• What free genealogy sites you should be scouring for information on your ancestors.
• How to use popular free sites such as FamilySearch.org, RootsWeb.com and Internet Archive.
• Online search tricks to find data on smaller, less well-known free genealogy websites.
• Using the free Evernote site to organize your research and become a more-efficient genealogist. (Personal note: I've started using Evernote for my genealogy to-do list, and it's keeping me from forgetting research tasks that occur to me while I'm doing something else. And I can check the list anytime on my smartphone.)
  

Tuesday, June 04, 2013 11:29:23 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• Jewish Genealogy Value Pack, with video classes on Jewish names and finding Eastern European origins, Jewish and Eastern European research guides, and the must-have Finding Our Fathers guidebook

• Ultimate Irish Genealogy Collection, with video classes on Irish censuses and genealogy websites, our guide to Griffith's Valuation, a genealogical atlas and our Family Tree University Independent Study course on researching in Irish records

• Digitize Your Family Photos Value Pack, with guides and video demos for organizing, digitizing, digitally repairing and sharing your old family photos

• Photo Detective Collection, with photo-research guides from Family Tree Magazine's Photo Detective Maureen A. Taylor—including her new Family Photo Detective eBook and an autographed copy of Preserving Your Family Photographs

• Photo Retouching Digital Value Pack, with DIY guides and video demos for repairing faded, spotted and torn family photos

Thursday, May 23, 2013 10:42:11 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• Military records and rosters
• Court and tax records
• Manuscripts and state-specific collections
• State archives resources

Wednesday, May 15, 2013 4:26:49 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• WikiTree, a genealogy community with a goal to build a free worldwide family tree, now has 5 million ancestor profiles. The site's founders say its "slow-growth" approach—encouraging the careful addition of profiles over "bulk" uploads—makes this milestone an important one. 

You can hear from WikiTree founder Chris Whitten in the January 2013 Family Tree Magazine Podcast, hosted by Lisa Louise Cooke. 

Browse or search the profiles by surname here. If you want to build a tree there, start with the "How WikiTree Works" page.

• The volunteers for FamilySearch Indexing, the effort to index records at the Family History Library and make them searchable at the free FamilySearch.org, have indexed their one billionth record.
  
  The volunteers who indexed and arbitrated that record, Kenneth B. of California, Brittney S. of Idaho and April R. of Alberta, Canada, get a FamilySearch backpack with goodies inside. You can see how the indexing process works on FamilySearch.org.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013 12:49:33 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• The New England Genealogy Value Pack gathers tools for researching your family tree in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. You'll get webinars, our newly updated State Research Guides, webinars and the Researching your Colonial New England Ancestors book.

Get all the details on the New England Genealogy Value Pack here.

• Want search strategies for hard-to-find relatives in the census? Techniques to go beyond your basic names, ages and relationships, and mine census records for clues to your ancestors' everyday lives and which records you should look for next?

Our Census Research Value Pack has video classes and books to improve your census research skills. Get all the details on the Census Research Value Pack here.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013 12:11:31 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

1. I've always wanted to be popular.

2. If the "Microsoft Word Will Never Understand That My Name is NOT a Spelling Mistake" page can get 161,707 likes, we can get 10,000.

3. When we hit 10,000 likes, we'll post a coupon of our fans' choosing! Vote in our Facebook poll for either 30% off a Family Tree University course or 15% off your entire purchase at ShopFamilyTree.com.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013 2:56:16 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• Discover Your Roots Kit (great for beginners, and it's 30% off)
• 10 Years of Family Tree Magazine (2000-2009) DVD (40% off)
• 2008 and 2009 Family Tree Magazine annual CDs (60% off)
• State Research Guides hard-bound book (60% off)

Monday, March 18, 2013 3:08:25 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• Find Your African-American Ancestors: A Beginner's Guide
• Best African-American Genealogy Sources article download
• Best African American Genealogy Websites half-hour video class
• Reconstruction 101 for African-Americans half-hour video class 

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 3:32:01 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• Ultimate Polish Genealogy Collection
• Ultimate Czech and Slovak Genealogy Collection
• Ultimate Hungarian Genealogy Collection

• expertise on how to research ancestors from Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, or Hungary (depending which collection you opt for)
  
• strategies for discovering your ancestor's birthplace
  
• where to find records
• techniques for learning immigrants' original names
• the best websites and offline resources to use
• language help

Thursday, February 07, 2013 9:08:09 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• be more successful in your Google searches you do for your genealogy research
• go beyond subscription sites such as Ancestry.com and discover sources of free genealogy data online
• leverage Google’s full suite of tools that will be helpful in your family history research, such as Google Alerts, Google Translate, Google Drive—and even ones you may not know about

• Advanced Google searching strategies
• Details on how to go about digging into your roots online
• How to use cool Google tools such as Gmail and Google Books
• How to navigate the genealogy globe with Google Earth
• Tips and tricks for finding and sharing genealogy on Google+

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 9:17:27 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [13]

• A one-year subscription to Family Tree Magazine (1-year/7-issue US subscription): Get America's #1 genealogy magazine, packed with how-to tips and step-by-step guidance to discover, preserve and celebrate your family history. (If you're a current subscriber, your VIP membership will extend your existing subscription by 7 issues.)
• A one-year subscription to Family Tree Plus: Get subscription-only access to 10 years of how-to articles from the experts at Family Tree Magazine through the online archives.
• Exclusive tuition discounts on Family Tree University online courses: Get an additional 10 percent off sale prices and specials on our web-based classes for family history hobbyists. Choose from dozens of one- to eight-week courses led by expert instructors that will boost your research skills!
• Family Tree Toolkit: This exclusive toolkit includes a PDF of 101 Websites, selected project forms and a printable family tree that is perfect for framing.
• Member-only savings: Log in before you shop to save even more on every order from ShopFamilyTree.com with your exclusive 10 percent automatic discount! Additional discounts for members will be provided throughout the year. Get free standard shipping on US orders from ShopFamilyTree.com throughout the year.
  

Monday, January 14, 2013 9:44:27 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• helping a parent or loved one downsize to a smaller home.
• needing a simple, effective filing system for genealogy research.
• interested in scanning and making digital copies of genealogy records.
• looking for a way to preserve your family history and heirlooms for future generations.

Thursday, January 10, 2013 9:37:03 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• History and geography of Scandinavian countries
• How the patronymic naming system works
• Basic language tips
• How to find overseas records and navigate records websites, including the Swedish National Archives
• Tricks for sorting out Swedish roots
• Tips for decrypting your Viking ancestry

• Strategies for finding your Famine-era family through census-substitutes
• Essential online resources for Irish genealogy
• Basic steps for rooting out important Irish records, including birth, marriage, death, church and census records
• Irish genealogy facts, charts and websites

• Tracing Irish Ancestors in Griffith's Valuation video class
• Irish Genealogy Online video class
• Finding Your Irish Ancestors DVD
• Irish Genealogy Cheat Sheet download

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 9:39:56 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [1]

• Way back in 448, Moses of Crete, a rabbi, claimed to be the Messiah as predicted by Talmudic calculations and led his followers to the sea, which was supposed to part so they could reach Palestine. Having given away all their possessions, the rabbi's followers cast themselves into the Mediterranean. Seeing them crash on the rocks or drown, the rabbi declined to follow and "suddenly disappeared," leading some to conclude he had actually been "some malignant fiend" in human form.

• Then there were the astrological predictions that a 1524 planetary alignment in Pisces would produce an apocalypse. Germans built boats, including a three-story ark constructed by Count von Igleheim, and residents of port cities took refuge afloat. When doomsday arrived with only a light drizzle, angry crowds outside the ark stampeded, trampling hundreds, and stoned the count to death.

• In America, forerunners of today's Seventh-Day Adventists, the Millerites, followed Baptist preacher William Miller, who concluded Christ would return in 1844. Another Millerite pegged it more precisely on Oct. 22, 1844, a day that came to be known as "the Great Disappointment." Thousands of followers gave  away their possessions and awaited the end. When Jesus didn't appear, one wrote, "I lay prostrate for two days without any pain—sick with disappointment." Even children in the streets would taunt the disappointed Millerites, saying, "Have you not gone up [to heaven]?"

Tuesday, December 18, 2012 3:04:26 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• Up to 64% off Beginner Genealogy Tools
• Up to 70% off Research Your Heritage Tools
• Up to 66% off Online Research Tools
• Up to 64% off Tools to Organize & Share Your Findings
  
  

• Up to 40% off Books
• Up to 45% off On-demand Courses
• Up to 50% off CDs
• Up to 70% off Value Packs
  
  

• We're releasing a limited-edition kit perfect for the holidays that you won't want to miss! Watch for it Thursday in our newsletter and on our website.
  
