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A good look at the 1950 U.S. Census
A census is released to the public 72 years after it was taken. The 1950 U.S. census was released April 1, 2022 to a very eager public. Ancestry and FamilySearch collaborated in retrieving copies of the census to begin indexing almost immediately.
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A good look at the 1940 U.S. Census
The 1940 U.S. census brought some changes to the census. The overall questions were similar to previous censuses but the form was different for one major reason. This was the first census that brought about statistical sampling.
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A good look at the 1920 U.S. Census
The 1920 U.S. Census was very similar to the 1910 U.S. Census. A few questions were eliminated from the previous census and few new ones added.
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A good look at the 1860 U.S. Census
The 1860 U.S. census was taken right before the American Civil War. Comparing the 1860 U.S. census with the 1870 U.S. census can show the impact of the war on many American families, particularly in the Southern States.
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A good look at the 1850 U.S. Census
The 1850 U.S. census was a pivotal shift in how the census was taken and genealogists will be forever grateful. This is the first census in which all the names of the members of the household were recorded. The 1850 U.S. census is key to interpreting earlier census’s tally sheets.
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A good look at the 1840 U.S. Census
The 1840 U.S. census is the sixth census taken since the 1790 U.S. Census. The official census day was 1 June 1840 and the enumeration was completed in 5 months. The U.S. Marshalls and their assistants were responsible for taking the count in each district. The 1840 U.S. census had pre-printed forms and was similar…
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Researching FANS of Your Ancestors
Researching friends, associates, and neighbors, also known as FANs, may provide research paths that lead to breakthroughs on a brick wall ancestor. It is essential to extract every bit of information from what records you have on your brick wall ancestor, which includes researching every person mentioned on a record.
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Hopeful DNA Research – The Search for Darthula Ross pt. 6
Beginning DNA research starts with analyzing your DNA matches. Ancestry compares your DNA match’s trees with your tree. By overlapping the trees, you can see new possible connections. These possible connections still need to be researched and verified, but they have definitely opened doors for many people.
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Gravelly Springs – The Search for Darthula Ross pt. 5
The family settled in Gravelly Springs, Alabama. Today Gravelly Springs is a sparsely populated area northwest of Florence just north of the Tennessee River. This area was a enumerated district for the US Census and there were many families that lived there.
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Civil War Era Newspapers – The Search for Darthula Ross pt. 4
One way to gain an insight into an ancestor’s life is to view historic newspapers. Alabama Archives have digitized Civil War era newspapers, which is a tremendous resource. This collection contains newspapers from the entire state, including some from Lauderdale and Limestone County.
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