The federal census forms the foundation of much of our genealogy research in the United States. But there is a gaping hole between 1880 and 1900 due to the loss of the 1890 census. However, there are sources we can use to fill that 1890 census gap.
Church records can fill in the gaps caused by non-existent vital records. Even when we do have civil vital records, church records often contain different pieces of information. They can be invaluable to our genealogy research. But to get into these records, it helps to know what church your ancestor attended. Here's how you can find your ancestor's church.
Probate records are created to settle a person's estate after they die. They can have tremendous amounts of information in them. However, there are some misconceptions about what some of them mean. Here are 5 things you need to know when looking at your ancestor's probate records.
Finding your ancestor in the census is a great way to extend the family tree, but what do you do when you just know he should be there, but he isn't turning up in your searches? When that happens, it's time to stop searching and start browsing old school style. Here's how to browse the census by location in both Ancestry and FamilySearch.
Wills can be invaluable to our genealogy research. But if your ancestor didn't leave a will, don't fret. There are still tons of clues in the estate papers. In fact, you might find even more than if he or she left a will. Here's how to spot the children when your ancestor didn't leave a will.
