Christmas is fast approaching, and if you are looking for a great gift to give, a new book is hot off the press that your family and friends are sure to enjoy. It is also a great gift to give to yourself. The Family Tree Toolkit by Kenyatta D. Berry, host of Genealogy Roadshow, is an essential addition to your must-have books. This book is “a comprehensive guide to uncovering your ancestry and researching genealogy.”
This Toolkit has beginning researchers in mind; it has valuable information that the seasoned genealogist could use. The first chapter is just five pages long with how-to advice on how to get started, and the good habits that you should form right from the beginning. But the meat of the book is in the following chapters.
There is a chapter on U.S. Census Research, and the best part of this chapter is not only the great research tips that Berry spreads throughout her book but also the charts Berry has put together on all the census years, including Federal and State Census, available for each state.
The U.S. Vital Record chapter has great charts on what records are available and where you can locate them. Ancestry does not have all the vital records, and neither does FamilySearch. You may be surprised to find that Findmypast has their share of U.S. vital records. The author has done an excellent job in separating the information available for each state with these charts. A great example of the difference between the genealogy companies in the state of Massachusetts. FamilySearch has vital records for 1753-1900. For birth records, Ancestry has them for 1620-1850, and FamilySearch has these records for 1841-1915. The same for marriage and death records. If you were looking for births in the late 1660s, then you would need to search at Ancestry. After 1850, it would be best to look at FamilySearch. Knowing where to find what you need will save you a lot of time and headaches in your research.
Berry has done a great job in covering a lot of subjects. She has a big section on military research, a good section of European research, and even includes how to use your DNA results. This book is full of charts and how-to tips that make it a must to keep on your desk as you search for those elusive ancestors. A great gift for Christmas.
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