  

Wednesday, November 21, 2012 9:00:24 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• Research Strategies: Reverse Genealogy article download by Lisa Louise Cooke: Get advice for making like Sherlock Holmes and finding cousins, including tips for figuring out where to look, as well as the best websites and directories to use.

• Reverse Genealogy independent study course download: This course, also developed by Lisa Louise Cooke, has in-depth instructions on tracing your family lines forward to find living relatives.

• They're Alive: Finding Living Relatives on-demand webinar by Thomas MacEntee: Learn about using people-finding websites, how to approach a possible cousin (without feeling like a stalker) and more.

• Step by Step Guide: Safely Sharing Data Online article download by Rick Crume: You want to find relatives and you want them to find you, but how do keep from putting "too much" out there (and maybe letting the wrong people find you)? This advice will help you stay safe.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012 2:32:03 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• Iowa is the 29th state, attaining statehood in December 1846. Birth and marriage records began in 1880 and death records in 1891. There are some online indexes (and even record images) you can use from home—at least to get enough information to request original records. We'll help you use these online sources, and tell you where to go for the originals.

• Iowa is one of the lucky states with great state censuses. In the webinar, we'll talk about when they were taken, what information they include, where to find them, and how to use them. You'll see examples of one of the greatest censuses in the country (in our opinions:) and the three pages of information on each enumerated individual.

• Land has always been one of Iowa's most important assets. The first sale of most land was from the federal government to individuals. Using the Bureau of Land Management's General Land Office database and other sources, we'll show you how to find land records and what they mean to your research.

• The Iowa Genealogical Society is large and active. We'll have some tips on researching using the society's library in Des Moines. If you have Iowa roots, this is one society you should join.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012 1:32:24 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• what types of military records might exist for your ancestors and where to find them
  
• how to track down draft registrations (even if your ancestor never served)
• how to trace ancestors' service in the American Revolution, Civil War, World Wars and other US wars
• the best websites for finding military records, including Fold3, the Daughters of the American Revolution genealogy database and more

Thursday, September 27, 2012 9:59:22 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [3]

• how to find resources such as vital records (going back as early as 1650!), church records, censuses, court records and more
• tricks for tracing Dutch, English, Italian, Irish and other ethnic ancestors
• the best places to search for Connecticut ancestors online

• Date: Thursday, Sept. 27
• Time: 7-8 p.m. ET (starts at 6 p.m. CT, 5 p.m. MT and 4 p.m. PT)
• Price: $49.99 (register now to save $10 with our early bird special!)

Monday, September 10, 2012 1:16:18 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• on-demand webinars such as Using Probate Records or our Illinois or Michigan genealogy crash course
• the Genealogist's Census Pocket Reference to keep handy (it's full of information and tips, and it really does fit in your pocket)
• our Family Tree Essentials CD with how-tos on the basic genealogical records you need to search for
  
• any number of Family Tree University Independent Study courses

Friday, September 07, 2012 4:49:59 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• Quicksheet: Historical Biographer's Guide to Cluster Research with advice from renowned genealogist Elizabeth Shown Mills
  
  
• 101 Brick Wall Busters with Family Tree Magazine experts' answers to readers genealogy questions
  
  
• Research Remedies CD with guides to research obstacles from maiden name mysteries to incognito immigrants
  
  
• Using Cluster and Collateral Searches to Beat Brick Walls recorded webinar with techniques for getting clues from records of your ancestors' friends, neighbors and relatives
  
  
• Step-by-Step Guide: How to Fix Common Genealogy Errors, a digital download article with strategies for spotting errors in your family tree (and keeping them from coming back)
  
  
• They're Alive! Finding Living Relatives recorded webinar has tips from genealogy sleuth Thomas MacEntee on finding cousins who might have family information
  
  
• Family Tree Problem Solver by Marcia Hoffman Rising, the newly revised classic book with strategies and case studies for breaking through brick walls

Thursday, September 06, 2012 9:11:22 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• Online Genealogy Value Pack at 53 percent off (it includes two CDs, a webinar and research guides)
  
  
• Online Military Records: Document Your Ancestor's Service webinar at 40 percent off
  
  
• What's in a Civil War Pension File video class at 40 percent off
  
  
• Research Strategies: Special Censuses downloadable guide at 40 percent off—making it just $2.40

Thursday, July 19, 2012 9:51:05 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• Find Your German Roots Independent Study Course download, with four lessons to help you use genealogical records and more to determine who your German ancestors were and from where in Germany they came. 

• A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your Germanic Ancestors e-book download by Chris Anderson and Ernest Thode, with expert instruction on researching German ancestors.

• Tracing German Ancestry in Eastern Europe download, with guidance on tracing the German ancestors from Slovakia, Romania, Russia and other places beyond Deutschland's borders.

• Genealogy Cheat Sheet download, a quick reference designed to deliver the information you need to understand the records of your German ancestors
  

Best of all, this collection of German genealogy guidance is on sale for $49.99—64 percent off the price of buying each item individually.

Learn more about the German Genealogy Value Pack in ShopFamilyTree.com.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012 4:37:11 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• Texas Genealogy Crash Course
  
• Wednesday, June 27
• 8 p.m. Eastern (7 Central, 6 Mountain, 5 Pacific)
• 60 minutes

Friday, June 08, 2012 11:15:00 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• After the American Revolution, around 35,000 Loyalists headed for Canada's Maritime Provinces.
  
• By 1812, about 80 percent of the estimated 100,000 settlers in southern Ontario province were of American origin.
• Approximately 900,000 French-Canadians emigrated to the United States from 1840 to 1930.
  
• As available US land diminished in the late 1880s, Canada's Prairie Provinces saw a massive influx of Americans.
• Around 1895, when US border-crossing records begin, as many as 40 percent of immigrants to Canada planned to end up in the United States.
  
• In 1897, the Klondike Gold Rush spurred a stampede of Americans to the Yukon.
  

Fortunately for US residents tracing Canadian ancestors, an abundance of resources is available—but where do you start?

Why, with our next webinar, Canadian Genealogy for Americans. 

Author and lecturer Lisa A. Alzo will introduce you to major Canadian genealogy resources and websites, key record groups and essential history. You'll also receive our digital Canadian Genealogy Guide when you register. 

Here are the Canadian Genealogy for Americans webinar details:

• Tuesday, June 5, 2012
• 8 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. Central, 6 p.m. Mountain, 5 p.m. Pacific) 
• Duration: 60 minutes 
• $49.99 (but register now to save $10!)
• Registration includes: participation in the live event, access to the recording to watch again as often as you like, a PDF of the presentation slides, our Canadian Genealogy Guide
  

Our Canadian Genealogy for Americans webinar will enable you to formulate a solid research plan for discovering your Canadian kin. Register at ShopFamilyTree.com.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 1:28:05 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [1]

• How to efficiently navigate Ancestry.com
• Tricks for finding the record collections you need
• Search tips for locating hard-to-find ancestors in Ancestry.com databases
  
• Things Ancestry.com doesn’t tell you (like the limitations of its collections and how many freebies are on the site)

The Your Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com webinar takes place May 23 at 8 p.m. Eastern (that's 7 p.m. Central, 6 p.m. Mountain and 5 p.m. Pacific). It's presented by David A. Fryxell, a veteran genealogist and a Family Tree Magazine contributing editor.

We'll help you start finding the genealogy answers you need in the world's largest genealogy database website. Register for Your Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com now to take advantage of our $10 off early bird special!

Thursday, May 17, 2012 9:27:09 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

I'm in love with our newest book, From the Family Kitchen: Discover Your Food Heritage and Preserve Family Recipes by Gena Philibert-Ortega.

Before you even open the book, it's pretty: Hardbound, with a lovely cover and a cute yellow ribbon bookmark.

And then it's about food history and family recipes, a topic that fascinates me.

Who better to describe the book than its author? Here's what Gena has to say about this labor of love:

Do you ever wish you knew more about your ancestors’ lives? When I think of my ancestors, I wonder how their lives were similar to mine. I also ponder what I can add to my genealogy research that will be meaningful to future generations. 

From the Family Kitchen will help you understand and appreciate your ancestors’ everyday lives by exploring the foods they ate. These details make your family history more vivid and more interesting to younger folks—not to mention very tasty. 

