Genealogy & The Internet

1. Genealogy & The Internet John LaMont Genealogy Librarian The Seattle Public Library

2. Objectives • Learn the basics of genealogy and how to effectively use the Internet to trace your family history.

3. Overview • Life events discussion • Genealogy basics • Genealogy sources • The Seattle Public Library • Internet resources • Online exercises

4. Life Events Discussion • Think of some events from your life • Birth, marriage, death, etc. • Who was involved? • When did these events occur? • What records exist for these events? • Where might these events be recorded? • Why were these events recorded?

5. Genealogy Basics / Getting Started • Family sources • Gather what you and other family members already know • Organization • Pedigree charts, family group sheets, & research logs. • Documentation • Cite your sources • Education • Learn about the types of resources used in genealogical research

6. Primary vs. Secondary Sources • Primary • Reported at the time of the event and directly involve participants of the event • Secondary • Almost everything else • Useful in locating primary sources • Need to be verified

7. Types of Sources • Family (S & P) • Aunt Noreen’s • Print (S) • Libraries, historical societies • Original records (P & S) • State, regional, and national archives, county courthouses, churches, FHL • Electronic subscription databases (P & S) • Home and libraries • Internet (S & P) • Anywhere

8. Family Sources - letters, bibles, photos, diaries, family stories “My father, Theodore, died at the age of 49 from Bright’s disease in 1899. This was taken not long before he died. . . His fore fathers landed in theChesapeake Bayarea, & settled in the Baltimore County. As it was then.” Nellie (Rusk) LaMont, 1961.

9. Print Sources • Guide books • Provide information on methods of genealogy research, types of genealogy sources, and addresses for locating records • Abstracts, indexes, and bibliographies • Allow genealogists to locate information in a wide variety of print and original sources • Family, local, and other histories • Direct genealogists to previous research, sources, and provide historical context • City directories • Location and occupation

10. Original Records • Vital (birth, marriage, death) • Civil registration • Church • Membership, birth, baptism, and marriage • Census • Federal: 1790 through 1930 • State: varies by state • Indexes, Soundex, microfilm, electronic • Court • Probate, orphan’s, criminal, equity

11. Original Records (cont.) • Land • Homesteads, grants, and purchased land • Location, description, timeframe, relatives • Probate & Wills • Real and personal property, surviving descendants, estate distribution • Military Service Records • Muster, service, pension, and widow’s pension

12. Seattle Public LibraryUsing the Online Catalog • Plan your trip to SPL • Search the catalog from home • http://www.spl.org • Finding family histories • Exact subject: Smith Family • Title keyword: Smith Family • Finding geographic material & histories • Subject keyword: Scioto County Ohio

13. Seattle Public LibraryElectronic Databases • Ancestry Library Edition / Ancestry.com • Original records viewable online • Census, military, directories • Indexes and abstracts • Land, vital, court, probate, military, etc. • HeritageQuest Online • Census • Books (family and local histories, etc.) • PERSI • Revolutionary War

14. Search engines, directories, & link lists Transcribed and original records Mailing lists & message boards Searchable databases Personal Web sites Locality & ethnic specific sites Societies & groups Research guides, tools & references Libraries & archives Internet – What to Expect

15. Internet – Email • Hotmail.com • Myway.com • Fastmail.fm • Yahoo.com You’ll need email for subscribing to mailing lists, posting messages, and communicating with other researchers. You can sign up for a free email account at the following Web sites:

16. Access Indexes, abstracts, original records, relatives, etc. Communication Growth / Expansion Active community Anyone can participate Incomplete Missing sources Unchecked Incorrect information Link rot Anyone can participate Internet – Pros & Cons

17. Internet – Evaluation • Who created the site? • Is contact information provided? • Where did the data come from? • Are sources cited? • What time period or geographic location is covered? • Are there obvious inconsistencies, omissions, or mistakes? • Why was the source created?

18. Internet – Search Engines • Are incomplete indexes of the Internet • Vary in scope and quality • Do not index searchable databases • Allow basic and advanced searches • Examples • Google. http://www.google.com • Yahoo. http://www.yahoo.com • MSN. http://www.msn.com • Teoma. http://www.teoma.com

19. Popular Internet Sites • Cyndi’s List • Indexes over 200,000 genealogy Web sites • U.S. Gen Web • County and state resource Web sites • Family Search • Mormon Church • Searchable databases including IGI, Ancestral File, 1880 census, library catalog • GenForum • postings for surnames, states, regions, and topics • Mailing Lists • For just about anything you can think of

20. Popular Internet Sites • RootsWeb • The Internet's oldest and largest free genealogy community • National Archives • Information about federal records • Requesting military service & pension records • Archival Databases • Ellis Island • Immigrants arriving in New York

21. Online Exercises • Explore Web sites discussed in class http://home.comcast.net/~jkrasviken/ • Try searching for your ancestors, the places they lived, or a genealogy topic of interest: • Google • Cyndi’s List • Family Search • U.S. GenWeb • Other Web sites

22. Genealogy Classes • Fiske Genealogical Library • http://www.fiskelibrary.org/ • Seattle Genealogical Society • http://www.rootsweb.com/~waseags/ • Seattle Public Library • http://www.spl.org

23. Questions?