This book aims to help genealogists at every level learn to trace descendants of ancestors, both direct line and collateral. With step-by-step guidance, methodologies, and practical examples, this guide will give you the tools and confidence to find and make meaningful connections with living family members. In fact, finding living relatives isn’t all that different from tracing your direct-line ancestors and their families. The same skills apply—researching, organizing information, and following clues—but with a focus on connecting the past to the present. This process, known as reverse genealogy, involves creating a detailed family tree, identifying relatives down both ancestral and collateral lines, and using modern tools to track them down.

Cheri Hudson Passey is a professional genealogist, instructor, writer, speaker, and owner of Carolina Girl Genealogy, LLC. She hosts the “GenFriends Genealogy Chat Show on YouTube, where she and a panel of professional genealogists meet weekly to discuss all things genealogy. Cheri began working as a genealogist researcher subcontracted by Eagle Investigative Services, Inc., for the US Army Past Conflict Reparations Branch in 2018. She uses her skills to identify and locate the next of kin, along with YDNA and mtDNA candidates for the families of World War II soldiers who are listed as missing in action. The goal is to use DNA to positively identify remains and, with the permission of next of kin, bring our war heroes home.

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Family history is different. If you want others to learn about where you and they came from, you must command their attention. As Doug Tattershall states in the Introduction to his new book, “We work hard to discover our family tree. But what we [and the people we are writing for] really want to know is our family story.”

So, how does a genealogist transition to family history? You will find the answers here. In fewer than one hundred pages, Doug shows how to start and stay on track in transforming the skeletal outline of a genealogy into an engaging family story. Chapter One discusses the elements of a good story: strong characters, a good plot, and the theme or point of the story—all based on the facts uncovered by your research. Doug draws on his own and others’ family stories and images to make his points. Chapter Two, “The Stuff,” explains how to research with biographical detail in mind, gathering from interviews (oral history), personal letters and diaries, newspaper articles and obituaries, lawsuits, local histories, etc. Chapter Three, “Puzzle Pieces” emphasizes the importance of establishing a timeline to your story, while Chapter Four illustrates how things like paintings or photographs, geographic details, and mementos can add specificity and immediacy to it. In Chapter Five, “Format,” the author draws on his journalism experience and the experience of five other contemporary family storytellers to compare the merits of the various media you can choose from: written narrative, audio, video, blogs, and podcasts. The final chapters emphasize the importance of creating a storyteller’s outline to keep everything together, examples of “Good and True” storytelling, and a helpful family story worksheet.

As Doug Tattershall reminds us, “We research our family histories to satisfy our own curiosity about our past, but we quickly find that we want to share what we have found . . .Telling your family story deserves an effort that incorporates the best practices of the dedicated storyteller. . . Your family history is a story worth telling and, therefore, a story worth telling well.”

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Item 9642

The First 24 Hours of the American Revolution. An Hour by Hour Account of the Battle of Lexington, Concord, and the British Retreat on Battle Road

Item 8521

So You Think You Know George Washington? Stories They Didn’t Tell You in School!

Item 8523

Victory or Death: Military Decisions that Changed the Course of the American Revolution

Item 9641

Women Patriots in the American Revolution. Stories of Bravery, Daring, and Compassion

Item 9643

Strange, Amazing, and Funny Events that Happened during the Revolutionary War

Item 8524

The Story of Yorktown: Told by the Men Who Were There

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This compilation is the result of a 26-year, masterful reconstruction of the 1698 census of New York by the esteemed genealogist and librarian Kory Meyerink. In this effort, Mr. Meyerink was aided by not only the “surviving” portions of the 1698 census but also the statistical summaries of the census which have survived the passage of time. The fact is that we know exactly how many men, women, and children (all free whites) and slaves (usually black, and sometimes Native American) were counted in the census. With these numbers in hand, Mr. Meyerink was able to locate more or less contemporary substitute sources (e.g., militia lists, tax lists, church records, town minutes, etc.) and reconstruct the residents of the missing counties, towns, and manors. In a number of cases, he was able to find the names of the same New Yorkers on multiple lists, thereby enhancing the accuracy of the reconstruction. In other cases, he assembled lists as “composites” from multiple sources (e.g., Easthampton, Rye, etc.). In all, he has identified by name 96% of the men, 50% of the women, and at least 40% of the children alive in the colony of New York in 1698.

New York in 1698 is arranged alphabetically by county and thereunder by town, ward, or manor. Mr. Meyerink begins each county chapter with a detailed discussion of the reconstruction variables: original source(s), spelling, layout of the original information, statistical recap, a brief history of the area under investigation at the time of the census, and a bibliography for further research on that county. The chapter-by-chapter lists of persons are arranged to conform to the earliest known transcription of the 1698 census, or substitute. The volume concludes with a complete name index of 13,700 and, owing to the significant New Netherland heritage of turn-of-the-17^th century New York, a substantial listing of Dutch names with their English versions. Mr. Meyerink’s historical and methodological Introduction to the book–which also contains a separate bibliography–not only provides insight into the “missing” census itself but also is must reading for any genealogist or historian planning to conduct research into this fascinating period.

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Outside of the U.S., the books are available from Amazon and bookstores in the Ingram network. The color supplement can be downloaded anywhere, as is the case with our eBook.

FamilyTreeDNA, founded in 2000, was the first and is still the only company to offer three kinds of DNA testing for genealogy.

• The Family Finder autosomal DNA test provides you with your ethnicity breakdown, plus matches to close and distant family members on both the paternal and maternal sides of your family.
• Mitochondrial DNA tests your mother’s direct maternal line, providing recent matches and deep heritage.
• Y-DNA tests the direct paternal (surname) line for men, providing matches to males who are both recently and distantly related.

All three DNA tests are indispensable for both genealogists and people searching for unknown parents and other family members.

For Both New and Existing Customers!

This book explains each kind of test, when it’s most useful, and how to incorporate the results into your genealogy. Author Roberta Estes provides clear, step-by-step instructions for understanding each test individually, and for deploying them together. If you’ve already tested at FamilyTreeDNA, this book is your one-stop source for understanding and using your results most productively. If you are new to FamilyTreeDNA testing, you’ll learn which test(s) to start with, then upgrade later as warranted. You will also be given purchase advice and learn how to fine-tune your results.

More Value!

In addition to the value of your personal test results, you will discover how joining Surname and other DNA Group Projects supported by FamilyTreeDNA promotes collaboration between genealogists with similar research interests. This book will help you to locate the most beneficial projects to join in order to maximize the value of your investment in DNA testing.

What’s Covered?

Here are just a few of the topics covered in The Complete Guide to FamilyTreeDNA:

• The Science behind DNA tests – written for everyday people
• Y-DNA – Your Father’s Story – types of markers and how to use your results
• The Big Y test and how to interpret the results
• Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) – Your Mother’s Story – matches and what they mean
• Autosomal Family Finder Tests – Matches to All Your Family Lines
• Shared Matches
• Autosomal matches automatically assigned maternally or paternally
• Your Ethnicity Percentages from around the world plus maps and chromosome painting
• Finding, joining, and utilizing Group Projects
• Public Tools for Y-DNA and Mitochondrial DNA
• Creating Your Own DNA Pedigree Chart
• Detailed Glossary of terms used in genetic genealogy

This comprehensive guidebook makes use of multiple visual aids. You will see screenshots like the ones you can expect to view on your own computer; roadmaps and checklists with instructions on how to proceed; plus, an extensive glossary to help you decipher the technical language associated with DNA testing.

 About the Author

Roberta Estes, author of the popular blog www.DNA-eXplained.com is a scientist, National Geographic  Society Genographic affiliate researcher, Million Mito team member, and founding pioneer in the genetic genealogy field. An avid genealogist for the past 40 years, Roberta has written over 1,600 articles about genetic genealogy and provides consulting to major publications and organizations. Additionally, Roberta’s book, DNA for Native American Genealogy, complements her website, the Native Heritage Project, at www.nativeheritageproject.com. Roberta took her first DNA test in 1999 and hasn’t stopped.

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However, all records are not created equal, and history is not just a collection of “facts.” Critical analysis is essential, and since 2007 Evidence Explained has been the definitive, go-to guide for those who explore history and seek help with understanding, analyzing, and citing the materials they use. Evidence Explained has two principal uses: it provides citation models for historical sources—especially materials not covered in standard citation guides such as The Chicago Manual of Style. Beyond that, it enables researchers to understand the nature of each source so that evidence they cite can be better interpreted and the accuracy of their conclusions properly appraised.

In the six years since the last edition was published, changes at major repositories and online information providers–as well as the ever-evolving electronic world–have generated new citation and analysis challenges for researchers. As a consequence, Mrs. Mills has once again updated her citation models and added descriptions and evaluations of numerous contemporary materials not included in the Third Edition Revised.

Evidence Explained’s new fourth edition significantly reexamines historical resources and simplifies long-standing practices. Highlights of the Fourth Edition include:

• Updated Chapters One and Two (“Fundamentals of Analysis” and “Fundamentals of Citation”), continue to lay the foundations for successful research.
• An entirely new Chapter Three, “Building a Citation,” provides a tutorial for the construction of citations. Here, you learn to work with seven basic building blocks that can be mixed and matched to create a citation for any kind of source.
• Chapter Three’s 14 streamlined templates replace the previous 170 QuickChek Models, assembling the basic building blocks as needed to create citations for every type of material—whether accessed as an unpublished manuscript, print publication, database, or online image delivered at a specific URL or through a complex path and its waypoints.
• All examples in the twelve “Records” chapters (Chapters Four through Fifteen) are keyed to the specific templates that work best for each source or situation.
• Hundreds of new citation examples emphasize modern modes of access, particularly the layered citations that modern media require.

WHAT THE CRITICS SAY . . .

“This book is a necessary work for every researcher’s  bookshelf or desktop, or reference book computer file folder.  I used the digital version of the First Edition for seven years, and the Third Edition for 9 years, and can’t do without them.”—Randy Seaver, “Genea-Musings,” 02/18/2024

“Since the first edition was published in 2007, this has been the gold standard for understanding and citing genealogical sources.  Actually, it’s the platinum standard because of the clear, robust explanations about the wide variety of resources we use to research and document our ancestry. Mills well goes beyond how to cite specific sources–she delves deep into source quality and what that means for the credibility of evidence and, ultimately, the credibility of our conclusions.—Marian Wood, “Climbing My Family Tree,” 02/25/2024

“Elizabeth Shown Mills spent almost a year working on Evidence Explained, Fourth Edition; she has done a fabulous job! I really like this “slimmed down” version of the best guide out there that teaches us how to correctly record all the necessary details to build accurate citations for our genealogical research. . . . The Fourth Edition, with Chapter 3 leading the way, makes the process of creating source citations seem much more manageable.”—Linda Stufflebean, “Empty Branches on the Family Tree,” 02/24/2024

“The definitive guide for how to cite every conceivable kind of source a historian might use, from traditional archival materials to digital media to the most arcane sources imaginable.”–John B. Boles, William P. Hobby Professor of History, Rice University

“Evidence Explained has a fantastic opening section that really changed my perspective on ‘evidence.’ The citation formats are handy but honestly, it’s the commentary from ESM that made me want to buy myself a personal copy sooner rather than later.”–Kim Phillips-Sasso, Clarksville-Habersham County [Georgia] Library, as quoted on Goodreads

“Historians will welcome the publication of this detailed guide to citations. Even avid users of The Chicago Manual of Style regularly encounter sources for which that handbook gives no guidance. Now we can turn to Elizabeth Shown Mills’s comprehensive work.”–Journal of Southern History

“This is an essential resource for family historians; highly recommended for all libraries.”–Library Journal (First edition: Library Journal Best Reference 2007)

“I purchased two copies of this book, one to mark and one to keep in “great” condition. I am underlining, circling, adding sticky notes and such to assist in assimilating what Mrs. Mills has put forth in this definitive work.”—Dear Myrtle

“A staple for any genealogy library. It should be one of the top ten books in any genealogist’s collection.”—Deborah Sweeney, as quoted on Goodreads

“Meant not only as a style guide for the types of source citations used by historians and genealogists, this book also discusses why analysis of information within the total context of a source is imperative to understanding the nature of a fact. Citations not only tell where the source was found, but also can indicate a level of confidence to knowledgeable researchers.”–Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly

** Library Journal’s Best Reference 2007 **
** Winner of the National Genealogical Society’s 2008 Award of Excellence**

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Did you know that Washington had a great sense of humor? What is the real story behind his teeth? What was in the love letter he wrote to his best friend’s wife, while he was engaged to Martha? How did he help start a war in the 1750s? How was he going to be brought back to life after his death? As President, why didn’t Washington like to shake hands? What gift did he accept from Spain that changed American farming forever?

Did you know that, at one time, Washington was the leading moonshiner in the country? How did he treat his slaves? Was he always for independence? How did he feel about religion? Why did he sentence an innocent man to death? Why did he curse and threaten his soldiers at times? Why was Washington considered a great general when he lost the majority of his battles? Why did he not free his slaves, and why did Martha finally free them? When Washington became president, what title did he really want used? What form of harsh punishment did he use on his soldiers?

George Washington traveled out of the North American continent only once—do you know where? Why is it believed that the Washingtons had no children of their own? What other eligible women did Washington pursue prior to his marriage? How did Washington win election to the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1757?

These are just a few of the things you will learn about George Washington. There are dozens more of these little-known anecdotes that were told by the people who knew him personally, and these tales will give you a better understanding of what this great man was really like.

About the Author: Jack Darrell Crowder is a retired teacher and administrator with forty plus years in the classroom. He holds B.A. and master’s degrees from Texas Christian University and has written twelve books on the American Revolution. He gives talks on the Revolutionary War to school classes, historical societies, and Daughters of the American Revolution chapters.

