PAancestors.com

October 2024 Issue

October 2024 PA Genealogy News

Hello Reader!

Welcome to PA Ancestors Discoveries newsletter!

This week we are talking about Archives Month special events, the latest podcast episodes, and peaks at PA Ancestors Members articles.

Catch up on the latest podcast episodes

Watch or listen to the latest episodes of Your Pennsylvania Ancestors and subscribe to the podcast to get all the new episodes.

Podcast Episode 91: 25 Records to Research Your Civil War Ancestors

The US Civil War from 1861 to 1865 produced a goldmine of records for genealogy research. In the records I'm sharing today, you will find not just military information, but also family relationships, the physical appearance of your ancestors, such as eye color, hair color, and height, but also fellow soldiers, which were a huge network of support and employment for people post-war.

Podcast Episode 92: Deep Dive on Conscientious Objectors in the Civil War with Jonathan Stayer

Jonathan Stayer joins us once again on the podcast, marking his third appearance. This time, the topic is especially close to his heart—conscientious objection during the Civil War, particularly in Pennsylvania. While previous episodes covered the South Central Pennsylvania Genealogical Society and Camp Security, this discussion dives into a subject Jonathan is passionate about. If you're interested in genealogy and historical nuances, you’re in for a treat.

You can subscribe to the podcast on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts, or in the podcast app of your choice.

❤️If you enjoyed any episode, please leave a review wherever you listened or watched.

October is Archives Month

Archives around the country are holding special events to showcase their collections and meet you. Be sure to check the "events" section of the archives closest to you to see what is offered.

In Pennsylvania, we have dozens of free events:

October 2nd is an open house at the PA House of Representatives Archives, co-hosted with the PA Senate, PA State Library, and of course, the PA State Archives. Held at the State Capitol, East Wing. More details
October 19th is Archives and Special Collections Treasures at the Carnegie Library (Main) in Pittsburgh. More details
All month is Archives Month Philly with over 25 events in October. Check out the full calendar.
Virtual event - October 16th which is National #AskAnArchivist Day. Archivists all over the United States will be on social media answering your questions about archival collections and how to research them. Just go to your social media of choice (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X) and put the #AskAnArchivist hashtag in the search bar to follow the conversation and ask questions.

If you are new to archival research and not sure what they have to offer you as a genealogist, my book Archives of Pennsylvania can help you plan your research and find records on your family.

PA Ancestors Member Connections

PA Ancestors Members receive a premium newsletter each Monday. The newsletter features little-known record sources and sound research methods, so you can complete your research (and know it has been done well).

Not a member and want a preview? Here is a preview of some past issues:

Using AI to Transcribe Records You Already Have - For many family historians, the answers they seek are waiting to be found in records they have already collected.These answers are not obvious because the information is contained in pages of handwritten text which has not been thoroughly read and transcribed. Here's a step-by-step of how to use AI to transcribe the handwriting (for free).
Methodology: Locate Ancestors and Activities on Maps - Step-by-step directions on how to find and use maps to expand your genealogy research and answer questions about your ancestors. Links to my favorite maps collections included.

When you become a member, you get all the past member content I've created (Nothing disappears unlike with most memberships.).

See all the benefits PA Ancestors Membership.

That's it for this week's newsletter. If you found something useful, please share it with your genealogy friends and in any Facebook groups you are in and say you got it from PA Ancestors.

Keep discovering your ancestors,