Research Site on the Web
Some places to get started with….
See this page for notes about how to begin your journey of discovery:
https://genealogytruth.com/begin-your-journey/
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Ancestry.com
One of the oldest and best genealogy websites. A huge collection of searchable databases with a family tree builder and other features for paid members.
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FamilySearch.org
Operated by the LDS Church, but is open to everyone. Their Family History Centers house one of the largest genealogical collections in the world and much of it is online.
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Vital Records
This includes records about major life events, such as birth, death, and marriage records. These can be ordered directly from the agency that stores them but many can also be found in existing online databases.
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Census Records
For every decade since 1790, the U.S. has collected national census data. Census records can be very helpful, especially because they cover such a broad range of years. They can help fill in the gaps when other records do not exist. Among many things, they can help track movement of family members across time and help with corroboration of other documents.
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Find a Grave
World’s largest gravesite collection.
Over 250 million memorials created by the community since 1995. This might be a partial workaround for paying for birth certificates to find the death dates of relatives..
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Other Records
Military service records
Wills, probate, and other court records
Church records, including births, baptisms and christenings, marriages, and burials
Citizenship and naturalization applications
Social Security records
Land deeds
Newspapers
…and more
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USGenWeb
Since 1996, The USGenWeb® Project has been a cornerstone of the online genealogy community, offering free access to historical and genealogical resources across the United States. What began as a simple collection of text-based directories has grown into a robust, volunteer-driven network of over 3,000 interlinked websites, each rich with unique, locally curated content.
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Records at Home
Family photo albums
Birth announcements
Wedding invitations
Memorial service programs
Report cards and other school records
Your own birth certificate
A family Bible
Family heirlooms
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