One of the best resources you have is your local public library. Most have some kind of genealogy room. Some even host the local genealogical society.
The three libraries I am most familiar with are the ones I will talk about today. They are the Boone-Madison Public Library, Ritchie County Public Library, and Martinsburg Berkeley County Public Library.
Boone-Madison Public Library is a special place for me. It is the place I first found others looking into their family trees. And as it happened they were looking at different branches of my tree. I learned the basics of genealogy there. The library is also home to the Boone County Genealogical Society, the group I went to when I first started. They were, and are, a bunch of knowledgeable, helpful people.
Ritchie County Public Library moved into a new building last year. The have a nice "genealogy room" on the second floor. They mostly have local genealogy items, but they do have a pretty good selection of West Virginia historical books. I even found a book on Pocahontas County there that has some of my relative in it. If you need documents from the courthouse, it is only about 3 blocks away. So if your are in Ritchie County, it is a good place to make your base.
This leaves my current local library, Martinsburg Berkeley County Public Library. Both the library itself and it's online resources make it a good tool for genealogical research. They have a nice genealogical/WV history room and a fairly large selection of books about West Virginia. They have a library subscription to Ancestry.com that you can use on a PC in the library if you have a library card. Using your library card you can also access Heritage Quest's US Census database and images even from home. The library also has a link to WV Info Depot, which allows free access to archived newspapers in West Virginia, the US and some foreign papers as well. Contact me if you want the ID and password, or better yet, go to your local library in West Virginia and ask them for it.
The library is one of the best and cheapest sources for a genealogist, not only in the information they contain, but in the work space they provide. And happy, helpful librarians done hurt either.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Millie NELSON found!
When I first got interested in genealogy, my Mother told me about the story of Millie Nelson.
Apparently Millie, who was not married, came up from North Carolina with her brother Joe, her three children, and a bunch of other Nelson relatives sometime in the 1830's. Talk about scandal! This was extremely scandalous for the time period and for the family.
Of course, I wanted to know more, enquiring minds and all that. So I borrowed my Mother's copy of the "Branches of Turtle Creek" by W. W. Nelson and started reading. Not much more information was available.
It goes on to talk about the brothers and then it talks about Millie. With no mention of a husband, it talks about her seven children and a bit about each one. Nothing too scandalous there.
Flash forward about 40 years. I recently saw my aunt at my step-father's funeral. At the dinner afterward, she turned to me and said, "I found Millie."
I sat there for a few seconds and about 3 different Millies ran through my brain. I asked, "Millie Olden?"
And she said, "No, Millie Nelson."
I asked her where she had found the information and she said from a website. I asked her to send me the link.
I went to the house that night and did a web search on Millie Nelson. The last time I had searched was about seven years ago and did not find anything. Right off the bat I found not one, but two websites.
The first was a forum for the Genealogy(.)com site. It listed Millie, her children, her brothers, and... her parents and grandparents in the Nelson line. They had indeed come from North Carolina!
The source listed for this site was the second site I had found in my web search. I found it to be well organized, apparently well sourced, and full of information.
Of course I copied down the information and the sources to check. I didn't just copy and paste the new information into my tree. (More on why in a future post.) I am now in the process of going through and verifying the sources for the information. I don't want errors creeping into my tree. If it all holds together, then I will have taken back the Nelsons two more generations than I currently have. I also have some ideas for sources that would add to the information I found.
A week after the funeral, my aunt got home and emailed me the link she promised. It was the same as the second site I found in my search.
Just because you looked for something and didn't find it, doesn't mean the information isn't out there. It just means you didn't find it. Look through your family tree and see if you have a "brick wall" you haven't looked at in a while. Check again, you may be pleasantly surprised.
If you have any questions or comments, or if you find you are related to me, I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment or send me an email.
See Ya Later!
Apparently Millie, who was not married, came up from North Carolina with her brother Joe, her three children, and a bunch of other Nelson relatives sometime in the 1830's. Talk about scandal! This was extremely scandalous for the time period and for the family.
