The U.S. National Archives has a request for comments on a Draft Customer Research Agenda. Comments are due by 21 October 2022

See this page for the request and links to the draft: Draft Customer Research Agenda.

Are we related? Checking at Family Search's RootsTech

Until the end of March you can check if you are related to me by using the link below. You will need a free account and a tree on Family Search. This relies on the information entered by the users and is for use as HINTS and not to be taken as correct until you have verified each link.

One example is my Ball ancestry. I am NOT related to Col William Ball, a grandfather of George Washington. See my earlier article on the Washington-Ball ancestry. My ancestors John Ball and his son, Moses Ball, owned land that became Mt Vernon, and Moses worked for George Washington. In his writings, Washington refers a coorespondent to Moses Ball for information about "family land" because Moses and John Ball had owned the land before the Washington family. He nowhere refers to Moses Ball as kin.

https://www.familysearch.org/en/connect/787b5034-edf8-465c-b6fa-f301452de294/friend/MMM9-XB3?cid=rar_copy

Let me know if you find a verifiable connection. Happy Hunting!

Descendants of enslaved people join dig on former Jesuit plantation(St Inigoes)

Descendants of enslaved people join dig on former Jesuit plantation This article relates to the earlier link I posted on the Georgetown University 272.

My Brasseur and Dowell ancestors were slaveholders in colonial Maryland.

Born and adopted in Connecticut before 1983? You can get your original birth certificate

From The Bristol Pres via EOGN.org: Born and adopted in Connecticut before 1983? You can get your original birth certificate

Want to clean a tombstone without damaging it?

This website will get you started in the right direction, The Good Cemeterian.

The Good Cemeterian Historical Preservation Project, Inc. is a public charity with a mission to preserve and honor the past through inspiration and education.

1810 Census for Salem, Massachusetts, sent to the US National Archives

The original record of the 1810, Salem, Massachusetts census has been sent to NARA from the Peabody Essex Museum. Read about how it was found here https://www.archives.gov/news/articles/1810-census-massachusetts

Last Civil War Pensioner dies

Last Civil War-related pension recipient dies in Wilkesboro 

 A Wilkes County woman recognized as the nation's last Civil War-related military pension recipient died Sunday. 

Irene Triplett's father, Moses Triplett was 83 when she was born.

https://www.journalpatriot.com/news/last-civil-war-related-pension-recipient-dies-in-wilkesboro/article_716dd0dc-a686-11ea-a23e-5ff3d2e0416f.html

What's New at Family Search?

https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/category/about-familysearch/whats-new-at-familysearch/

Over 57 Million New Records!

FamilySearch expanded its free online archives in April of 2020 with millions of new indexed family history records from all over the world. FamilySearch is continuously adding new records every month that you can access for free. Make new discoveries about your tree in our most recent collections.

See New Records

A Few of our Most Popular Records Collections Find A Grave Index BillionGraves Index United States Census, 1940 United States Census, 1930 United States Social Security Death Index United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014 England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008 England Marriages, 1538–1973  England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005

See what else is new on the FamilySearch.org blog.

View in browser

Fees may rise 500% for some genealogy records in the USA

From CNN: The cost of getting genealogical records from the government could go up nearly 500%. An effort is underway to stop that.

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency that oversees the country's immigration and naturalization system, has proposed significantly increasing fees for a number of applications and documents, including historical records of deceased immigrants who came to the United States between the late-19th and mid-20th centuries.

In some cases, the proposed fees would amount to an increase of nearly 500% -- making what was once a relatively affordable process out of reach for many people.

A group of genealogists, historians and records-access advocates is organizing a public campaign to persuade the USCIS not to hike the fees.

Who Do You Think You Are list of Family History Websites

Who Do You Think You Are has a list of recommended Family History Websites on its blog: 50 Family History Websites to watch in 2020