Figuring out how to incorporate DNA testing into your Native American genealogy research can be difficult and daunting. What types of DNA tests are available, and which vendors offer them? What other tools are available? How is Native American DNA determined or recognized in your DNA? What information about your Native American ancestors can DNA testing uncover? This book addresses those questions and much more.

Included are step-by-step instructions, with illustrations, on how to use DNA testing at the four major DNA testing companies to further your genealogy and confirm or identify your Native American ancestors. Among the many other topics covered are the following:

• Tribes in the United States and First Nations in Canada
• Ethnicity
• Chromosome painting
• Population Genetics and how ethnicity is assigned
• Genetic groups and communities
• Y DNA paternal direct line male testing for you and your family members
• Mitochondrial DNA maternal direct line testing for you and your family members
• Autosomal DNA matching and ethnicity comparisons
• Creating a DNA pedigree chart
• Native American haplogroups, by region and tribe
• Ancient and contemporary Native American DNA

Special features include numerous charts and maps; a roadmap and checklist giving you clear instructions on how to proceed; and a 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 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 1,500 articles about genetic genealogy, many for the Native Heritage Project at www.nativeheritageproject.com. Roberta took her first DNA test in 1999 and hasn’t stopped.

The post DNA for Native American Genealogy appeared first on Genealogical.com.

Part I of this book is a history of the church on Baker’s Neck. Many Warwick County records were destroyed during the Civil War, so Mr. Dunn labored diligently to piece together records concerning the church. He discusses the surviving documents from the church itself, records kept by surrounding families, and even archeological records that shed light on the church and its membership. This new edition informs readers about the social life provided by the 17th-century church–particularly the 1643 church on Bakers Neck–with a few corrections. Mr. Dunn conveys a sense of geography (Bakers Neck at the upper end of Mulberry Island) and of both the sacred and the secular life of that time and place.

Part II discusses the history and current status of the Matthew Jones House. Researchers will find maps, military records, and other supporting documents that flesh out the story of the Jones’s house and the family’s ultimate migration from the area.

Part III addresses the genealogy of the Jones family through several generations, including Matthew’s grandson, Matthew III, and great-grandson Tignal Jones. This second edition features a very much expanded view of the history of the Matthew Jones family of Mulberry Island, Warwick County, and emphasizes sources of information. It is mainly a compendium for further research, providing future researchers with the information that has been gathered so far. It includes many conclusions about the history of this family and its significant activity in the governmental affairs of Mulberry Island and other counties and states, but it also raises questions for future researchers to deal with. All students of Warwick County will want to examine this fresh examination of its early 17th-century genealogy and local history.

The post Warwick County, Virginia: The 1643 Church on Baker’s Neck and the Genealogy of Neighbor Matthew Jones appeared first on Genealogical.com.

With an emphasis on publications, manuscript sources, and archival records, Dr. Dobson highlights ways to trace Scottish ancestors using alternative sources, primarily those covering the years between 1550 and 1850. For each research topic—including statutory registers, church records, tax records, sasines and land registers, court records, military and maritime sources, burgh and estate records, emigration records, and much more—Dr. Dobson has compiled an extensive list of the publications and archival records that will enable family historians to advance their research. It would take years for any individual to compile such a far-reaching bibliography and compilation of relevant records in Scottish archives.

Another unique feature of this guidebook is the inclusion of numerous excerpts from publications and archival records, which will help lead researchers to the sources most applicable to their research. All surnames that appear in these examples are listed in the surname index at the back of the book.

About the Author

Dr. David Dobson was born in 1940 in Carnoustie, Scotland, and was educated at Dundee College of Technology (now University of Abertay) and the University of St. Andrews, and finally at the University of Aberdeen. Most of his working life was spent at Madras College, St. Andrews. He has been an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Aberdeen, the University of Edinburgh, and at present, at the University of St. Andrews. Since 1983 he has been researching the Scottish Diaspora in archives and libraries throughout Scotland, London, Ireland, Copenhagen, the Netherlands, Madeira, Canada, the United States, and the West Indies. He is the author of more than 200 books, including Scottish Emigration to Colonial America, 1607-1785, Scottish Trade with Colonial Charleston, 1683-1783, and numerous historical and genealogical source books, plus he has contributed to many other publications, such as An Atlas of Scottish History to 1707, Scottish Communities Abroad in the Early Modern Period, and Scotland and the Flemish People. He now lives in Dundee and is working on further source books.

The post Scottish Genealogy appeared first on Genealogical.com.

The O Callaghan family is an ancient one, tracing its descent in Ireland from the tenth-century king, Cellachán of Cashel, celebrated in the annals and in the mists of legend. From their original homeland around Cashel, the O Callaghans migrated into County Cork, where they became–and remain today–one of the largest family groups.

