The papers of prominent genealogists and local historians are important collections, and many are available for use by researchers at institutions in Georgia and elsewhere.
I recently used the Joseph T. Maddox Collection at the Troup County Archives in LaGrange (see trouparchives.org for a family file listing). One would not expect the papers of Maddox, known for work in Wilkinson County, to be where he didn't live or work, but they were purchased and donated there.
Hence the need to search for any collection you might hope has been saved.
The Atlanta History Center has the papers of Franklin M. Garrett, the center’s former director and longtime city historian, and much of his collection is available on microfilm, while some is digitized.
Among the collections at the Georgia Archives is that of Sara Robertson Dixon, historian for two volumes on Stewart County, and her collection contains every scrap of paper she kept, family files, plus other correspondence.
Georgia institutions also have papers from those whose primary focus was elsewhere, such as Pauline Young, noted for her South Carolina work. Her collection is part of the Ladson Library in Vidalia (see ohoopeelibrary.com; appointments are necessary).
If you know of papers that still need a permanent home, let me know. I will try to help find a destination. If you are looking for someone’s papers, always search online, because you truly never know where the papers might be.
101 best websites
Family Tree Magazine has its annual list of the 101 best genealogy websites in its September 2014 issue, now on sale.
Sites I didn't know about include canadiana.ca, an important site for Canadian research. Documenting the American South is the focus of docsouth.unc.edu. Alabama's encyclopedia can be found at encyclopediaofalabama.org. If your ancestors didn't come into this country via Ellis Island, they might be on the Castle Garden site, castlegarden.org. And check out a unique site at whatwasthere.com.
For the list, see familytreemagazine.com.
Wild cards
Some sources to consider as wild cards to help when you reach a research brick wall: a family Bible, a family memoir or interview, a court case at any level, an estate of a grandparent or other relative of a different surname, or family photographs that might list a name or locality.
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