As observances of the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War continue, major genealogy websites are adding enormous amounts of material.
At FamilySearch, you can find the Civil War Pension Index, South Carolina Confederate Service Records, pensions for the states of Arkansas and Louisiana, and Civil War Federal Soldiers' Widows Claims, among others. To see what is online go to www.FamilySearch.org/CivilWar. It is a free site.
In a similar vein, Ancestry.com is adding more material to its comprehensive site. At www.ancestry.com/civilwar150 you will find a number of additions to the new Civil War Collection.
On the home page pull down the search menu to "Military" and you can search under "pensions" or "U.S. Military Collections."
Ancestry.com is a subscription site found at many libraries and at the Georgia and National Archives.
One-name studies
I spoke recently with a representative of the British Guild of One-Name Studies and learned more about this organization.
Essentially, groups that we would refer to here as family associations have organized in the United Kingdom into this guild. They have nearly 8,000 surnames represented.
At www.one-name.org you can find a list of the surnames included. If you have roots, there, hopefully you can find a group associated with your name.
The guild offers a quarterly, the Journal of One-Name Studies, an email forum, advice on DNA projects, and something called Marriage Challenges. They have a toll-free number for use in the U.S. and Canada at 1-800-647-4100.
Irish updates
Interest in Irish research and the information available are growing by leaps and bounds.
Find My Past Ireland at www.findmypast.ie claims to be the "world's most comprehensive Irish family history website." It is a subscription service based in Ireland.
Another interesting website is www.1641.tcd.ie from Trinity College, Dublin, where you can search a digital edition of 8,000 depositions taken in 1641.
Included are transcripts and images of all depositions and associated materials in which Protestant men and women told of their experiences after the outbreak of the rebellion that year by the Irish Catholics.
Hilton Head library
Many people vacationing in Hilton Head, S.C., might not think of it as a genealogy destination, but they have a good Genealogy and History Center at their Heritage Library, located at 852 William Hilton Parkway, Suite 2-A.
Check www.heritagelib.org for a description of their collections. They do have a daily research fee or an annual membership. Hours and days of operation vary with the seasons.
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