An ongoing journal of the history of the Bolles Family. From the first settler, Joseph Bolles of Wells, Maine in 1640, all past and present facts, thoughts, events, research and items of interest on this and allied families.
Does your family archive hold yellowed and crumbling news clippings
from years gone by? If so, you have a lot more than an old newspaper in
your hands. You own a piece of history that’s becoming more rare each
day. But unfortunately, that same clipping is a toxic time bomb that can
damage anything it touches, turning artifacts into archival junk in
just a few short years.
It’s the very nature of newspapers to be short-lived: Yesterday’s
headlines are constantly being replaced by today’s breaking news.
Newsprint is so acidic that some museums routinely copy news clippings
and destroy the originals. Early broadsheets and newspapers were printed
on paper made from the cotton rag pulp, but by the 1880s most
newspapers were printed on cheap paper made from untreated wood pulp.
The high concentration of acid and lignin in this type of newsprint
causes the paper fibers to break down when exposed to heat, light, air,
and pollutants.
Describe the origins of your heirlooms for better integration with your family history using this free form.
What’s the family historian to do? Save every newspaper clipping for
posterity? Or duplicate, and then destroy? Not to mention preserving
your own family’s news stories that you continue to clip and save for
your children or grandchildren. Is today’s news truly trash?
Don’t despair. Before you add your old newspapers to the recycling
bin, get to the bottom of the story about how to create a properly
preserved family news archive.
1. Digitize your clippings
Museums, archives and public libraries have adopted different tactics
when it comes to preserving newspapers. While museums and archives aim
to preserve original materials, libraries want to make the information
in that material easily available. Some organizations might print copies
of newspapers and clippings on archival paper and discard the original
due to lack of space and funds for archival supplies.
Your own family history news archive may hold original full-size
newspapers, loose clippings, photocopied articles (some pasted into
scrapbooks), as well as a variety of scanned news clippings and
photocopies, and typed transcriptions.
Your first preservation step is to digitize paper copies (whether
original newsprint or photocopies on regular office paper) by taking a
photo with your digital camera or scanning the paper. With a desktop
scanner, check the option for de-screening to eliminate those tiny dots
from the original printing process. If the publication information isn’t
printed with the clipping, write or type it (newspaper title, date,
volume and issue, page number, and the repository or website holding the
paper) and include it with your scan. Add your own identifying index
words, such as the surname the item is associated with, plus the place
or the event depicted.
Got a full-size paper to digitize? I’ve found the simplest way is to
take a digital photo of the entire page. My camera takes an 8.1
megapixel image that allows sufficient enlargement on the computer to
easily read the articles. Covering the page with a piece of nonglare
glass will help flatten creases, but can make the final scan harder to
read, so try it both ways. Use a tripod or flexible mount to hold your
camera steady.
You also could use a portable flatbed scanner to make multiple images
you can “stitch” together with included software. A typical newspaper
page might require several scans to capture the entire page. With the
Flip-Pal, you can position the scanner to overlap the images, then use
the stitching software to create a full-page image. The scanning and
stitching process can be time-consuming if you have many full
newspapers.
I don’t recommend using your desktop scanner for anything larger than
the scanning glass because it’s difficult to maneuver a full newspaper
page without damaging the paper.
2. Protect against acids
Museums sometimes preserve aging newsprint by deacidification, a process that neutralizes the acids in the paper, and alkinization, which adds buffering ingredients to the paper.
You can do this at home by treating small clippings with a
deacidification spray such as Archival Mist (from EK Success),
Make-It-Acid-Free (Krylon), Wei T’o (Wei T’o Associates) or Bookkeeper
(Lineco), available where scrapbooking supplies are sold. Follow the
instructions on the packaging. But note that these sprays are effective
for only seven to 10 years before they need to be reapplied. To maximize
longevity, place the treated clipping on a sheet of buffered paper and
then tuck it inside a polyester sleeve (see step 4 for more on storing
your clippings).
The cost of deacidification sprays—about $14 to $50 for a 6-ounce
bottle—and the amount needed for an entire newspaper or collection of
clippings makes it impractical for many family archivists. If you do use
a spray, test it first on a small area to make sure the ink won’t run.
