Pennsylvania

Genealogy

Books

Why genealogy: what is in it for me?

The quest usually begins with a family story, mystery, or documents; but it leads to much more. In the process of discovering our ancestors we discover ourselves. Learn where and how to begin.

Developing the Skills to Become a Genealogist

To successfully find one’s ancestors family historians need the proper tools to do the job. Some skills are specific to a give task and other skills are more personal. Gain some new insight into analytical tools used by “the pros.”

Using Church Records Effectively

Church records are one of the more important record groups that we use as genealogists. To fully exploit this record group family historians need to understand the tradition of record-keeping in general, and traditions as they relate to the church where their ancestors worshipped in particular.

Documentation: It’s essential!

The ability to write a source citation is a skill that is as important as knowing how to research a family or knowing what records to use. Learn why and how.

Reconstructing Families on the Colonial Frontier

Records kept during the colonial period can be difficult to find, or when they do exist, they are often incomplete. This void or lack of information causes serious obstacles to research. This lecture explores strategies to get around those obstacles by creatively using data found in the records that do exist.

The Genealogists’ Handbook for Baptismal Records and Practice

This lecture explores the beliefs and baptismal practices of several major denominations and shows how knowledge of those beliefs can add both greater understanding to these records and assist with research.

German Research

Researching German Ancestors: “The Agony and the Ecstasy”

More Americans claim descent from German ancestors than from any group who immigrated from the British Isles. This two-hour introduction to German research explores obstacles like language and custom, and it looks at a variety of records kept by Germans both in the U.S. and Germany that will open the way to a rich source of research material.

With German Research Obstacles Abound: but they can be surmounted!

German ancestors can be hard to find because of difficulties related to names, language and handwriting. Discover the reasons why these issues are causing problems and learn how to circumvent them.

Finding Your German Ancestor’s Place of Origin

An interesting array of records exist that can lead you to your ancestral “heimat” in Germany. Learn what those records are and how to use them.

Using Church Records in Germany and the U.S. to Climb the Family Tree

Church records are perhaps the single most important record available for finding information on German ancestors. Learn what they contain and how to use that information once it is found.

Researching Eighteenth-Century Germans

Germans were the largest non-English speaking group to immigrate into eighteenth-century America and they settled in an important area of the mid-Atlantic region. Differences exist in records that were kept for these families for three important reasons—they were immigrants, they had different record keeping traditions, and they spoke a different language.

The Moravians: Eighteenth-Century Clerics and Clerks

The Moravians were a small part of the much larger German immigration into the mid-Atlantic region, but their legacy is far greater than their numbers would suggest because of the records that they left. A lot of what we know about life among mid-eighteenth century Germans, especially as it relates to immigration and the early church in this region, comes to us from Moravian records.

Pennsylvania Topics

Colonial Pennsylvania: Finding Families in Penn’s Woods

William Penn’s proprietary form of government, strong ethnic traditions and the changing colonial frontier complicate research on early Pennsylvania families. Learn how to circumvent the problems.

Researching Pennsylvania Ancestors

If your ancestors were from the Keystone State then you need to know something about Pennsylvania’s deeds, warrants, and patents, probate, and vital records.

Pennsylvania’s Early Church Registers

As Philadelphia was the principal eighteenth-century port of immigration into the American Colonies, records of birth for many first-generation Americans were recorded in the church registers of this state. This lecture explores this invaluable record group with emphasis being given to the differences in religious traditions and records keeping practices of several major denominations.

Lifein Mid-Eighteenth-Century Pennsylvania

Surprising and interesting details on the “everyday life” of eighteenth-century Pennsylvania settlers can be found in journals, diaries, letters, the Statutes at Large of Pennsylvania, tax, estate and other record

PA Genealogy Books

P. O. Box 15190 Washington, DC 20003

email: info@pagenealogybooks.com

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