Your Favorite Free (or Low-Cost) Genealogy Resources

Tell about your favorite free or low-cost genealogy resources, online and off. Explain why it's a favorite and how it's been helpful in your research.

Tags: frugal, genealogy

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Permalink Reply by Ruby Coleman on July 8, 2009 at 10:05am

Not free, but low-cost. Mid-Continent Public Library in Independence, Missouri offers an out-of-district library card for $20 (annual fee) to access many genealogy databases from your home computer. It's a great resource for the cost as single subscriptions would be well over $100. Check it out at http://www.mcpl.lib.mo.us.

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Permalink Reply by Stan Arney on July 20, 2009 at 3:28pm

A great place to visit, usually on most "top ten" lists for genealogy research.
Their new building is quite deserving of the large resource collection.
We spent 4 days there, at the end of June, and could have spent more (but I didn't want to
spend our whole vacation on it). If you are close by (we live about 3 1/2 hours away) it is
definitely worth your time and effort. They have digitizing equipment, so you can scan into
a jump drive, etc, They have copying machines, microform, etc.

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Permalink Reply by Brenda K Lyle on July 13, 2009 at 2:46pm

I like using FindaGrave. I was looking for the grave of a Wilkerson relative in West Virginia and I found a cousin I didn't know I had. She sent me a copy of a picture of my grandmother as a little girl with her brothers and a copy of the Wilkerson family tree from her grandfather's Bible. It really helped me fill in some blanks in my family tree.

Brenda Lyle

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Permalink Reply by Johnny L Lowery on August 5, 2009 at 9:32pm

I too like to use Find A Grave, and challenge anyone I correspond with to work on a cemetery in their area. I have actually been able to visit some interesting lost cemeteries in the middle of woods with no true access. Take goodness the people I went with knew how to get there and have permission to enter.

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Permalink Reply by Janet Myers on July 22, 2009 at 2:18pm

I too, love Findagrave.com because many headstones are pictured giving dates and sometimes even family relationships. Best of all, it's free.

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Permalink Reply by Lori Shoemaker Hellmund on December 14, 2009 at 10:49am

I have to agree that findagrave.com is one of the best (and it's free!) websites for genealogical research. I can't tell you the number of gravesites I have been able to have photographed due to the generosity of the other members of the site. It's just a wonderful resource.

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Permalink Reply by Melissa Barker on July 8, 2009 at 10:15am

My favorite free sites for Tennessee Death Certificate Indexes are:

http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/history/vital/index.htm

and

http://register.shelby.tn.us/index.php

Melissa Barker
Professional Genealogist for Tennessee and Kentucky
My Website: www.freewebs.com/genealogyservices/

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Permalink Reply by Tonia Kendrick on July 16, 2009 at 12:18pm

Thanks for the tip regarding Tennessee vital records. I only have three people who died in Tennessee during the relevant time frame, but I already found a month and date for one, and further confirmation on another.

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Permalink Reply by Ruth Elizabeth Hayley Himan on July 31, 2009 at 2:12pm

Thanks Melissa!! Also I see you are an expert for Tenneesse You may be get an inquirie by the end of the month from me to hire your expertise I just need to get my facts together first!!!!

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Permalink Reply by Valerie Craft on July 8, 2009 at 10:25am

I really love RAoGK.com. It's great to be able to connect with volunteers who are willing to help you out for free.

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Permalink Reply by Thomas MacEntee on July 8, 2009 at 10:29am

My absolute favorites and necessary for anyone researching 19th and 20th century upstate New York ancestors:

Northern New York Historical Newspapers (http://news.nnyln.net/) - free digitized newspapers for Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego and St. Lawrence Counties

Old Fulton Postcards (http://www.fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html) - free digitized newspapers for Mohawk Valley and Finger Lakes newspapers and more!