The core of Professor O Callaghan’s narrative traces the Clan Callaghan’s fortunes from the extension of English control throughout Ireland during the course of the 16th and 17th centuries through the great Irish diaspora of the 19th and 20th centuries. For example, in 1594 the chieftain, Conor of the Rock, surrendered the clan lands to the Crown, receiving them back to be held thereafter under English law as a personal estate for himself and his immediate family.

Following the treaty of Limerick in 1691 many O Callaghan soldiers went abroad to serve in the armies of France, Spain, and Germany and to set down new roots. The failure of the potato crop and the Great Famine in the 1840s decimated Ireland’s population and stimulated emigration. Colonel John O Callaghan of Bodyke in Clare gained notoriety for hostile relations with his tenants, while the O Callaghans of Dromcummer in Cork exemplified the many who were evicted for failure to meet their rental obligation.

As the twentieth century opened, the failure to gain Home Rule dealt a severe blow to the parliamentary tradition and prompted the Easter rebellion in 1916. In the struggle for independence Michael O Callaghan, former Lord Mayor of Limerick, was assassinated by the Black and Tans, and Donal O Callaghan, Lord Mayor of Cork, represented the family. By this time, of course, the great migration of the late nineteenth century to England, America, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere was on. Seeking to escape wretchedness at home and to find better lives for themselves and their children, thousands of O Callaghans (most identified as Callaghans) took part in this diaspora. As the author documents, they or their descendants achieved a measure of prosperity unknown at home and some achieved great distinction as historians, theologians, biblical scholars, military heroes, and in nearly every other form of human endeavor.

Adding to the volume’s historical value, Professor O Callaghan has provided sixteen genealogical charts that outline numerous O Callaghan lines, including the O Callaghans of Rathmore, Clare, Tipperary, Muskerry, Banteer, Dromore, Glynn, Lismehane, Spain, and Philadelphia, the author’s place of origin. Persons with ancestors possessing the following surnames are likely to have O Callaghan connections: Barry, Butler, Callaghan, Callahan, Condon, Fitzgerald, Gillman, Gould, Grehan, Lacy, Lismore, Lombard, MacAuliffe, MacCallaghan, MacCarthy, MacSweeney, O Brien, O Connell, O Keeffe, O Mullane, O Neill,  O Sullivan, Roche, and White. Researchers will also benefit from the book’s many illustrations, vast bibliography, endnotes, and complete name index.

The post Clan Callaghan: The O Callaghan Family of County Cork. Revised Edition appeared first on Genealogical.com.

Many children are curious about their heritage. They know their parents, and if they are lucky, they know–maybe even live with–one or more grandparents. But the average lower-school child only knows about their living relatives. This book will help them explore their own family history by teaching them the fundamentals of genealogy research and giving them the tools they need to learn more about their ancestors, to uncover the stories and events that make them and their families unique.

The author first takes the young readers through an introduction to genealogy. Then she proceeds to discussions of their families and their parents’ families, teaching them how to ask questions, what documents to look for, how to organize materials, and how to use the internet to conduct research in local, state, national, and international records. It is easier than ever for youngsters to explore genealogy databases and to tap into the online resources of libraries and historical societies without leaving home, and this new 3rd edition contains the most current information on how to access these.

For children who are not yet ready to research in documents and get into the detailed records contained in this book, the author has written a companion title called Roots for Kids: Finding Your Family Stories. This companion book is a great way to start children’s genealogy research by collecting stories about their families.

The post Roots for Kids: A Genealogy Guide for Young People. 3rd Edition appeared first on Genealogical.com.

Every family has its own stories—stories that define who you are, that help you touch the past and make your ancestors come to life. This book helps children of all ages find those stories, using many stories of the author’s own family as examples.

In the process, children will also examine their ancestors’ nationalities, their family’s food traditions, and the origin of their surnames and given names. They will pick up skills essential to genealogy research: how to ask questions, construct timelines, create family group sheets, and organize information.

Each beautifully illustrated chapter ends with an activity related to the subject of that chapter. Younger children will have fun doing these activities with their parents, while older children can work on them on their own.

Roots for Kids: Finding Your Family Stories celebrates all the wonderful stories and family traditions that make you who you are and that tie your family, past and present, together.

For children who want to learn even more about their families, and who are ready to research in documents, the author has written a companion volume, Roots for Kids: A Genealogy Guide for Young People. 3rd Edition.

“Beller encourages curiosity and individuality, giving readers ideas plus hands-on tools to start on the road to discovering and documenting family history . . . . The cover and illustrations by Kate Boyer beautifully complement the text and really enhance the reading experience. Do take a look at this book if you want to get the younger generation interested in family history!”–Marian B. Wood, Climbing My Family Tree, Sept. 21, 2020.

The post Roots for Kids: Finding Your Family Stories appeared first on Genealogical.com.

