by Jack Crowder is to highlight roughly 90 women who went beyond the norm in supporting America’s struggle for Independence. In a series of vignettes, some of them illustrated and all of them documented, the author recounts the heroism of the women who rendered service in the various theatres of the conflict. While some of these heroines, such as “Molly Pitcher” or Anna Strong (member of General Washington’s spy ring), are already the stuff of legend, most researchers--thanks to Mr. Crowder--will be making the acquaintance of these women patriots for the first time. Accordingly, we have listed each of them below, followed by the state or region in which they served:

Hannah White Arnett (NY), Mrs. Ashe (SC), Agnes Hobson Bacon (VA), Ann Bailey (MA), Ann Hennis Bailey (OH), Penelope Pagett Barker (NC), Rebecca & Miliscent Barrett (MA), Hannah Barron (MA), Kate Barry (NC), Margaret Galbraith Barton (VA), Mother Batherick (MA), Sarah Matthews Reed Osborn Benjamin (NY), Elizabeth Gilmore Berry (PA), Katherine Montgomery Bledsoe (VA), Susanna Bolling (VA), Jemima Boone (NC), Margaret Louisa Smith Bowen (VA), Martha Bratton (NC), Elizabeth Burgin (NH), Nancy Butler (SC), Rachel Caldwell (PA), Deborah Champion (CT), Ann Robertson Cockrill (NC), Henrietta Maria Cole (SC), Polly Cooper (PA), Margaret Cochran Corbin (PA), Lydia Darragh (PA), Ann Simpson Davis (PA), Catharine Martin Davidson (PA), Mary Ramage Dillard (SC), Rachel Donelson (VA), Betsy Dowdy (NC), Phoebe Reynolds Drake (NY), Mary Draper (MA), Anna Elliott (SC), Rosanna Waters Farrow (VA), Phoebe Fraunces (NY), Aunt Betty Frazee (NJ), Mary “Polly” Worall Taylor Frazer (PA), Elizabeth Freeman “Mum Bett” (MA), Sarah Bradlee Fulton (MA), Deborah Sampson Gannett (MA), Emily Geiger (SC), Mary Katherine Goddard (RI), Hannah Gorton (RI), Elizabeth Hager (PA), Anne Kennedy Hamilton (SC), Nancy Hart (GA), Molly Ludwig Hays [“Molly Pitcher”] (PA), Hannah Israel (DE), Mammy Kate (GA), Mary Knight (PA), Anna Maria Lane (VA), Dicey Langston (SC), Mrs. Latham (NY), Agnes Dickinson Lee (CT), Jeannette Leman (SC), Sybil Ludington (NY), Lydia Mackey (SC), Elizabeth, Grace & Rachel Martin (SC), Mary McClure (SC), Behethland Moore (VA), Mary Murry (NY), Mary Redmond (PA), Esther de Berdt Reed (PA), Molly “Mom” Rinker (PA), Sally Salter (NC), Sarah Hartwell Shattuck (MA), Mary Slocumb (NC), Elizabeth (Molly) Page Stark (MA), Elizabeth Steele (SC), Sally St. Clair (GA), Anna Strong (NY), Sarah Tarrant (MA), Jane Black Thomas (SC), Sarah Townsend (NY), Martha Lott van Doren (NJ), Catherine Van Winkle (NJ), Nanyehi aka Nancy Ward (TN), Hannah Watts Weston (MA), Mrs. Whitall (NJ), Eleanor Carruthers Wilson (SC), Abigail Wright (MA), Prudence Cummings Wright (MA), Mary “Polly” Wyckoff (NJ), and Elizabeth Zane (VA/WV).

Historians and genealogists have mostly overlooked the role of women in the American Revolution, even though women’s roles in working their farms, raising their children, and generally supporting the morale of the Patriot side were of great importance. The suffering of the men at Valley Forge, on the British prison ships, and during long marches is well documented; however, women also faced daily pain and hardship. Many times they watched their homes burn, were threatened with physical harm, or had to bury their loved ones. Women also faced dangers working as spies, nursing, boycotting British goods, publishing writings in support of the American cause, and, when necessary, defending their homes against attacks from the British or their allies.

