Brick Walls are There for a Reason

"Brick walls are there for a reason. They let us prove how badly we want things." So said Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch in his final lecture to 400 students,...

Happy Family History Month!

October is designated in many U.S. States as "Family History Month," and genealogists everywhere have adopted the month as their own. Whether you're new to genealogy, or have devoted a...

In my Quest for an Obituary from the London Times...

My father-in-law Robert turns 89-years-young next month, and as each new year arrives he seems to slip just a bit further into the past. His interest in his roots is...

Ancestry Member Trees

I've never been a huge fan of online family trees. I guess because while I don't mind sharing my research, I like to know who I'm sharing it with. That...

New York Times Content Goes Free

Well, most of it anyway. The New York Times Select service ended today Access to articles (including obituaries, wedding announcements, etc.) will now be free from 1987 forward, as...

Collaborate Online with Google Docs & Spreadsheets

One of the genealogical societies I belong to wants to increase the number of online databases it offers to its members, but the good intentions often get bogged down in...

I Have WWII to Thank...

My maternal grandfather, pictured here as a handsome young lad, was a member of the US Army Air Corps during WWII. As part of his tour of duty, he spent...

Family Tree Maker 2008 - Planned Improvements

The release of Family Tree Maker 2008 last month left a lot of FTM users very disappointed (see comments) as the new program has performance issues, lacks vital report publishing,...

Good Deals at World Vital Records

If you've been thinking about a subscription to World Vital Records, this might be a good time. They are running a subscription special until September 17 that offers up a...

Debunking Family Myths

Almost every "new" genealogist I encounter has a family story or two that they would like to prove. And so many are sadly disappointed to learn that they aren't who...