doing family research

[jewscout]

I've been getting into geneology recently and i'm trying to get some work done on my father's side of the family. I haven't spoken to any of them in over a decade and don't intend to (long story don't ask me to explain it). Luckily i've gotten pretty far using sources online since i don't have the time to really make trips out to different locations in the state. But i've hit a dry patch and was wondering if anyone out there has any suggetions. I've gotten as far as a Patterson Coon born in Virginia 13 Sept. 1825 who is the only child of a Jacob Coon and Frances [Coon] (it doesn't give a maiden name on anything i've looked at). There are no dates for Jacob that i can find and i've googled to no avail. Does anyone now of a good site on geneology that won't cost me a bunch of cash (little strapped for it right now)???? :help:

 

[Lightkeeper]

Have you tried Familysearch.com

Most of them charge now. You can contact your local Mormon Temple, they usually know where the local genealogy library is.

 

[Pah]

I've been getting into geneology recently and i'm trying to get some work done on my father's side of the family. I haven't spoken to any of them in over a decade and don't intend to (long story don't ask me to explain it). Luckily i've gotten pretty far using sources online since i don't have the time to really make trips out to different locations in the state. But i've hit a dry patch and was wondering if anyone out there has any suggetions. I've gotten as far as a Patterson Coon born in Virginia 13 Sept. 1825 who is the only child of a Jacob Coon and Frances [Coon] (it doesn't give a maiden name on anything i've looked at). There are no dates for Jacob that i can find and i've googled to no avail. Does anyone now of a good site on geneology that won't cost me a bunch of cash (little strapped for it right now)???? :help:

If you have a place of birth or marriage or death, write to the clerk of the court of that place with as much information as you have (dates names, places) and they will do a search for you in thier records. There may be a fee. I have over 3000 names in my genealogy and we can can talk about it when we have dinner.

For example, Christian families (you're converting, aren't you?) have records at the church for all the major events. cemetaries have records of internments and all of these usually give clues or facts that lead to a preceding generation. The further back you can establish lineage, the more likely it will be published (up to a point).


I found travel was very important - to towns of record, to genealogoical libraries not on the net, and cemetaries for burial plot records. Primary records (vital records and will, real estate transactions in a court house) are most important, secondary records (complied and published genealogies) are next (some cities around Boston published a centenial memorial that provide genealogies - I don't know about Virginia) and internet home pages are the least reliable. Even the "oral" history from family members is suspect. Ship manifests will give you family members accompaning immigrants and sometimes a home city (but usually it is a port of embarkation).

Sad to say, I've reached blank walls in all of my lines and am reduced to filling in "uncles and aunts". I need to go to Montreal and back to Portland, Maine.

Bob