As I have noted in the past, I am a major fan of Katherine Schober and her site Germanology Unlocked. She offers great classes and webinars related to German translation and handwriting. Check out her books related to translation of historic German records. She often includes articles from guest experts on her site and newsletter. Recently she included an article Hof- und Häusergeschichten: How Farm and Building Histories Can Help Your German Research by Scott Holl.
I wanted to share the link with you so you can see if this would help you with your research. Sadly, I have not found a book related to mine yet in Bavaria…but I haven’t given up hope. These books are similar to the church histories that I’ve mentioned in prior blogs. While those focus on church records these books talk about the history of a farm or building, including the history of the occupants (at the very least a listing of their names).

I have found something similar for my ancestors in Filsdorf, Luxembourg. It is really helpful to understand family dynamics and as a way to confirm the data that you’ve located through other means such as birth, marriage, death, and census records. In parts of Germany there are no census records readily available online so this another way to understand family structure. It is useful to understand the place where your ancestor originally lived to better understand them. This is a good start.
Best of luck finding a book related to your family’s village or farm. Happy researching!

As the holiday season approaches, I hope you have a wonderful time with your family and friends this Thanksgiving. May your days be filled with blessings and gratitude for you and those important to you. Hopefully, you’ll find a wonderful genealogy nugget in between shopping, eating and spending time with family and friends.  Happy Thanksgiving 2024.

Some time ago, I shared information regarding the Paris Archives. With some recent research of an ancestor, I thought I would share more information about the French Military records I have used.

​It is hard to believe that Veterans Day is just around the corner. I think with the unseasonably nice fall weather (and elections), it doesn’t seem like we  should be in November. However, it does seem appropriate that we take some time to honor and remember our veterans who have made it possible for all of us to pursue those things in life that we enjoy…including our family history research!
Please enjoy time with your family and friends. Take time to thank a veteran or remember one from your family’s past. Happy Veterans Day 2024.

This Blog will be on pause for a few weeks due to family health. In the meantime, please check out past blogs by viewing the Blog Topics section.  Happy Researching and Writing!

​I was excited to learn that France’s “Tables of Successions and Absences, 1890-1970” has been made available on MyHeritage. I have used these tables in a particular region but it is a time-intensive process. Let’s look at these records.

​Have you thought about capturing medical history for your ancestors? A cousin recently contacted me to ask about our family’s medical history…cancer occurrence within our aunts, uncles, and cousins.  As I was compiling a list, it made me think how this disease impacted so many lives.  As medicine advances, more people can beat the odds, but it is still a dreaded disease.  As genealogists, we seem to be the keepers of family information, including those related to illnesses and death.  Let’s look at ways that we can capture this information for others.

​Fall! It’s that time of the year where school starts and I start thinking about ways to hone my genealogy skills. If you are near the Fargo-Moorhead area, you too have an opportunity to gain more knowledge. The annual Family History Workshop 2024 is slated for September 21, 2024. If you register by September 15th, your lunch is included in the reasonable price of $49 for a day of family history learning. This year the featured speaker is Dana Kelly, the Executive Director of the Norwegian American Cultural Center & Naeseth Library. The focus this year is on Scandinavian countries but there are additional speakers on a variety of topics. Check here to learn more.
It is great to keep building our skills. No matter the topic, there are great opportunities to learn. Happy Learning!

We tend to celebrate everything in the twenty-first century, including birthdays and anniversaries. Friends are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary soon and I wondered how and if our ancestors celebrated these milestones. Let’s look.

​It seems like we were in the middle of summer and now it is back to school and Labor Day Weekend!  I hope you have a great time with your family and friends with this holiday that marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall. For those who like to read more about it, here’s an article: Labor Day - Wikipedia
Happy Labor Day 2024!