Of course, I wanted to know more, enquiring minds and all that. So I borrowed my Mother's copy of the "Branches of Turtle Creek" by W. W. Nelson and started reading. Not much more information was available.
"About 1838, it seems, a whole colony of Nelsons and near relatives came up from North Carolina to what is now Boone County -- but what relation each one was to the other is a question that no one seems to be able to answer."
It goes on to talk about the brothers and then it talks about Millie. With no mention of a husband, it talks about her seven children and a bit about each one. Nothing too scandalous there.
Flash forward about 40 years. I recently saw my aunt at my step-father's funeral. At the dinner afterward, she turned to me and said, "I found Millie."
I sat there for a few seconds and about 3 different Millies ran through my brain. I asked, "Millie Olden?"
And she said, "No, Millie Nelson."
I asked her where she had found the information and she said from a website. I asked her to send me the link.
I went to the house that night and did a web search on Millie Nelson. The last time I had searched was about seven years ago and did not find anything. Right off the bat I found not one, but two websites.
The first was a forum for the Genealogy(.)com site. It listed Millie, her children, her brothers, and... her parents and grandparents in the Nelson line. They had indeed come from North Carolina!
The source listed for this site was the second site I had found in my web search. I found it to be well organized, apparently well sourced, and full of information.
Of course I copied down the information and the sources to check. I didn't just copy and paste the new information into my tree. (More on why in a future post.) I am now in the process of going through and verifying the sources for the information. I don't want errors creeping into my tree. If it all holds together, then I will have taken back the Nelsons two more generations than I currently have. I also have some ideas for sources that would add to the information I found.
A week after the funeral, my aunt got home and emailed me the link she promised. It was the same as the second site I found in my search.
Just because you looked for something and didn't find it, doesn't mean the information isn't out there. It just means you didn't find it. Look through your family tree and see if you have a "brick wall" you haven't looked at in a while. Check again, you may be pleasantly surprised.
If you have any questions or comments, or if you find you are related to me, I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment or send me an email.
See Ya Later!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
My Current Most Used Site
Welcome (or welcome back) to Mountain Roots.
Today I am going to write about my favorite vital records site. Anyone care to guess what it is?
It is a vital (excuse the pun) resource for anyone looking up family history information in West Virginia. And the best thing about it is it's free!
I am talking about the West Virginia Vital Records Search Page maintained by West Virginia Archives and History. I am almost always using it. I am amazed at what I can find there and am equally amazed that the fine folks in our State government provide it to everyone.
The site is basically a database of births, marriages, and deaths in West Virginia. Each record in the database is linked to an image. For births, the image is usually a whole page from the county's birth record book. Death record's images are usually from the county's death record book. Frequently there is an image of the actual death certificate as well. In a lot of cases, the older marriage records in some counties are the "old timey" full or half page marriage record.
If you have as many West Virginia ancestors as I do it is virtually one-stop shopping. (Did I mention the site is free?)
Once you have found the record you are looking for, you can save the image to your computer. Don't forget to document the search terms you used and the URL of the image, so you can look them up later. I have a folder on my computer that is full of ancestor's records I have not added to my tree or documented fully yet.
There are a couple of issues with this site. I don't consider them major issues, but I think you should know what they are anyway.
Almost all of the images are formatted in such a way that when you try to print them out, the image is squished and distorted. I have not found this a big issue because I am more interested with the information contained in the images and transcribing the information. The images on your screen will be large and detailed.
The other issue is that the database is not always accurate. But you will find this issue in just about any genealogical database. The issue comes down to trying to decipher the old and sometimes faded handwritten records into names, dates, and places. But if you are really into genealogy, this is the kind of thing you love. Trying to puzzle out who, where, and when is a lot of fun.
