Genealogist Q&A
Whether you're an experienced genealogy enthusiast or just starting out, our Q&A section addresses the most frequently asked questions about family history research.
Got a Question About GenealogyBank.com?
Tom Kemp, director of our Genealogy Products, is here for your help. Tom is an acclaimed and experienced librarian, archivist, and author from around the world, specialising in genealogy for over 50 years. In today's Genealogist Q&A, he addresses some of the most frequently asked questions. Please be sure to download our free guide, "Getting Started Climbing Your Family Tree."
To begin, click on the genealogy questions below to see the answers. You can also download our free Search Tips Guide.
A, E, I, O, U and sometimes Y
I am often asked: Do you have Canadian newspapers in GenealogyBank?
Well, no we don't - but that's not the question you want to ask.
Tip: I have been researching my family tree for 45 years and I can tell you that you'll find the information on your family where you least expect to find it. Here's a wedding announcement for Alexander James Ross of Winnipeg, Manitoba and Mary Moore McArthur of Picton, Nova Scotia - they were married in Chicago 6 March 1882. (Inter Ocean 14 March 1882).GenealogyBank has over 3,800 newspapers - all of them published in the United States - but it has several million articles, records and documents on Canadians.Newspapers were published - every day.And everyday editors had to fill the next day's paper & they wanted to sell papers.So they pulled "news" from a wide circle of influence. Birth announcements, marriage announcements, and obituaries from small towns and big cities were included.Just like CNN or Fox News - the daily newspapers had to fill their pages with hard news. News that people wanted to read and that would sell subscriptions.If you are researching Canadian genealogy then GenealogyBank is an essential online tool.
Eastport, Maine is a small town on the Maine coast right on the border with New Brunswick, Canada.As you would expect this newspaper regularly carried birth, death and marriage announcements from the Canadian side of the border.Look at this example of marriage notices published in the 29 March 1828 Eastport ME) Sentinnel. Look at the places mentioned "Lubec" - "Dennysville" - "St. Andrews" - "Antigua" - "St. Stephens" and "Charlotte". Towns on both sides of the border and "Antigua" refers to the island nation of Antigua.
Nothing unusual here - just a typical day with a newspaper editor packing his paper with the information his readers wanted to read.
Just like GenealogyBank - everyday we pack in more resources that genealogists need and rely on. You're not finished with your research until you've searched the newspapers in GenealogyBank.