cougar14
US Veteran
Has anyone used any of the genealogy sites to learn about your ancestors? Everybody in the family who could give me any info is dead or I don't know them. Curious about cost, time, how far back, etc. Thanks!
Tracing your ancestors...
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Texas Star
US Veteran
I hesitate to post anything that intimate Online. And I strongly suspect that such sites only have generalities or names of families that may not be your branch of the name.
But public libraries often have Genealogy departments who can help.
But public libraries often have Genealogy departments who can help.
I use and like Ancestry.com
shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
I got back as far as a little three-foot-tall female named Lucy, and the line just ended. Weird.
Actually my sister went to Ireland forty years ago and did some tracing of our family roots in County Cork. She found that having succeeded in pissing off the British government, our ancestors changed the family name to something that sounded British and beat feet for this country in the late 1700's.
I tell people I come from a long line of hillbilly bachelors.
Actually my sister went to Ireland forty years ago and did some tracing of our family roots in County Cork. She found that having succeeded in pissing off the British government, our ancestors changed the family name to something that sounded British and beat feet for this country in the late 1700's.
I tell people I come from a long line of hillbilly bachelors.
Funny.. everybody I checked came up as in the " WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM" Including my 2nd cousin.. SIP....
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Now you've pissed off the Ky. hillbillys.
labworm
US Veteran
About 30 years ago I began my search.
I found out a copy of my last name was retained in the Barnstable Library in MA.
Checked with several well known book stores in Boston and came up empty handed, one store said they would search and notify me if they found what I was looking for.
Two years passed and I received a letter from a bookstore in Vermont, they had the book and I purchased it.
Goes back 600 years into England, my father was one of the last entries in the book, which means I have the complete family tree to look back into.
Some of the information you will find is outright mind-boggling.
I found out a copy of my last name was retained in the Barnstable Library in MA.
Checked with several well known book stores in Boston and came up empty handed, one store said they would search and notify me if they found what I was looking for.
Two years passed and I received a letter from a bookstore in Vermont, they had the book and I purchased it.
Goes back 600 years into England, my father was one of the last entries in the book, which means I have the complete family tree to look back into.
Some of the information you will find is outright mind-boggling.
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labworm
US Veteran
Funny.. every body I checked came up as in the " WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM" Including my 2nd cousin.. SIP
I guess you don't want to talk about Tony Pino or Specs O'Keefe.
Dennis The B
US Veteran
I've been using Ancestry.com for several years, and I've traced my family's history back to about 1780 in Virginia, and 1800 in Maine. I have a distant cousin who's done a real downtown job on another side of the family, all the way back to 17th century England. I also found out I am distantly related to Presley O'Bannon, the U.S. Marine lieutenant of "Shores of Tripoli" fame. We also have a distant relationship to the Custis family of Virginia, also.
Ancestry.com has some very good search features, and you have to isolate your search criteria to be effective. If you know where your parents were born, etc., chances are you'll find a lot of details.
I had some family records, and found out a lot from my grandparents through conversations with them before their deaths.
My first real success was at the Burton Historical Library at the Detroit Public Library. I have some ancestors who lived in Rockland Maine. They had a book published about Rockland, Maine, published in 1851. I found my great-grandfather's name, and he was a fourth-generation Maine resident at the time. We made a trip to Rockland and found some additional information.
It's a lot of fun, and you learn a lot of history both relative and non-relative.
My wife's uncle was evidently a black sheep of sorts. He was a soldier during WWI, and ended up at Leavenworth prison in 1920 for theft of government property around 1919. My wife's aunt got the Leavenworth records, and got some good data.
The Mormon Church libraries also have some good information.
Ancestry.com has some very good search features, and you have to isolate your search criteria to be effective. If you know where your parents were born, etc., chances are you'll find a lot of details.
I had some family records, and found out a lot from my grandparents through conversations with them before their deaths.
