Genealogy Updates for 28 March 2023

This is an almost daily list of newly discovered genealogical resources available online, carefully curated by hand. These resources may include articles, databases, news articles, or any other items related to genealogy that catch my attention or are recommended to me. The list is not limited to newly created pages but may also include pages that have been significantly updated or are simply “new to me.” Each link provided may lead to records for millions of individuals or just a few. Most of the resources on this list are available for free, often supported by advertisements. However, some may require payment to access certain databases. Let’s begin with today’s list from GenealogyUpdate!

Genealogy Help

From Chaos to Clarity

Organizing a large collection of family genealogy materials can be a rewarding task, as you’ll learn more about your family history in the process. Here are some steps to help you sort and organize the binders, manila folders and loose papers effectively:

Assess the materials:
Start by reviewing the contents of each folder to get an overview of what you have. Look for patterns, recurring names, or other key pieces of information that can help guide your organization process.

Create a plan:
Determine your organizational goals, whether it be by generation, family line, or geographic location. You can also use a combination of these approaches. Decide on a color-coding or labeling system that will help you easily identify each category.

Sort and categorize:
Begin sorting the loose papers and records based on your chosen organization method. You may want to create subfolders within each surname folder to separate the materials into distinct categories, such as birth records, marriage records, death records, photos, letters, or other documents.

Label and date:
Label each document or record with the relevant names, dates, and relationships, if not already provided. This will make it easier to find and understand the information in the future. Use archival-safe pens or pencils for labeling to avoid damaging the documents.

Digitize:
Consider scanning or photographing important records and documents to create a digital archive. This will help preserve the information and make it easier to share with family members. Be sure to store digital files in multiple locations, such as on your computer, an external hard drive, and a cloud-based storage service.

Create a family tree:
Use the information you’ve gathered to create a visual family tree. Many online resources and software applications are available to help you design and maintain a digital family tree, such as Family Tree Maker, Roots Magic, or Gramps.

Store materials properly:
Ensure that your physical records are stored in a safe and secure location. Use acid-free, archival-quality materials to protect your documents from damage. Store your folders in a cool, dry, and dark place to prevent deterioration.

Kentucky Genealogy

Lawrence County Kentucky Death Records

In order to find a particular cemetery in Lawrence County, refer to the alphabetical locator list provided. Cemeteries are organized by the last name, and the corresponding volume/book can be found on the right-hand side of the webpage. Each volume is enumerated below. Furthermore, records from Curtright Funeral Home (1927-1972) and Pine Hill Cemetery are accessible. These are all PDF’s.

Lawrence County Kentucky Obituaries

The Lawrence County Library has indexed all of the obituaries found within the Big Sandy News from 1885-2022. Once you’ve located the date and page for the paper, you can access the paper via the newspaper links. The dates that appear in the volumes are not death dates, but the dates the obituary appeared in the Big Sandy News.

Access the Obituaries

    Lawrence County Kentucky Digital Newspapers Archives

    Using a combination of the newspaper images at Chronicling America and those digitized by the Lawrence County Library and Advantage Preservation you can access Lawrence County newspapers from 1885-2022, these should cover all the years for the obituary indexes.

    Lawrence County Kentucky High School Yearbooks

    The Lawrence County Kentucky library is digitizing the high school yearbooks for Lawrence High School, Lawrence County High School, and Blaine Elementary and Blaine High School.

    Access the Yearbooks

    Genealogy Updates for 27 March 2023

    This is an almost daily list of newly discovered genealogical resources available online, carefully curated by hand. These resources may include articles, databases, news articles, or any other items related to genealogy that catch my attention or are recommended to me. The list is not limited to newly created pages but may also include pages that have been significantly updated or are simply “new to me.” Each link provided may lead to records for millions of individuals or just a few. Most of the resources on this list are available for free, often supported by advertisements. However, some may require payment to access certain databases. Let’s begin with today’s list from GenealogyUpdate!