This isn’t just another guidebook. It’s a keepsake designed to help you gather and preserve your family’s food traditions, past and present. You can use From the Family Kitchen to:

1. Learn where to find recipes Great-grandma would've cooked. I’ll walk you through the history of American foodways, and introduce you to resources for researching the food traditions of specific eras and regions. The book even includes historical recipes, cooking instructions and entertaining advice to give you a flavor of your ancestors’ experiences. 

2. Better understand the foods of immigrant ancestors. Your family’s food traditions today might still reflect your ancestors’ cultural heritage—but how have those dishes changed over generations and across countries? I’ll explain how to find out.

3. Interview your family about their food memories. Get tips for gathering recipes and recollections. The book includes dozens of suggested questions to ask. 

4. Record your family food traditions. Within the book are beautiful recipe journal pages for preserving the dishes you discover in your research, and especially today’s family favorites—creating a legacy for future generations. 

This is Diane again. This hardcover book is a great addition to your genealogy or cooking bookshelf, and it makes a wonderful Mother’s Day gift. You can order From the Family Kitchen from ShopFamilyTree.com on sale for a short time, for $22.39. 

Bon appétit!

Wednesday, May 02, 2012 1:31:57 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [1]

• Land Records 101 Family Tree University Independent Study Course download: Master the basics of US land records research, including what documents to look for and where to find them, online and offline
  
  
• Platting Metes and Bounds Properties on-demand video class: If your ancestor's property was surveyed under the metes and bounds system, land records describe it in terms of trees, rocks, fenceposts, streams and roads along the boundaries. This lesson will help you make sense of those descriptions and map out what the property looked like.
  
  
• Platting Rectangular Survey System Properties on-demand video class: Learn how to plat ancestral properties surveyed using the rectangular survey system, also known as the public land survey system.
  
  
• Using Land Records article download: Our guide to land records explains land records from early headrights to claims under the Homestead Act. You'll also learn about property deeds and "dower rights," which can be informative about female ancestors.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012 11:02:51 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [5]

You're probably getting the gist by now: For the Amazing Deals Sale at ShopFamilyTree.com now through Sunday, lots and lots of genealogy how-to books, print back issues, CDs, article downloads and more are at least 50 percent off.

Click here to see everything included in the sale. Remember, in ShopFamilyTree.com you get free shipping on orders over $25 (and digital downloads count toward the total).

Friday, March 16, 2012 10:34:01 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

And this little guy is 1/32nd Irish:

So this St. Patrick’s Day, Leo and I will have to make the most of our respective slivers of Irishness.

Whether you're a lot or a little Irish, you share heritage with the second-largest heritage group in the United States. Here are some more stats:

• 50,000 to 100,000 Irish came to America in the 1600s, and 100,000 more in the 1700s. Eight signatures on the Declaration of Independence belonged to men of Irish descent.

• In the American colonies, up to 90 percent of indentured servants were Irish. 

• About 250,000 Scots-Irish settlers from Ulster province arrived in the United States during the Colonial era. They were descended from Scottish and English tenant farmers settled in Ireland during the Plantation of Ulster.

• In the century after 1820, about 5 million Irish arrived on US shores. Irish made up almost half of all US immigrants in the 1840s and one-third in the 1850s, the decades of the Great Potato Famine.

• Today, Massachusetts is the most Irish state, with about a quarter of the population claiming Irish roots.

FamilyTreeMagazine.com has some great advice for tracing your Irish roots:

• Tracing Irish immigrants through Canada
  
  
• Where to search the 1901 and 1911 Irish censuses free online
  
  
• 10 Best websites for tracing UK and Irish Roots
  
  
• Tips on discovering your ancestor's place of origin in Ireland
  

For in-depth help researching your Irish ancestors, take a look at our Irish Ancestry Value Pack, with:

• how-to guides
• the Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Irish Ancestors book download
• the Irish Research 101 Family Tree University Independent Study course
  

The Irish Ancestry Value Pack is just $49.99 this month.

Thursday, March 15, 2012 8:09:01 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• Best records for finding female ancestors

• Strategies for finding female ancestors
  
  
• Glossary of Women's Words (such as "consort," "grass widow," and the oh-so-flattering "spinster")
  
  
• Details to zero in on when you're dating women's clothing in photographs
  
  
• List of women's nicknames (because Elizabeth might go by Bet, Bess, Liza, Libby, Tess or any number of other monikers)
  
  
• Women's history websites, books and organizations
  

You'll discover more research strategies and details of our female ancestors' lives with the tools in our Women's History Month Value Pack, specially priced at $29.99 (a 59 percent discount) in March.

Thursday, March 08, 2012 10:06:06 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [23]

Our Ultimate Irish Genealogy Collection is packed with practical advice for otracing your Irish ancestors in America and in the old country. It includes: 

• Irish Research 101 Family Tree University Independent Study course download: successfully use US records to determine who your Irish immigrant ancestors were and their place of origin in Ireland.
  
  
• Irish Genealogy Online video class: Recommends the best websites for finding Irish ancestors and features a case study demonstrating how to trace an Irish famine emigrant on the web.
  
  
• Quick Guide to Irish Genealogy Websites: Our at-a-glance chart shows you what resources you'll find and other stats on several popular Irish genealogy sites.
  
  
• Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Irish Ancestors book download: Get help with genealogical records, maps, translations and more.
  
  
• A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland book: This graphical representation of Griffith's Valuation has maps for every county showing civil parishes, baronies and dioceses, as well as poor law unions and parishes.
  
  
• 101 Things You Didn't Know About Irish History book: Dispel the myths and learn the true stories of the Irish.

All this is a $185 value priced at $69.99 (that's 62 percent off) this month only—and only 100 are available!

A bonus with this Ultimate Collection: You get a coupon for 5 percent off the Irish Research 201 Family Tree University course, with four lessons focusing on records of your Irish ancestors in Ireland.

Click here to learn more about the Ultimate Irish Genealogy Collection at ShopFamilyTree.com.

Thursday, March 01, 2012 9:54:34 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [2]

• Our German, Irish, Scottish, Swedish and many other family history research how-to downloads are just $2.
  
  
• Books including Remember That? and Family History Detective, and CDs including Research Remedies and our 2005, 2007 and 2008 back issues compilations, are just $9.
  
  
• Collections including our Virtual Conference Ethnic Research video classes, the Problem Solver Double Pack, and the Discover Your Roots Kit are just $29.

As always, you get free shipping on ShopFamilyTree.com orders over $25—digital downloads count toward that total.

Click here to see all the great $2, $9 and $29 deals in the ShopFamilyTree.com Leap Day Spectacular.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012 9:40:49 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [8]

We'll see you Feb. 29 at ShopFamilyTree.com.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012 11:30:54 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [1]

• Guides to help you research ancestors in Illinois, Virginia and Washington DC
  
  
• Our collected State Research Guides book with advice for tracing your ancestry all across the United States
  
  
• Our Military Research Guide CD and other guides to finding records of ancestors in the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I and World War II, and other American conflicts
  
  
• The book Life in Civil War America by Michael O. Varhola
  
  
• The book Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb?: A Tour of Presidential Gravesites by Brian Lamb

As always, you get free shipping on orders of $25 or more, and Family Tree VIPs get an extra 10 percent off.

And if you suspect there's a US president in your family tree, check out our presidential genealogy research resources on FamilyTreeMagazine.com.

Friday, February 17, 2012 9:25:22 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [2]

• 10 Years of Family Tree Magazine 2000-2009 DVD
• Trace Your Roots Online CD
• Family Tree Passport to Europe CD
• Research Remedies CD
• ... and more!

Click here to see everything included in our CD and DVD Clearance Event!

Friday, February 10, 2012 4:01:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [6]

Brightsolid just announced a new pay-as-you-go site for US census records, 1790 to 1930, plus 1940 when it's released later this year. It'll be called CensusRecords.com, and is already live as as an early beta version that invites user feedback.

This is the first site that will let you search for your ancestors in the cnesus, then purchase the record with their names—a model that'll potentially make census research more affordable and accessible to those who don't want to commit to a genealogy website subscription.

No doubt brightsolid hopes—I know I do, too—that the pay-as-you-go service will lure casual researchers to get more involved in family history research.

Censusrecords.com visitors will be able to search for free. To view documents and download them to their computer, they can subscribe or buy pay-as-you-go credits, which start at $7.95 for 1,000 credits (good for 60 days).

Pay-as-you-go costs could add up if you're not sure you've found your ancestor and have to check a bunch of records, but if you're sure you've found the right folks, this could be your most cost-effective approach.

