Genealogy research guide

Genealogy is one of the most popular hobbies in the United States, and genealogical sites are the second most popular destination on the Internet. Worthington Libraries provide materials in all forms to help the family researcher produce a history that is complete and of high quality.

Getting started

Genealogy projects can easily seem overwhelming, but getting off to the right start saves time and effort. Computer programs have aided immensely in recording-keeping, even for the beginner. Many basic books on genealogy can be found in the reference or circulating book section with the number 929. If you're a real beginner, these titles will give you some guidance on how to start:

• Genealogy Online for Dummies by Matthew Helm and April Leigh Helm. 2001. [929.1028 HEL]
  Computers and the Internet have revolutionized genealogical searching and record-keeping.
• Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy by Val D. Greenwood. 2000. [929.1 GRE]
  The best single book that covers every aspect of genealogical research, from handwriting forms to land records.

Once you have some idea of research techniques, some recommended titles for research are:

• The Census Book: A Genealogist's Guide to Federal Census Facts, Schedules and Indexes by William Dollarhide. 1999. [R 929.1 DOL (OWL)]
  This book presents a comprehensive review of U. S. Federal Census facts, schedules and indexes, with citations to available CD-ROMs.
• Complete Beginner's Guide to Genealogy, the Internet, and Your Genealogy Computer Program by Karen Clifford. 2001. [929.1028 CLI (OWL)]
  The author shows how to combine new technologies with sound research principles to produce a family history notebook.
• Everton's Genealogical Helper magazine. Bimonthly. [MAG EVERTON'S]
  This magazine is full of valuable hints and tips, and has a companion web site.
• Evidence! Citation and Analysis for the Family Historian by Elizabeth S. Mills. 1997. [929.1 MIL]
  This guide explains genealogical standards and analysis, so a family history can be completely accurate.
• Map Guide to the U. S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920 by William Thorndale and William Dollarhide. 1987. [R 929.3 THO (OWL)]
  The Map Guide shows county boundaries at 10-year intervals, with lists of defunct counties. Background information on each census includes its accuracy and other technical information.
• Tracing Your Family History by Arthur Adolf. 2004. [929.1 ADO (OWL)]
  A newer guide to the how-to's of genealogy.

Getting Professional...

• Becoming an Accredited Genealogist by Karen Clifford. 1998. [929.1 CLI]
  Genealogy's popularity can provide opportunities for an interesting and challenging career.

Getting Specific

America's melting pot has brought together people from all over the world. Genealogical records vary from country to country. Titles that provide specific aid include:

• Black Roots, A Beginner's Guide to Tracing the African American Family Tree by Tony Burroughs. 2001. [929.1089 BUR]
  A fun and easy-to-use guide by a leading African American genealogist.
• Finding Your Hispanic Roots by George R. Ryskamp. 1997. [929.1 RYS]
  The most comprehensive manual on Hispanic ancestry available.
• In Search of Your Asian Roots: Genealogical Research on Chinese Surnames by Sheau-yueh J. Chao. 2000. [929.1 CHA (OWL)]
  China has a genealogical history reaching back 3,000 years. This book provides a key to tracing the point of origin of Chinese family names.
• A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your English Ancestors by Paul Milner and Linda Jonas. 2000. [929.0721]
  Includes tips on locating records both here and abroad, deciphering original documents, planning a research trip and putting an ancestor's records in historical context.
• In Search of Your German Roots: A Complete Guide to Tracing Your Ancestors in Every Country In Europe by Angus Baxter. 2001. [929.1 BAX]
  An invaluable resource that traces ancestries in all German-speaking areas of Europe, from the Crimea to the Baltic.
• Tracing Your Irish Ancestors: The Complete Guide by John Grenham. 1999. [929.1072 GRE]
  A detailed and comprehensive guide to Irish genealogy.
• Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry by Kathleen B. Cory. 1996. [929.1 COR]
  This title provides step-by-step instructions to tracing Scottish ancestry.