You can find internet recipes for homemade deacidification solutions,
though reliability varies. The Northeast Document Conservation Center
(NEDCC) recommends against these. For home archives, the NEDCC says
it’s more practical to digitize clippings and print copies on archival
paper, then properly store the originals (see step 4).
3. Organize and file
Many family historians file obituaries, marriage notices and other
clippings in their primary filing system, under an individual or family.
This is a great way to keep research materials together about a family,
but it isn’t the best way to store newsprint items. The acid in
newsprint can easily migrate to adjacent documents and photos and damage
them.
Your goal should be to make all your clippings a uniform size: on
8.5×11-inch archival paper filed alphabetically by surname, event or
location so that you have only one place to look for an item. Decide if
you’ll preserve original clippings or just copies. The easiest file to
care for includes copies made only on bond paper. But I love the look
and feel of old newspapers, so I tend to keep original clippings in my
file. To reduce the risk of damage to other documents, I place each
clipping on a sheet of buffered paper—no glue, tape or adhesive. The
buffering agent in the paper helps neutralize acid in the newspaper and
prolong the life of the paper. Slide the paper and clipping inside an
archival page protector, leaving the top open. This allows the paper to
“breathe” and acids to escape.
I also keep printed transcriptions, abstracts and extracts of
newspaper articles in my file. Print copies of your digitized clippings
on acid-free, buffered archival paper. Consider making duplicates for
your genealogy files.
4. Store safely
Evaluate the size of your collection and purchase suitable-sized
archival boxes, folders and buffered acid-free tissue (see the box for
suppliers). You’ll need newspaper-size boxes for full-size sheets and
folder-size boxes for clippings.Open full newspapers flat and store them
separated by buffered tissue and folders. I find it easier to keep
track of clippings by storing the sleeves in three-ring binders.
Archival suppliers offer acid-free, lignin-free notebooks with slipcases
and tab dividers you can use. You might need to keep large clipping
files in a filing cabinet.
Store your boxes and binders away from light, dust, pests, and
extreme temperatures and humidity. If you keep your file in a cabinet,
open it occasionally to air out any acids that have been “off-gassed.”
Your newspaper archive should be stored separately from other material
in your archive—don’t put photographs and documents in the same folders
or boxes. Periodically review the file and remove any damaged items.
Reprint them on new archival paper if necessary.
5. Create an index
Your clipping file will be more useful if you create a searchable
index using keywords and other pertinent information associated with
each article. Set up a spreadsheet with columns for Surname, Locality,
Event, Date, Publication, Page/Column, Digital File Name and Clip File
Reference Number (if you’re using a numerical filing system). Enter each
clipping into the database and keep an updated copy of your index at
the front of your clip file. If you also save the index to the “cloud”
using Evernote or Google Drive, you’ll be able to access it from anywhere you’re researching.
By taking a few hours to create a family history clip file that
includes news clippings relevant to your ancestors’ lives as well as to
your own family, you’re preserving primary documents that your
descendants can see and touch. In a world that’s becoming more paperless
all the time, your very own family news archive will be a unique legacy
for the future.
A version of this article appeared in the January/February 2013 issue of Family Tree Magazine.
Most vintage Christmas ornaments don’t survive with their original
boxes intact. When you do have the ornaments along with the box they
came in, the set becomes more interesting to collectors and family
historians. The packaging can help to identify the ornament and add to
its value, but the flimsy cardboard box deserves a little extra care for
long-term survival. Most ornament boxes were made of inexpensive
cardboard, often with a lightweight cellophane window to display the
colorful contents.
Fortunately, Christmas decorations spend most of the year tucked out
of sight from heirlooms’ worst enemy: light. When holiday decorations
are stored in out-of-the-way places such as basements, attics and
garages, however, fluctuating temperatures, moisture and pests all can
cause damage, making Christmas not so merry after all.
If you own such holiday treasures, follow these guidelines to ensure they bring joy for many Christmases to come:
1. Display your ornaments safely
Place cotton batting or foam padding under your tree in case an
ornament falls (you can cover it with a tree skirt). Check ornaments’
caps and hooks before hanging to make sure they’re strong . Wrap thin
hooks around branches for support, or add new wire hooks. Keep them away
from direct sunlight. Another idea is to store and display them inside a
dust-free cabinet.