The purpose of this book by Jack Crowder is to highlight roughly 90 women who went beyond the norm in supporting America’s struggle for Independence. In a series of vignettes, some of them illustrated and all of them documented, the author recounts the heroism of the women who rendered service in the various theatres of the conflict. While some of these heroines, such as “Molly Pitcher” or Anna Strong (member of General Washington’s spy ring), are already the stuff of legend, most researchers--thanks to Mr. Crowder--will be making the acquaintance of these women patriots for the first time. Accordingly, we have listed each of them below, followed by the state or region in which they served:

Hannah White Arnett (NY), Mrs. Ashe (SC), Agnes Hobson Bacon (VA), Ann Bailey (MA), Ann Hennis Bailey (OH), Penelope Pagett Barker (NC), Rebecca & Miliscent Barrett (MA), Hannah Barron (MA), Kate Barry (NC), Margaret Galbraith Barton (VA), Mother Batherick (MA), Sarah Matthews Reed Osborn Benjamin (NY), Elizabeth Gilmore Berry (PA), Katherine Montgomery Bledsoe (VA), Susanna Bolling (VA), Jemima Boone (NC), Margaret Louisa Smith Bowen (VA), Martha Bratton (NC), Elizabeth Burgin (NH), Nancy Butler (SC), Rachel Caldwell (PA), Deborah Champion (CT), Ann Robertson Cockrill (NC), Henrietta Maria Cole (SC), Polly Cooper (PA), Margaret Cochran Corbin (PA), Lydia Darragh (PA), Ann Simpson Davis (PA), Catharine Martin Davidson (PA), Mary Ramage Dillard (SC), Rachel Donelson (VA), Betsy Dowdy (NC), Phoebe Reynolds Drake (NY), Mary Draper (MA), Anna Elliott (SC), Rosanna Waters Farrow (VA), Phoebe Fraunces (NY), Aunt Betty Frazee (NJ), Mary “Polly” Worall Taylor Frazer (PA), Elizabeth Freeman “Mum Bett” (MA), Sarah Bradlee Fulton (MA), Deborah Sampson Gannett (MA), Emily Geiger (SC), Mary Katherine Goddard (RI), Hannah Gorton (RI), Elizabeth Hager (PA), Anne Kennedy Hamilton (SC), Nancy Hart (GA), Molly Ludwig Hays [“Molly Pitcher”] (PA), Hannah Israel (DE), Mammy Kate (GA), Mary Knight (PA), Anna Maria Lane (VA), Dicey Langston (SC), Mrs. Latham (NY), Agnes Dickinson Lee (CT), Jeannette Leman (SC), Sybil Ludington (NY), Lydia Mackey (SC), Elizabeth, Grace & Rachel Martin (SC), Mary McClure (SC), Behethland Moore (VA), Mary Murry (NY), Mary Redmond (PA), Esther de Berdt Reed (PA), Molly “Mom” Rinker (PA), Sally Salter (NC), Sarah Hartwell Shattuck (MA), Mary Slocumb (NC), Elizabeth (Molly) Page Stark (MA), Elizabeth Steele (SC), Sally St. Clair (GA), Anna Strong (NY), Sarah Tarrant (MA), Jane Black Thomas (SC), Sarah Townsend (NY), Martha Lott van Doren (NJ), Catherine Van Winkle (NJ), Nanyehi aka Nancy Ward (TN), Hannah Watts Weston (MA), Mrs. Whitall (NJ), Eleanor Carruthers Wilson (SC), Abigail Wright (MA), Prudence Cummings Wright (MA), Mary “Polly” Wyckoff (NJ), and Elizabeth Zane (VA/WV).

Most school kids know that “the shot heard round the world” refers to the un-named British regular or Massachusetts militiaman who first opened fire at the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775. Although we will never know whose musket started the American Revolution, author Jack Crowder has gathered together much of the first-hand information pertaining to the events on Lexington Green and between Lexington and Concord during the first day of the Revolutionary War.

With The First 24 Hours of the American Revolution: An Hour by Hour Accounts of the Battle of Lexington, Concord, and the British Retreat on Battle Road, we have a documentary history of the people, places, times, and events that forever changed the course of our history. Mr. Crowder has delivered a concise hour-by-hour account of April 19th, based on the writings of the participants and eyewitnesses. While no such work could omit the names of Paul Revere, John Hancock, Lord Percy and other notables, most of this story is told from the vantage point and in the words of the common men and women of Massachusetts. Most of the militiamen, for example, were farmers and shop keepers possessing virtually no military experience. Most were under thirty-five, and some were teenagers. Some, like Benjamin Balch and Samuel Payson, were clergymen. A few combatants were women, including Prudence Wright of Pepperell, Massachusetts, the wife of a militiaman, who organized a group of women, dressed in men’s attire, to guard the road that passed through the town. These women ultimately captured two of the enemy on April 19th. (Persons interested in this aspect of the American Revolution should see Mr. Crowder’s other book, Women Patriots in the American Revolution).  