Once you have found the geographical location of the information you are looking for, to determine where and how to get specific records, consult:

• International Vital Records Handbook by Thomas J. Kemp. 2000. [R 929.3 KEM]

Getting in the State

Central Ohio has many unique genealogical resource centers. Old Worthington Library has the Worthington Room, which contains specialized material for searching local genealogy and archives. These resources may be in book form or microfilm. A brief selection follows:

• Abstracts from Miscellaneous Delaware County Newspapers, 1821-1857. 1992. [R 929.3 ABS (OWL)]
  Abstracts of Obituaries, Death Notices and Funeral Notices from the Delaware Gazette by Marilyn Cryder. 1993. [R 929.3 CRY (OWL)]
  This two-volume series provides abstracts of deaths and funerals from local papers for the northern Franklin County and Delaware County area from 1821 through 1889.
• Early Ohio Tax Records compiled by Esther Weygant Powell. 1993. [R 929.3 EAR (OWL)]
  A list of taxpayers in Ohio from 1810 to 1825, arranged chronologically by county, with a separate name index.
• Genealogical Research in Ohio, second edition by Kip Sperry. 2003. [929.1 SPE]
  Ohio is a state settled by migration, and Sperry's book gives a thorough introduction to the many archives and libraries in Ohio.
• Ohio Wills and Estates to 1850: An Index by Carol Willsey Bell. 1981. [R 929.3 BEL (OWL)]
  A massive index to county probate court records for Ohio arranged by name.

Microfilm sources include:

• Delaware Gazette 1855-1881 [R 977.1535 DEL (OWL)]
• Delaware Patron 1824-1829 [R 977.1535 DEL (OWL)]
• Freeman's Chronicle 1812-1814 [R 977.157 FRE (OWL)]
• Franklin Chronicle 1821-1823 [R 977.1535 DEL (OWL)]
• Olentangy Gazette 1840-1855 [R 977.1535 OLE (OWL)]
• Public Opinion 1889-1930 [R 977.156 PUB (OWL)]
• United States Census. Franklin County 1830-1920 [R 929.3 UNI (OWL)]
  Census microfilm for Franklin County, Ohio.
• Westerville Review 1880-1885 [R 977.156 WES (OWL)]
• Western Intelligencer 1812-1814 [R 977.156 WES (OWL)]

Microfilmed census records for areas outside Franklin County may be requested free of charge in the Worthington Room at Old Worthington Library with a valid Discovery Place card. Microfilm reels are borrowed from the National Archives Microfilm rental program. It may take four to six weeks for film to arrive. Indexes for the census film are available in paper or online at National Archives . Search the site for "Census Microfilm."

Getting to Surf

It is always advisable to use caution in searching the Internet. Information is only as good as its source, which is not always easy to determine especially in genealogy, where there are no authoritative central agencies. Much of the information, even in published family histories, may be misleading family legends, rather than fact. Information posted on the Internet may be well-researched and factual or, with the best will in the world, may be composed of rumors and wishful thinking. Use your critical intelligence when you are looking at genealogical information on the Internet.

Genealogy is one of the leading subjects on the Internet. Web sources make it easy to find and share information. Much of the information a genealogist needs is NOT on the Internet, but valuable resources can be found there. Some popular sites are:

