As we continue our genealogical research, military records provide rich information for ancestors who registered for the draft or served, sometimes identifying dependents. A federal website offers this information free, though other sources can supplement our efforts. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) houses documents and materials created by …

Immigration refers to people entering a country to become permanent residents, and emigration refers to people leaving their current country to become permanent residents in another. Genealogists benefit because ship passenger lists usually record these movements, and naturalization, the legal process by which an immigrant becomes a country’s citizen, also …

The gossip and society news columns were the precursor to today’s social media! For ancestors involved in a local event, there may be a series of articles over several issues and even quotes from your ancestors or people who knew them. Advertisements paid for all the published “news,” so an …

We’ve researched where to find birth, baptismal and death certificates, census documents and other records. Now, let’s organize the data into a genealogical timeline! WHY A FAMILY HISTORY TIMELINE? It is an important research tool that can aid in the where, when and why of our ancestors’ lives. The timeline …

This column previously explained researching and documenting your ancestors. Now, it’s time to delve into genealogical resources at the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s Archives (resources.catholicaoc.org/offices/archives). GENEALOGY RESOURCES Sacramental records are one component of the archdiocesan archives. To protect privacy, baptism and marriage records are closed for 100 years after sacramental reception; …

Names are a significant part of an individual’s identity, embodying personality, religious and cultural roots, and family background. Naming is one of the great privileges given to Adam in the Garden of Eden. “Genesis” means “beginning.” The first book of the Bible is a book of origins, and there are …

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirin’ius was governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of …

Researching family history can be daunting, however, examining clues your ancestors left behind can be both challenging and exciting. Here’s your opportunity to become the family historian detective as you examine evidence found during your scavenger hunt. KEEP TRACK OF YOUR RESEARCH. To begin, print out several of the following …

If you have Catholic ancestors, many of your families’ “who, what, where, when and why” have been recorded since the late 16th century. Church records help link children to parents— which is exactly what genealogists seek to do when researching family lineage. Imagine the thrill of tracing your family through …