    AccessGenealogy

    Ezekiel Cheever and some of his Descendants

    The paper entitled Ezekiel Cheever and Some of his Descendants was prepared for, and published in, the New England Historical and Genealogical Register for April 1879.

    View Ezekiel Cheever and some of his Descendants

    Early Records and Notes of the Brown Family

    This is not a compiled genealogy, but rather, a compilation of notes, facts, and genealogies concerning the various early Brown families of the towns of Andover, Ipswich, Hamilton, Reading, Boston-Tewksbury, Cambridge, Charlestown, Chelmsford, Gloucester, Hampton NH, Haverhill, Salem, Watertown, Rowley, Sudbury, and Salisbury. Charlotte Helen Abbott compiled a series of volumes on early families of New England called the “Abbott Genealogies.” This is volume 7 of the series.

    View Early Records and Notes of the Brown Family

    California Genealogy

    Records of Bidwell Chapel Funeral Home, 1896-1992

    The Bidwell Chapel Funeral Home records (1896-1992) consist of microfilm records from the Chico, California-based funeral home, which has experienced numerous name and ownership changes since its establishment. The collection includes funeral registers, death records, and funeral information files that detail the deceased’s personal information, death and burial arrangements, and documents related to individual accounts, such as orders for death certificates, insurance letters, and newspaper clippings of death notices or obituaries.

    View Records of Bidwell Chapel Funeral Home, 1896-1992

    Genealogy Updates for 16 March 2023

    This is an almost daily list of newly discovered genealogical resources available online, carefully curated by hand. These resources may include articles, databases, news articles, or any other items related to genealogy that catch my attention or are recommended to me. The list is not limited to newly created pages but may also include pages that have been significantly updated or are simply “new to me.” Each link provided may lead to records for millions of individuals or just a few. Most of the resources on this list are available for free, often supported by advertisements. However, some may require payment to access certain databases. Let’s begin with today’s list from GenealogyUpdate!

    AccessGenealogy

    Arkansas Funeral Home Records

    This page links to known Arkansas Funeral Records whether they be available online or offline. Of all the state funeral record pages done so far, Arkansas, by far, has the most available records from funeral homes. Unfortunately, they are largely not available online, but sit on microfilm at the Arkansas State Archives. Free research is available for them, and we’ve provided information about that on this page too.

    View the Arkansas Funeral Home Records

    Arkansas Genealogy

    Gross Mortuary Record Books, 1874-1922

    This is an overview of the Gross Mortuary record books, 1874-1922 freely available online, providing a history of the Mortuary of James B. McCaffrey and Billy Gross.

    View the Gross Mortuary Record Books, 1874-1922

    Genealogy Updates for 13 March 2023

    This is an almost daily list of newly discovered genealogical resources available online, carefully curated by hand. These resources may include articles, databases, news articles, or any other items related to genealogy that catch my attention or are recommended to me. The list is not limited to newly created pages but may also include pages that have been significantly updated or are simply “new to me.” Each link provided may lead to records for millions of individuals or just a few. Most of the resources on this list are available for free, often supported by advertisements. However, some may require payment to access certain databases. Let’s begin with today’s list from GenealogyUpdate!

    AccessGenealogy

    Arizona Funeral Records

    This page links to known Arizona Funeral Records whether they be available online or offline.

    Arizona Funeral Records

    Connecticut Genealogy

    Hartford Connecticut Suburban Directory 1966

    This is the 1966 directory by The Price & Lee Company of New Haven CT. It contains an alphabetical directory of business concerns and private citizens; complete street and avenue guide, including householders, and occupants of office buildings and other business places, with telephone numbers; telephone numerical directory, plus, useful and interesting information about the city of Hartford. Contains directories for the city of Hartford and the following towns: East Hartford, West Hartford, Wethersfield, Windsor, Bloomfield, Newington, Farmington, Glastonbury, and Rocky Hill. Free to search, read, and/or download.

    Hartford Connecticut Suburban Directory 1966

    Florida Genealogy

    • City of Miami cemetery records
      I stumbled upon this cemetery book while looking for something else today. It’s a little hard to read, but it contains lists of names of lot owners. Lists vary in detail and may include columns with additional information like lot, block and deed numbers, remarks, price and month. Also includes diagrams that display blocks containing lots with names and dates.