2. Clean carefully
After taking down the tree, gently dry-dust old glass
baubles—detergents and even plain water can remove paint. Wipe paper or
cardboard surfaces, with a slightly damp cloth, but to prevent warping,
clean a small area at a time and let dry.
Avoid washing antique fabric ornaments such as velvet and crochet.
Instead, take them to a professional conservator for treatment. It’s OK
to polish metal ornaments if they’re colorfast (test a tiny area first).
Clean wax ornaments with warm water and a soft cloth; if they’re bent
out of shape, use a hair dryer on low to soften the wax and reshape it.
3. Pack using the correct materials and store in a safe location
Start your storage solution by individually wrapping each ornament in
acid-free tissue paper, available from archival suppliers before
placing it in its original box. Then set that box inside another box to
prevent crushing and damage. If any ornaments lack their original boxes,
use sturdy, acid-free divided boxes to hold your collection. Opt for
heavy cardboard over plastic containers, which prevent moisture from
escaping. Be sure to store your keepsake ornaments in a location that
remains dry and cool year-round.
Acid-free tissue paper
Archival, acid-free tissue paper is one of the most useful supplies
in an archivist’s toolkit. Although it looks like regular tissue paper,
archival tissue is manufactured to remove damaging contaminants. Regular
tissue paper becomes acidic, discolored and brittle over time—damage
that extends to adjacent objects through acid migration.
Tissue paper is available in sheets or on rolls. Cut pieces to size
and crumple to cushion fragile items or stuff inside the sleeves of a
gown to prevent creases, or wrap gently around glass ornaments to shield
them from light and dust. Purchase acid-free, unbuffered tissue from a local art store or an archival supplier such as Hollinger Metal Edge, Brodart or Gaylord.
Fiberfill
For additional protection between ornaments and the bottom of a
storage box, use 100 percent polyester fiberfill (the same kind of
material used in quilts). You can remove any dividers and trim the
batting to cover the bottom and extend up the inside of the box, or cut
to fit the bottom of divided sections. Polyester batting is available
from fabric stores and archival suppliers; avoid batting made with
recycled or unknown materials.
What to Do With Broken Ornaments
Fragile glass ornaments can crack or break without notice. But don’t
throw out those chipped, nicked or damaged globes just yet: You can
breathe life back into them and show off their charm with a little
artful staging to hide the blemishes.
Put them on a pedestal: A broken or chipped neck can
make it difficult to attach a hanger when you’re decorating your tree.
But geometric patterns and all-over designs still look beautiful if you
turn the ornament upside down and display it on top of a candlestick
holder or in a glass vase or bowl. For a centerpiece or mantel
decoration, assemble three or more ornaments on a table with a candle.
Fix them: Missing metal caps, fasteners and hangers are replaceable. You’ll find a wide variety of styles and sizes from supplier D. Blümchen & Co.
Group them together: Holes and scratches are usually
the result of a fall off the tree or a bump into a hard surface. The
ornament might look fine on all sides but one. Collect similarly damaged
ornaments, along with any others you’d like to display differently, and
carefully arrange them in a large glass vase, bowl or hurricane candle
holder. Place the display where it’ll catch the room’s light and watch
the ornaments’ colors come to life.
Pick up the pieces: If an ornament that’s special to
you breaks beyond repair, you could carefully gather the salvageable
pieces into a decorative glass box to bring out at Christmas.
Identifying Shiny-Brite Ornaments
Count yourself lucky if your family managed to preserve a box or two
of classic glass Shiny-Brite ornaments. The history of these decorations
dates back to the hand-blown glass ornaments made in mid-19th-century
Germany. By the 1920s, glass ornaments also were produced in Japan,
Czechoslovakia and Poland. But when World War II closed the door to
European imports, German immigrant Max Eckardt seized the opportunity to
create an American version.
Eckardt worked with the Corning Glass Co. to manufacture clear glass
balls, which were then shipped to his four Shiny-Brite factories in New
Jersey to be hand-painted. The ornaments became a popular replacement
for German-made baubles, and after the war, Eckardt’s Shiny-Brite became
the world leader in production of glass Christmas ornaments.