Remember, this site does not list all births, marriages, and deaths in West Virginia. For privacy reasons, they have limited the years in their database. The cut-off years are different for births, marriages, and deaths. There is also some difference in what years each county covers. See the site for a listing of what records are available for what counties in what years.
For the records it does contain, it sure beats a trip to multiple county courthouses. If you need help with this site or some tips, please let me know, I would be happy to help.
Let me know what you think of the site!
Today I am going to write about my favorite vital records site. Anyone care to guess what it is?
It is a vital (excuse the pun) resource for anyone looking up family history information in West Virginia. And the best thing about it is it's free!
I am talking about the West Virginia Vital Records Search Page maintained by West Virginia Archives and History. I am almost always using it. I am amazed at what I can find there and am equally amazed that the fine folks in our State government provide it to everyone.
The site is basically a database of births, marriages, and deaths in West Virginia. Each record in the database is linked to an image. For births, the image is usually a whole page from the county's birth record book. Death record's images are usually from the county's death record book. Frequently there is an image of the actual death certificate as well. In a lot of cases, the older marriage records in some counties are the "old timey" full or half page marriage record.
If you have as many West Virginia ancestors as I do it is virtually one-stop shopping. (Did I mention the site is free?)
Once you have found the record you are looking for, you can save the image to your computer. Don't forget to document the search terms you used and the URL of the image, so you can look them up later. I have a folder on my computer that is full of ancestor's records I have not added to my tree or documented fully yet.
There are a couple of issues with this site. I don't consider them major issues, but I think you should know what they are anyway.
Almost all of the images are formatted in such a way that when you try to print them out, the image is squished and distorted. I have not found this a big issue because I am more interested with the information contained in the images and transcribing the information. The images on your screen will be large and detailed.
The other issue is that the database is not always accurate. But you will find this issue in just about any genealogical database. The issue comes down to trying to decipher the old and sometimes faded handwritten records into names, dates, and places. But if you are really into genealogy, this is the kind of thing you love. Trying to puzzle out who, where, and when is a lot of fun.
Remember, this site does not list all births, marriages, and deaths in West Virginia. For privacy reasons, they have limited the years in their database. The cut-off years are different for births, marriages, and deaths. There is also some difference in what years each county covers. See the site for a listing of what records are available for what counties in what years.
For the records it does contain, it sure beats a trip to multiple county courthouses. If you need help with this site or some tips, please let me know, I would be happy to help.
Let me know what you think of the site!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
First Things First
OK, so you want to start finding out where and how people fit on your family tree. You don't need to find a book at the library, you don't need to log on to the internet, and you don't have to pay money to one of those "Book about your Surname" books you see advertised. Amazingly enough all you need is paper and a pencil or pen.
Your family tree search begins where it should begin, with you and your family. Yes, you are your first resource. Just sit down and write out the facts you know. When and where you were born. What are the names of your parents? Do you have siblings? Write them down, too. Did your family move while your were growing up? List the places you lived and the approximate time you lived there. Remember, if you don't have all the answers now, that is OK. Just mark them for researching later.
Now, list, if you know, where and when your siblings were born. List when and where your parents were born. Then start on your grandparents. You probably know more than your think. Continue listing parent's siblings and grandparent's siblings if you know them. Do you know any of your great-grandparent? Write them down, too.
Have you amazed yourself at how much you remember? Look over what you have written down. Do you see anything you don't know? Are there any gaps? Make a list of the things you don't know. Things like: What was my father's mother's maiden name? What is the name of my mother's oldest brother?
Congratulations, you now have the beginnings of your family tree. And you even have your first list of things to research. Over weeks and months to come, I will be sharing what to do with what you have written and where you can go to find the answers you are looking for.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment for me or send me an email.
Your family tree search begins where it should begin, with you and your family. Yes, you are your first resource. Just sit down and write out the facts you know. When and where you were born. What are the names of your parents? Do you have siblings? Write them down, too. Did your family move while your were growing up? List the places you lived and the approximate time you lived there. Remember, if you don't have all the answers now, that is OK. Just mark them for researching later.
