In the late 1800's many books were published on local Pennsylvania county history. Most of these books, often 500-1000 pages each, are found digitized on Internet Archive. As a genealogist researching early PA ancestors, are these county histories helpful to research? Is it worth … [Read more...] about 9 Ways to Use County Histories in Genealogy
historical societies
Three Steps to Find PA County Marriage Licenses
Each county in Pennsylvania began issuing marriage licenses in 1885. Marriage licenses provide the genealogist with the parents of the bride and groom, as well as their age, residence, place of birth, and who married the couple (A great way to determine their religious faith and … [Read more...] about Three Steps to Find PA County Marriage Licenses
Six Steps to Research Your Rural PA Ancestors
The one area of Pennsylvania genealogy research most people need help in is rural PA in the 1700's and early 1800's. The lack of modern birth, marriage, and death records along with a census that only names heads of households, grinds research to a halt. Below is the summary … [Read more...] about Six Steps to Research Your Rural PA Ancestors
Podcast Episode 38: Two Must Read History Books for PA Research
Denys spent the winter doing a lot of reading and has two history books to recommend. Ready to break the narrative of what you know about American history? These books will do it! Episode Notes Sometimes when you can’t make progress in genealogy research, its because you … [Read more...] about Podcast Episode 38: Two Must Read History Books for PA Research
What to Bring on a Cemetery Trip
Planning on a trip to your ancestors' graves? This post covers how to prepare and what to bring to make the most of your time there. Preparing to Go Once you know the location of your ancestors' graves, a trip to the cemetery can unlock new knowledge about them. For an … [Read more...] about What to Bring on a Cemetery Trip