With the confluence of several factors—a growing interest in family history, economic concerns, anticipation for the 1940 census, and "Who Do You Think You Are?" showing genealogy to the masses—Censusrecords.com is poised to be a big hit. What do you think? (Hit Comments below to share your thoughts.)

We're joining in the RootsTech excitement with conference specials for everyone! You'll get 20 percent off select online genealogy titles at ShopFamilyTree.com.

Thursday, February 02, 2012 11:33:32 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [8]

This month's Ultimate Collection will help you research those folks! Our Ultimate German Research Collection has

• Find Your German Roots: Family Tree University Independent Study Course download
• German Newspapers in America (on-demand video class)
• Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Germanic Ancestors digital book
• Family Tree Passport to Europe CD
• Tracing German Ancestry in Eastern Europe download

Plus, you get a 25 percent off coupon for the Family Tree University German Genealogy 201 online course (learn more about this course here).

This collection is a $184 value for $69.99, and it's available only while supplies last, and only in February. Get your Ultimate German Research Collection in ShopFamilyTree.com.

Wednesday, February 01, 2012 2:30:23 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [2]

We want to make it easier for you to learn about genealogy research in both areas, so we're offering a $10-off-two webinar deal:

Register for any two of our next three upcoming webinars, and get $10 off your purchase. Choose from:

• Kentucky Genealogy Crash Course
• Tennessee Genealogy Crash Course
• They're Alive!: Finding Living Relatives (so you can use the discount even if your ancestors stayed in either Kentucky or Tennessee—just about all of us could use secrets for tracking down distant cousins)
  

Enter coupon code WEBTRIO10 at checkout to get this deal.

Thursday, January 19, 2012 12:00:53 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• My Family Tree Research Planner: This undated calendar, customizable for use in any year, has plenty of space to schedule library visits and genealogy society meetings, and track your research to-dos and goals. Click here for a video look inside (scroll down).
  
  
• Organize Your Family Archive OnDemand Webinar: Got boxes of family papers, photos, knicknacks and who knows what else? Denise Levenick, aka the Family Curator, provides tips on how to decide what to save, easy ways to inventory and more.
  
  
• Time Management for Genealogists download: Learn the skills to manage your limited genealogy research time your way in this Family Tree University Independent Study course download. Discover how to set achievable goals, use online project management tools and more.
  
  
• Family Tree Magazine February 2012 digital issue: Get tips to make over your research methods and workspace for better efficiency.
  
  
• Family Tree Magazine 2012 Genealogy Desk Calendar: This calendar has inspiring ancestor photos from our readers, plus coupons you can use all year in ShopFamilyTree.com.

Thursday, January 19, 2012 10:26:34 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [2]

• My Life & Times: A Guided Journal for Collecting Your Stories (just $15 on sale)
  
  
• Remember That? A Year-by-Year chronicle of Fun Facts, Headlines, & Your Memories (only $8.50)
  
  
• German Genealogy Guide Digital Download (only $2)
  
  
• Irish Genealogy Online video class (only $15)
  
  
• Brick Wall Busters: Solutions to Real-Life Stumpers on-demand webinar (only $20)
  
  
• Tracing Immigrants Family Tree University Independent Study Course (only $50)

See the full list of Giant 50% Sale items on ShopFamilyTree.com.

Remember, purchases totaling over $25 of qualifying items get free shipping (downloads do count toward this total), and Family Tree VIPs get an additional 10 percent off.

Time is tight—after Thursday, these great deals will be gone.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012 8:56:17 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [4]

We’re having a Year-End Warehouse Sale today through Dec. 23, featuring closeout prices on a variety of our books and CDs! It includes several of our annual back issue CDs, The Family Tree Guide to Finding Your Ellis Island Ancestors and more.

Check out what’s available in the Year-End Warehouse Sale at ShopFamilyTree.com.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 9:50:21 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

We've got you covered with 12 great titles for just $12 each! Choose from:

• 101 Brick Wall Busters: Solutions to Overcome Your Genealogical Challenges book
  
  
• Remember That? A Year-by-Year Chronicle of Fun Facts, Headlines, & Your Memories book (which I think would be great for the person who doesn't need another pair of slippers, but would love if you bring a baked treat, sit for a spell, and go through this book together and reminisce)
  
  
• Family History Detective: A Step-by-Step Guide to Investigating Your Family History book (terrific for someone who wants to start on his or her genealogy)
  
  
• Family Tree Magazine 2011 Annual CD (update your digital Family Tree Magazine library)
  
  
• Family Tree Pocket Reference book
  
  
• Genealogist's Research Trip Planner digital download (I will be consulting this guide to plan my research in Cleveland this April, which will piggyback on a trip to the Ohio Genealogical Society conference April 12-14)
  
  
• German Newspapers in America video class
  
  
• International Genealogy Passport CD
  
  
• Irish Genealogy Online video class
  
  
• Military Research Guide CD (another good gift for a beginner, or for anyone tracing a Civil War, WWII or other military ancestor)
  
  
• Photo Rescue digital download (wonderful for the keeper of your family's photographic heritage)

Get more details on each 12 for $12 goodie on ShopFamilyTree.com.

Monday, December 12, 2011 11:16:34 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

Now you can get the Organize Your Family History Value Pack for just $49.99 with code DECDEALS. That’s $20 off the regular price of this kit (which is already discounted over the cost of buying each component separately). 

What’s inside? Instructions and tools to guide you through the process of decluttering, sorting and filing your research (on paper and on your computer), and maintaining a system for organization.

Here’s what the Organize Your Family History Value Pack includes:

• Organize Your Genealogy: Family Tree University Independent Study Course download
• Organization Made Easy: 5 Simple Ways to Get Your Family History in Order on-demand webinar
• Organize Your Genealogy Life! CD
• Organize Now! book

Get more details on the Organize Your Family History Value Pack here. You could devote some of your holiday time off to starting the projects in this value pack, and start the new year feeling in control of your research.

Click here to take advantage of this deal.

Thursday, December 08, 2011 9:12:27 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

Even if you missed the conference, you can take advantage of 17 great classes, including

• Irish Genealogy Online with Rick Crume
• Finding Your East European Ancestors' Village with Lisa A. Alzo
• Build Your Research Toolbox with Thomas MacEntee
• Platting Metes and Bounds Properties with Diana Crisman Smith
• Digital Preservation for the 21st Century with Sunny Jane Morton

Virtual Conference video classes are available individually or in packages. They’re already on sale—now’s your chance to save another 20 percent. Click here to check them out.

Tuesday, December 06, 2011 10:57:44 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

You can update your paperless Family Tree Magazine library with our 2011 issues on a convenient CD, and boost your genealogy know-how with a specialized CD such as

• Military Research Guide CD
• Family Tree Passport to Europe CD
• Census Secrets CD

Browse all Family Tree Magazine CDs here.

Click here to get our 2011 annual CD and take advantage of today's deal.

Monday, December 05, 2011 9:19:38 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

Your VIP membership includes

• a Family Tree Magazine subscription
• a one-year subscription to Family Tree Plus (that's our online archive of genealogy how-to articles from past issues of Family Tree Magazine)
• 10 percent off all your ShopFamilyTree.com orders
• 25 percent off Family Tree University courses
• our exclusive Family Tree Toolkit

Get today's deal on VIP membership here.

Visit ShopFamilyTree.com every day through Dec. 12 to see the daily deals.

Remember, you get free shipping on orders over $25, and of course there's no shipping on digital products. (This post gives our holiday shipping order deadlines if you need them.)

Friday, December 02, 2011 11:18:15 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• Ultimate Photo Preservation Collection (25 available): Tools to help you ensure your family's memories will be around for future generations to enjoy, including the Preserving Your Family Photographs book signed by author Maureen A. Taylor aka the Photo Detective. (This collection sold out in just a few hours the first time around.) 

• Ultimate Google for Genealogists Collection (20 available): Master Google tools and techniques for tracing your family history with resources by Google guru Lisa Louise Cooke. They include a signed copy of Lisa's book The Genealogist's Google Toolbox.

• Ultimate Research Trip Collection (25 avaiable): Get the essential advice and supplies you need for visiting archives and courthouses, tromping through ancestral cemeteries and traveling to key research destinations across the country.

• Ultimate Research Solutions Collection (75 available) In this collection, find Family Tree Magazine experts' advice and ideas for conquering your genealogy brick walls.

