TIPS OF THE WEEK –
FULL-TEXT SEARCH COMING TO ANCESTRY.COM

Ancestry is currently rolling out a full-text search feature on their site. Some users have been given access to it while it appears that most users are still waiting for access.

Similar to the full-text search on FamilySearch, this feature will allow users to search unindexed documents on their site. For those who have access now, the feature can be found under the “search” drop-down in the main menu. Keep an eye out for future announcements from Ancestry about this new feature.

   TIP OF THE WEEK –
MORE WAR OF 1812 PENSION FILES AVAILABLE NOW

The National Archives has added more records to its pension collection for the War of 1812 (National Archives Identifier 564415). Files for veterans and widows from the surnames A — Laughlin are now available online.

Before 1871, Veterans could only qualify for a pension if they could prove that a war injury prevented them from earning a living. For widows, they had to prove they had married the solider before the end of the war in 1815. After 1871, all veterans and widows could apply provided the solider had served for at least 60 days. After 1878 benefits were further extended to include veterans, widows and their children if the soldier served at least 14 days. Those who served the war effort in capacities other than soldier were also made eligible.

Pension files area wealth of genealogical information, often containing testimony of a comrades and family Bible records.

As with any collection, be sure to check back often for when more records are added. 

TIP OF THE WEEK –
ARE THERE SPOOKY STORIES IN YOUR TREE?

October is the month of Halloween. Genealogists haunt cemeteries in search clues (join SGS’s Calvary Cemetery tour, see the details above in our feature story), but there are other spooky places to go in search of records of ancestors.

Accusations of witchcraft could lead to court records detailing claims. Although the witchcraft trials in Salem, Mass., are the most famous, there were others including the Hildebrand-Evans Case of 1805 as well as cases in Connecticut and Virginia. Was one of your ancestors connected to one?

Locations also play an important role in family history. Rumors of haunted buildings and other sites have been passed down over the years. Legends about the supernatural are connected to many places right here in Washington state. Did your family live near one of them?

What other spooky stories are in your family tree?

TIP OF THE WEEK –
LEGACY FAMILY TREE WEBINARS FREE GENEALOGY CONFERENCE

As a part of Legacy Family Tree Webinars’ annual online Genealogical conference, they will be offering 19 free seminars each Wednesday in September. Topics include:

Eight Little-used Published German Sources
12 Ways to Use Gravestone Clues to Grow Your Family Tree
Manage large writing projects through optimistic start, muddled middle, and triumphant finish
Research Treasures from W.P.A.
How to write a genealogical crime mystery story
School Censuses: What, When and Where

Learn more, register and see the full list of seminars.

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  September 1, 2025

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 TIP OF THE WEEK –
PLANNING FOR A RESEARCH TRIP? FIND LOCAL MUSEUMS AND SOCIETIES BEFORE YOU VISIT

Local museums and societies give prospective about an area and its history, even if they don’t mention your ancestor by name. You never know what you might find helpful.Past SGS president Jim Secan recently found this jewel in Pittsburgh, Penn. He had this to share with eNews about his genealogy research in there.”If you have genealogy interests in Pittsburgh, Penn., and environs be sure to include the Thomas & Katherine Detre Library & Archives located at the Heinz History Center in downtown Pittsburgh. This beautiful research library, founded in 1879, has a large number of collections of photos, maps, records, and much more covering Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and Western Pennsylvania. Even if you cannot visit it in person, their researchers will answer email requests for help as well. If you are in Pittsburgh both the Detre Library, which has no admission fee, and the Heinz Museum, which does have a fee, are worth a visit.”.The Thomas & Katherine Detre Library & Archives in Pittsburgh, Penn.

photo courtesy Jim Secan 

TIP OF THE WEEK –
NEW POPE: NEW CASE STUDIES  The election of the first American Pope has spared interest in the family history of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Robert Prevost. Recent articles provide insights exploring his Creole roots in New Orleans (New York Times subscription required) or the mystery of his European grandparents this latter provides a fascinating case study for dealing with brick walls. Navigate name changes, immigration and reinvention to build out the family tree of the new leader of the Catholic Church.

TIP OF THE WEEK –
DON’T FORGET FAMILYSEARCH (AND IT’S FREE!)  FamilySearch is much more than its tree. They offer a vast amount of records that would otherwise require subscriptions to other sites. This is especially notable since FamilySearch includes international records for free that would require an higher tier subscription on a site such as Ancestry.

But not all records on FamilySearch are available from home. To get the most out of FamilySearch visit a FamilySearch Center or affiliate (The SGS Library is a FamilySearch affiliate, but not a center). Even better, these locations usually have a host of other resources and subscriptions that patrons can access for free. Utilize the best resources to research your family and save money while you do it.

Learn more about FamilySearch Centers and the resources they provide

TIP OF THE WEEK –
NEW WASHINGTON STATE RESEARCH GUIDE AVAILABLE

Family Tree magazine is offering a digital guide to doing research in Washington state. Visit their website and scroll down below the Map section for the download. The cost is about $10.

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  April 1, 2025

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TIP OF THE WEEK –
WATCH OUT FOR INCORRECTLY FILED DOCUMENTS

It is common to see historical documents incorrectly filed. Use logical reasoning when looking through collections, especially if they were filed later. For example, some Civil War Complete Military Service Records from the National Archives have records belonging to two different soldier in the same file — men with the same or similar names mistaken for the same person. Ask yourself a few questions. Are the documents in the file mostly consistent on facts? Are different dates and locations used for where the soldier enlisted? Did he die at multiple places? Do different documents say he was present and absent on the same dates? These may be signs something was incorrectly filed.

This author has even found records for the same solider filed in two different regiments. This was not because the man was actually in two different regiments, but because the regiments’ names were very similar. In this case the solider’s disability discharge papers were incorrectly filed in the wrong regiment with a soldier who had a similar name who served for the entire war. The logic didn’t match up at several points (A man who was discharged because he lost his right arm in 1862, would not have been promoted to sergeant in 1863 ….).

Be sure to gather all names an ancestor’s regiment went by, especially if its name changed during the war. Check similar named regiments for men with the same or similar names if you suspect an error was possible. These concepts apply to other types of collections.

Collecting all facts, understanding the filing system in question, comparing timelines and mapping out locations can help work around filing errors.

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  March 1, 2025

SGS eNews! comes out the first of every month. contact eNews! 

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