Did your ancestor travel abroad? If your ancestor was a U.S. citizen, then he or she may have applied for a U.S. passport. The records include standard information such as the date of birth, occupation, and citizenship information. Some of the applications provide additional information that may lead to immigration or naturalization records. Some even … Continue reading Family Tree Friday: Passport Applications Provide Information About Individuals
Have you ever had an immigrant ancestor whose name appeared to change after they came to America? It was a very common occurrence, but the popular perception is that U.S. immigration officials deliberately changed a person's name if they couldn't understand the verbal information relayed to them by the immigrant. In fact, this is one … Continue reading Family History Friday: The real scoop about name changes in immigration records.
Everybody starts researching their family history with the expectation of finding out about their ancestors. Researchers are usually looking for such information as the names of previously unknown ancestors or immigration and naturalization dates. Sometimes, however, they get more than they bargained for. Take, for example, this census record. In 1870, Maggie Taylor and Jennie … Continue reading Family History Friday: Expect the Unexpected
Customs records at the National Archives often provide interesting glimpses of personal information about our seafaring ancestors. The occupational hazards of the maritime trade after the Revolutionary War, especially the threat of Impressment by the British, caused many American sailors to purchase seamen's protection certificates, such as the one pictured here that was issued to … Continue reading Family History Friday: Seamen's protection certificates served as an early mariner's passport.
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 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?
Are you looking for documents by the Continental Congress, court records related to the Amistad, details on the assassination of President Lincoln, or FBI investigative case files from World War I? You now have ready access to documents like these, which capture important American ideals and events that have shaped our country. More than 20 … Continue reading Free NARA Documents on Footnote.com
What is your favorite history-, library-, or archives-related blog? With the vast array of personal, professional, academic and commercial blogs available to readers today, it can be difficult trying to find just the right one to suit your needs. While it might be fun, who has the time to skim through 308,026 blogs? (That's the … Continue reading Question: What is your favorite history-, library-, or archives-related blog?
