- Western massachusetts Librairies genealgy Collections
- West Springfield Public Library massachusetts Town & City Vital Records Collection
- Family-Search .. a free, on line internet database of established pedigrees; and the International Genealogical Index; both credited honest, and reasonably reliable databases; maintained b the LDS-Church of Later Day Saints, the Mormons.
Its content, obviously, is not Mormonism; and represents more than a century of records copying and collection by the LDS Church. Its content of ancestral files, certified pedigrees, vital records; may be copied for non commercial bona fide use - do not resell. Each family record's source is referenced there [ie microfilm/fiche of Town and County Vital Records].Tracing genealgy when a Mormon, enables the adherents of the 19th century founded religion (about 1830?) to embrace their ancestors with the religious enlightenment of their descendants. They have more source which I have not used at the genealogicl Libraries of their various Temples. The FamilySearch site also includes the entire US Census for 1880; and the British and Canadian Censuses for 1881; Social Security Death Indexes (which also in publicity self-help and police against identites fraud); nad an enlarging Vital Records database from Mexico.
- RootsWeb is a wonderful community of genealogists and family historians; and others sharing family tree information; vital records; and history. Its content is copyrighted afte presented on line; and may not be resold; but ay be freely used and freely copied or credited, quoted; linked etc for family history and other research.
It joins the whole genealogical community sponsored by RootsWeb of mailing lists -by surname; place name; state; etc. which share and rotate information; each of which maintains an archive and digest . .free on line.
Joined to that database, and with space sponsored by RootsWeb is the GenWeb project .. a genealogy Web whch maintains centers for genealogy by contry, state, and county, city etc. Theses are rich historical sources of free good date; sometimes providing large Vital records and family history transcriptions; and census transcriptions; with correspondents for distant records or history sources look-ups etc. Use the RootWweb Message Boards & Forums for information about place, and surnames.
The adverising of the RootsWeb sites pay for much of the database.RootsWeb co-operates with Ancestry.com ..which is a subscriptive database - Ancestry.com charges a fee to join and read its extensive database by intenet.
- New England Historical Genealogy Society - NEHGS Never a snob club - mainatinas an extensive source of records -some on line with indexes. One may join for a reasonable annual or family membership fee ($65-$90) whch includes the use of the internet site; and their library which is located in Boston on Newbury Street. While I have not yet joined (budget again) I have used extensively, their more than acentury old collection of their bound journal; with its index of places, surnames, and subjects. In this area (Western massachusetts), I use the over the state border Town Library (Kt Memorial) at Suffield, Ct.. That journal has voting lists from colonial town meetings; censuses; church and community vital records, registers or marriages; and deat; and births; re-publication of private family histories; with proper scholastic attribution. It may sometimes have land records, colonial immigrant ship passenger lsts and son. If your library has the journals bound; find an index, and use them. It is not a collectioon of puffery or brag stories; and relies on sound historigraphical source authentication.
- US Archives - My closest source is the Pittsfield, Ma. branch of NARA on the airport road in Pittsfield. Located just of US 7 & US 20 about 8 miles from the I-9 Mass Pike ..it is a great location for western New Englanders and upstate New Yorkers. So when Taconic-ing to the Saranac Lake home of the Phlharmonic or buzzing to tanglewood or Jaco's LAdder in the Berkshires or Vermont; drop in.
Named for former Congressman Silvio Conte, it contaisn extensive microfilm of all the US Censuses and indexes; and other Fdereal archives made available to the public: military records; immigration & naturalization information; histories etc. since independence and some before.
- Ancestry.com cooperates with RootsWeb and it has cross-referrals .. but apart from a few free leads ..Ancestry.com requires a subscription to use its internet images and records. I have not as yet joined them; not even their free trial offer -only because of budget or computer limitation. A brother in Virginia, Chas. M. Connolly, has provided a few leads (maybe 1% of all this) of something from a trial offer. They are recommended if your computer and budget sustain it; and have mllions of records.
- Town and City records look-ups ..without more,one may call a Town or City or County Clerk - if they're not too busy; and the staff is available to verify a death, bitrth or marriage by telephone; or mailing. Whnever the seraching is extensive -and they may include vacatoon times summers . they may charge a fee for mail or telephone research. Do your homework, and narrow down the time and costs. After that one may obtain from them; or the State Vital records Office a copy or a certified copy.
- DAR & SAR are Daughters adn SOns of the American Revolutionary War. If you believe your ancestor was a Patriot ..give them a click on the internet ..DAR with as much information as their form requires,and a volunteer DAR member will do a look-up if a Patriot record exists. Many libraries (Suffield Ct) also maintain the volumes of the DAR Patriot Index. One may also find smilar organizations for the various US Military & Naval history -US Civil War -Union & Confederate Service; War of 1812; Mexican War; the Spanish War; WWI, WWII, Korea; etc.. These are free services.
- Genealogy.com has an extenive on-line service; and a subscriptive database; and sells many CD's and books of family history; ship passenger lists etc. As to their free side ..I readily use the Message Boards-GenForum which contain 'postings' of information shared freely with others or references to other sources ..arranged by place or surname. (See also the RootsWeb Message Boards which too, are free and work the same.)
- The genealogical research work? You do it; as I do ..In my case, I have a couple of university degrees; and am apracticed litigating lawyer; and so have a good library users ease and comforst with reading and records and footnoting etc. If u don't like the work don;t doit. Frustrating? No .. but a hunt, and a pleasure if one likes history. Like a gardener at his own home -- you do it ..and it doesn't happen by the dreaming of it. As to relations getting a free share? Well you may be luckly enough to be the only one who cares in your family -a few may join you and benefit and share the work ..and good for you.And, once you've gotten theminterested your cousins have a start and can jump to their own tree. It may also enhance and preserve your community's history.
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