You can use the caps and hangers on Shiny-Brite ornaments to help
date them. Early ornaments were made with metal caps, but wartime
shortages made it necessary to switch to a cardboard tab. Learn more
about midcentury glass ornaments by visiting the The Golden Glow of Christmas Past website.
A version of this article appeared in the December 2014 issue of Family Tree Magazine.
A free website from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
(the Mormon Church), FamilySearch has a large, growing collection of
records, books, photos and family trees. Since going online in 1999, the
site has expanded to encompass more than 3,000 historical record
collections from around the world, more than 7 billion searchable names
in old records, and more than 450,000 digitized books.
You can search many of these records by name and other details,
thanks to FamilySearch’s volunteer indexing program. All the
genealogical bounty is accessible from tabs at the top of
FamilySearch.org.
Wait… Is FamilySearch really free?
When we say, “Everything on FamilySearch is free,” you’re probably waiting for caveats and limitations. Everything really is free! You will never be asked for credit card information or even to make a donation.
FamilySearch is funded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, which has a strong religious commitment to families. But you
don’t have to be a Church member to use the site. And creating a free
user account will not prompt the Church to send you religious materials
(unless you create a Church member account.)
In fact, the only significant caveat is that you do need to create a free FamilySearch user account to maximize access.
You can search the Catalog without logging in. But you’ll need that
user account to search or browse actual records or contribute to the
Family Tree (which anyone can search or edit).
For a small minority of collections, you actually have to go to the Family History Library or one of its satellite libraries
near you to view records, like you would a reference copy of an
encyclopedia at your local public library. But that’s the end of the
fine print. The site really is free—and everyone should be using it.
Sunny Jane Morton
Use these tips and search strategies for success in finding your ancestors on FamilySearch.
1. Search for records.
At last count, FamilySearch is home to more than 4 billion historical
record images from around the world. Just take a second to let that
figure sink in: 4 BILLION IMAGES. Not just 4 billion estimated names in
images, but 4 billion actual images, many with lots of names on each.
These aren’t just a bunch of so-so records. They are high-quality
genealogical documents, painstakingly gathered over the course of
several decades from repositories around the world. That’s worth
breaking down into more detail:
Painstakingly gathered: FamilySearch’s predecessor organization began microfilming the world’s historical records in 1938.
That gave them a decades-long head start compared to other genealogy
websites. Now they’ve got a library of 2.4 million rolls of microfilmed
records, which they finished digitizing in 2021. And that doesn’t even
include the 300 camera crews currently capturing digital record images.
Repositories around the world:
As a nonprofit organization with truly global scope, FamilySearch has
imaged records from more than 200 countries. They don’t have “target
markets” that slant their priorities toward the needs of paying
customers because there are no paying customers. In fact, FamilySearch
actively seeks out records for locations that don’t already have good
online coverage on other websites. That’s why you’ll find so many
records uniquely on FamilySearch for places in Central and South
America, Africa, Asia and elsewhere. (They’ve still got you covered for
the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe.)
Under the Search tab, click Records to bring up a search form for a
person in indexed records. You can enter the first and last names and
the date range and place for one or more life events, such as birth,
marriage, death, residence (useful when looking for census records),
death or “any,” which could be, for example, an immigration or military
enlistment year. Narrow your search with names of the person’s parents,
spouse or another person who might appear with him in records. You also
can restrict your results to those from a certain country or of a
certain type (such as census or military records).
On the search results page, look to the left for fields where you can
adjust your search terms. Below that, you can use filters to narrow
your search by collection (which lets you limit results to one or more
databases), a birthplace in the record, a birth year in the record, and
more.
A camera icon in the far right column for a match indicates a digital
image you can download to your computer and/or add to your tree; no
camera icon means it’s an index-only record. In a few collections, due
to the wishes of record custodians, you must register with FamilySearch
to access record images or use the website at a FamilySearch Center
(also called a Family History Center; find one near by searching here online).
Some collections, such as the 1901 census of England and Wales, link to
a record image on a subscription site. You can view these with a
subscription or by visiting a FamilySearch Center.
Rick Crume
2. Set up notifications for family tree profiles.
As critics of FamilySearch will be quick to tell you, any user can
edit your family tree on the site. While a powerful tool for
collaboration, this functionality opens the door for questionable
details to be added to your hard-earned research.
