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The Life From The Roots blog topics have changed several times since I began this blog in 2009. I initially wrote only about the family history I had been working on for 20 years. Years later, I was into visiting gardens, historical homes, churches, libraries that had genealogical collections, historical societies, war memorials, and travel/tourism places. I also enjoy posting autographs and photos of famous people I've met or have seen.

Along with my New England roots, other areas include New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada.

Please check out the labels on the right side for topics (please note, they need work). Below the labels and pageviews is a listing of my top nine posts, according to Google. Four of them pertain to Lowell, MA. These posts change often because they are based on what people are reading.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Top Ten -- Free Genealogy Sites

This short list was done because I have several new genealogists following my site. If any "seasoned" genealogists have additional FREE sites, please feel free to post them in my comments section.


Find-A-Grave (52 million grave records, many with photos) at http://www.findagrave.com/


Google searches, Google Alerts and Google Books


DAR -- Daughters of the American Revolution (great site for seeing if your ancestor was a Revolutionary War patriot) at http://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search/


Family Search (LDS site with millions of records, many images of actual records).
https://beta.familysearch.org/


Ellis Island site with emigration and naturalization records.  http://www.ellisisland.org/


RootsWeb (site is free and owned by Ancestry.com (subscription site).
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/


The US GenWeb Project.  http://usgenweb.org/


Dutch Door Genealogy.  http://www.dutchdoorgenealogy.com/


Internet Archive. http://www.archive.org/


Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers.  http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/


Special Mention:
Cynthia Shenette of Heritage Zen wrote a wonderful article in which she did a lot of research, and explains step by step what was done and what needs to be done. She doesn't subscribe to Ancestry either.  Please read Researching the Coldbrook Tragedy (4 parts)  Note:  Cynthia has a very long list of genealogy sites at the end of her Heritage Zen home page. Scroll all the way down.


ADDITIONAL SITES RECOMMENDED BY OTHERS (See Comments.) They are excellent.


Nancy suggested:  Cyndi's List

Gretta suggested:  The Bureau of Land Management


Heather suggested:   Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness 

Tombstone Tuesday -- KNAP (2 Generations) CT to Quebec, Canada

Jonathan Knap
Born:    March 17, 1750, Fairfield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut
Died:  April 25, 1828, St. Armand E. (Freighsburg), Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada
Stone reads: "Erected in memory of Capt. Jonathan Knap who was born in Redding, Conn. on the 17th March 1750 and died on the 25th of April 1828, aged 78 yrs. 1 month and 8 days in St. Armand, L.C."

His wife Mary Alvord
Born:   April 26, 1754, Fairfield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut
Died:  July 31, 1842, St. Armand E. (Freighsburg), Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada
Stone reads: "In memory of Mary Alvord wife of Capt. Jonathan Knap who departed this life July 31, 1842.  Aged 88-3-5."
Jonathan and Mary Knap were my 4th great-grandparents.


Their daughter Anna Knap Pell, my 3rd great-grandmother.
Born:  April 22, 1798, Redding, Fairfield Co., Connecticut
Died:  February 20, 1866, Dunham, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada

And, their son, Aquila Knap, my 3rd great-granduncle.
Born:  December 05, 1785, Redding, Fairfield Co., Connecticut
Died:  March 23, 1877, Dunham, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada
Aquila Knap was my 3rd great-granduncle.
The above were buried at the Bishop Stewart Memorial Church Cemetery in Frelighsburg, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada
(Above 2nd photo of church and cemetery by Patrice Marcotte, permission granted to use about 10 years ago.)

Jonathan Knap's brother, Moses Knap
Born:  Abt. 1754, of Arlington, Vermont
Died:  February 13, 1816, Dunham, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada
His wife was Charity Hurd
Moses was my 4th great-granduncle.

This stone is at the All Saints Anglican Church Cemetery in Dunham, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada