Genealogy sources?

[Andrew Green]

Ok, so it's not 100% kilt related, but I have seen posts in here regarding genealogy. I am wondering if there are any good sites where one can search for immigration records, or find birth certificates and all that good stuff.
I theoretically (still verifying names, although everything seems to fit... Logan county AR) have my grandmother's family lines drawn back to the early, early 1800s, but that's where I run dry. One distant (apparently) ancestor was born in TN, but his father was from NC, nothing was said of when, or if he was an immigrant or not, or even a name on the record I found. This was through the LDS database, so all was done on free sources. I am thinking that a paid genealogist would do a much better job. If I have the right line, there is even a family cemetary in somewhere in Logan Co. I am sure I could locate it in some fashion, but a road trip for headstone rubbings is not an option at this point. This is fun stuff, but it isn't necessarily easy. I cannot even find solid records on my grandfather's side of things, I think the names are just too common: Green, and Moore... there are a ton of them, especially in the southern states.

Moderators, if you feel this would be better served in a different forum, by all means move it, but please do not delete it.

[McClef]

Besides the LDS database there are other LDS related resources available which can actually provide help and guidance to questions submitted.

http://www.new-jerusalem.com/genladynew/

Is one such source that may be able to point you in the right direction.

[Cawdorian]

One of the best sources of genealogical information on the web is www.rootsweb.com. There are also some surname message boards on the rootsweb site, look to see if there is an active Green and Moore message board, sometimes you can find a lot of help on these boards. You can also search for your ancestors and locate individuals who are working on the same family line.

If you know the home county of your ancestors do a google search and see if you can find a message board or a historical society for that particular county. Some surnames have family associations, again do a google search for a family association for your surnames. If there is an association you will find some contacts and willing help.

Some states are now transcribing and copying some vital records and placing the information online, this is a excellent source of documented records. Most of the people who are involved in genealogy are more than willing to share information with their cousins.

I hope this little bit of info helps you out, if you have any questions please feel free to PM me.

[JimB]

You can also see what research has already been done on familysearch.org.
Good luck to you. It's interesting to see who our ancestors turn out to be.

[Andrew Green]

Oh yeah... I found rootsweb, and signed up last night... it's pretty good... I can trace maternal roots on my grandmother's side pretty far back, if all the records are accuate. There's a bit of English in the bloodlines that has gone unacknowledged for like ever apparently. This pursuit is quite fun, and as addictive as any other activity I have engaged in.

[Cawdorian]

When you use rootsweb be sure and look at the sources of the information, sometimes the posters just copy someone's information, mistakes and all! Enjoy the search, like kilts, genealogy is addictive.

[Schultz]

Check your local library and see if they have a subscription to HeritageQuest and/or ancestry.com's library edition.

And as Cawdorian pointed out, make sure you follow up on any information you receive and try to find as much primary source material as you can. I took my uncle's word for it that the immigrant patriarch of my particular Beck family was named John Wendelinus (same as his son, my father's grandfather), but when I checked the primary records, I discovered his name was really Wendeline Georg. A simple mistake, but one that had me scratching my head because I could not find anything else on John Wendelinus, but had all sorts of info on this "Wendel" fellow.

Check and double check all sources!

[turpin]

One of the best sources of genealogical information on the web is www.rootsweb.com.

I just spent about four hours on rootsweb. My brother is the family geneologist and he has over 100,000 names in direct lines of descent. I was looking specifically for when ancestors migrated to the US, and tracing Scottish lines of descent.

I've always known of my Gordon connection, and that one is traced through my GG grandmother directly to (and through) Adam, Lord Gordon who fought with Wallace at Stirling Bridge and Falkirk, and with Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn.

My maternal grandfather's pedigree has a maternal line departure in 1658 that shows a direct Campbell line to Archibald (Gillespic) Campbell, born 1090, with a small Fraser off-shoot. My maternal grandmother has a strong line to Iverson, and my paternal grandmother links to MacIver, both septs of Campbell. (Too bad there is only one Campbell tartan I can wear, and that is Ancient Campbell (Black Watch), because I don't see a link to Breadalbane, Cawdor, or Loudoun).

George Gordon married Katherine Forbes in 1530, which traces back to Duncan Forbois in 1120. George's father James Gordon married Margaret Stewart around 1505 and that traces back through fathers and mothers to Robert the Bruce (cool).

I also found a minor Wallace connection.

Once you are n the right place rootsweb is great - it's finding your line that can take time, because someone has to have researched and posted it.

[Andrew Green]

Turpin:
Cool pedigrees!
I have the Moore side of my family back to 1817, NC... but I cannot find records past that, I too, and trying to find when the Scottish side of my father's family came over. Funny enough, many of the women who married into the Moore line's family does back to somewhere between 1690 and 1700 England.
Being Scottish born, and a Scottish descendant, this is naturally the focus of my research.
Trying to trace my paternal grandfather's side is much harder, as my great great grandparents on that side died when my great grandfather was quite young, so there isn't much to find there, as things were not well documented. That's a bit of a bummer, as I would have liked to trace that line back as well... as I am doing this to respect where all major aspects of my bloodlines come from.
My mother's side is equally frustrating. Her father didn't talk much of his family, as he lost his brother and his father in WWII. The town in CZ where they were from doesn't exist anymore, which is a real downer. I cannot find records for my maternal grandmother, but she's still alive, and doing well for a woman of her age, I do have the names from farther back, but many records could have been trashed in the wars.
It's fun as hell, but also a little disheartening at times, some of my relatives, distant, and not so distant went through some seriously difficult times. Makes my troubles look like a walk in the park. I know this aspect of my ancestry is NOT unique, but damn.

[turpin]

I think one of the reasons we've been able to trace so far back is that most of my family lines in this country start early in the 1600's, so there's been little opportunity for major disruption of records due to wars. Some of the records come from English shipping manifests that have good documentation of passengers who came over to the colonies. For example, the earliest birth I've seen so far in this country was 1613, but many in the mid 1600's.

So when someone boasts that their ancestors came over on the Mayflower, I can reply that mine met the boat.