Thursday, December 01, 2011 9:14:57 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

Today, Nov. 28, our Cyber Monday sale marks down some of our best-sellers by 40 percent! For example,

• The Family Tree Legacies: Preserving Memories Throughout Time fill-in family history book (with a CD of additional fill-in pages you can print) is just $17.99

• The 10 Years of Family Tree Magazine: 2000-2009 DVD is just $59.99
• Our on-demand webinars on doing genealogy research in Pennsylvania, New York and Missouri are just $23.99

See all the ShopFamilyTree.com Cyber Monday deals here.

And remember, if you’re a Family Tree VIP member, you’ll be able to take off another 10 percent.

*Just kidding. I didn't really talk to your boss, but I'm sure he or she won't mind.**

**OK, I don't really know your boss, so use your own judgment. Our Cyber Monday deals are good until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time—you can shop this evening, too.

Monday, November 28, 2011 10:36:37 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

While you’re waiting to tuck into some sweet potato casserole today, take advantage of free shipping on all orders at ShopFamilyTree.com! It’s a great opportunity to start your holiday shopping and pick up a genealogy how-to book or CD for yourself.

Then, enjoy some documents and photos from the National Archives related to the story of Thanksgiving in the United States, including George Washington's Oct. 3, 1789, Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, and Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Day Proclamation of Oct. 3, 1863.

Thursday, November 24, 2011 7:20:23 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• Thanksgiving Day, 11/24: Free shipping on any order with promo code THANKS2011
• Black Friday Weekend, 11/25-11/27: 20% off storewide (exclusions apply), plus a free digital download
• Cyber Monday, 11/28: 40% off ShopFamilyTree.com bestsellers

Start your holiday shopping (for loved ones or for yourself) with The Family Tree Sourcebook, The Family Tree Problem Solver, the beginner-friendly Family History Detective, or one of our Family Tree University Independent Study classes on CD. 

And for your reference, here are ShopFamilyTree.com ordering deadlines for ensuring your shipments arrive in time for Christmas:

• US Postal Service: Order by Wednesday, Dec. 7
• FedEx Ground: Order by Tuesday, Dec. 13
• FedEx 2nd Day: Order by Monday, Dec. 19
• FedEx Overnite: Order by Tuesday, Dec. 20

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 9:34:46 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

Today through 11/13/11, you'll find deep discounts on several of our genealogy how-to titles at ShopFamilyTree.com.

For example, you can stock up on Family Tree Magazine back issue CDs (the 2005, 2007 and 2008 CDs are just $4.99 each), or get guides to finding 15 important types of genealogy records in our Family Tree Essentials CD, also only $4.99. (Remember, VIP members get another 10 percent off.)

See the full sale listing at ShopFamilyTree.com/category/11-11-11-Sale-of-the-Century. We've got limited quantities, so shop now.

And if you (or someone you know) is into woodworking, gardening, sewing, antiquing or another hobby, you'll want to check out the discounts at our sister publications, too!

Friday, November 11, 2011 9:18:42 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

It includes

• Family Tree Legacies: Preserving Memories Throughout Time (hardcover book for recording your family history): Go here to download sample Military Biography Form pages from the section of the book on military ancestors.
  
  
• My Life & Times: A Guided Journal for Collecting Your Stories (hardcover book): Watch a free webinar with author Sunny Jane Morton on how to start writing your life story here.
  
  
• Photo Sharing 101 on-demand webinar about how to digitize and share your family pictures
  
  
• Creating a Family History Book Family Tree University independent study course download
  
  
• Family Tree Magazine December 2006 digital issue featuring 13 quick and easy holiday gifts
  
  
• Family Tree Magazine December 2005 digital issue with 19 simple, creative ideas for displaying your family tree

The $79.99 price saves you 62 percent on the whole shebang. Only 95 (and counting) of the Genealogy Keepsakes Ultimate Collections are left—now’s the time to get started on your family history holiday projects!

Thursday, November 03, 2011 8:33:21 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [1]

But not before we announce the winner of today’s big grand prize giveaway—a $200 shopping spree at ShopFamilyTree.com~

And the lucky winner is ... Reba Shafer!

There's still one more deal to be had: The Daily Deal for today, Oct. 31, is 50 percent off all digital downloads at ShopFamilyTree.com.

That's a lot of genealogy expertise you can get for a great price. Articles such as:

• German Genealogy Guide
• Researching British Emigrants to Australia, India and South Africa
• State Censuses Research Guide
• Tutorial: Using Google Earth in Your Genealogy Search
• World War I Research Guide

  ...and hundreds more! Start shopping here.

Monday, October 31, 2011 3:34:22 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

As October draws to a close so will our Family History Month Daily Deal and Giveaway. It's all been leading up to the drawing for our grand prize: a $200 ShopFamilyTree.com shopping spree!

Sign up now on our Daily Deal & Giveaway page. (Note: Even if you signed up for a previous giveaway, enter again to put yourself in the running for this one.) We'll select one lucky winner at random at 4 pm ET 10/31.

And you won't want to miss the last ShopFamilyTree.com Daily Deal: Digital downloads are 50% off all day Monday. Enter code DD1031 at checkout to get the discount.

It's a great opportunity to stock up on the recorded webinars and article downloads you've had your eye on—and if you win the grand prize, you can load up on goodies such as books and software.

Come back Monday afternoon to see who wins the grand prize!

Sunday, October 30, 2011 3:31:27 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

Congratulations, Jennifer Alford! You're the winner of a Virtual Conference OnDemand Collection in today's Family History Month Daily Deal and Giveaway!

Didn't win? There's still time to buy the collection at half price (regularly $199.99): Today's Daily Deal lasts until midnight ET today, 10/30.

Sunday, October 30, 2011 3:13:40 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

Congratulations, Alyce Sullivan! You're the winner of an Organize Your Family History Value Pack in today's Family History Month Daily Deal and Giveaway!

Didn't win? Snatch up this value pack at the one-day special sale price of $49.99—this Daily Deal lasts until midnight ET today, 10/29.

The daily giveaway for tomorrow, 10/30, is our Virtual Conference OnDemand Collection! Sign up now on our Daily Deal & Giveaway page. (Note: Even if you signed up for a previous giveaway, enter again to put yourself in the running for this one.)

Check back tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET to see if you've won!

About the Daily Deal & Giveaway

Family Tree Magazine and Family Tree University are celebrating Family History Month in October by giving away great genealogy supplies all month long!

Each day at 4 pm ET, 3 pm Central, 3 pm MT and 1 pm Pacific, we’ll announce the winner of that day’s giveaway and reveal the next day’s giveaway.

Each daily prize also will be on sale at ShopFamilyTree.com for that day only—so if you don’t get the giveaway, you can still snatch up a fantastic deal on tools to advance your research! 

Saturday, October 29, 2011 4:07:33 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

May we suggest:

• Remember That? A Year-by-Year chronicle of Fun Facts, Headlines, & Your Memories by Allison Dolan and the editors of Family Tree Magazine
  

• the Genealogist's Sourcebook Double Pack (includes the Family Tree Sourcebook and The Genealogist's Companion and Sourcebook)
  

• Today's Daily Deal: Buy the State Research Guides CD for $39.99 ($12 off) and get the hardcover book for free. (After you add the CD to your cart, click “proceed to checkout” and fill in your information, you'll be able to add the free book.)

Monday, October 24, 2011 10:15:25 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

Here’s how it works: Each day at 4 pm ET, 3 Central, 2 MT and 1 Pacific, we’ll announce the winner of that day’s giveaway and reveal the next day’s giveaway.

Each daily prize also will be on sale at ShopFamilyTree.com for that day only—so if you don’t get the giveaway, you can still snatch up a fantastic deal on tools to advance your research!

The daily giveaway for tomorrow, Oct. 1, is our FamilySearch Web Guide! Click here to sign up on our Daily Deal & Giveaway page.

Then just come back here tomorrow at 4 pm ET to see if you’ve won.

Want to buy the web guide? The sale is good until midnight ET tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 1. Click here to buy now.

Friday, September 30, 2011 4:17:19 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

In 2001, Congress first passed a resolution introduced by Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, who wrote, "By searching for our roots, we come closer together as a human family."

Family history enthusiasts continue to celebrate Family History Month every October.

Here at Family Tree Magazine, we’ll celebrate with a Daily Deal & Giveaway: We'll offer you a great deal on a genealogy book, CD or other item every day during Family History Month—and a lucky someone will win the daily deal.

More information to come! Stay tuned to this blog and follow us on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about the Family History Month Daily Deal and Giveaway!

Monday, September 26, 2011 3:40:56 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

There’s a lot more advice where that came from in the limited-edition Ultimate Google for Genealogists Collection. These resources, all from Lisa, show you strategies for searching smarter and saving time by using Google tools.

