Familysearch.org, operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons), is one of the most important sites for genealogical and historical research.
On the home page, go to “United States” to see a list of records available for each state. Read the list carefully, as great material is often hidden by an awkward title. Check the number of images available. Most are not yet indexed, so you are opening the digital version of a book and using its index.
The home page divides the site into records, genealogies, catalog and books. Under records, you find records that have been digitized. Under catalog you find a list of materials on microfilm you can order sent to a local Family History Center. Under books are a large number of digitized family histories and other major books. Under genealogies, you will see user-submitted material, which is a great place to start.
There is an indexing section where you can volunteer to help index records. The home page also leads you to training areas. The site adds digitized county and state records without any fanfare, so check monthly for new additions.
For more information, see the four-page Genealogy at a Glance publication “Family History Library Research” by Carolyn L. Barkley ($8.95 plus postage at www.genealogical.com).
Lunch and learn in April
The National Archives in Morrow will have Guy Hall speak on “The National Pastime at the National Archives: Finding Baseball Source Material” at noon April 5. It’s free; bring your own lunch. Go to www.archives.gov/atlanta for more information.
The Georgia Archives presents Joanne Smalley, professional genealogist and retired archivist, speaking on “Top 10 Georgia County Records for Genealogical Research” at noon April 12. This session also is free; bring your own lunch. For further information, check www.georgiaarchives.org.
Burial websites
The two most significant sites for finding tombstones and related burial information, www.findagrave.com and www.billiongraves.com, each have a lot of followers.
I recently found an unknown family Bible posted next to an ancestral cousin’s grave on Find a Grave.
Billion Graves is touted by some to be more useful because it has an app with which any photo you take of a grave can be automatically posted using GPS.
On Find a Grave you can sign up for free to post information, or make additional comments and corrections on information found there. The site also has a large volunteer corps who will help photograph a grave you might need.
Both sites are worth using.