• Social Security Death Index
  Death dates for those Americans who received Social Security benefits can be found through several gateways, including rootsweb and Ancestry.com.
• AncestryPlus, Ancestry.com (database)
  This portion of the Ancestry.com page is available free of charge to library patrons while in the library. It is easy to use, and has the most complete free census information. You can link to the fee-based portion of the site from the free area.
• HeritageQuest Genealogy and Local History (database)
  This site has full-text genealogy and local history books, along with some census records. The census pages are easier to read and copy than AncestryPlus, but not as complete. The books are fully searchable by name and location.
• Cyndislist.com
  Probably the best-known gateway, with links to thousands of genealogy sites on the Internet. The site is free, but contains links to fee-based sites.
• USGENWEB PROJECT
  This is a free site staffed by volunteers working together to provide Internet genealogical research in every county and state in the U. S. Obviously, some areas of the project are more complete than others. Many WPA records have been made available online through this project.
• ROOTSWEB
  This is a gateway site, with a busy listserv for asking and answering questions. Links to volunteer lookups, and lots of message boards.
• FamilySearch
  Sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church, this site enables users to search a database which will eventually have 600 million names, extracted from vital records worldwide. Heavy usage means this site may sometimes be slow.
• Ellis Island Records
  This is the site that searches immigration records from the port of entry of many Americans' ancestors. Variant spellings and other problems plague this site, which is also slow due to heavy usage. However, it's still a chance to find out where and with whom your ancestors crossed the Atlantic. A useful interface may be found at http://home.pacbell.net/spmorse/ellis/ellis.html.
• Family Tree Maker Online Search
  This commercial site allows you to search a huge collection of family pedigree charts and general genealogy information.
• Genealogy Gateways from OPLIN
  This is an entry to the genealogical gateways provided by the Ohio Public Library Information Network.
• The Official Land Patents Records Site
  This unusual site, a U. S. government database, provides image access to more than two million federal land title records for the Eastern Public Land States (12 states in all, including Ohio) issued between 1820 and 1908. Certified copies of land patents can be requested, for official documentation.
• Worthington Cemeteries
  Three cemeteries, Walnut Grove, with 8,000 burials; St. John's Episcopal Church Cemetery; and the Flint Road Cemetery, can each be searched from this site. Slightly different information is available on each site. Select the shortcut from the drop-down menu on the Worthington community web page.
• Genealogical Reference from the Internet Public Library
  Information that may be helpful in finding and/or interpreting records of the descent of a person, family or group from an ancestor or ancestors has been assembled by the IPL.
• Colonial Records of Connecticut
  This full-text database has digital images of colonial records from 1636 to 1776, with an alphabetical index. Many of Ohio's settlers came from Connecticut.
• Hayes Presidential Center Library
  The Hayes Presidential Library Center has put its obituary database of local newspapers on the Web. Over 200,000 records are indexed. There is no fee to use the index, but there is a nominal charge for copies of the obituaries.

Genealogical Resource Centers in Central Ohio

Many genealogical records are available only in paper or microfilm at a specific site. Some local collections of interest are:

Delaware County Historical Society
Delaware County Genealogical Society
157 E. William St., P. O. Box 317
Delaware, Ohio 43015-0315
740-369-3831

Franklin County Genealogical & Historical Society
Harrison House
570 W. Broad St. (corner of Gift and Broad), P. O. Box 44309
Columbus, OH 43204-0309
614-469-1300

State Library of Ohio
274 E. First Ave.
Columbus, OH 43201

Palatines to America
German Genealogy Society Library
611 E. Weber Road
Columbus, OH 43211
614-267-4700

Getting the "gene" in genealogy

Not sure where to begin your quest for genetic genealogy information? Start with these online resources specifically geared toward those new to the field of genetic DNA research.

• DNA for Newbies
  A forum for those new to the field of genetic genealogy, this resource from the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) offers answers to basic questions, information about the different testing companies available, DNA lessons, and helpful diagrams.
• DNA-Newbie Newsgroup
  Curious about genetic genealogy but not quite sure what to ask or where to start? This yahoo group, sponsored by ISOGG, is dedicated to providing information about genetic genealogy to beginners.

DNA Testing Companies

The first step in determining your genetic ancestry is to get tested. A variety of testing companies exist offering different types of tests and price ranges. Do your research and select a test that closely matches your goals and finances. Remember, as with most purchases, that you get what you pay for. Here are a few options to explore.