Only 200 collections are available, and we think they could sell out by early next week. (Hence this special second-in-a-week Editor’s Pick.)

Here’s what’s in it:

• The Genealogist's Google Toolbox book, signed by Lisa Louise Cooke

• Google Earth for Genealogy DVD, volumes I and II

• Google Tools for Genealogists Family Tree University Independent Study Course download

• Search Engine Tips & Tricks: Google Techniques to Boost Your Research Webinar
  

The Ultimate Google for Genealogists Collection is specially priced at $79.99, a 56 percent discount. Get more details about each of these items here.

Friday, September 02, 2011 2:02:48 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [12]

Videos are about 30 minutes long and compatible with Macs and PCs. This snippet from Maureen A. Taylor’s class City Directories: Key to Your Family’s Past shows a demo of the free city directories on the Internet Archive website.

Other classes cover

• Irish research
• German newspapers in the United States
• using naturalization records
• platting your ancestors’ property
• pre-1850 censuses
• digitizing your family’s documents
• … and more

You can get the Virtual Conference videos individually or in tracks (Tech Track, Ethnic Track or Research Strategies Track), or get all 17 videos in one fell swoop.

Monday, August 29, 2011 11:43:49 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [5]

• The Genealogist's Google Toolbox (book signed by Lisa)
• Google Earth for Genealogy DVDs (2 volumes)
• Search Engine Tips & Tricks on-demand webinar
• Google Tools for Genealogists independent study course from Family Tree University
  

Friday, August 26, 2011 5:05:04 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [10]

• Brick Wall Busters Value Pack (101 Brick Wall Busters: Solutions to Overcome Your Genealogical Challenges, Brick Wall Busters: Solutions to Real-Life Stumpers on-demand webinar and Research Remedies CD) discounted 58 percent
  

• Problem Solver Double Pack (101 Brick Wall Busters: Solutions to Overcome Your Genealogical Challenges and The Family Tree Problem Solver), available in print or digital editions and discounted 37 percent
  

• Photo Rescue: Digital Solutions for Creating, Editing and Archiving Your Family Photos ebook, discounted 20 percent

View all of the month's specials, see the August Deals page at ShopFamilyTree.com.

Thursday, August 25, 2011 2:08:22 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [3]

Missouri, a border state, supplied troops (nearly 110,000 to the North and 40,000 to the South) and equipment to both sides. Separate state governments represented each side during the war, and both the Union and Confederacy considered Missouri theirs.

Initially, Missouri tried to stay neutral by remaining in the Union but not contributing men or supplies. After Wilson’s Creek, Union Gen. John C. Fremont imposed martial law, but the remnants of the elected government voted to secede.

The state suffered from its own internal war, in addition to the larger one. “Conflict in Missouri was characterized by savage guerilla warfare that led to the destruction of entire towns,” writes Michael O. Varhola in Life in Civil War America. 

Learn more about Missouri in the Civil War in Varhola's book and at the state’s sesquicentennial website.

Also, the free Missouri Digital Heritage (one of our 101 Best Websites for genealogy) has a Civil War section with several collections of digitized records, newspapers and research guides that’ll help you trace ancestors of the era and walk in their shoes.

See Missouri research resources at ShopFamilyTree.com here. 

Get research guidance for Civil War service members from Missouri and elsewhere in our Family Tree University course Civil War Research: Find Your Ancestors in the War Between the States, with instructor Diana Crisman Smith. The next session starts Aug. 29. (You can use code FTU0811 to get 20 percent off tuition.)

Friday, August 12, 2011 11:09:38 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [3]

It stands for Illinois Regional Archives Depository, a statewide records management system that divides the state into seven regions and helps you access genealogical records. 

IRAD is just one of the Illinois resources Thomas MacEntee will introduce you to in our Illinois Genealogy Crash Course webinar, Wednesday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m. Eastern (6 Central, 5 Mountain, 4 Pacific). 

MacEntee, a Chicagoan, creator of the GeneaBloggers website, and author of the November 2011 Family Tree Magazine Chicago research guide, will cover important Illinois history, including migration patterns:

“From 1800 to 1840, many migrated to southern Illinois from Kentucky, Tennessee, the Carolinas and Virginia,” he says. “After 1830, they came to central Illinois from Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The period from 1840 to 1920 saw a flow of immigrants to the Chicago area. A great migration of African-Americans from the South to Chicago and other northern cities took place from 1920 to 1970.”

You’ll also get information on essential Illinois records, including the marriage return, and other websites where you can do research on ancestors from the Land of Lincoln.

Be sure to take advantage of our Early Bird special, which saves you $10 off your Illinois Genealogy Crash Course webinar registration.

Tuesday, August 09, 2011 4:24:06 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

Do you have dents in your forehead from banging it against a brick wall? Our August Ultimate Collection is designed to save your forehead, your sanity, and your genealogical motivation with solutions to research brick walls such as

• missing records due to fires, flood and other disasters
• hard-to-find ancestors in censuses and passenger lists
• pre-1850, head-of-household censuses
• ancestors born (or married or died) before vital record-keeping
• not knowing where to look next

The Family Tree Ultimate Research Solutions Collection has expert advice and ideas for conquering genealogy challenges, including

• The Family Tree Problem Solver, revised edition, by Marsha Hoffman Rising: It has techniques for approaching real genealogy problems, plus case studies so you can see the advice in action. This edition includes new information about online research and using DNA research. 

• 101 Brick Wall Busters: Solutions to Overcome Your Genealogical Challenges: This Q&A book answers research questions from Family Tree Magazine readers. 

• Brick Wall Strategies: Advice and Ideas for Getting Past Research Dead Ends on-demand webinar: Learn how to assess your research problems and formulate a plan of attack for solving them.

• Reverse Genealogy: Family Tree University Independent Study Course download: This course teaches you tactics to research your family tree forward (the opposite of what genealogists usually do) to find living relatives.

The Ultimate Research Solutions Collection is $59.99, a 67 percent discount, during August. Only 39 (and counting down) are still up for grabs, so get yours while you can!

Tuesday, August 02, 2011 11:26:42 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [5]

Hats off to you who squeeze all your genealogy into just a few hours on the weekend, quick half-hour intervals during lunch, or late nights on the computer after the kids are in bed.

The Weekend Genealogist Value Pack—available during July at an extra-deep 63 percent discount—will help you make the most of your limited research time. This value pack contains: 

• Online Genealogy Crash Course DVD: Lessons to help you master finding ancestral records online and using Ancestry.com.

• Discover Your Roots Winter 2011 digital issue: Our 132-page guide to getting started in genealogy, with articles on finding your ancestors in a weekend genealogy blitz, avoiding common myths, visiting the courthouse and more.

• Discover Your Family Tree FTU Independent Study Course: This course download is designed to help you start your family tree research without feeling overwhelmed.

• 60 Minute Genealogy Jobs download: You can do these 14 family history projects in an hour or less, making them perfect for lunch hour.

Click here to find out more about the Weekend Genealogist Value Pack.

Wednesday, July 06, 2011 12:19:19 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [3]

“Burned courthouses,” you say? “Early, hard-to-trace immigrants”?

Our Virginia Genealogy Crash Course webinar will show you how to get past research brick walls such as

• courthouses (and their records) destroyed during the Civil War and in fires and floods at other times
  

• hard-to-research Colonial-era immigrants
  

• potentially confusing land records due to the carving up of Virginia’s enormous original territory into other states, a maze of courts, and many cities that are independent of their surrounding counties 

You’ll also learn about Virginia records including headrights and vital records, and the best websites for Virginia research (including the Library of Virginia, whose Virginia Memory site has digitized newspapers, military records and other genealogical resources).

The Virginia Genealogy Crash Course webinar, presented by Family Tree Magazine contributing editor David A. Fryxell, takes place Wednesday, July 27, at 7 pm Eastern time (6 pm Central, 5 pm Mountain, 4 pm Pacific).

Attendees will receive a link to view the session again as many times as they like, a PDF of the presentation slides, and Family Tree Magazine’s Virginia State Research Guide.

Click here to find out more about the Virginia Genealogy Crash Course webinar—and take advantage of the 20 percent off early bird registration special.

Thursday, June 30, 2011 9:44:14 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [2]

• The Ultimate Research Trip Collection, our June Kit of the Month, will be unavailable after June 30. There are just eight kits left this morning, so get one while you can.
  
  
• The Organize Your Family History Value Pack: The special price of $49.99—72 percent off full price—goes away when June ends.
  
