Genealogy

What is Genealogy?

Genealogy is a global phenomenon that is practiced in various ways to document familial lineages. Genealogy is noun that stems from the Greek words meaning “race” or “family” and “theory” or “science." Genealogy is the line of descent or “family tree” of a person, family, or group. It also refers to the study of family ancestral lines or family origins and history. The genealogy uses oral history, historical documents, genetic analysis, and other records to gather information.

Why is it important?

Identity – Knowing your background can create sense of self-identity and knowing who you are.
Connection – Form strong connections to people in present and in the past and continue these bonds through future generations.
Compassion & Resilience – Develop a greater understanding of challenges your ancestors faced and how they overcame them.
Health – Knowing family health history is important to your own health.

What we offer…

We helped individuals and their family in the beginning stages of family research. We assist on creating a family tree, an ancestral chart that shows all individual in a family over multiple generations and their relationship to one another. We also assist on pedigree chart, a type of family tree that shows genetic traits and family health history.

Our work with families and individuals is strictly confidential.

Getting Started

I. Identify any family history question or questions you are seeking answers too
II. Compile all the knowledge you already know of past and present relatives by talking to family members
III. Organize your information in why information can be easily referred back to

DNA Testing

DNA or genetic testing is not necessary, but can be extremely helpful. There are companies dedicated to documenting family history and use genetic testing to compare parts of your DNA to reference populations from different regions around the world to provide information on ancestral roots and help connect relatives. There are number of DNA Kits to choose from: AncestryDNA, 23andMe, MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA. Please note each company may operate differently and vary in prices.

There are three types of DNA test available:

Autosomal DNA that test your DNA from both parents in 22 pairs of chromosomes. This test can provide information on recent and distant relatives on both sides of the family and ancestral origins.
Y-DNA test look at one of the chromosomes in the 23rd pair, the Y chromosomes, typically in males. This test is used for patrilineal ancestry, the male line, that is passed down from fathers to sons.
Mitochondrial DNA test DNA in the mitochondria of the cell. This test traces matrilineal ancestry, the female line, that is passed down by mothers to daughters.

Historical Records

Historical records can be an abundance of information, can help create a timeline, and way to form connections. Types of historical records include: Marriage Registration, Birth/Death Certificates, Military Records, Business Directory, Land Deeds, Census Records, Private Papers, Newspaper, and Maps.

Online Resources

Ancestry is a genealogy website that helps users discover their family history by building family trees, access historical records, and AncestryDNA testing.
Arvasarchive.org is a online database for archival material in Virginia and West Virginia by the Archival Resources of Virginias.
Cyndi's List is a online directory with organized resources for genealogy research by category and cross-referenced index.
FamilySearch is a free online database to access millions of records for family history research here and aboard.
Freedmen's Bureau provides access a variety of topics related to slavery and Reconstruction in the Freedmen’s Bureau records.
Genealogy Bank uses Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for family history research
LinkPendium has over 10 million online directory for family history and genealogy research with free and subscription resources provided by libraries, other government agencies, genealogical and historical societies, and individuals.
USGenWeb Project i a online directory for research by state and county including photos, maps, transcriptions, historical documents, helpful links, and much more.
WorldGenWeb Project is a online directory for global genealogy resources and historical records with world-wide access

African American

African American Gateway from the Genealogy Center of the Allen County Public Library is a special database that focuses on African American genealogy and historical records.
Afrigeneas is an African American genealogy website for African American ancestry research.

Newspapers

Newspapers.com gives access to billions of articles dating back the 1700s from US, Canada, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Australia, and Panama.
Virginia Chronicle by Library of Virginia is a free online collection of Virginia newspapers, in original ink press copy, on microfilm, and in digital format.

Maps

Atlas of Historical County Boundaries is an online atlas with maps and text about the creation of every county in the United States and District of Columbia.
David Rumsey Map Collection is a historical collection of over 200,000 maps from16th century to 21st century.

Military

Fold3 specializes in military genealogy including military records, including stories, photos, and personal documents.

Burials Grounds

BillionGraves is the world's largest resource for searchable GPS cemetery data.
Find A Grave is the world’s largest free gravesite collection with more than 170 million memorials.

Local Resources

Augusta County Genealogical Society
Digital Archives of the Daily News Record
Hotchkiss Map Collection
Rockingham County Clerk's Office's Genealogy
Virginia Genealogical Society

Special Presentation

"We Were Always Free" by Sarah Madden

This presentation by Sarah Madden tells the story of the Madden family through genealogical research. The Madden were a African American family from Madison, Virginia.

In August of 1758, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, a poor Irish immigrant named Mary Madden bore a child, Sarah Madden, whose father was said to be a slave and the property of Colonel James Madison, father of the future president of the United States. This daughter, though born to a free mulatto, became indentured to the Madisons. There she worked as a seamstress to pay off the fine of her birth until she was thirty-one years old. Sarah Madden bore ten children; when the term of her indenture was over, she and her youngest son, Willis, struck out for themselves—Sarah as a seamstress, laundress, and later, with Willis, a dairy farmer and tavern keeper.

Spanning two hundred years of American history, We Were Always Free tells its story with remarkable completeness. we can thank Sarah Madden and her descendants for keeping their family narrative alive—and for saving hundreds of important documents detailing their freedom, hardship, and daily work. These documents came to light in 1949 when T. O. Madden Jr. discovered a hidebound trunk originally belonging to his great-grandfather Willis. Stored in the trunk were papers dating back to the mid-eighteenth century, freedom papers, papers of indenture, deeds of land, Sarah Madden’s laundry and seamstress record books, letters, traveling passes. The trunk even held a full set of business records from the nineteenth century when Madden’s Tavern flourished as a center of activity in Orange County and as a rest stop on the road to Fredericksburg.

From that day forward, T. O. Madden deeply researched his family, using census reports, other official sources, family, and friends. All have led to his ably reconstructed family history, and to his own remarkable story. We Were Always Free is a unique and very American family saga.