• AfricanDNA
  This testing company offers mtDNA and Y-chromosome testing along with a Genealogy Research starter package in combination with DNA testing.
• DNA Ancestry
  Ancestry will explain and help you choose a mitochondrial mtDNA or Y-chromosome lineage test and find leads based on DNA testing, surnames, geography and haplogroups.
• DNA Heritage
  Offers DNA testing for both amateur and professional genealogists, including Surname, Paternal and Maternal, this site also includes Surname projects, a masterclass feature, FAQ's, and a blog.
• DNA Tribes
  DNA Tribes is a private firm specializing in genetic ancestry analysis, including both geographical analysis of world populations and the comparison of individuals to living populations and world regions. They offer Genetic Ancestry Analysis, Standard 15 Marker and Premium 21 Marker tests, and add on analyses.
• Ethnoancestry
  Ethnoancestry offers tests of paternal and maternal genetic ancestry including Haploview, Oppenheimer Clan DNA Test, Deep Haplogroup SNP Tests, Custom SNP Test, amd mtDNA tests.
• Family Genetics
  Family Genetics provides insights into genetic relatedness, genetic ancestry and historical migration patterns over thousands of years. They offer Y-chromosome, mtDNA, and Y-STR testing.
• Family Tree DNA
  Offers Y-chromosome, mtDNA, combined y chromosome and mtDNA tests, XSTR DNA tests for males and females, and other specialty testing services.
• Genebase
  This company offers maternal, paternal and combo ancestry packages and many search and analysis features.
• The National Geographic Genographic Project
  A five-year research partnership between National Geographic and IBM researchers, this project uses cutting-edge genetic and computational technologies to analyze historical patterns in DNA from participants around the world. Here you can purchase a Genographic Participation Kit that tests either mtDNA or Y-chromosome.
• Oxford Ancestors
  A venture backed by Oxford University to harness the power and precision of modern genetics in the service of genealogy, this company offers maternal and paternal genetic testing.

DNA databases

Once you have tested your mt-DNA or Y-DNA you can enter your DNA into one of the many DNA databases available. This will allow you to see if and how closely you match with anyone. Here are some databases to start with.

• Mito-search
  A free public service that allows individuals that have tested with companies to make their results available for comparison, this database includes added tools that allow you to compare side-by-side different users as well as many other features.
• Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF)
  A non-profit organization dedicated to building the world's foremost collection of DNA and corresponding genealogical information Y-chromosome DNA results, the Sorenson database contains Mitochondrial DNA results and pedigree charts.
• Ybase
  A database for genealogists to connect with their paternal relatives through DNA. Search by name or haplotype on 36 Y-chromosome markers.
• Y-STR Haplotype Reference Database (YHRD)
  This database is interactive and allows the user the search for Y-STR haplotypes in various formats and within specified metapopulations.
• Y-search
  A free public service from family tree DNA, with several tools that allow you to compare side-by-side different users and many other features, including the upload of GEDCOM files.

Additional information

• Cyndi's DNA List
  A small part of the well known genealogical gateway Cyndi's list, this site contains a wealth of genetic genealogy links, such as general resource sites; ethnic groups and localities; family health history; genograms; mailing lists, newsgroups and chat; professional services and DNA testing; publications, software and supplies; and surname studies and projects.
• DNA Channel on Roots Television
  Part of Roots Television, an online television network by and for avid genealogists and family history lovers of all stripes, the DNA Channel offers free video clips on a variety of genetic genealogy topics.
• The Genetic Genealogist
  This blog examines the intersection of traditional genealogical techniques and modern genetic research and explores the latest news and developments in the related field of personal genomics.
• The International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG)
  Founded in 2005 by DNA project administrators, The International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) exists to advocate for and educate about the use of genetics as a tool for genealogical research, and promote a supportive network for genetic genealogists. Their website contains helpful information for both beginning and advanced genetic genealogists.
• World Families
  Evolving from the Barton DNA project, this site now offers information and hosting services to surname DNA projects including testing information and forums.

revised September 2009