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We Dig These Gems! New Genealogy Records Online

by Lisa Cooke | Jan 22, 2016

Here’s our weekly roundup of cool new genealogy records online. Should you search any of these: an 1831 England census substitute; parish records for Hertfordshire; images of French forts in North America; Michigan death records; outgoing passenger lists for the US and War of 1812 pension records?

ENGLAND 1831 CENSUS SUBSTITUTE. There’s a new 1831 census substitute database at Findmypast! England, Pollbooks and Directories 1830-1837 allows you to discover where your ancestors lived, how they earned a living and how they voted. This collection of assorted documents also plugs the important gap left by the lack of a complete 1831 census.”

ENGLAND PARISH REGISTERS. Findmypast now has a browsable collection of parish records for Hertfordshire. The collection spans 1538-1988: that’s 450 years and 1.9 million pages of baptisms, marriages and burials.

NEW FRANCE. Library & Archives Canada has published a new Flickr photo collection with images of North American forts built or captured by the French during the era of New France. It’s free to explore and the history is fascinating!

MICHIGAN DEATHS. A new collection of Michigan Death Records, 1857-1960 is available to Ancestry.com subscribers. Death registers and certificates contain varying amounts of genealogical information.

US TRAVELERS ABROAD. Ancestry.com has a new database of departing passengers and crew from various U.S. locations (1916-1962) by ship and air. These include military transports. “Details requested on the forms varied, but they typically include the name of the vessel, departure date, ports of departure and destination, shipmaster, full name, age, gender, physical description, military rank (if any), occupation, birthplace, citizen of what country, and residence.” Later documents may include visa or passport information.

WAR OF 1812 PENSIONS (US). Images of pension records for US soldiers with surnames beginning A-M have been posted on Fold3, where they are available to view for FREE. This is part of the ongoing Preserve the Pensions project led by the Federation of Genealogical Societies. Click here to learn more and contribute to funding for this crowd-sourced effort.

Looking for a specific type of record about your ancestor? Want to find more new genealogy records online yourself? Click here for step-by-step instructions on using Google to search for specific records.

You’re Invited! Genealogy Gems Book Club Open House at RootsTech 2016

by | Jan 20, 2016

You’re invited to a special event at RootsTech 2016: the Genealogy Gems Book Club Open House!

Do you follow the Genealogy Gems Book Club? It’s a no-commitment, virtual way to experience our must-read list for family history lovers. We feature best-selling novels, riveting memoirs and more and give you time to read them, if you like. Then we bring you exclusive conversations with the authors about themes that resonate with us from the books: family relationships, search for identity, history and more.

If you’re coming to RootsTech 2016, please stop by an extra-special event we’re hosting: the Genealogy Gems Book Club Open House. It’s Thursday morning, February 4, from 10am-11am at the Genealogy Gems booth #1230 in the Exhibitor Hall.

Stop by and talk to us about books, family history and whatever’s on your mind!

During the Open House, stop by and chat with me and Lisa about books or family history or both! Pick up a free Genealogy Gems Book Club bookmark. Thumb through display copies of featured titles. And best yet–win a chance at a great Book Club prize just for suggesting a book title for the Genealogy Gems Book Club. It’s the perfect LIVE version of our book club: fun, chatty, low-key, with great takeaways for YOU.

Click here to learn more about the Genealogy Gems Book Club and explore past titles we’ve recommended.

Click here for the Genealogy Gems RootsTech 2016 schedule, including the Book Club Open House and our free series of Think Tank classes, and a map of how to find us in the Exhibit Hall.

This Ancestor Wrote a Poem like “Where I’m From”

by | Jan 18, 2016

Recently Genealogy Gems podcast listeners penned their own versions of a family history poem, “Where I’m From.” This listener found that his ancestor wrote one, too.

Recently I got a lovely email from Scott, a Genealogy Gems Premium website member whom I’ve heard from before. He said:

“We’ve chatted before about some of the letters that have been passed down to me. Your segments on the ‘Where I’m From’ poems reminded me of a very special poem that I have. Evalina Belmont Hill was born in 1802 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. She married Francis Baker Bailey there in 1819. Shortly after that, they moved across Virginia, then into Pope County, Arkansas before Arkansas statehood. After Francis died, she lived with family in southern Missouri. This is a poem she wrote in 1819 shortly after the married and moved away from home, thinking that she would not see her family again. I thought I would share it as a part of ‘Where I’m From.’ Best regards. Thanks for all you do for us.”

In case you can’t read it easily, here’s a transcription, which includes her unique spelling:

Home

There is a lovely spot of earth
To whitch I cling with fond delight
It is the place that gave me birth
Where first my eyelids dorn the light
I little thought my wandering feet
From that dear spot so soon would rove
My waywood fate alone to meet
Far far away from native home
Fare from the friends who’s gentle care
Did all my infant pains beguile
No more I view that home so dear
No more on me those friends shall smile
But there’s a place for Souls oppress
And when life sickly dream is over
Beneth the verdant sod shall rest
These wandering feet to rove no more.

Thank you to Scott for sharing his ancestor’s poem. How homesick she seems for the past–I’m sure many of us have felt that before.

In case you missed our special series on family history poetry, click the links below. In the free Genealogy Gems podcast, you’ll hear from Kentucky poet laureate George Ella Lyon, whose original poem “Where I’m From” has inspired thousands of people around the world to write their own versions. We recently invited podcast listeners to share theirs, which you’ll find in recent and coming episodes of the Genealogy Gems podcast.