My first real success was at the Burton Historical Library at the Detroit Public Library. I have some ancestors who lived in Rockland Maine. They had a book published about Rockland, Maine, published in 1851. I found my great-grandfather's name, and he was a fourth-generation Maine resident at the time. We made a trip to Rockland and found some additional information.
It's a lot of fun, and you learn a lot of history both relative and non-relative.
My wife's uncle was evidently a black sheep of sorts. He was a soldier during WWI, and ended up at Leavenworth prison in 1920 for theft of government property around 1919. My wife's aunt got the Leavenworth records, and got some good data.
The Mormon Church libraries also have some good information.
Arik
Member
I heard that the Mormons have excellent records of genealogy. I tried online but didn't get past my dad. I know for a fact that my dad's uncle came to US in the late 20s and lived in NY. He dies in the early 90s. I tried searching his name and didn't get anything correct. Some names were the same but either too young, too old, still alive, wrong state....etc...etc
Roadtrash
US Veteran
Like someone else already mentioned try Ancestry.com. There is a lot of info in there such as pages from the census back to I think the 1820's maybe before. There are some church listing their cemetery "residences" and a lot of other info.
There are a lot of trees that have already been researched listed which may include your family just remember someone did this and there may be errors so if you find a tree with your family be sure to check the listings to see if they are accurate. There are also a lot of obits listed and these are a good way of finding relatives.
Whatever you do it is time consuming and it leads every where but it is interesting what you find. i've been into it off and on for the last 30 years or so and it is a lot of fun and you learn a lot about your family and history in general.
All I can say is go for it I don't think you will be disappointed. I've got my father's family back to 1756 for sure and maybe into the 1500's. My mother's side I have back to the 1200's so it's out there you just have to look.
There are a lot of trees that have already been researched listed which may include your family just remember someone did this and there may be errors so if you find a tree with your family be sure to check the listings to see if they are accurate. There are also a lot of obits listed and these are a good way of finding relatives.
Whatever you do it is time consuming and it leads every where but it is interesting what you find. i've been into it off and on for the last 30 years or so and it is a lot of fun and you learn a lot about your family and history in general.
All I can say is go for it I don't think you will be disappointed. I've got my father's family back to 1756 for sure and maybe into the 1500's. My mother's side I have back to the 1200's so it's out there you just have to look.
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meaneyedcatz
Member
I have heard that if you use ancestry.com you automatically become a member of the Mormon church. FYIW
My brother traced my moms side back to 1600's
My brother traced my moms side back to 1600's
policerevolvercollector
Member
Ancestry.com is really good. I've used it for years & traced my family back to the royal houses of Europe in the 12th century. Once you begin, it is addictive. You can't stop searching. 
shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
I live in Kentucky, but I'm a native of the hills of East Tennessee. Wonderful people as long as you don't mess with them.
Straightshooter2
US Veteran
The LDS church has a genealogy site online that you can use or, if you have a LDS church locally, they will let you use their library. I was doing some research at their church down in Jonesboro and found out my greatgreatgreatetc.-grandfather and my wife's greatgreatgreatetc.-grandfather lived in the same Georgia county around 1790 and probably knew each other. My ancestor was sheriff and owned the only general store in the county. Using the online LDS site I traced my wife's family back to Scotland. Although I have some doubt to it's validity, according to the lineage, my wife is descended from a grandson of a guy named Crinan the Thane. My wife's supposed ancestor's older brother was murdered by a cousin in a squabble over the who would be Thane. His name was Duncan and he was murdered by his cousin Macbeth. Yeah, that Macbeth. Like I said though, I have some doubt about a couple of the links but it makes a great story.
CW
CW
coltle6920
Member
It shouldn't be that hard for Southerners to trace their ancestry (or is it incestry?).The family tree only has one limb.
(Pause for effect...)
Okay!...Okay!...Lighten up everyone! I didn't realize that Jeff Foxworthy was a comedian.He sounds so convincing!
(Pause for effect...)
