When you think of an “institution” what comes to mind first? For me, it is prisons or asylums. But guess what, this word can cover a whole bunch of other places as well. Places which most of us had ancestors in attendance. Not to say all ancestors were black sheep, just that they had reasons to attend an established facility.…

What does Genealogy mean?

A definition found in the dictionary states that “genealogy is the science of tracing your family back through the centuries.” Genealogies record the descent of an individual or a family from a certain ancestor.  It is the study of your pedigree.

Well, this course didn't dally around; it jumped straight into the nuts and bolts of creating a good transcription. While several of the courses I previously wrote about did touch on the basics of transcription, Modules 1 and 2 of Skills: Transcribing, Abstracting & Extracting  provides an intense introduction to the process.…

Basic Questions

How do you learn more about a photograph? Here are some basic questions to help get started.

Photography: Clues Pictures Hold, Editing, Digitizing and Various Projects

WHO is in the…

175 years ago today Inspector Charles MAY along with Sergeants Thomas SMITHERS and Hugh McGREGOR resigned from the Metropolitan Police Force in London and began their 5 month journey to Hong Kong in order to establish the Hong Kong Police Force.  As the…

            Echoes of our Ancestors     

              20-23 May 2020

          SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

       Presented by National Genealogical Society

            Family HIstory Conference

       HAVING HAD SUCH A GREAT TIME IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, hoping to be there.

20th Anniversary Special

We're celebrating our 20^th Anniversary!  What better way to do that, then to bring back those 1999 registration fees of only $50.00 per course.

You can register for as many courses as you wish.  That's right, there is NO limit.  Heck, you could even…

Local News 

Over the years, local news found in hometown newspapers has run the gambit, from the very serious to news that isn’t necessarily hard-core journalism.

Some of the articles you might find relevant to your genealogy…

By Shannon Bennett, Student

Many of my and my husband’s family come from England. Lots. Lots and lots. Did I say quite a few?  Well, needless to say I am intrigued by the records that are over there but at times I do not understand exactly what is being said. We sort of speak the same language.…

Women’s Clothing 1830 – 1890 

When researching the lives of our ancestors in photographs it’s hard not to notice all of the changes happening through time. Some changes were big while others were small and may go unrecognized.  Take for instance women's clothing during the 1800s. …

Headstones and Cemetery Indexes 

Your ancestor’s headstone can indicate both their date of birth and death. However, this information is only as accurate as the person providing the information to the stone carver. Always locate other sources to confirm the dates carved into the stone.  

If you have a death certificate and it states the name of a cemetery, Google the cemetery name. Then add the word “Index” to your search. Sometimes you will…

How do I get my grades? 

Within six weeks of the course end date, your grade will appear in your student Briefcase. Click My Briefcase to access your grades for all the courses you have taken.  

The…

Military Uniforms in Photographs 

To correctly identify military uniforms in photographs, it is necessary to read reference books and related websites about the particular branch of the military in its specific country during the correct historical time period. There are absolutely no rules about how a military designed its uniforms over time, although there are a few observations that can be made about military uniforms in…

Your Genealogy Business

Tracking money is not just mindless busywork. It has a purpose. Keeping track of money as it flows in and out of your business is a process that is key to providing you with the necessary information on how your business is doing which leads to better decision making. Managing your financial resources will involve the following aspects of money management:

• accounting/bookkeeping/budgeting
• profit/loss
• cash flow
• tax…

How do I register for a course?  

Simply click Subscribe and complete the form. Make sure all information is complete and accurate then click the Submit button. You will receive a message confirming receipt of your registration.  …

By Shannon Bennett, Student

How many of you knew that there were other types of US Census schedules?  If you did know, did you know how many different types there are? I knew about a couple of them but I had no idea that there were so many.

Library of Congress Prints and…

Valuable New Stories 

Newspapers give us insight into life as it was during our ancestor’s time. While still driven by advertising, the newspapers of old often held more personal information than we find in today’s equivalent.  

In addition to vital statistic type data you…

Your Ancestor’s Locations 

It is extremely important to learn about the location(s) our ancestors lived. We need to be aware of when certain jurisdictions were formed, what records were kept and when, which jurisdictions were responsible for keeping specific records, and what records are currently accessible.

Keep in…

So you want a Certificate in Genealogical Studies

Upon successful completion of  40 courses in your Certificate Program and achieving a minimum grade of D, you will receive a Certificate in Genealogical Studies. …