Genealogy Software Reviews

If you are in the market for genealogical software, there are many ways to learn about software and the features. Most of the software is available for PCs, but there are also excellent programs available for the Mac. You can visit with other genealogists about what they use, check out the developer's web pages, but a comprehensive place to look for information is GenSoft Reviews.

They review 523 programs for genealogists. These include everything from foreign products to the well-known Legacy, Roots Magic, Family Tree Maker and Reunion for the Mac. Some of the programs are free, some shareware or for purchase. There are links for obtaining more information. Each program is given a dated review. The stars accompanying the review are for the enjoyment of using it, use it often, easy input, useful output and overall rating.

Looking at this it seems like ages ago that I was hand-designing my genealogy charts on my first computer. Maybe it was ages ago! There are plenty of products on the market today to satisfy the genealogist's needs ... just start looking at them.

Research in Missouri

Genealogists never have enough time in the day. When there are web links all in one place, it just makes my day. I was thrilled to find Tom Caulley's Missouri Genealogy "Omni" Research Site.

The web page begins with National Wide/World Wide Research Sites that are helpful to researchers, such as USGenWeb, RootsWeb E-Mail List and FindAGrave. Next are Statewide Research Sites, such as the Missouri Archives Digital Heritage Collection, Missouri Archives Death Certificates 1910-1959 and Missouri Archives Soldier's Records 1812-WWI.

There are 114 counties in Missouri and each county has 15 to 17 research links. Caulley has added information on the date the county was created, parent counties, links, plus a Missouri map showing the location of the county. There is also an area for counties whose names were changed, along with links to further information.

One of the most interesting areas on the web page is Missouri Counties in Order of Formation. Did you know that those original five counties in 1812 were Cape Girardeau, New Madrid, Saint Charles, Sainte Genevieve and Saint Louis? Again with links, this segment is extremely helpful, as well as the maps showing their location when created. When using the maps, be sure to click on them for a larger image.

I wish all states had this type of web page. Get the hint ambitious genealogists?

Out for Research

My granddaughter (age 12) and I are leaving for a research, family, fun trip. We will do genealogical research in courthouses and libraries plus visit cemeteries. On Saturday we will help to host a group of genealogists for Genealogy in the Park. Now how much fun will that be? We have Lil' Red packed and ready to hit the road. If you don't know about Lil' Red, follow the genealogy episodes of The You Go Genealogy Girls. We even have packed jelly beans!

She's my budding genealogist. Very willingly she will walk through cemeteries with me and look through out courthouse documents. While I view it as a history/geography lesson for her, I secretly hope that she is learning genealogy and will carry on someday.

Recently she announced that in 2011 she WILL be attending a Family History Expo with granny. That will be such fun! Hope she doesn't change her mind before 2011.

More next week on genealogical research!

Patriotic Ancestors

In that small log cabin in the woods of northwestern North Carolina, July 4th, 1776 dawned like any other day. There was no present knowledge of what was happening further north in the city of Philadelphia. Yet in time my ancestor would be caught up in the fight to gain independence from England. Little did they know at the time that their intentions would result in a strong nation known as the United States of America.

Along with his brother, he fought at King's Mountain and was instrumental in the capture of Tories who had been pillaging and killing people in northwest North Carolina. My 6th great grandfather survived the Revolutionary War and died an old man in 1835. Today I like to think about him and the changes it made in his life as well as the legacy he left me.

In particular, today is a day we should celebrate not only with fireworks, but with homage to the men and women who remained loyal to their belief that a new nation could and should be formed. There were no fireworks over my ancestor's log cabin and no patriotic songs being sung. Before and after the war, they went about their business.

Do you have Revolutionary War ancestors? Recently Ancestry.com released the Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900. Footnote.com is offering free searching of their Revolutionary War collection until July 7th. You don't have long to take advantage of this free offer. Keep in mind that Footnote.com's Revolutionary War pension files contain every document within the file and are fully indexed.

If you suspect or know about a Revolutionary War ancestor, be sure to check out what is available online at the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). There is a lot of good material to read there as well. The following are some of the best web pages for the Revolutionary War on Internet. I am sure you'll find more. However, if you put "Revolutionary War" into a Google search, you will come up with over 35 million hits. So begin with my list!

American Revolutionary War Soldiers & Their Descendants

RevWar'75

Officers Who Took Oath of Allegiance at Valley Forge, 1778

Valley Forge Legacy

Online Revolutionary War Indexes & Records

American Revolution. org

1840 Census of Pensioners (Revolutionary or Military Service)

Keep in mind that not every man or woman took arms to serve in the war. Some provided comfort and sustenance for the troops and thus receive the designation of being patriots during the Revolutionary War. My 4th great grandmother supplied beef to the army in South Carolina and was awarded payment from the State of South Carolina. No matter what your ancestor did during that time period, he or she is worthy of at least one firecracker and one patriotic song today. For their strife ... God Bless America.

Maps at The Newberry Library

Genealogists love maps! An excellent web page to locate maps is at The Newberry Library's web page. This will take you directly to the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The library is well known to genealogists and located in Chicago. You don't have to go to Chicago to have fun with the maps.

You can view historical state and county maps. They are interactive and by entering a date, the map will show the formation of counties within a state at that given time.

Click on Download Historical State and County Shapefiles to download maps for use with GIS programs. You can also opt to download KMZ files to use with Google Earth. These are large files and will take time to use.

While you are on their home page, be sure to look through their genealogy information in the pull down menu. Check out where your ancestor lived by checking out The Newberry Library.

Summer Genealogy Experiences

Having been home one week from a three week trip which included two weeks at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, I am ready to go again.

It isn't too late to consider attending the Family History Expo in Loveland, CO on June 25th and June 26th. It will be held at the Embassy Suites Loveland Hotel & Conference Center. A full listing of speakers and classes can be found at the Colorado Family History Expo web page.

The theme for this year's Expos is Let Your Light Shine! Last year I attended the Family History Expo in Sheridan, WY and vowed to attend another one this year. I am a blogger of honor this year for my blog, You Go Genealogy Girls. I will also try to share information on this blog. Be sure to check both.

Iowa Civil War Project

All states who supplied men for the Civil War should have web pages such as the Iowa Civil War Project. It is a special project of the IAGenWeb and worth checking if you have an Iowa Civil War ancestor.

The web site contains the six volumes of Civil War Records for Iowa, the full citation being Iowa, Adjutant General Office. Roster and Record of Iowa Soldiers in the War of the Rebellion, Together with Historical Sketches of Volunteer Organization 1861-1866 Des Moines: E.H. English, State Printer, E.D. Chassell, State Binder, 1908-1911.

There is a list of correspondence, dates, sources and notes. You can explore this further for information pertaining to your ancestor or his unit. The web page contains Letters to Headquarters, such as Rock Island Barracks May 1864.

If you know your ancestor's infantry, be sure to check out the Infantry, History and Rosters. There is a separate section for Iowa Cavalry, History and Rosters, as well as Artillery.

The entire web page seems rather complex and time consuming, but help is available at the click of the mouse. Toward the top and before Correspondence/Topic/Title you will see "If you want to search all of these records go to the main Civil War page and utilize the FreeFind search engine there."

Not only can you search the site at the main page, but you can also find instructions for joining the Iowa Civil War mailing list. There are links to gravestone photos, more about the regiments, Civil War prisons, photo album, county data and descendant/researcher lists.

Plan on spending time at this web page, particularly if you have more than one Iowa Civil War soldier in your lineage.