As a new country, the United States boasted freedom and opportunity, particularly in the West, where there were vast expanses of land and, later, rumors of gold. Many pioneers moved west hoping to own land and start fresh. Full Story
Three Things the Oregon Trail Game Didn’t Teach You about the Pioneers
July 20, 2018 By
The Oregon Trail—fording a river at the age of 10, hunting buffalo to extinction, falling prey to one of five specific diseases, and something “only 90s kids will remember.” Far more than just a remembrance of America’s early pioneers, The Oregon Trail is a computer game that was released by the Minnesota Educational Computer Consortium in 1974. Surprisingly, the game had a far wider reach than one generation. In fact, The Oregon Trail is one of the best-known and best-loved video games of all time. Over 10 years, the game sold over 65 million copies, and in 2016, it was inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame. Full Story
Who Were the Pioneers?
July 20, 2018 By
Trailblazer. Settler. Explorer. Homesteader. Each of these terms is a synonym for pioneer. Throughout history, there have been many pioneers with rich stories to tell who have helped shape our lives. People from many different backgrounds, countries, and nationalities have led the way west and blazed a trail for others to follow. Full Story
The Westward Expansion and American Pioneers—How It Affects Your Family History
July 20, 2018 By
Until recently, my knowledge of the westward expansion, the Western frontier, and pioneers mainly came from the popular Little House on the Prairie books and the pioneer computer game Oregon Trail. (I naively thought all pioneers died from dysentery out on the plains!) Being familiar with United States history can actually help in your family history work if you have pioneer ancestors. By looking at when your ancestors were born, if they moved, and where they moved, you can easily see if your family had any pioneers involved in settling the great Western frontier. Full Story
When Did New York Immigration Start at Ellis Island?
July 16, 2018 By
Ellis Island is famous for being the United States’ front door for receiving immigrants—but did you know millions of people had already come to the U.S. by the time Ellis Island opened in 1892? This history of Ellis Island can help you better understand your immigrant ancestors’ arrivals and how to find the evidence in New York immigration records. Full Story
Castle Garden: Immigration Before Ellis Island
July 14, 2018 By
Did your immigrant ancestors land at Castle Garden or Ellis Island? Or did they arrive in New York before those facilities existed? The answer matters because it determines where you should look for them in records. Full Story
New Records on FamilySearch: End of June 2018
July 11, 2018 By
FamilySearch added 2.5 million searchable records to its England historical record collections, 1.5 million in Germany, 5.4 million in the Netherlands, 2.5 million from Find a Grave, and over 1 million in South Africa. Almost 1.5 million new browsable images can be found for Mexico. Additional indexed records and images were also added for Albania, Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, BillionGraves, Peru, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Uruguay, and in the United States in Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Washington, D.C. Full Story
Using Multiple Screens in the FamilySearch Family Tree App
June 22, 2018 By
If you’re a family history enthusiast who has hesitated to use the FamilySearch Family Tree mobile app because it doesn’t have the same features as the website, think again! App usage has increased 150% over the past year as the app has grown in capability. Full Story
The Significance of Poppies in WWI
June 19, 2018 By
by Amie Tennant Countries in the British Commonwealth observe Remembrance Day every November 11 by wearing Remembrance Day poppies and honoring those who fought in World War I. Learn how this tradition began, and research your own World War I ancestors.
How to Use War of 1812 Pension Files
June 13, 2018 By
Do you have an ancestor who participated in the War of 1812? If so, the War of 1812 pension files may hold a treasure trove of genealogical information for you. These records have previously been difficult to access until, led by the Federation of Genealogical Societies and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the genealogical community began digitizing them in 2015 to make them available for the bicentennial of this important war. Full Story