By: Anissa Penn Davis, Kentucky State Historian: The General Society of Mayflower Descendants It is well-known that finding a female ancestor can be a daunting task. A researcher counts himself/herself lucky if a maiden name is found in a will. However, what do researchers do for those females who don’t leave …
Editor’s Note: This article marks the beginning of another new series in our How-to section, called Pickling Our Past. This is your chance to ask our KHS staff for advice when preserving your family photos, documents, and antiques. Periodically, a new question from readers will be answered by a member …
By: Cheri Daniels, KAO Editor & KHS Head of Reference Services In June, 1985, my great Aunt, Ada Browning, wrote a letter to my mother, wishing her a Happy Birthday. Beyond the standard niceties one would expect in a family letter, Ada informed my Mother that the card she sent …
Editor’s note: This article marks the beginning of a new How-to series for KAO – Repository Roundup. Kentucky has a great reputation for being ‘Records Rich’ – but we want to know WHERE the records are located throughout the state. We hope to feature libraries and collections throughout Kentucky that will …
By: Jodi Roessler, Genealogy Blogger and KGS Board Member If you have ever even considered attending a genealogy conference, be it big or small; national, state, or regional; DO IT, if even just once! While I am still new to this particular side of the genealogy world, it is one …
By: Cheri Daniels, KAO Editor and KHS Head of Reference Services What if it were possible to go back in time 70+ years and ask your living relatives about their memories, known ancestors, and family origins? For many in the Northern part of the state, this could be a real possibility. …
By: James Gill, KHS Volunteer Some genealogists avoid using the censuses prior to 1850 because these enumerations do not name all the members of the household. Despite this handicap, the censuses from 1790 to 1840 can be very useful for tracking a family’s movements, for getting a general picture of …
By: Cheri Daniels, KAO Editor and KHS Head of Reference Services In the previous issue, I outlined some of the major pitfalls we Family Historians fall victim to as we unknowingly create our own brick walls. The tips covered to help you avoid those traps can also be helpful when encountering …
By: Louise Jones, KHS Director, Special Collections and Library This article is the second in a series that looks at resources available to those doing genealogy in Kentucky. Everyone who has ever read an article on “Getting Started on Your Family Tree” knows that there is more to tracing your …
By Don Rightmyer Finding Kentucky Place Names in Family History Research Kentucky place names and their geographical locations in the state can be an extremely important part of any genealogical research. There are a number of different references that you can use during your family history research that can be …