The Swedish and Danish kings recruited not only soldiers from Scotland but also seafarers. Experienced Scottish seafarers were employed in various capacities; for example, John Cunningham led a naval expedition to Greenland and Labrador in 1605. Later he became governor of Vardohu and Finmark in northern Norway. Several of the admirals of the Swedish Navy belonged to the Scottish Clerck family. Sanders Clerck took part in the Swedish expedition to the Delaware in 1639, while Richard Clerck acted as commissary of the Swedish West India Company around 1646.

Following the losing campaigns in 1715 and 1746, a number of Scottish Jacobites sought refuge in Sweden: some, such as the Carnegies, became burghers of Gothenburg. That city was also home to the Swedish East India Company, which was created around 1730 to rival the English and the Dutch East India companies. One of its more prominent employees was Colin Campbell, who was sent to China in 1731 to establish trading links. The industrialization of Gothenburg in the 19th century was facilitated by Scottish entrepreneurs such as James Dickson, William Gibson, and Alexander Keiller.

In the early modern period, tens of thousands of Scots settled in Scandinavia, some permanently and others temporarily. Some of them, or their descendants, were involved in trade and settlement in the Americas. A handful of Scots were engaged in the Swedish settlements on the Delaware as colonists, seafarers, or merchants based in Sweden and trading in colonial produce. Far more Scots were recorded as planters and merchants in the Danish West Indian Colony of the Virgin Islands—St. Jan, St. Thomas, and St. Croix–during the 18th and 19th centuries.

This Second Edition expands on and vastly supersedes the original. It is based on numerous primary and secondary sources located in Scotland and Scandinavia, including the Prerogative Court of Canterbury; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland; Rigs Arkivet, Kobenhavn; Stads Arkivet, Bergen; and the Swedish Military Archives.

For each Scots-Scandinavian named in the volume, Dr. Dobson provides a name, specific place, a date, and the source. In many instances we also learn about the individual’s occupation, relations, vessel traveled upon, battles fought in, and more.

The post Scots-Scandinavian Links in Europe and America, 1550-1850 appeared first on Genealogical.com.

Mitchell’s original premise remains the same: that the examination of seven major records will throw quite detailed light on most peoples’ Irish ancestry. By skillfully blending Irish history, record sources, case studies, maps, charts, and his own mastery of the subject, Mitchell has put together a masterful handbook to Irish genealogical research.

Following introductory chapters on the background of Irish genealogy and how to get started in your research, Mitchell describes the nature and uses of all significant record sources in Ireland, including but not limited to civil and parish registers, gravestone inscriptions, wills, census returns and census substitutes, the Griffith’s Valuation, tithe books, newspapers, hearth money rolls, the registry of deeds, estate records, and ordnance survey memoirs. Also included are the addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and websites for the major record repositories, as well as a section discussing DNA and genetic genealogy as applicable to Irish genealogy research. Finally, Mitchell offers a step-by-step guide to tracing your Irish ancestors, first itemizing the three steps researchers should take first, and then including case studies to illustrate how to apply these steps.

Enriched by the author’s experience as a professional geographer and leading Irish genealogical researcher, the New Pocket Guide to Irish Genealogy is an invaluable tool for all those seeking Irish ancestors.

The post New Pocket Guide to Irish Genealogy appeared first on Genealogical.com.

Carefully explaining the unique rules and language of heraldry, and illustrating each point with a remarkable series of pen drawings, the book aims to give the genealogist and the student of design sufficient information about the structure and detail of heraldic insignia to enable him to produce well-balanced designs of coats of arms.

In addition to its usefulness as a manual, this is the kind of book that many will enjoy for the color and romance of heraldic history; e.g., the stories behind the great symbols of chivalry and the explanation of the uses of heraldry in architecture and other forms of embellishment. It is an unquestionable necessity for anyone forming a heraldic library.

“Without a doubt this is the finest book to have been published for many years, and one which will become the vade mecum of anyone in any way connected with heraldry in its various forms.”–Museum News (Sept. 1967).

The post Heraldic Design appeared first on Genealogical.com.

What we would regard today as the butchery and novelty of Civil War medical care has rarely been told as well, or as succinctly, as in this book by Susan Provost Beller. In scarcely 100 amply illustrated pages, Ms. Beller paints a vivid picture of Civil War medicine. Her chapters cover medical knowledge of the 1860s; deaths from disease and wounds; doctors, nurses, and other medical staff; medical instruments; anesthesia; surgery; hospitals; recovery and death; and other aspects of the aftermath of combat.

Are you a Civil War buff?  Did your ancestor take part in this the deadliest conflict in American history? Does the history of medicine interest you? If so, you will want to own a copy of this stellar volume.

The post Civil War Medical Practices appeared first on Genealogical.com.