To counter this, FamilySearch also allows you to receive
notifications when someone adds or edits details to an individual’s
profile. Simply click the star next to Follow when viewing a profile,
and the site will notify you when someone makes changes or adds records.
With that, you can get in touch with other users and (hopefully) keep
unsourced information from your tree.
Andrew Koch
3. Consistently browse record collections.
Searching a specific record collection that covers a place and time
your family lived can help you focus on the most relevant matches. On
FamilySearch, this technique also lets you access images of records that
aren’t yet part of the site’s searchable indexes. Under the Search tab,
click Records, then Browse All Published Collections to see a list of all records,
both indexed and unindexed, arranged by place. If “Browse Images”
appears in the Records column, none of the collection is indexed by
name. If that column gives a record count, the collection is at least
partially indexed. On the left, you can filter the list by name (enter
any word in the collection title), place, date, record type and image
availability. Click a title to search or browse that collection.
Rick Crume
If you’re not satisfied with your results on FamilySearch, check back
every so often and search again. FamilySearch is continually updating
its existing collections (and adding new ones!), so your search results
may change over time. Simply go to FamilySearch’s list of collections,
then sort by date updated.
Andrew Koch
4. Investigate individual collections.
Because FamilySearch has so many records, you can easily miss
important results if you only search on the site’s main form. Instead,
find individual collections that interest you and search them one by
one. From FamilySearch’s search page, you candrill down to collections from a particular place. Alternatively, search for a collection by title or (again) view a huge list of all FamilySearch’s collections.
Andrew Koch
5. Look for multiple kinds of records.
Censuses and vital records make up the bedrock of genealogy research,
but they shouldn’t be the only resources you look for. FamilySearch’s
database holds all kinds of genealogy records, from tax records to
probates to passenger lists. From the main search form, you can filter
by name of collection (which often includes record type). Also remember
to browse for records collections by location, so you can see what
FamilySearch has in your area.
Andrew Koch
6. Find relatives in the FamilySearch Family Tree.
Over the past few years, FamilySearch has been inviting the world to
contribute to what’s become the biggest community-based family tree
around. So far, over 5 million people have participated. Whether you contribute or not, you can still learn from this massive tree.
First, you’ll need to understand the community-based tree model. Like Geni.com and WikiTree,
the FamilySearch tree is a single, public tree. The idea is to promote
full collaboration instead of populating the site with millions of
individual trees that duplicate effort (but maintain control and
privacy). There are also dedicated spots to collaborate and contribute
personal memories.
There are drawbacks to this approach, such as when less-knowledgeable
researchers change well-supported data. But there are powerful upsides,
too. Not least, it’s easy for anyone to search the FamilySearch Tree
for specific ancestors to see what others have already discovered about
them. Ideally, among the 1.3 billion personal profiles, you’ll find
only one profile of any given ancestor, with all user-contributed data
neatly organized within: life events, relationships, sources, record
images, photos, memories. In reality, there’s some duplication, but far
less than you’ll find at sites with individual trees. And all data about
deceased individuals is public to anyone with a free FamilySearch guest
account.
FamilySearch Product Manager Ron Tanner talks about why you might want to participate in the Family Tree:
Sunny Jane Morton
FamilySearch Family Tree search strategy
To search the tree, look under the Family Tree tab and click Find.
You can enter a name; gender; dates of birth, christening, marriage,
death and/or burial; and family members’ names.
Adding your relatives to the tree can help you find their records, as
FamilySearch automatically searches its records for matches to people
in the tree. Click the Family Tree tab to start your tree and either
manually enter the information, or use “FamilySearch-approved” genealogy
software that can reconcile data between the family file on your
computer and Family Tree. Those programs include Ancestral Quest, Legacy Family Tree, RootsMagic and MacFamilyTree. To avoid duplicating people already in the tree, FamilySearch looks for a profile for each person you’re adding.
Click on an icon beside a name in landscape or portrait tree view for
research help. Record hints are blue, research suggestions are purple,
and data problems are red. Record hints and research suggestions also
appear under the Details tab in Person view. You can review and verify
possible matches, and attach the records to personal profiles.
