Memorial Day was first celebrated on May 30, 1868 and was originally known as Decoration Day.
Tag Archives: American Records
Research A-Z ~ United States
Our American Records courses cover a vast number of topics.
Transcription Tuesday – Colonial Records
One of The National Institute for Genealogical Studies courses that requires a good foundation of Transcription Skills, is our Research: US Colonial New England Ancestors course. The next course is scheduled to begin on Monday, January 3rd, 2022. To check for future start dates, look under the Register tab on the course web page, or check the Course Calendar here.
Research: U.S. Colonial New England Ancestors
Course Description: This seven-module course will give the student a basic foundation to research using colonial records in New England. It focuses primarily on the most common records used for research. The student will learn about strategies for finding colonial New England records while incorporating colonial town records, colonial census records, colonial land records and maps, the colonial wars, religious records, and court documents.
The student who undertakes this course should have familiarity with United States vital, religious, census, land and military records, as well as have a good knowledge of genealogical methodologies.
Course Content
This course introduces you to Colonial New England research through websites and state resources. It will provide strategies for finding Colonial New England records during the time period leading up to the American Revolution. As you discover these valuable and genealogically-rich documents, you will be faced with the major challenge of deciphering Colonial Handwriting. It is recommended to transcribe these documents to glean all the information they contain and every clue they provide. Transcriptions of the original documents will make future references a lot easier. Making Abstracts will be useful for a summary of what each document contains.
To facilitate developing your Transcription Skills, we have two books to recommend:
Reading Early American Handwriting by Kip Sperry
Understanding Colonial Handwriting by Harriet Stryker-Rodda
Both of these books are available to order through our online Genealogy Store on our website.
Once you are ready to explore Colonial records, you should familiarize yourself with the area of your research. Build a timeline and record a brief history of the early settlement of the town. By building a location guide for each town, you will be able to gather information about which resources are available, including early genealogies that were created.
Colonial Town Records are fascinating and include: Different Types of Colonial Town Records, Freemen and Inhabitancy, Town Officers, Town Business, Tax Records, Licenses, Ear Marks, Manumissions, School Records, and Poor Records; as well as Vital Records and Cemetery Records. There were Colonial Censuses taken. Some surviving records include: Published Census, Reconstructed Census Lists, and Census Substitutes of the 17th and 18th centuries.
This course will discuss Strategies for research, tracking Immigration, and look at Court Records. Land Records and Maps will be examined, through the Common Terminology used in this time period and will look at some Land Grants. Understanding your research location through Maps and Gazetteers will help you to determine where to look for records. It will conclude with Military Records, Religious Records, and Colonial Court Records.
ALL of these records will require the ability to read and decipher Colonial Handwriting. By transcribing each document, you will become more familiar with how the letters are formed and the common language used in each type of record.
Transcription Skills are developed with PRACTICE. The more original documents you can transcribe, the easier it will become. There are no shortcuts. It is a skill that is developed. Use the reference tools available to you. Study the scripts common to the time period and location of your research. Purpose to become an excellent Transcriber.
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As researchers, we have found that there are many skills we need to employ in order to achieve success in our future research projects. Transcription Tuesday will share guidelines and practical suggestions to help our readers to develop the skills for making effective transcriptions, abstracts, and extractions.
Transcription Tuesday previous blog post
Transcription Tuesday Index
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These three core courses demonstrate Transcription principles. They are offered monthly, beginning on the first Monday of every month: Register today!
Methodology-Part 2: Organizing and Skill-Building
Skills: Transcribing, Abstracting & Extracting
Palaeography: Reading & Understanding Historical Documents
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Visit our website for a complete list of online courses offered by The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. Check our Course Calendar here.
Follow us on Social Media: Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest.
*Note: Please be aware our social media accounts are monitored regularly, but NOT 24/7. If you have any questions, please contact the office directly.
Contact information:
1 (800) 580-0165
Email: admin@GenealogicalStudies.com
Website: www.GenealogicalStudies.com
Blog: blog.GenealogicalStudies.com
LEADERS IN ONLINE GENEALOGY EDUCATION since 1997
Colonial Period Courses
The National Institute for Genealogical Studies offers online genealogical education for family history enthusiasts, genealogists and historians. Our courses are offered in Basic, Intermediate, or Advanced levels. You can register for courses individually, or receive a discount by choosing from a variety of packages. These are bundled either by specific theme or customized to your own interests.