  
• The South Carolina State Research Collection: This package including a webinar, research guide and digital download on tracing Palmetto State ancestors also is discounted only through June 30. 

Tuesday, June 28, 2011 9:44:32 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [2]

That’s why the Organize Your Family History Value Pack is this week’s Editor’s Pick. That and the price, steeply discounted through June 30

Whether you work on paper or do everything online or a combo of both, getting your research and your workspace organized is important to keeping track of your family tree.

Here’s what’s in the Organize Your Family History Value Pack:

• Organize Your Genealogy Family Tree University Independent Study course digital download
  
  
• Organization Made Easy: 5 Simple Ways to Get Your Family History in Order on-demand webinar
  
  
• Organize Your Genealogy Life! CD
  
  
• Organize Now! A Week-by-Week Guide to Simplify Your Space and Your Life by Jennifer Ford Berry 

It’ll help you research more efficiently—you’ll develop a system for filing notes, documents and photos (on paper and your hard drive); learn how to plan and accomplish your next research step; and make the most of your limited research time. And until the last day of June, the whole kaboodle is $49.99—72 percent off full price.

Click here to learn more about the Organize Your Family History Value Pack. 

Tuesday, June 21, 2011 11:20:37 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [2]

You can get the most out of your trip—and save money while you’re at it—by using the advice in our Ultimate Research Trip Collection to prepare for your trip. Here’s what’s in it:

• Genealogist's Research Trip Planner e-book download: This book (which was my pet project for a couple of weeks) has sections on planning research trips, what to pack and working out your budget; accomplishing your research objectives at the library, cemetery, FamilySearch Center or courthouse; and walking in your ancestors’ shoes via museums, re-enactments and historic trails. 

• Family Tree Pocket Reference: This pocket-size book has handy reference material you can look up in a snap, including glossaries, acronyms, timelines, census facts and figures, common names, immigration statistics and much more. 

• Cemetery Research 101: Family Tree University Independent Study Course download

• Gravestones "Oldstone" Rubbing Kit for making rubbings of ancestral tombstones

100 copies of this collection will be available only during June, at a savings of more than 60 percent. When they're gone, they're gone! Learn more about the Ultimate Research Trip Collection at ShopFamilyTree.com.

Wednesday, June 01, 2011 1:59:55 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

Now would be a great time to register for next month’s New Jersey Genealogy Crash Course webinar or pick up the Family Tree Magazine 2010 CD. 

Are you also into gardening, woodworking, quilting, collecting, painting, writing, driving old cars or any number of other hobbies?

You can get the same deal today in our publishing company’s other online bookstores—GardenersHub.com, NorthLightShop.com, (that’s our artists’ store)  ShopWoodworking.com, Collect.com (books about antiques, stamps, coins, etc.) and more. Click here to see F+W Media's shops for your favorite hobby. 

Tuesday, May 24, 2011 9:12:59 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• This month’s Ultimate Photo Preservation Collection sold out in record time, so we’re introducing another collection: the Digitize Your Family Photos Value Pack. Only during National Photo Month, you’ll save 69 percent on these tools to help you build a digital archive of your family's cherished memories:

1. Organize Your Family Photos independent study course download
2. The new Photo Rescue ebook
3. Photo Sharing 101 on-demand webinar 

Learn more at ShopFamilyTree.com. (Bonus: Order anything at ShopFamilyTree.com now through Monday, May 9, and get the "Memories of Mom" digital download from the forthcoming book My Life & Times by Sunny Jane Morton.)

• We're giving a free Photo Detective Live! half-hour webinar, Wed., May 18 at 3 p.m. Eastern time (that’s 2 Central, 1 Mountain and noon Pacific time). Photo Detective Maureen A. Taylor will address your questions about family photographs. Learn more here and use the “Reserve Your Spot” link to register. (When you submit your registration, you’ll also be able to submit a photo question. If you have a photo to go with your question, you can e-mail the question and photo to us.)
  

• Finally, watch this blog for news of our Photo Mysteries contest, starting next Monday, to get a chance to win an Ultimate Digital Photo Collection.

Wednesday, May 04, 2011 4:06:49 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• Discover Your Roots Spring 2011 digital issue
• Family Tree Essentials CD
• Beginner's Guide to Genealogy digital download
• Your Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com: Tips, Hints and Hacks for Finding Your Ancestors on-demand webinar
• Family Tree Magazine Web Guides CD
• Discover Your Family Tree Family Tree University course

Tuesday, March 01, 2011 9:50:49 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [1]

• Essential Ohio history
• Details on vital records and immigration in the state
• What ethnicity-based records your ancestor may have left
• The best websites for Ohio research

• Participation in the live presentation and Q&A session
• Access to the webinar recording to view again as many times as you like
• PDF of the presentation slides for future reference
• A PDF of our Ohio State Research Guide

Wednesday, February 23, 2011 2:43:54 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [1]

• a look at the social and economic realities of daily life in the Union and Confederacy, from big cities and small towns to plantations and communes
• an explanation of military life in the army and navy, from rankings and regiments to duties and dress
• the typical diets of soldiers and civilians, including period recipes, food preparation and the impact of shortages and inflation on rations
• definitions of common terms, slang and idioms of the era
• dozens of Civil War photographs and illustrations plus an appendix on the role photography played during the war
• a quick-reference timeline detailing the events of the war
• tips for researching ancestors who fought in the Civil War
• information on Civil War resources, books, periodicals, websites and historic sites

Wednesday, February 09, 2011 2:53:01 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [1]

American settlement there began as early as 1787, especially from Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and the Carolinas. The population was about 57,000 when Missouri became a state in 1821. Joining descendants of those early French and American settlers were immigrants from Ireland, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, England and Czechoslovakia. In the mid-1800s, many Germans and Irish arrived.

We’ll help you trace your Missouri ancestors in our Missouri Genealogy Crash Course: Find Your Show-Me State Ancestors live webinar.

The hour-long webinar is Wed., Feb. 9, at 7 p.m. Eastern time (that’s 6 p.m. Central/ 5 p.m. Mountain/ 4 p.m. Pacific). 

Family Tree Magazine contributing editor Nancy Hendrickson, a veteran Missouri researcher, and expert guest presenters Angela McComas from the Midwest Genealogy Center and Dennis Northcott of the Missouri History Museum will share essential history and migration information, details on vital records, the best websites and other resources for Missouri research, and more.

Among the great resources you’ll learn about are the state archives’ county-by-county listing of microfilmed records and Missouri Digital Heritage, where many important sources such as abstracted vital records and naturalizations are digitized. It’s enough to make me wish for Missouri ancestors!

Missouri Genealogy Crash Course webinar attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions in advance, and be able to view the webinar again as many times as they like. For a limited time, you can save 20 percent on your registration at ShopFamilyTree.com.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 11:11:28 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

Massachusetts Genealogy Crash Course: Find Your Bay State Ancestors takes place Tuesday, Jan. 18, at 7 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. Central, 5 p.m. Mountain, 4 p.m. Pacific). Our expert presenters include

• David Dearborn, staff genealogist with the New England Historic Genealogical Society
• Midge Frazel, cemetery expert and Family Tree University instructor
• David Lambert, New England Historic Genealogical Society online genealogist since 1993

You’ll learn essential Massachusetts history, tricks for locating records, details on vital and immigration records, primary ethnic groups and records they may have left, and the best websites for Massachusetts research. Here's a peek at some of Frazel's favorite sites:

• Cape Cod Gravestones 
• Falmouth Genealogical Society Cemetery Transcription Project 
• Massachusetts Cemetery Directory (has maps with county names and the towns in them) 
• South Middlesex County Registry of Deeds 
• Norfolk County Registry of Deeds 
• Massachusetts’ Ethnic Mosaic (interactive map of ethnic groups in the state) 

Your registration for the live webinar includes:

• Participation in the hour-long presentation and Q&A session
• Access to the webinar recording to view as many times as you like
• PDF of the presentation slides
• PDF of our Massachusetts State Research Guide

The 20 percent off early-bird special ends soon, so register today.

Tuesday, January 04, 2011 2:19:35 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• For shipping via the US Postal Service, order by 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time Wed., Dec. 8 (that's today).
  
  
• For shipping via ground transport, order by 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time Mon., Dec. 13.
  
  
• For two-day and standard overnight shipping, order by 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time Mon., Dec. 20.
  

• Products labeled "This item ships directly from the manufacturer" should be ordered by Eastern Standard Time Mon., Dec. 13.

