Category: Family Tree Fridays

Family Tree Friday: More Unexpected Finds in Military Pensions

by dmeadows, posted in Family Tree Fridays, Genealogy / Family History, Veterans / Military

Last week John showed you an example of an unusual find in a pension record – a Fraktur which was used by a widow or other dependent to prove their relationship to a deceased soldier – and asked if anyone had found anything else unusual or revealing.  Even more "typical" documents can reveal a lot of … Continue reading Family Tree Friday: More Unexpected Finds in Military Pensions

Family Tree Friday: Military pension records can hold unexpected surprises!

by dstokes, posted in Family Tree Fridays, Genealogy / Family History, Research, Veterans / Military

Military pensions often contain valuable documents regarding family.  Veterans who applied for such benefits often had to prove their military service, using affidavits from officers and fellow soldiers, or letters and journals written in the field.  Widows and dependents had to prove their relationship to the deceased soldier.  Many personal or family documents often, and … Continue reading Family Tree Friday: Military pension records can hold unexpected surprises!

Family Tree Friday: Get Ready for the 1940 Census!

by dmeadows, posted in Family Tree Fridays

Do you know where your family was living in 1935?  Did your grandfather work for the WPA or the CCC?  The 1940 census may provide the answers to these questions and more. The 1940 census won't be released until 2012, but that doesn't mean you can't start getting ready for it now.  Check out our … Continue reading Family Tree Friday: Get Ready for the 1940 Census!

Family Tree Friday: How did your ancestors interact with the federal government?

by dstokes, posted in Family Tree Fridays, Genealogy / Family History, Research

Family research at the National Archives centers on the use of federal records.  To start the process, we always advise researchers to first consider how their ancestors may have come into contact with the federal government during the course of their daily lives.  If your great-grandparents purchased a homestead in Nebraska, they probably filed an application … Continue reading Family Tree Friday: How did your ancestors interact with the federal government?