Family History Research

It doesn't look like I have any ancestors from Hamilton County, Tennessee. However, since I live close to this fairly old and important community, I want to learn more about it so I can help other people with their research. Hamilton County Library Genealogy Resources I called to see if they had resources onsite, and was told that they don't currently have a genealogy department apart from an extensive collection on the website. https://chattlibrary.org/resources-genealogy/ Hamilton County Tennessee Genealogical Society A very professional looking website which states, "HCTGS is an Internet based society ... to share their knowledge of Hamilton County with others on the Internet and provide a forum for fellow researchers interested in the genealogy and history of Hamilton County Tennessee." http://www.hctgs.org/ East Tennessee Historical Society Offers programs and exhibitions uniquely tailored to the region. A great list of Affiliates, Local Societies ...

I have a "brick wall" in my family tree with hints at Jackson County, Alabama. I've exhausted my online resources and want to try to visit the area to see if I can learn more about my family history. First, I did a google search for all genealogy resources related to Jackson County Alabama. Genealogy Trails: Jackson County Online data as well as possible one-on-one help from volunteers who want to help with your genealogy puzzles. http://genealogytrails.com/ala/jackson/brick.html USGenWeb Archives Project: Jackson County A survey of genealogy resources for Jackson County, Alabama, including Local History, Land & Deed Records,  Slave and Indentured Servant Deeds,  Military Records, Newspapers, Obituaries. http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/jackson.htm Alabama Historical and Genealogical Organizations Organized by county https://archives.alabama.gov/referenc/societies.pdf Alabama Department of Archives and History: Jackson County Collection of links to...

My family history research has lead me to Dekalb County, Alabama. It was just one family for a couple of decades in the 1850s, but I like to be thorough about placing my ancestors in a unique place in a unique time. Some Research into Dekalb County is in order! First, I did a Google search for Dekalb County Alabama Genealogy. Genealogy Trails: Dekalb County Online data as well as possible one-on-one help from volunteers who want to help with your genealogy puzzles. I especially found the local history sections helpful. http://genealogytrails.com/ala/dekalb/ Facebook Group (Public): Dekalb County, Alabama Genealogy Fairly active group with lots of great information. I did a search of the group and quickly found references to places and people that I am interested in. https://www.facebook.com/groups/111195279268/ Linkpendium: Dekalb County, Alabama A survey of genealogy resources for Dekalb County, Alabama, including Local History, Land & Deed Records, Historic Schools, ...

Each year, the National Genealogical Society holds a contest , "to encourage NGS Members to write a family history that covers at least three generations and not more than four." The deadline for submissions is December 15 of each year. There was a mention of "writing contests" in one of my certification courses, but I'm not interested in contests so I didn't pay attention. However, when I read about this particular program, I was intrigued. It would be wonderful to have the accountability to finish a writing assignment by a certain date and to have the practice using the Genealogical Proof Standard. Requirements Include: Manuscript Length: Between 4,000 and 10,000 words Number of Generations: Three to four generations Originality: Not previously published and not submitted elsewhere for publication Documentation: Individual, specific citations (footnote form) for every statement of fact that is not public knowledge Appearance: 11- or 12-point type,...

International Society of Family History Writers and Editors https://www.isfhwe.org/ Credentials for Genealogists, by Paul Gorry http://gorryresearch.ie/credentials-for-genealogists.html

Here is my course schedule for October 1-November 18: Methodology 1  (basic level required class) Methodology 2  (basic level required class) Research: Grandmothers, Mothers & Daughters-Tracing Women  (elective) US Land Records  (elective) As I expected, with my previous experience, Methodology 1 was a breeze. I really didn't even need the course readings though they certainly didn't hurt. Methodology 2 was still pretty easy but had some new info for me as well. I'll bet Methodology 3, 4, and 5, will be much more challenging. Reasearching Women was fascinating. I learned lots of tips about where to look for records about female family members, and honed practices that I had already been doing. US Land was my hardest class. I don't have much experience with land records, and the land records for my family are in physical repositories that I would need to visit rather than online databases. One of these days I'll take a trip to some of those states to ...

I called each of the programs that I was considering and talked through my interests and my concerns. The National Institute for Genalogical Studies suggested I take a couple of courses with them to try it out. If I decided to do the complete program, they would apply the money and credits to that. Could hurt to try it, so I signed up for a few courses. With NIGS, you can purchase classes individually or in packs. The larger the pack, the greater the discount on the per-class cost. All of the required course materials for these classes were provided, though some classes have a book that needs to be purchased in advance, either from NIGS or Amazon. These are books that every genealogist should have on their shelves, so they are a great investment. Here is my course schedule for October 1-November 18: Methodology 1  (basic level required class) Methodology 2  (basic level required class) Research: Grandmothers, Mothers & Daughters-Tracing Women  (elective) US ...