Ancestry DNA flash sale April 17 ONLY
I am about to leave for a genealogy meeting but wanted to be sure you saw this news before I left. Valid only today until 11:59 pm ET.
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Fold3 Update on Digitization of War of 1812 Pension Files
The War of 1812 U.S. pension records have been on subscription site Fold3.com for many years. It’s an ongoing project that began under the auspices of the former Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) and the U.S. National Archives. FGS embarked on a fund-raising project to ensure these were digitized and then remain FREE for researchers. […]
Minnesota Digital Library & Civil War pension correspondence
I recently learned of a new addition to the Minnesota Digital Library (MDL). The Northwest Minnesota History Center at Minnesota State University Moorhead recently contributed the Solomon G. Comstock collection, which includes documents and correspondence “with over 200 Civil War veterans or widows of veterans about their pension claims, from about 1889-1891.” I knew that […]
Free BCG-sponsored webinar February 18
FREE BCG-SPONSORED WEBINAR“Applying Research Standards to the Census”by Diane MacLean Boumenot, CGTuesday, February 18, 2025, 8:00 p.m. (EST) After years of using census records, genealogists may take for granted that they’re using them fully and correctly. But as they learn about genealogy standards and best practices, do they go back and re-think their census practices? […]
Interview of GRIP coordinators are live and it’s 15 days till 2025 genealogy course registration!
I was recently interviewed about my new online course for the GRIP Genealogy Institute June 22-27, 2025. Jeanette Sheliga was so much fun to talk with and her questions were perfectly directed. You can view it by visiting https://grip.ngsgenealogy.org/courses/beyond-digging-deeper-sources-methods-and-practices/. It features the image of part of my own office and reference bookshelves at home. That […]
Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota transcribed building permits online.
The Ramsey County Historical Society has announced that St. Paul Building Permit Collection is now online. My warning is that it is not the original records, but information copied during the New Deal Works Progress Administration (WPA) era. I have not yet used the online access. “This is a collection of index cards and permit […]
2024 grants for courthouse safety and security improvements in Minnesota
A variety of Minnesota media outlets are mentioning these 2024 grants. To receive a security and safety grant, the county must apply. Even though this is a great program, I wonder what additional funding each courthouse needs to protect everyone and to make entrances, stairways, storage, and other locations safe for all? I’ve researched at […]
Genealogy and History Research Hours in Various Repositories
A recent news item from the Georgia Archives led me to see what other state level and historical societies list for their hours for the type of research genealogists need to do. They hold voluminous books, newspapers, manuscripts, and local and state records that are not online. I began with my home state of Minnesota […]
Continuing my genealogy research, lecturing, and consultation business
After my December 1st blog post about Native American research, two people asked me if I was no longer doing Native American research. I am still doing Native American and general United States and Canadian research. As I have said before, I love my profession. Today I am doing a two-hour genealogy consultation with a […]
Post Civil War: Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)
The Civil War had ended. The surviving Union military personnel had returned home. Some healthy, many injured or otherwise disabled. It was a time for mourning the loss of many fellow military members. Coming home was difficult as the soldier or sailor had changed and so had their family, neighbors, and employers. What was missing […]