Massachusetts researchers are fortunate to have so many early resources for genealogical and historical research. One source that is often overlooked, however, is the 1855 and 1865 Massachusetts state census. The state census contains valuable genealogical information beyond what is available in the federal census and provides important insight into Civil War-era Massachusetts. This Portable Genealogist will assist you in understanding, locating, and using this key record.

The four-page laminated guide can fit easily in your research binder.

Learn about WWI draft registration cards; using the census to determine if your ancestor served; accessing Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Army files at the National Personnel Records Center; and using record collections at the National Archives, the Library of Congress, and other repositories.

By David Allen Lambert

Published by American Ancestors in January 2025

8 ½ x 11 laminated, 4 pages

Learn how to locate different types of newspapers and take advantage of the wealth of genealogical information they can contain, including birth, engagement, marriage, and death announcements; legal and court notices; notices of land sales; crime reporting; social reporting; advertisements; and shipping news.

By Ann G. Lawthers, ScD

Published by American Ancestors in January 2025

8 ½ x 11 laminated, 4 pages

When presenting your genealogical information, it’s important to be consistent in how you present your research, refer to certain places and people, and implement your overall style. This Portable Genealogist will help guide your writing and aid in decisions relating to capitalization, spelling, abbreviations, punctuation, and the like. Key elements for Register and ahnentafel style are summarized, and a list of common abbreviations is provided.

This four-page laminated guide can fit easily in your research binder. 

This guide is designed to help you through the challenging process of locating your African American ancestors. It provides tips for getting started, summarizes the various documents and records you should consult, and shows you how to read the elements of a slave schedule. This helpful guide also features a chart showing where you can locate the different types of records described.

The four-page laminated guide can fit easily in your research binder.

By Meaghan E. H. Siekman, Ph.D.

Learn what records exist and where to find them, what information they contain, and how to use them to further your research.

By Ann G. Lawthers, ScD

Published by American Ancestors in January 2025

8 ½ x 11 laminated, 4 pages

When records are lacking, gravestones may be the genealogist's only source of information. Get tips on locating a cemetery, finding a specific gravesite, interpreting gravestone inscriptions, and reading transcriptions of gravestones.

The four-page laminated guide can fit easily in your research binder.

By Helen Herzer

New York is a crossroads for many of our ancestors. Some families may have been in New York State for less than a generation on their way farther west, whereas other families became permanent settlers. New York's sources for genealogical inquiry, however, are often lacking-statewide registration of vital records did not start until 1881!

This handy guide will help you determine whether your ancestor served in the U.S. Army State Volunteers in the War of 1812 by using the Compiled Military Service Records (CMSRs). For U.S. Regular Army veterans, learn how to use enlistment, discharge, and prisoner of war records. For those who served in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, using muster and pay rolls, casualty reports, and courts martial records may allow you to further your research.

This Portable Genealogist will show you how to compile a bibliography when writing your family history. Numerous examples will cover books, articles, manuscripts, vital records, online sources, and more!

The four-page laminated guide can fit easily in your research binder.

By Kyle Hurst