Let us just get right to it. Did you look at your female ancestors last week? If you had some you were stuck on, did you make a list of the potential documents they may have produced?

I have one I have been working on for a long time. She is my 2x great grandmother. I am going to give it a try using this tip, while listening to Gloria Estefan “Conga. ” I hope my fingers can keep up…Turning it off.

Here is my initial list:

• Census records – her and her parents, her alone, her and spouse
• Birth records - hers
• Marriage records
• Vital records of children
• City Directories
• Death records
• School records
• Court records
• Church records
• Cemetery records
• Pension applications
• Newspaper articles

The census is the only real evidence with her spouse and on son’s death record there is a maiden name. Some censuses with her potential parents say Indian Sands, Wisconsin but again nothing to collaborate. It is possible that I have to look in Canada as she potentially may have moved somewhere there. I have a pension request she made which actually helps verify her marriage to my 2x GG as it names his son which is her stepson, oops.

Boy, do I have some digging to do still. I am just going to have to take one of these potential documents at a time and turn over every stone I can think of.  Good thing I’m retired.

In the meantime, RootsTech registration is open. If you haven’t done this before it is a great conference with 100s of speakers/presentations. If you sign up for the virtual conference, it is free. You can create a playlist of classes you are interested in ahead of time and watch them at your convenience. Where to sign up? FamilySearch.org.

Also, here is a link to checkout, History Hub. This is a blog on NARA. You can post questions or respond to posts and get general research suggestions. Browse through the site to see what is available and how you can connect with others on it. Go to www.archives.gov then to the bottom to find information for Genealogists. Just scroll down to the Hub and browse.

This is a link to a video about it, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgKPxj4-0QE.

I’m off to listen to “Conga” or find this mysterious 2xGGma or take fall photos or walk the dog. (am I stalling – YES).

Heidi Geise, education@hqrl.org