Now, list, if you know, where and when your siblings were born. List when and where your parents were born. Then start on your grandparents. You probably know more than your think. Continue listing parent's siblings and grandparent's siblings if you know them. Do you know any of your great-grandparent? Write them down, too.
Have you amazed yourself at how much you remember? Look over what you have written down. Do you see anything you don't know? Are there any gaps? Make a list of the things you don't know. Things like: What was my father's mother's maiden name? What is the name of my mother's oldest brother?
Congratulations, you now have the beginnings of your family tree. And you even have your first list of things to research. Over weeks and months to come, I will be sharing what to do with what you have written and where you can go to find the answers you are looking for.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment for me or send me an email.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Surname Listing is Up
I put my list of Surnames up. There is a link near the top of the left hand column. So far I have sixty-eight different surnames listed. I will be updating as I find more to add. If one of them is yours, I wouldn't mind hearing from you.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Welcome to Mountain Roots
Hi, my name is Leigh Ervine. I have been interested in genealogy for most of my life. I think I first got the "bug" when I was about 10 years old and have been pursuing it on and (mostly) off ever since.
Through the years I have made some progress in extending my family tree back a few generations. Along the way I picked up a few tricks and tips I will be passing on to you.
I expect to update this blog at least once a week, but probably more frequently.
If you are just beginning your search or if you have spent the past 50 years stuck at a "brick wall", maybe something you see here will give you a spark.
This blog will not get very far without readers and collaborators. I have some ideas on where I think this blog should go. But I welcome and encourage your ideas too. You are very much urged to ask questions, make suggestions, tell a story, and collaborate. We are all working towards the same goal.
If you are coming here to find quick answers to your genealogical questions, you have probably come to the wrong place. Genealogy takes some time, even when aided by software and the Internet. You will not find my family tree here online. I like my privacy. I will share my family tree with those who are researching the same family or if we have a possible common ancestor.
You will find a list of Surname and Locations I either have already researched or am currently researching listed on the Surnames Page found in the left hand column. (Currently working on it. It will be up shortly. It is up now.)
You will find helpful links to genealogical sites in the right hand column. They will be put up as I talk about them here on the blog. If you have a favorite let me know.
You will find genealogical blogs and a short list of my other blogs listed in the left hand column. These blogs will be listed as I talk about them. These blogs will either be about genealogy in general or genealogy in West Virginia.
If you don't see your favorite genealogy site or genealogy blog listed, send me a comment or email.
EXPLORE, QUESTION, SUGGEST! I look forward to hearing from you.
Through the years I have made some progress in extending my family tree back a few generations. Along the way I picked up a few tricks and tips I will be passing on to you.
I expect to update this blog at least once a week, but probably more frequently.
If you are just beginning your search or if you have spent the past 50 years stuck at a "brick wall", maybe something you see here will give you a spark.
This blog will not get very far without readers and collaborators. I have some ideas on where I think this blog should go. But I welcome and encourage your ideas too. You are very much urged to ask questions, make suggestions, tell a story, and collaborate. We are all working towards the same goal.
If you are coming here to find quick answers to your genealogical questions, you have probably come to the wrong place. Genealogy takes some time, even when aided by software and the Internet. You will not find my family tree here online. I like my privacy. I will share my family tree with those who are researching the same family or if we have a possible common ancestor.
You will find a list of Surname and Locations I either have already researched or am currently researching listed on the Surnames Page found in the left hand column. (
You will find helpful links to genealogical sites in the right hand column. They will be put up as I talk about them here on the blog. If you have a favorite let me know.
You will find genealogical blogs and a short list of my other blogs listed in the left hand column. These blogs will be listed as I talk about them. These blogs will either be about genealogy in general or genealogy in West Virginia.
If you don't see your favorite genealogy site or genealogy blog listed, send me a comment or email.
EXPLORE, QUESTION, SUGGEST! I look forward to hearing from you.
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