Sometimes genealogists encounter difficulties locating vital records for their ancestors. The reasons why some records can be elusive are numerous. Today I would like to talk about one possible reason that you may be having difficulty finding a birth certificate for one or more of your ancestors. It is possible that the ancestor whose birth certificate you seek is one of millions of undocumented Americans. Undocumented Americans are people who were born in the United States and do not have a birth certificate or other means of proving their citizenship. Some undocumented Americans come from immigrant families who may or … Continue reading →

Has the following happened to you? First, you come across a document or record that gets your genealogy research going in some direction. Then, you find another document or record and begin to think that you are on a roll. Then…..nothing. For hours. Your patience and enthusiasm run out, and before you know it you have closed the books on another genealogy research session that you thought was going to be more productive. Such is genealogy. Sometimes it goes and it flows, and sometimes…..not so much. Instead of letting an unproductive research session, dead end, or brick wall put the … Continue reading →

Having trouble finding the birth record of an ancestor from long ago? There might be a very good reason why you are having such a hard time. Although today it is common practice for everyone to immediately register the birth of a child in an official capacity, this wasn’t always the case. It is quite possible that the record you are seeking simply doesn’t exist. In the United States, birth records were not required until fairly recently. The exact year that this requirement took effect can vary from one state to the next. Many states didn’t require a record of … Continue reading →