See the Full List of Packages here.
The Start Dates for courses are usually scheduled for the first Monday of the month, however, not all courses are available monthly. Be sure to check our Current Course Calendar for the dates when the courses of your choice are scheduled to open again.
In our list of courses, there are four courses covering the Colonial period of the Eastern United States, focusing on the original Thirteen Colonies. These are valuable resources for anyone researching in this region and timeframe.
Research: Mayflower Ancestors
This course studies some of the very first settlers of Massachusetts. Learn how to properly document a descendant line by utilizing New England original and derivative records as well as sources specific to Mayflower research. Following their story and tracing each consecutive generation is a great way to recognize the 400+ years since their arrival in North America.
Course Description for Research: Mayflower Ancestors
Research: US Colonial New England Ancestors
This course explores strategies for finding Colonial New England records while incorporating colonial town records, colonial census records, colonial land records and maps, the colonial wars, religious records, and court documents. Note: This is an Intermediate course.
Course Description for Research: US Colonial New England Ancestors
The American Revolutionary War was a major historical event which impacted many Colonial families. It is hard to imagine that any family was left unaffected. Many families were divided, with multiple factors leading to which side they eventually chose to pledge their loyalty to. If you reach a brick wall in your research during this time period, be sure to check both Loyalist and Patriot resources. Sometimes you will find family members on both sides as they navigated through this turbulent time in their lives. This was also a time of major migrations and relocations.
Fortunately, there were numerous records created and preserved during the colonial period. Thankfully, various organizations have worked to digitize as many of the surviving records as possible. We just need to know how to access them to document our family’s stories and the part they played in these historical events.
Research: United Empire Loyalist Ancestors
This course describes what it meant to be a United Empire Loyalist in the context of the American Revolutionary War and how it affected their ensuing lives. We also discuss the membership and lineage requirements of the United Empire Loyalists Association of Canada (UELAC.org). Records include: military, claims, land, and other records that will assist with documenting your UEL ancestor. British North American colonies where the Loyalists went for resettlement include Upper Canada (Ontario)—where the original U.E. (Unity of Empire) tradition really took hold—the Maritime provinces, and Lower Canada (Quebec).
Course Description for Research: United Empire Loyalist Ancestors
US: Military Records (includes Revolutionary War)
This course includes records of conflicts in the United States and colonial America from the early colonial wars of the seventeenth century to the Revolutionary War, as well as the records of later conflicts to WW2. What is required for Military and Lineage Societies may be of particular interest as there is discussion of the various types of records created by military service, such as service records, muster rolls, pension records, and draft registration. Note: This is an advanced course.
Course Description for US: Military Records
Course Packages
Registration for these four courses could be submitted at a discount by choosing:
Course Package – 4 Courses
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Visit our website for a complete list of online courses offered by The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. Check our Course Calendar here.
Follow us on Social Media: Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest.
*Note: Please be aware our social media accounts are monitored regularly, but NOT 24/7. If you have any questions, please contact the office directly.
Contact information:
1 (800) 580-0165
www.GenealogicalStudies.com
blog.GenealogicalStudies.com
admin@GenealogicalStudies.com
LEADERS IN ONLINE GENEALOGY EDUCATION
New Course: Research US Midwestern States Ancestors
By Samuel Augustus Mitchell – Mitchell’s new general atlas, containing maps of the various countries of the World, plans of cities, etc. (1867 edition) Wikimedia Commons by Geographicus Rare Antique Maps, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14621278
We have a new course starting in May at The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. Written by Cari Taplin, CG, Research: U.S. Midwestern States Ancestors is designed to give students a basic understanding of some of the historical events that occurred in each state, especially events that shaped the state’s history, boundaries, laws, and records. The states included in this course were all part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803: Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Each state is unique in its geographical formation, social attitudes, political structure, ethnicity, industry and historical records. The modules included are aimed at giving researchers information to aid understanding of these states individually and to provide tools for researching family history, not only in terms of the individual, but also in their broader social context.
Professional genealogist and course author Cari Taplin, CG points out, “As the country expanded from east to west, our ancestors traveled through and sometimes stayed in the midwestern states. Researching in those states is vital to most family history research. The rich and unique history of each state is interesting and can be very rewarding. Learning about the nuances of the region will improve your research skills and bring life to your genealogy.”
To learn more about this course, see our website. Research: U.S. Midwestern States Ancestors starts May 2nd. Register today!