Rick Crume
7. Use wildcard characters in searches.
By using wildcard characters, you can broaden your search to include
spelling variations. This ability is critical when researching records
that may have been poorly indexed or transcribed incorrectly.
Specifically you can use a question mark (?) to represent one missing
letter, and an asterisk (*) to represent zero or more characters. For
example, a search for Henders?n will return Henderson, Hendersyn, Hendersan and Hendersen.
Andrew Koch
8. Keep track of your searches.
If FamilySearch hasn’t recently updated a collection you’re
researching, you’ll want to avoid repeating your searches. To make the
most of your time, keep a log of your searches—what collection(s) you
searched, what terms and filters you used, and what results you found
(if any). This will keep you from doing the same work over again, plus
help you better plan your search strategy. We’ve got a free downloadable template.
Andrew Koch
9. Switch browsers.
If you have trouble viewing records on FamilySearch, then try looking
at them in a different browser. Some browsers play nicer with
FamilySearch than others. Simply copy and paste the URL into a different
browser window (such as Google Chrome, Firefox or Internet Explorer).
You may have to sign in to your account again, but doing so will
hopefully allow you to view the records correctly.
Andrew Koch
10. Experiment with match exactly.
In your searches, you’ll have the option of selecting Match All Terms
Exactly. A search with this option will return only results that match
the text in all fields you filled in. This can be a useful option if
you’re trying to narrow down your results, but this can also exclude
relevant matches that contain spelling errors or simply omit specific
details.
Andrew Koch
11. Visit a Family History Center.
Check with your local Family History Center
to see what resources they hold, as some records can only be accessed
at FamilySearch-affiliated physical locations. These repositories,
scattered throughout the world, often hold valuable records in book,
microfilm and microfiche formats. Staff members at the facilities will
also be happy to help you look for records, and may know key information
about local history and record sets.
Andrew Koch
12. Explore the FamilySearch Wiki.
Wikipedia for genealogy?! Yes! The FamilySearch Wiki
hosts nearly 100,000 articles to get you started (or help you break
through a brick wall) with your current research question. Like
Wikipedia, the FamilySearch Wiki is crowd-sourced, so its expertise may
be uneven and some pages may be outdated. It’s still a go-to resource
when it’s time to learn something new, especially about a really
specific topic.
For example, the FamilySearch Wiki has learning pages for countries
around the world, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. Most regions have
focused articles on specific states/provinces, counties and even cities.
Find articles on specific record types, such as U.S. probate records or Swedish household examination rolls. Need help reading Swedish (or other languages) or understanding genealogy terminology or abbreviations? There’s probably a word list you can use.
The following screen shot shows you a typical layout of a
FamilySearch Wiki page. See how it points you to related content you
might want?
A related how-to FamilySearch resource is more interactive: the FamilySearch Communities.
These are social hubs for people with common interests (think German
research) to exchange ideas or ask questions. Some questions may be
fielded by the experts at the venerable Family History Library in Salt
Lake City.
Sunny Jane Morton
13. Find family photos.
Under the Memories tab, see at a glance all the photos, stories,
documents, audio and albums you or someone else has submitted and linked
to your relatives. To search the Family Tree’s photos, stories and
documents for any term (such as a name, place or other topic), look
under the Memories tab and select Find.
Rick Crume
14. Broaden your location search.
Records weren’t necessarily kept in the same town in which they were
created. Study history, then identify where the records you’re looking
for are currently held, as this might affect where FamilySearch
categorizes them. For example, Austrian archives might hold records from
some parts of modern Romania, as Austria-Hungary controlled western
Romania until World War I.
Check the FamilySearch Wiki to determine what locations might have
the records you’re seeking. Then turn to the Search by Place section on
the site’s Search page to identify the relevant collections from that region.
Andrew Koch
15. Search user-submitted genealogies.
Individual family trees are still valuable, and many are accessible on another part of the site. The Genealogies
portal allows users to upload preservation copies of their personal
family trees, which remain intact. (Scroll to the bottom of the page,
then look at the right column to upload your tree file. You can delete
or replace it anytime.) Users can also search among millions of names in
these trees for their ancestors’ names, to see what others have learned
about them. When you open a search result, you’ll see the name shown
within the context of that tree.