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In The Story of Yorktown, Revolutionary War expert Jack Darrell Crowder provides a day-by-day account of the Siege of Yorktown as told by the participants in their journals, diaries, memoirs, pension applications, and letters, as well as in contemporary newspapers. The soldiers write of their fears, hopes, and impressions of these culminating experiences, as well as the destruction that took place. They describe the fortifications, the artillery, life on the battlefield, and the death of friends.

Mr. Crowder begins his coverage with a description of the town of Yorktown and the start of the siege. The narrative continues with the preparations made on both sides, the role of the artillery, the British failed attempt to escape, and their ultimate surrender. Besides the numerical superiority of the Franco-American armies and navy, as the Hessian soldier Johann Conrad Dohla makes clear, the British grossly underestimated the capacity of the Patriot artillery: “At night . . . the enemy began to fire on our left wing, then against our entire line, to fire bombs, cannon, and howitzers. This removed the belief, which we held previously that they had only their regimental cannon there and could not bring up heavy weapons because of the many forests and swamps.”

The Story of Yorktown concludes with the author’s endnotes, a bibliography, and a detailed index to persons and places. Clearfield Company is pleased to add it to its collection of Revolutionary War titles written by Jack Darrell Crowder.

About the Author: Jack Darrell Crowder is a retired teacher and administrator with forty plus years in the classroom. He holds B.A. and master’s degrees from Texas Christian University and has written twelve books on the American Revolution. He gives talks on the Revolutionary War to school classes, historical societies, and Daughters of the American Revolution chapters.

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Each chapter in Victory or Death provides a summary of specific events that were key to the War’s outcome. At the conclusion of every chapter, the author reviews the decisions, for good or ill, that led to the result. For example, he shows that England’s pyrrhic victory at Bunker Hill both raised the morale and preserved the numbers of American combatants, while exposing the danger of British overconfidence.  Making good use of illustrations of the people and places of the American Revolution, Mr. Crowder focuses on these momentous choices made by leaders on both sides:

• Selection of George Washington as America’s Commander-in-Chief
• Britain’s frontal assault on Bunker [Breed’s] Hill
• America’s ill-fated siege of Quebec
• General Howe’s reluctance to finish off the Americans in New York
• Washington’s attack on Trenton
• Britain’s miscues at Saratoga
• Significance of Washington’s Spy Ring
• How decisions about African Americans affected the outcome
• Choices made at Valley Forge to preserve the American army
• The Battle of King’s Mountain
• Appointment of Nathaniel Greene as Commander of America’s Southern army
• Yorktown

Victory or Death concludes with the author’s endnotes, a bibliography, and a detailed index to persons and places. Clearfield Company is pleased to add it to its collection of Revolutionary War titles written by Jack Darrell Crowder.

About the Author: Jack Darrell Crowder is a retired teacher and administrator with forty plus years in the classroom. He holds B.A. and master’s degrees from Texas Christian University and has written twelve books on the American Revolution. He gives talks on the Revolutionary War to school classes, historical societies, and Daughters of the American Revolution chapters.

The post Victory or Death appeared first on Genealogical.com.

These sources and many others are described in detail in this new Third Edition of Genealogical Research in Ohio, by noted genealogical scholar and former Brigham Young University family history professor Kip Sperry. This completely revised version of Sperry’s classic 2003 Second Edition examines the holdings of major Ohio archives and libraries and focuses on many resources available to researchers, covering everything from census records to church records, from periodicals to probates, from tax records to town records, from Internet resources to military records, from ethnic records to newspapers, from land and court records to vital records, and much more.  The book’s vast bibliography of Ohio books, moreover, is a comprehensive survey of Ohio printed genealogical sources, as well as an extensive list of public and other libraries in the state.

This new edition includes the following enhancements:

• New Ohio content regarding FamilySearch.org, including a listing of FamilySearch Centers and FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries in Ohio.
• Expanded and updated information for the Ohio Genealogical Society, including Library holdings, lineage organization guidelines, a list of chapters and their addresses.
• Revised information regarding major libraries in Ohio, including Ohio History Connection in Columbus, State Library of Ohio, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland, and other public, historical, and university libraries.
• Enhanced listings of major genealogical resources, including birth and death, cemetery, ethnic, military, newspaper and periodical records, as well as new coverage of photographic records.
• Up-to-date genealogy websites for Ohio and other researchers.
• Almost 100 pages of expanded Bibliography.

In addition, the work contains addresses of repositories—both in and out of state—that house Ohio historical and genealogical records and oral histories. At the end of the book, researchers will find a collection of Ohio maps of historical and genealogical importance.

This Third Edition of Genealogical Research in Ohio supersedes the Second Edition and is a testament to Ohio genealogical scholarship. No collection of Ohioana is complete without it.

About the Author
Kip Sperry is an Accredited Genealogist_® (Midwestern States), Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists, National Genealogical Society, and Utah Genealogical Association.

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