The First 24 Hours of the American Revolution is amply illustrated with reproductions of period paintings, drawings, and photographs. There is also a town-by-town appendix of militiamen who were mortally wounded in the various skirmishes.  Mr. Crowder’s inclusion, finally, of a bibliography of sources and a name index to all persons mentioned in the text or in the affidavits sworn by eye-witnesses will guide researchers who wish to investigate the people and events of “the first 24 hours” even further.

Most school kids know that “the shot heard round the world” refers to the un-named British regular or Massachusetts militiaman who first opened fire at the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775. Although we will never know whose musket started the American Revolution, author Jack Crowder has gathered together much of the first-hand information pertaining to the events on Lexington Green and between Lexington and Concord during the first day of the Revolutionary War.

With The First 24 Hours of the American Revolution: An Hour by Hour Accounts of the Battle of Lexington, Concord, and the British Retreat on Battle Road, we have a documentary history of the people, places, times, and events that forever changed the course of our history. Mr. Crowder has delivered a concise hour-by-hour account of April 19th, based on the writings of the participants and eyewitnesses. While no such work could omit the names of Paul Revere, John Hancock, Lord Percy and other notables, most of this story is told from the vantage point and in the words of the common men and women of Massachusetts. Most of the militiamen, for example, were farmers and shop keepers possessing virtually no military experience. Most were under thirty-five, and some were teenagers. Some, like Benjamin Balch and Samuel Payson, were clergymen. A few combatants were women, including Prudence Wright of Pepperell, Massachusetts, the wife of a militiaman, who organized a group of women, dressed in men’s attire, to guard the road that passed through the town. These women ultimately captured two of the enemy on April 19th. (Persons interested in this aspect of the American Revolution should see Mr. Crowder’s other book, Women Patriots in the American Revolution).  

The First 24 Hours of the American Revolution is amply illustrated with reproductions of period paintings, drawings, and photographs. There is also a town-by-town appendix of militiamen who were mortally wounded in the various skirmishes.  Mr. Crowder’s inclusion, finally, of a bibliography of sources and a name index to all persons mentioned in the text or in the affidavits sworn by eye-witnesses will guide researchers who wish to investigate the people and events of “the first 24 hours” even further.

This is the second edition of this comprehensive guide to Polish genealogy in years. Since Polish-Americans (including the author) proliferate in Chicago and the U.S. Midwest, they are the focus; however, much of the advice set forth here will apply to the majority of U.S. residents of Polish Catholic origin, as well as to records in Poland themselves. (Persons of Polish Jewish/Lithuanian/Ruthenian ancestry are not covered in Mr. Kruski’s book.) Since Polish immigration to the United States began in earnest following the American Civil War, and was heaviest during the last quarter of the nineteenth and first quarter of the twentieth century, this era is the chronological focal point of the work.

This is the second edition of this comprehensive guide to Polish genealogy in years. Since Polish-Americans (including the author) proliferate in Chicago and the U.S. Midwest, they are the focus; however, much of the advice set forth here will apply to the majority of U.S. residents of Polish Catholic origin, as well as to records in Poland themselves. (Persons of Polish Jewish/Lithuanian/Ruthenian ancestry are not covered in Mr. Kruski’s book.) Since Polish immigration to the United States began in earnest following the American Civil War, and was heaviest during the last quarter of the nineteenth and first quarter of the twentieth century, this era is the chronological focal point of the work.

Designed to cover the basic elements of genealogical research in Alabama in just four pages, this Genealogy at a Glance laminated guide gives you as much useful information as you'll ever need to begin and proceed with your Alabama family history research. Southern genealogy expert Michael A. Ports again brings his expertise to bear in this concise overview of the history of Alabama and the places and resources to consult when searching for your Alabama ancestors.

Ports begins by focusing on Alabama's settlement background, beginning in 1702 when the French established the first settlement in what would become Alabama. He then goes on to highlight the primary and secondary record sources--including vital, probate, military, land, and census records--the major repositories, and the most helpful online resources. Along the way he intersperses research tips and references to key publications, online databases, and websites throughout the text.

In other words, Alabama Genealogy Research provides all the fundamentals of Alabama research in only a handful of pages, guiding you through the array of records and repositories available to help you reach your goal of tracing your Alabama ancestry.