Hear more about the Genealogies portal from FamilySearch’s Ron Tanner:
Sunny Jane Morton
Genealogies search strategy
Under Search > Genealogies, you can search the old Ancestral File
and Pedigree Resource File, two collections of family trees that
researchers submitted over many years. Pedigree Resource File includes
notes and sources, but Ancestral File doesn’t. Neither collection shows
the submitters’ names. It’s worth mining these family trees for clues,
but always try to verify the information with original sources.
A Genealogies search now covers several other collections, too:
Community Trees were an effort to cover the genealogy of entire towns or
communities. Oral Genealogies were obtained with personal interviews.
The International Genealogical Index (IGI) has information on 430
million ancestors contributed by members of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints.
Rick Crume
16. Browse through the FamilySearch Catalog.
Speaking of the Family History Library, that research mecca is the
bricks-and-mortar partner of the FamilySearch website. As a
FamilySearch.org user, you’ll want to know this, even if you don’t plan
to visit the Family History Library anytime soon.
That’s because the Catalog of the entire Family History Library is searchable on FamilySearch.org.
Maybe you’d like to find an old atlas, the membership records of a
specific church or online deed indexes for your ancestor’s county.
Search the Catalog by place to explore what resources are available for
your locale of interest. If an item has been digitized at FamilySearch,
the Catalog likely points to it (though updates are still ongoing). Even
if the resource isn’t available online, you can click from that item’s
entry to see what other libraries may have a copy.
Sunny Jane Morton
17. Find microfilmed records.
It took years to digitize and index the massive holdings of
microfilmed records at FamilySearch’s Family History Library in Salt
Lake City. If you can’t visit the library, you can access the microfilm
that has been indexed online from the comfort of you own home.
Under Search>Catalog, run a Places search to find books and
microfilmed records about a place. Search on all the towns, cities,
counties, states and countries where your ancestors lived. Run a
Surnames search to find family histories. Note that this search covers
only surnames mentioned most often in a book, not every name. You can
search on multiple terms, such as a surname and a place, but you’ll
probably have better luck by entering these terms in the Keywords box.
18. Search digitized books in the FamilySearch Digital Library.
A lesser-known portal at FamilySearch is its Digital Library.
In addition to the shelves of the Family History Library, the Digital
Library offers titles made available by the Allen County Public Library
Genealogy Center, Midwest Genealogy Center, The Ontario Genealogical
Society and other major public and university libraries. Last time we
checked, the book count was nearing half a million titles.
The Digital Library is a good place to keyword-search ancestral
names, locations and the names of schools, churches, businesses and
other organizations connected with which your family. You may find local
histories, family histories, articles from periodicals and more.
Digital Library search strategy
Try searching on a name using the “Any is (exact)” option. To view a
match, you must download the entire book (a PDF file), then use your PDF
reader to search for the term in the book. Some digitized books can be
viewed only in the Family History Library or a FamilySearch Center.
Here’s a tip: You can search the collections of an individual
contributing repository. So if your family lived in Alabama or Texas,
for example, you might try running a focused search in materials from
the Birmingham Public Library or the Dallas or Houston Public Libraries.
Rick Crume
19. Look for indexes in imaged volumes.
Browsing an unindexed collection? Digitized volumes may contain
handwritten or typed name indexes. Look for a volume with “index” in the
title, and check the beginning and end of individual volumes.
Rick Crume
20. Search from a Family Tree profile.
FamilySearch can help you find records faster by filling in the
search form with details on someone in the Family Tree. In the person’s
Details view, look under the Search Records section of the right column
and select FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Findmypast or MyHeritage. You can
attach a matching record from FamilySearch to everyone it pertains to
in the tree. Look for the link at the bottom of the record to “Attach
source to FamilySearch.”
Rick Crume
21. Get more help.
To find articles and videos about using FamilySearch, Click on the
question mark icon in the upper right, then search the Help Center by
topic. For example, search for Civil War, and the matches
include an article on South Carolina Civil War service records of
Confederate soldiers, videos on researching Civil War records and more.
Some information in this article appeared in the March/April 2017 (Crume) and September 2019 (Koch) issues of Family Tree Magazine. Last updated, November 2021.
