where2look4ancestors

Category: Genealogy Tips

  • Siblings Share a Headstone

    Auntie died on this day in 1973. Six months later, her younger brother passed away. Auntie and Unkie lived together nearly all of their lives. It was fitting that these siblings should remain together even after death. Their headstone comes to mind every time another Find A Grave contributor asks me to link people…

  • Peter Swanson 1848-1937

    From the July 1, 1937 edition of the St. Charles (Illinois) Chronicle; “PETER SWANSON The passing of Peter Swanson of 1042 4th street south Friday, after an illness of several weeks, removes an olden time and respected resident who has lived in this vicinity for nearly 70 years. Mr. Swanson…

  • Clarke Reminders

    Franklin Whitfield Blake died on this day in 1955. Frank and I don’t share any DNA, but he does reside in a branch of my family tree. Seeing him on my Family Tree Maker calendar was a reminder to take another look at that somewhat neglected branch. Franklin Whitfield Blake married…

  • What I Learned at Gail Borden Library

    I wrote about my visit to Gail Borden Library here. We weren’t in the library for very long, but then it didn’t take very long to find two invaluable items to add to my family history. The Elgin Newspaper and Vital Record’s Index pointed me toward an obituary for William John…

  • Gail Borden Public Library

    You may be surprised to learn how Elgin Illinois’ Gail Borden Public Library in got it’s name. I certainly was! According to Wikipedia, “In 1892, Samuel and Alfred Church, stepsons of [Mr. Gail] Borden and residents of Elgin, Illinois, purchased and donated the Scofield Mansion at 50 N. Spring Street…

  • The Thousand Mile Journey

    Chicago, Chicago, that toddling town. Husband and I recently enjoyed four fun-filled days in the Windy City. We visited with family and friends, played tourist, explored new-to-us genealogical repositories. And we photographed headstones – lots and lots of headstones. Packing for this trip was challenging. Pre-travel weather reports forecast rain and cold. We created Plans…

  • World Back Up Day

    Ever lost an important computer file? Suffered a system failure? Celebrate World Back Up Day by backing up your computer files, saving those precious photographs, and storing additional copies of important documents in multiple safe places. Don’t live with regret – take a minute or two today to save something you’d…

  • Ask A Question Day

    Interviewing the people in our family trees can connect them (and us) with historical events in ways that may surprise us. Years ago I asked my mother-in-law about about the day she became a citizen of the United States. “It took two trips to the courthouse.” she said. “The first ceremony…

  • Obituaries at the Cincinnati Library

    The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is 700 miles away. While I wait for warm weather and time off of work I can view the library virtually here. And I can use some of the library’s many resources from the comfort of my home. I’m thankful for a service provided by the very…

  • Reading Foreign Language Obituaries

    My third-great grandfather Nicholas Schmitt died on this day in 1876 in Cincinnati Ohio. His obituary* appeared in the German-language newspaper The Cincinnati Volksfreund: Transcription: “Todes-Anzeige. Starb am Montag, den 21. Februar 1876, Abends um 11 Uhr, unser innigst geliebter Vater: Nikolaus Schmitt, im Alter von 64 Jahren, geboren in…