Library Resources of the Month – Genealogy
The Bellingham Public Library subscribes to three online resources to help with your genealogy research: Ancestry.com Library Edition, HeritageQuest, and Fold 3. All three of these resources can be accessed in the library on both the library computers and on our WiFi network using your own device.
Ancestry.com is the largest online genealogy database in the world. It gives access to hundreds of years of history in billions of historical documents and millions of historical photos from all over the world. Access vital records, census lists, immigration records such as passenger lists, military records, directories, African American and Native American records, and more! The Library Edition of Ancestry.com doesn’t give you access to the personal family tree feature or private messages that a personal account has. DNA testing and matching, as well as some databases and collections are also not available in the Library Edition.
HeritageQuest contains census records, family histories, military and bank records, city directories, just to name a few! Access to census records includes U.S. Federal Census Records from 1790 to 1950, Canadian Census Collection 1825-1931, and the U.S. Indian Census Rolls 1885-1940. Military records contain a premier collection of Revolutionary War records. Freedman’s Bank Records, 1861-1875, is a great source for genealogists researching their African American heritage.
Fold 3 features premier collections of original military records. These records include the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served in the military. Many of the records come from the U.S. National Archives, the National Archives of the U.K., and other international records.
The library’s website also provides links to a number of other genealogy resources. They are the American-French Genealogical Society, Boston Public Library’s Newspaper Databases, FamilySearch.org, FindaGrave.com, National Archives, New England Historic Genealogical Society’s AmericanAncestors.org, New England State Archives, and the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds Genealogy Resources.
• American-French Genealogical Society is physically located in Woonsocket, RI. It is a nonprofit genealogical and historical organization dedicated to French Canadian research. They specialize in assisting members in their ancestral search with resources dating from the 1600s and beyond. The Society has access to birth, marriage, burial, and in some cases, real estate records from over 130 countries. They can also assist with DNA and genetics research.
• Boston Public Library’s Newspaper Databases allow you to search some newspapers dating back to the 18th century! Any resident of Massachusetts can apply for a Boston Public Library ecard, which will allow you to access many of their databases from home.
• FamilySearch.org contains millions of digitized records from around the globe, along with a Research Wiki to help you find other online sources for records. You do have to register for an account with an email address to use FamilySearch. Creating an account with FamilySearch allows you to make your own family tree, unlike Ancestry.com Library Edition.
• FindaGrave.com is a community created record of gravesites and cemeteries from all around the world. Find the graves of ancestors, create virtual memorials or add photos, virtual flowers and a note to a loved one’s memorial.
• National Archives is the nation’s record keeper. Here you may find records that contain clues about your family’s history, a veteran’s military service, or material to help you research an historical topic. The website and email contact for the National Archives at Boston, located in Waltham, is also linked on the library’s website.
• New England Historic Genealogical Society’s AmericanAncestors.org provides access to over 1.4 billion records spanning the United States, British Isles, continental Europe, and beyond. It includes one of the most extensive online collections of early American genealogical records, the largest searchable collection of published genealogical research journals and magazines, and the only online source for records from Boston’s Catholic Archdiocese.
• New England State Archives has links to websites and email contacts for the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Maine State Archives.
• Norfolk County Registry of Deeds Genealogy Resources consist of land documents dating back to 1793, deeds, mortgages, death certificates, plans of land, old city/town atlases, along with other documents that are useful in examining the past.
To access these resources, go to the Bellingham Library’s website at www.bellinghamlibrary.org. Click on the Resources tab, and then click Genealogy.
