Author Archive
We are excited to announce a new database for 10 Millions Names, North America: Records of Enslaved People from Plantations and Estates, 1765-1890. This database contains birth, death, marriage, and census records of those who were enslaved at North American Plantations and Estates, as well as their family members. Each volume within this database is of a different plantation or estate. Currently, this database only contains records between the years 1765 and 1890 from the Cedar Grove Plantation in North Carolina, but more volumes will be added as they are completed. North Carolina: Cedar Grove, 1765-1890 contains 600 records and 805 names. This volume includes records from tax lists and inventories, deeds, family papers, the 1870 census, and the Torrence Family Tree project.
This volume was made possible by the HEARTS Collaborative. HEARTS (History, Ecology, Arts, Reunion, Trails, Store) is a nonprofit dedicated to weaving the threads of people, places, and things together into a vibrant interconnected tapestry of the Catawba Valley’s historical identity. The “R” in HEARTS represents the Reunion Project, which is the genealogical component of their mission. It seeks to determine all previous inhabitants of the region and to connect descendants with their heritage.
In June 2024, HEARTS honored the memory of 143 individuals once enslaved at Cedar Grove Plantation in Huntersville, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina by recovering their histories, connecting their descendants to their heritage, and contributing to the broader narrative of African American ancestry. By sharing these records, HEARTS is helping set a new standard for community-based historical recovery and preservation. We are honored to share HEARTS Reunion Project findings with the 10 Million Names Project and thank HEARTS for leading the way in this important work.
This database is presented as part of 10 Million Names, a project which aims to recover names and restore information to families of the estimated 10 million women, men, and children of African descent who were enslaved in the U.S. until emancipation through a collaborative network of expert genealogists, historians, cultural institutions, and descendant communities. This project seeks to amplify the voices of people who have been telling their family stories for centuries, connect researchers and data partners with people seeking answers to their family history questions, and expand access to data, resources, and information about enslaved African Americans.
Note: This database is available to all members, including Guest Members, as part of 10 Million Names.
Today we’ve added two new sketches and three updated sketches to Early Vermont Settlers, 1700-1784. The people profiled in these sketches lived in Brattleboro, Guilford, Landgrove, Norwich, Royalton, Strafford, and Vernon.
These sketches were created by Scott Andrew Bartley, who is researching the heads of families who lived in Vermont prior to the Revolutionary War. His study project is not only identifying those who sought better lives on the frontier, but is also illustrating major players on the political and religious fronts and uncovering regional migration patterns for this period.
The following new sketches have been added:
The following updated sketches have been added:
Benton, Medad (Norwich, Royalton)
Chamberlain, William (Strafford)
Greenleaf, Stephen (Brattleboro)
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above American Ancestors members only. Consider membership.
We are excited to announce a new database: The New Hampshire Genealogical Record. This database has been made available through partnership with the New Hampshire Society of Genealogists. The 30 volumes of this database contain 135,321 names, and 6,412 pages. The New Hampshire Genealogical Record was published by the New Hampshire Genealogical Society from Vol. 1, No. 1 (July 1903) to Vol. 7, No. 2 (April 1910). After a lengthy hiatus, it was resumed in 1990 by the New Hampshire Society of Genealogists with Vol. 7, No. 3. Volumes 1-7 are known as the “Old Series” and volumes 7 and up are the “New Series.”
The Journal captures a wealth of information for genealogists: vital records, probate records, bible records, headstone records, and memorials. It also includes well-documented family histories and genealogical articles covering hundreds of families with New Hampshire ties. Published articles include compiled genealogy, source records, and book reviews.
The name index portion of this database is based on the Journal Index listed at the end of each whole number volume that was published with such an index, along with a new index prepared by volunteers for volumes not originally indexed. Volumes will be added as their indexes become available.
We want to thank our volunteer, Sam Sturgis for all of his work on this database! If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please reach out to our Database Volunteer Coordinator, Zobeida, at zobeida.chaffee-valdes@americanancestors.org.
This database is available to all American Ancestors members.
Today we’ve added two new sketches to Early Vermont Settlers, 1700-1784. The people profiled in these sketches lived in Peru and Vernon.
These sketches were created by Scott Andrew Bartley, who is researching the heads of families who lived in Vermont prior to the Revolutionary War. His study project is not only identifying those who sought better lives on the frontier, but is also illustrating major players on the political and religious fronts and uncovering regional migration patterns for this period.
The following new sketches have been added:
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above American Ancestors members only. Consider membership.
Today we’re announcing a major update to Suffolk County, MA Probate File Papers. This addition includes case numbers 62000-69999, a total of 182,322 new file papers. This collection now has a total of 1,407,486 pages.
This database was created from digital images and index contributed to American Ancestors by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives. The probate cases include wills, guardianships, administrations, and various other types of probate records.
The complete Suffolk County File Papers collection will eventually cover cases 1-94,757, which includes years up to 1893. The cases are indexed chronologically, which allows us to present them in sections while digital photography is taking place. We will continue to add additional cases as they become available.
If you have questions on how to search this database, or about our collaboration with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives, please watch our video, How to Search Massachusetts Probate File Papers. The Massachusetts Archives also have a very helpful website that serves as a directory as to where you can find which pieces of probate information.