Okay!...Okay!...Lighten up everyone! I didn't realize that Jeff Foxworthy was a comedian.He sounds so convincing!
Check with your local library to see if they have a genealogy section. If so, there is likely someone who comes in a few days a week to volunteer. That would be a good start. The library may also have a full subscription to Ancestry and other sites that you could use free while in their facility. Mine also allows remote access to a site that has census records. I've traveled to The big LDS library in Salt Lake City, then followed leads to England, Scotland, and Austria.
If the library is a bust, or even if not, check to see if you have a county historical society, or family research center at the nearest LDS Church. Folks involved with these are often willing to help (they may ask for a donation to the local group, but it will be a lot less than paying a professional researcher).
Start with obituaries. Look up your parents, grandparents in the local newspaper. Sometimes they tell us a lot.
I spent a week in the state library in NC researching my ancestor. Pity that he had a common name, and there were five matches of age and place. I wound up doing the research on all five to prove which ones could not be my family. I took the rest and narrowed it down to one strong prospect. Then off to the county where he died. It took several days working with a local group that operated out of a trailer to find mention of a letter to a cousin. In that letter, there was a complete linkage, as the writer was trying to close an estate, and was searching for my line.
It could be months or years of gathering data that won't help, but when you realize some families are not yours, give the notes to your historical society. You may help someone else.
If the library is a bust, or even if not, check to see if you have a county historical society, or family research center at the nearest LDS Church. Folks involved with these are often willing to help (they may ask for a donation to the local group, but it will be a lot less than paying a professional researcher).
Start with obituaries. Look up your parents, grandparents in the local newspaper. Sometimes they tell us a lot.
I spent a week in the state library in NC researching my ancestor. Pity that he had a common name, and there were five matches of age and place. I wound up doing the research on all five to prove which ones could not be my family. I took the rest and narrowed it down to one strong prospect. Then off to the county where he died. It took several days working with a local group that operated out of a trailer to find mention of a letter to a cousin. In that letter, there was a complete linkage, as the writer was trying to close an estate, and was searching for my line.
It could be months or years of gathering data that won't help, but when you realize some families are not yours, give the notes to your historical society. You may help someone else.
Retired LTC USAR
US Veteran
Here is a web site that might be of some help. Found my Fathers grave and my grand-fathers (but I do know where they are burried).
Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records
Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records
Finding One's Roots
Finding ancestors is fascinating. My wife's late aunt was a RC nun in Canada and had access to church records. She was able to trace their roots and reconstruct every family marriage to the 1600s, in France.
On the other hand, I'm descended from Sicilian immigrants. First, record keeping was spotty for peasants in the old country. Worse, Sicily underwent many insurrections and revolutions and was absorbed into Italy in 1860. There were also foreign invasions. Insurrectionists and invaders burned and sacked government buildings like we shoot up tin cans. As a result, many birth, death and marriage records have been destroyed.
In Sicily, as space is at a premium, you keep your grave for 100 years, after which your remains are stored somewhere and a new occupant moves in.
Lastly, I know people who attempted to re-connect with families in their country of origin and who were not warmly received.
Finding ancestors is fascinating. My wife's late aunt was a RC nun in Canada and had access to church records. She was able to trace their roots and reconstruct every family marriage to the 1600s, in France.
On the other hand, I'm descended from Sicilian immigrants. First, record keeping was spotty for peasants in the old country. Worse, Sicily underwent many insurrections and revolutions and was absorbed into Italy in 1860. There were also foreign invasions. Insurrectionists and invaders burned and sacked government buildings like we shoot up tin cans. As a result, many birth, death and marriage records have been destroyed.
In Sicily, as space is at a premium, you keep your grave for 100 years, after which your remains are stored somewhere and a new occupant moves in.
Lastly, I know people who attempted to re-connect with families in their country of origin and who were not warmly received.
MOONDAWG
US Veteran
For $19.99 Ancestry.com will take you pretty far back...
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