Remember that ShopFamilyTree.com also offers many downloadable digital products, such as research guides, Family Tree University Independent Study courses, Family Tree Magazine back issues, on-demand webinars, books and VIP memberships, which of course don't require shipping. And most of these digital products still count toward your $25 order total to receive free shipping on other items you might order at the same time.

Wednesday, December 08, 2010 12:02:43 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

For genealogists, you can pick up discounted books and CDs such as:

• The Family Tree Guide to Finding Your Ellis Island Ancestors by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack ($12.99, a 35 percent discount off the regular price)
• Family Tree Essentials CD ($14.99, a 25 percent discount)
  
• Uncovering Your Ancestry Through Family Photographs by Maureen A. Taylor ($10, a 60 percent discount)
  
• Family Tree Magazine State Research Guides CD ($37.99, a 40 percent discount) 

Memory crafters might enjoy:

• Scrap City by Paul Gambino ($15, a 40 percent discount)
  
• Modern Memory Keeper by Renee Parsons ($16, a 30 percent discount)

These are just some of the items in the vault.

Remember, you get free shipping on qualifying ShopFamilyTree.com orders over $25. Family Tree Magazine VIPs also get an additional 10 percent of their orders (make sure you log into your ShopFamilyTree VIP account). 

Start shopping our Genealogy Vault of Savings here.

Wednesday, December 08, 2010 10:05:53 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• Today at our own ShopFamilyTree.com, offer code SFT133 gets you 20 percent off your ShopFamilyTree.com order (some exclusions apply, including VIP membership, subscriptions, and products that ship directly from our retail partners). You also can choose a FREE digital download with your purchase. Choose from:
  

1. Beginner's Guide to Genealogy download
2. Discover Your Roots download
3. 101 Brick Wall Busters: Solutions to Overcome Your Genealogical Challenges download

• Subscription records site Footnote is offering 50 percent off an annual all-access membership today only, for a total of $39.95. Click here to get started. 

• Family Roots Publishing is discounting all products by 15 percent on Cyber Monday. See details on the Genealogy Blog.
  

• Genetic testing service 23andMe is offering a $99 DNA test sale (normally $499) that ends today. Details at 23andMe.com. 

• Through tomorrow, Nov. 30, the Utah Genealogical Association (UGA) is giving a free UGA membership to registrants for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (taking place Jan. 10-14). Learn more on Renee’s Genealogy Blog.
  

• On Cyber Monday, you’ll receive 15 percent off Elyse Doerflinger’s e-books Conquering The Paper Monster Once and For All and A Mini-Guide to Being a Part-Time Genealogist. Details at Elyse’s Genealogy Blog.
  

• Genealogist Michael John Neill is offering a 20 percent discount on the Casefile Clues weekly how-to newsletter today only. Details at the Casefile Clues blog. 

• You’ll find discounts on several items at JMK Genealogy Gifts Store. See details and coupon codes here.
  
  
• A late addition to our list: Now through the end of the year, you can book a virtual presentation by Thomas MacEntee of High-Definition Genealogy for your genealogical event at 33 percent off normal rates. Details at the High-Definition Genealogy blog.
  

Monday, November 29, 2010 9:20:04 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

• Thursday, Nov. 25: Thanksgiving Day only, you’ll get free shipping on any ShopFamilyTree.com US order. Even orders less than $25, and even products shipped from our retail partners that normally incur additional shipping charges. 

• Friday, Nov. 26 to Monday, Nov. 29: On Black Friday, you’ll receive 20 percent off your ShopFamilyTree.com order when you enter offer code is SFT133 at checkout. Some exclusions apply, including VIP membership, subscriptions, and products that ship directly from our retail partners.

• Monday, Nov. 29: On Cyber Monday, in addition to the 20 percent off your ShopFamilyTree.com order mentioned above, offer code SFT133 enables you to choose a FREE digital download with your purchase (this also doesn’t apply to VIP memberships, subscriptions or products that ship directly from our retail partners). Choose from: 

1. Beginner's Guide to Genealogy download
2. Discover Your Roots download
3. 101 Brick Wall Busters: Solutions to Overcome Your Genealogical Challenges download

Tuesday, November 23, 2010 10:10:52 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]

Why are historical books important to your research? Because your family didn’t live in a vacuum, says Family Tree Magazine contributing editor Nancy Hendrickson.

I got a sneak peek today at her Historical Books on the Web webinar (taking place tomorrow, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. Eastern time). She says that clues you’ll find in books about the history of the places your ancestors lived include the big events that impacted their lives, what their everyday lives were like and, when you lose their trail, why or where they might've moved.

• 1848 to 1849 cholera epidemic, which killed 4,000 in New York City
• 1888 Children’s Blizzard in the Great Plains (so-called because many children were caught unaware in schoolhouses on what had been a relatively warm day)
  
• 1869 Indian Raids in Kansas
  
• Order No. 11 (a Union Army decree that forced the evacuation of rural areas in four western Missouri counties in 1863)
  
• Great Fire of 1846 in Nantucket

You can get started looking for historical books about your ancestral locales by Googling history of [insert the town name], visiting county pages at USGenWeb, searching library catalogs (WorldCat is a good site for doing this) and searching for period books at sites such as Internet Archive and Making of America.

Nancy will get into detail about what you can find in historical books, and where and how to find them, in tomorrow’s webinar, Historical Books on the Web: Millions of Tomes at Your Fingertips. You can register to attend at ShopFamilyTree.com (you'll receive our new Discover Your Roots guide with your registration)—and use the code HISTORY10 for 15 percent off with our Family History Month storewide sale. 

Tuesday, October 26, 2010 3:47:34 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• A summary of genealogy research in every state, with a historical overview, vital records information, tips on other major records to look for and places to begin, and maps showing county boundaries.

• Detailed county-level data telling you which county office to contact for court, probate, vital, and other types of records. Here’s an example:
  
  

• Names, addresses, phone numbers and websites for helpful libraries, archives, and genealogical and historical societies in each state.

• Bibliographies listing genealogical and historical books that will help you further your research in each state.
  
  
• Special sections on the best websites for state-based research, as well as broader-scope, national resources.
  

Thursday, September 09, 2010 10:35:29 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [2]

• The Family Tree Sourcebook (available now for pre-order)
• Family Tree VIP membership
• 10 Years of Family Tree Magazine commemorative DVD
• Live and recorded genealogy webinars
• Google Earth for Genealogy DVD
• RootsMagic genealogy software
• Books from Genealogical Publishing Co.

Monday, August 30, 2010 10:14:32 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [3]

• At ShopFamilyTree.com, you can save 40 percent on Family Tree Magazine products by entering offer code SFT111 when you check out (some exclusions apply). This offer expires July 5.
  

Click here to start browsing our genealogy how-to books, CDs, back issues, digital downloads and webinar recordings.

• At Family Tree University, you can take $13 off any genealogy course registration by entering the code 13COLONIES. This offer also expires July 5.
  

Courses include Land Records 101 (starting July 19 or Sept. 13), Tracing Immigrants (starting July 21), Digital Photography Essentials (starting July 19) and more—click here to see all our FTU offerings.

Thursday, July 01, 2010 9:27:05 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• If Dad or Grandpa is into genealogy, here’s a good chance to get him a Father’s Day present he’ll love—maybe the Family Tree Passport to Europe or another how-to CD.

• For a wedding present to your favorite couple, try Family Tree Legacies: Preserving Memories Throughout Time book.

• Shopping for a beginning genealogist? Check our For Beginners category. Consider the Beginner Genealogist’s bundle, which groups together several getting started products at a discounted price.

Thursday, May 27, 2010 1:25:41 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [1]

• Our Online Census Secrets webinar recording (a presentation and demos on how to find ancestors in the census) is normally $29.99, but during this sale, you can pick it up for $25.49

• Our Organize Your Genealogy Life! CD (strategies for getting your paper records, digital files, e-mails and research habits in order), normally $19.99, becomes $17.

• The Family Tree Essentials CD (research guides to 15 key genealogy records), which was already on sale at $14.99, is another 15 percent off, making it $12.74.

Thursday, May 20, 2010 9:21:53 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0]

• If you want a way to record and pass down family history as an heirloom, try our Family Tree Legacies keepsake book.

• This is the perfect time to finally pick up the State Research Guides compilation CD or book

• If you want to learn more about a range of research areas, try our Family Tree Essentials  or Trace Your Roots Online CDs

• Looking to fill holes in your library of Family Tree Magazine issues? Look here for back issues in print or as digital downloads.

Thursday, February 11, 2010 11:00:38 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]