We’d like to thank our volunteer, Sam Sturgis, for all of his work on this update! If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please reach out to our Database Volunteer Coordinator, Zobeida, at zobeida.chaffee-valdes@americanancestors.org.
Please note: This database is available to all American Ancestors members.
Today we’ve added Volume 24 (2023) to our American Ancestors Magazine database. This update includes 262 pages, 2,198 records, and 2,197 searchable names. These records are indexed by full names, publication year (not the year of the record), article titles, and authors.
The themes for each of the new issues are listed below:
24.1: Witchcraft Victims in Early America
24.2: 10 Million Names: Recovering the Names of America’s Enslaved People
24.3: Marking the 250th Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party
24.4: The Enduring Power and Promise of Family History
American Ancestors features a wide range of article topics and styles including coverage of a particular region or group of people; case studies; descriptions of particular record sets; “how-to” articles; historic accounts that illuminate the past; research strategies and methodology; and accounts of migration and immigrant groups.
If you would like to view the latest issues online, be sure to visit our publications page. The entire run of American Ancestors is available in our research library, call number F1.N49. Interested researchers may also want to consult New England Ancestors, the publication that preceded American Ancestors magazine.
This update is made possible by the efforts of our volunteer Sam Sturgis. If you would like to get involved in the database indexing process, please contact Zobeida Chaffee-Valdes, Database Services Volunteer Coordinator, at zobeida.chaffee-valdes@americanancestors.org.
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above American Ancestors members only. Consider Membership.
Today we have published Volume 2: Surnames E-J for the database, Massachusetts: Biographical Entries of People of African Descent in New Bedford and Coastal Towns Also Once Part of Dartmouth (Westport, Dartmouth, and Fairhaven). This update adds 13,603 names, 430 pages, and 7,005 records to the 10 Million Names Project. This database now consists of two volumes, and additional volumes will be added in the coming months.
Historian Kathryn Grover, author of The Fugitive’s Gibraltar: Escaping Slaves and Abolitionism in New Bedford, Massachusetts, compiled biographical entries of every person indicated as a person of color in New Bedford and historic Dartmouth (that is, Westport, Dartmouth, and Fairhaven) through 1860. New Bedford was considered a major whaling port during the 19th century, as well as a significant stop on the Underground Railroad. Many freedom seekers settled there after escaping enslavement.
This database is presented as part of the 10 Million Names Project. To learn more about 10 Million Names, please visit the project website. Thank you to Kathryn Grover for kindly donating the data used in this project, and to the many volunteers who indexed the entries and helped make this database possible.
Please note: This database is available to all American Ancestors members, including Guest Members, at no cost. Consider membership.
Today we’ve added two new sketches and one updated sketch to Early Vermont Settlers, 1700-1784. The people profiled in these sketches lived in Weathersfield, Vernon, and Hartland.
These sketches were created by Scott Andrew Bartley, who is researching the heads of families who lived in Vermont prior to the Revolutionary War. His study project is not only identifying those who sought better lives on the frontier, but is also illustrating major players on the political and religious fronts and uncovering regional migration patterns for this period.
The following new sketches have been added:
Grout, Hilkiah (Vernon, Weathersfield)
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above American Ancestors members only. Consider membership.
Today we’ve updated our database: Vermont Genealogy, adding Volume 22 from 2017. This database is available thanks to our partnership with the Genealogical Society of Vermont. This update adds 224 pages and 5,003 names. The index for this database includes full names, the publication year (not the year of the records), and article titles and authors.
Vermont Genealogy made its debut as a quarterly journal in January 1996. In addition to featuring compiled genealogies, the journal often contains other material including: freeman’s lists, church memberships and dismissals, newspaper vital record abstracts, probate abstracts, cemetery transcriptions, Bible records, Civil War journals, 1890 Census reconstructions, book reviews, and “Seen Elsewhere,” a bibliography of other journal articles relevant to Vermont.
In 2009, Vermont Genealogy switched to semi-annual publication with spring and fall issues. Appointed editor in 2016, Michael F. Dwyer, FASG, has expanded the scope of coverage to include nineteenth-century century immigrant studies, “Gems from the Vermont State Archives,” and continuation of family sketches from “Vermont Families in 1791.”
This update is made possible by the efforts of our volunteer Sam Sturgis. If you are interest in joining our team of volunteers, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Zobeida, at zobeida.chaffee-valdes@americanancestors.org.
The entire run of Vermont Genealogy is available at our American Ancestors research library, call number F48.V48 1996.
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above American Ancestors members only. Consider membership.
We are happy to announce that the volume “Supplemental Applications” has been added to our database, Massachusetts: Society of Colonial Wars Membership Applications, 1560-1970. This update contains 12,400 pages, 136,123 records, and 324,844 names.
Since its founding in 1893, the SCWMA has combined fraternal good fellowship with a dedication to promoting patriotic values and a knowledge of colonial American history, particularly its military dimension.
This database provides records that includes the applicant’s name, their colonial ancestor, and the birth, marriage, and death information for each generation of descendants on the application. In addition, the membership numbers for the state and the general society are displayed.
The page number for the applications are in the format [MA state member number]:[supplemental number]:[page number].
Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above American Ancestors members only. Consider membership.