Family History Archives - Mountain Press and Southern Genealogy Books

Beyond the Birth, Marriage and Death Dates

In our research into the past history of our families and others, we often tend to want to fill in the dates and maybe some locations of each of our individuals. When we finish, if we ever do, we have created just the skeleton of the family. Where is the meat on the bones? We have the “what, where and when” in our scheme of things, but not the “why or how” of things. It might be of interest to know that great grandfather was born in 1840. We might…

Family History and Reunions

James L. Douthat

Summer is upon us and that usually brings a rash of family reunions. If you are the one to plan the reunion, it can be a challenge to say the least. We share a meal, catch up with our relatives, maybe take a group photograph and everyone leaves for another year. However, is that all there is to a family reunion? Perhaps this year you can introduce some things into the festivities that will spark a little interest in the genealogy of the family. We have a large family reunion…

Family History Genealogy

Beginning Again

James L. Douthat

The New Year is a time to begin all over again in our genealogical research. I don’t mean to toss out all that you have done for all those years. Instead, this is the time to revisit that research. Do you realize that in the past twelve months, there have been tens of thousands of new records surfaced to aide your research? Nearly every day in our office, we find new information in some of the strangest of places. The information might just be the one piece of the puzzle…

Family History Genealogy

Preserving Memories

James L. Douthat

Genealogy is more than just name, dates and places. The real heart of genealogy is an understanding of the time and events of the day in which our ancestors lived. With most of us celebrating the time between Thanksgiving and New Years, it is the perfect time to gather as much information as you can from the living in your family to at least grasp the life and times of those in memory. As your family gathers during the holidays, keep pen and paper handy. You will want to start…

Court Records Family History Genealogy

Surname Spellings

James L. Douthat

In genealogy, we are all researching at least one if not multiple surnames. Most of us are aware that many of the names we are researching may come with different spellings. Take for example the name Faris. I was working on this surname with a friend of mine as he could not find anything on his grandfather. As we drove over to the county we were going to research, I commented that we would look for Farris and Fariss as well as Faris. He assured me that it was only…

Family History Genealogy Obituaries

Finding Your Ancestors in the Obituaries

James L. Douthat

One of our subscribers contacted me a few days ago and asked about finding an obituary for his Grandpa in the mid-1880s. The first couple of things one has to remember about obituaries is that every newspaper that prints them is different. The policy regarding their inclusion in the paper varied with each editor/owner. Some papers considered these a courtesy to the reader, while others placed these in the unnecessary category and could leave them out at will. Today, most newspapers contain these only for a fee. Like the lady…

1850 Census Family History Genealogy

Using the 1850 Census in your Genealogy Research

James L. Douthat

In your research, one of the primary sources everyone must consult at one time or another is the Census. The Census was a process of counting individuals in the United States that Congress authorized to be done every ten years beginning in 1790. From the first Census in 1790 up through 1840, only the names of the heads of households were used. Therefore, starting in 1850, we find other names of those living in the household as well. For many, this is the real start of their search. Let us…

Family History Genealogy

Black Holes of Genealogy

James L. Douthat

In a study of outer space scientists have discovered “black holes” which are places in space where matter disappears. This is where our great-grandfather ended up, or so it seems. Some of our ancestors just disappear into thin air. We keep looking but cannot find them. Case in point – John Anderson, born May 5, 1750 the son of William and Elizabeth [Reid] Anderson of Augusta County, Virginia. John moved about 1773 to the real outback of society to the head of Carter’s Valley in what is now Scott County,…

1840 Federal Census Family History Genealogy

1840 Federal Census

James L. Douthat

Everyone has “brick walls” in their research. In many cases, it is because they did not gather all of the information they had in hand from the beginning. Since I started in my teens to do genealogical research, I’ve had to repeat my steps many times. We did not have copy machines, computers, microfilm/fiche readers nor any of the great helps we have today. This meant a lot of mistakes and I copied minimal records at the time. The 1840 Federal Census is one of those sources we all consult…