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Online Roots

 TEXTBOOK --. Online Roots: How to Discover Your Family's History and Heritage with the Power of the Internet
By Pamela Boyer Porter, CGRS, CGL; and Amy Johnson Crow, CG. Rutledge Hill Press, 2003. Softcover. $19.99. To order, visit <www.ngsgenealogy.org>.

The Internet is a wonderful—albeit intimidating—tool for genealogists. Online Roots offers step-by-step, carefully categorized instructions that will help you feel comfortable using the Internet to enhance your genealogical research. The benefits of authors Pamela Boyer Porter's and Amy Johnson Crow's years of genealogy experience come together in this how-to guide that was produced under the direction of the National Genealogical Society.

The Internet has become an integral part of genealogy research. Even if you are fairly comfortable with online genealogy research, chances are Online Roots will provide new methods and hints that can further your search.


Class 1a - Getting Your Feet Wet

Finding Your Way in the Big Wide World

Planning Your Research

A Sample Research Project

Class 1b - Doing the Right Thing

Same Message, Different Medium

Citing Your Sources--Not Just for Professionals

Doing Right by Others: The Internet Is a Form of Publishing

 

Class 2a - Wading in Deeper

Effectively Searching on the Internet

Springboards to Genealogy Sites

   www.USGenWeb.com 

   www.rootsweb.com/~canwgw CanadaGenWeb

   www.WorldGenWeb.org 

   www.RootsWeb.com

Class 2b - Finding People in the Modern Era

Social Security Records  ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com

Telephone Directories http://www.whitepages.com/

City or County Directories

School Records

Real Estate Records

Voter Registration

Businesses and Licenses

 

Class 3a - Revealing Family Sources

Interviewing Living Sources

Locating Personal Papers
    http://www.loc.gov/coll/nucmc/
   
http://www.uidaho.edu/special-collections/Other.Repositories.html

Finding Transcribed or Published Papers

    http://memory.loc.gov/

Class 3b - Acquiring Vital Records

Locating Vital Records Sources for an Area

Using Online Vital Records Indexes or Abstracts

Online Birth and Death Records

Online Marriage and Divorce Records

Ordering Copies of Vital Records

Other Online Sources of Vital Records

Traipsing through Virtual Cemeteries

Finding Online Cemetery Databases

Funeral Home Records

 

Class 4a - Finding Ancestors in the Census or Other Lists (Ch 7)

The U.S. Census

Accessing Census Images Online

Accessing Online Census Indexes or Abstracts

Census Substitutes

A Census Research Project

Class 4b - Visiting the Courthouse

Finding the Right Courthouse

Finding the Records

 

Class 5a - Coming to America: Immigration, Naturalization, and Ethnic Sources

Immigration and Naturalization Basics

Finding Immigrant Records on the Internet

A Real Family Example

Ethnic Sources at Home and Abroad

Class 5b - Finding Clues to Military Service

Types of Military Records

Finding Private Jones

Compiled Service Records

Pensions and Other Veterans Assistance

Military Background Information

 

Class 6a - Discovering Ancestors at Work and Worship

Working toward the American Dream

Freedom of Religion

Class 6b - Finding Ancestors in Unusual Places

The Poor, the Orphaned, and the Insane

Civil Cases of the Divorced or the Dissatisfied

Criminal Records at Every Level of Government

 

Class 7a - Using Libraries and Archives Effectively

From the Comfort of Your Home

Using Your Time Wisely

Searching for the Needle in the Haystack

Class 7b - Putting Your Ancestors in Context

Exploring an Area's Geography

Looking for an Ancestor's Property

Learning the History of an Area

Let's Talk about the Weather

 

Class 8a - Seeing Your Ancestors--in Pictures and in Print

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

Read All about It!

Class 8b - Sharing with Others

Joining a Genealogy Mailing List

Finding a Mailing List

Using Genealogy Message Boards or Bulletin Boards

Finding Your Family Tree on the Web

Sharing Your Research

Separating the Wheat from the Chaff

Being Considerate of Family Members

 

Class 9a - Now That You're Hooked . . .

Take an Online Genealogy Course

Join a Genealogical or Historical Society

Write Your Family History

Organize a Family Reunion

Old class outline