    American Woodmen Records

    • American Woodmen Insurance Ledger: Index
      Index to life insurance files of insured and beneficiaries 1901 to 1907. American Woodmen’s Life was founded in Denver, Colorado in 1901 as a Fraternal Benefit Society established to provide life insurance for the “un-insurable” Black Community. The register shows in chronological order the name of the insured, “camp and state” of residence, age, name of beneficiary or beneficiaries, and their relationship to the insured. States covered in this first ledger include Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indian Territory [Oklahoma], Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington, D.C. This register represents the first of 40 ledgers. The company went out of business in 1993.

    Genealogy Updates for 09 March 2023

    My apologies for yesterdays missing link for the Somerville, Massachusetts, High School Yearbooks 1892-2016. I have included it today.

    This is an almost daily list of newly discovered genealogical resources available online, carefully curated by hand. These resources may include articles, databases, news articles, or any other items related to genealogy that catch my attention or are recommended to me. The list is not limited to newly created pages but may also include pages that have been significantly updated or are simply “new to me.” Each link provided may lead to records for millions of individuals or just a few. Most of the resources on this list are available for free, often supported by advertisements. However, some may require payment to access certain databases. Let’s begin with today’s list from GenealogyUpdate!

    10 ways Burial Transit Records can enhance your Genealogy Research

    Burial transit records provide a wealth of information for genealogists looking to discover information on their ancestor’s death and burial. By understanding the information found on these records, genealogists can gain valuable insights into the lives of their ancestors.

    Read about the 10 ways Burial Transit Records can enhance your Genealogy Research

    AccessGenealogy

    Somerville, Massachusetts, High School Yearbooks 1892-2016

    The Radiator which began publishing in 1891-1892 school year, was initially published by the Somerville Latin and English High School on the third Wednesday of every month during the school year. It’s initial publications during those early years were more literary in style and it wasn’t until 1917 when the publication took on the appearance of a traditional yearbook in the form of The Revocanda with publication of The Radiator taking place separately. One year later, the name of the yearbook was changed to match that of the journal, The Radiator. Even in those early years consists in part with lists of students and class photographs. All of these yearbooks are free to search, read, and/or download.

    View all Somerville High School Yearbooks

    Brown Genealogy

    The first section contains records of Nicholas Browne and his son Thomas, who settled in Lynn, Mass., in 1630. The basis of this genealogy, as in his earlier Brown Genealogy, are the three sons of Thomas Brown and Mary Newhall; viz., Thomas, John, and Eleazer Brown, who came to Stonington, Conn., about 1680, taking fifty-three numbers in regular order as given in his first volume.

    The second section takes up Charles Browne and his descendants, who settled in Rowley, Mass., in 1647, and who doubtless came with the early pioneers from 1630 to 1635. Part 2 starts on page 399. it is indexed separately starting on page 598.

    This book is free to search, read, and/or download.

    Brown Genealogy

    Indiana Genealogy

    St. James Episcopal Church Parish Registers

    These are the three official handwritten parish registers for St. James Episcopal Church in Goshen, Indiana. They cover the almost 100 year period of 1860-1956. The first two parish registers contain the congregation members in no particular order listed as families, all of them have baptisms, confirmations, communicants, marriages, and burials. Each is indexed separately.

    St. James Episcopal Church Parish Register, 1860-1892
    St. James Episcopal Church Parish Register, 1899-1928
    St. James Episcopal Church Parish Register, 1929-1956

    Maine Genealogy

    Kittery Men & Women in World War II

    One of the township “yearbooks” published after the end of World War II was titled “Kittery Men & Women in World War II.” These books contain a roster of the known participants from the county who served in the war, along with brief biographical sketches and photographs of the soldiers, when available. However, as the authors of these publications acknowledge, not everyone was always included in these publications. This book is free to search, read and/or download.

    Kittery Men & Women in World War II