August 1, 2025 I’ve never paid much attention to the occupations of my ancestors. Like many family historians, I’ve assumed that most of them were farmers. I’ve recently realized that this means I know less about my ancestors than I might. Knowing someone’s occupation can help us understand why an ancestor lived where he did, …
Ancestral Divorces May not Have Been so Rare After All
July 25, 2025 Last week I wrote about finding divorce records. I mentioned that these records are searched for less often than other kinds of vital records. That’s because many of us don’t realize that divorce was an option for our ancestors. Many genealogical resources state that divorces were very rare in America’s past. …
Finding Divorce Records
July 18, 2025 While not as commonly sought as other vital records, divorce records can help genealogists fill in the blanks about an ancestor’s life. In addition to information about the divorce itself, divorce records usually include the date and place of the divorcing couple’s marriage and the names and ages of any minor children …