Meet Your Ancestors: Bring Your Genealogy To Life

Using Digital Libraries for Genealogy

So you have collected all of the typical genealogy records for your family and are looking for more. You know their names, their dates of birth and death, their family members and where they lived. But what were they like? How did they live, work, and play? Digital libraries can help open the door to the details of their lives. You can find family history books, county history books, books written by your family and many more in these libraries.

Go beyond the names and dates for your ancestors and learn about their lives!

Local History

Community was a huge part of our ancestors' lives! They depended on each other and celebrated with each other. We can learn a lot about how they lived by learning about the local history of their communities. These histories might not mention our family members by name, but we can discover what was going on around them. Our ancestors might have been involved in the events of the community. Maybe they even served in local political offices or on the school board. They more you know about the community, the more you know about your family!

Church History Books For Genealogy Research

Many churches celebrate major milestones by writing a history of the congregation. This often includes the founders of the church and how they got started. Early gatherings were often held in the homes of church members. Maybe your ancestors were hosts or founders! A biography for each pastor/priest is usually included, as well as a list of members. Reading these histories is an amazing resource if you have clergy in the family. However, everyone could find family members. Sometimes a discussion of what the community was like is also included. This can allow a peak inside the religious practices of your ancestors and their roles in the church.

These history books can sometimes be found in the online libraries. However, be sure to contact the church or local library if you don't find anything online. They might be able to tell you how to access their history.

Newspapers

Before there was the internet, even before there was television, people got their news from the newspaper! This was their connection to what was going on in the world. It was also a way to connect to each other. The social sections of the paper would report on the day to day events of the community. Who was gone visiting? Who was building a new barn? Who was starting a new job? There were also birth, marriage, and death announcements. Newspapers are bursting with genealogical information!

Historical Novels for Genealogy

Context is an important part of genealogy research. How can we really understand who they were without understanding the society they lived in? Reading about the time and places that our ancestors lived can help us understand what life is like. You might know that your grandmother was born in 1923. But to really understand what that means, you need to know what it was like to grow up during the Great Depression. Each individual's experience was different, but the events and rules of society at the time were universal. Reading will open your mind to a new time and place!

College and University Archives

Most of us are familiar with our state and local archives, but have you considered checking College and University Archives? Many major universities will have an extensive collection of unique materials about the state they are in. Some even have a section dedicated to genealogy! Records about past students can also be found. If you know where your ancestor attended college, be sure to check with that school.

Also, don't forget smaller private colleges. Many of these were founded by immigrants and have a great collection of information about these people and the community they are located in.