Author Archives: Judy G. Russell

Kentucky writ large

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

Kentucky law and the big writs Okay, so I admit it. My attention wandered again yesterday afternoon while I was chasing my as-yet-unidentified third great grandparents down the rabbitholes of Kentucky records. I wasn’t staring off at bookshelves this time; … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal definitions, Statutes | Leave a comment

Those odd-looking books

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

Those odd-looking books on the shelf So I’m back in Kentucky for the last few days of this combination NGS-and-research trip, still hunting for so much as a footprint to prove my 2nd great grandfather George Washington Cottrell really was … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Cases, Resources | 8 Comments

The storms of spring

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

The storms of spring She never had a birthday party until she was an adult. Way too many meals were cornbread and milk. Dresses were made from flour sacks, and she owned exactly two at a time: one for school … Continue reading →

Posted in My family | 14 Comments

Why do genealogy?

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

So why do we do genealogy anyway? The Legal Genealogist is still fighting connectivity issues in rural Indiana (the thick brick walls of a historic riverside hotel mean no wifi for me!), but if one-finger-cellphone-typing will hold up for just … Continue reading →

Posted in My family | 32 Comments

My grandmother’s cousin

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

So… The Legal Genealogist‘s perfect string of daily posts meets up with internet connectivity issues in beautiful downtown Rising Sun, Indiana. Yesterday I headed here, about 50 minutes or so west of Cincinnati, host of the 2012 National Genealogical Society … Continue reading →

Posted in My family | 6 Comments

Up close: AncestryDNA

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

A closer look at AncestryDNA The exhibition hall at any genealogical conference is always a fun place to be and to hang out. So many goodies — new books, new products, new services — you almost don’t know where to … Continue reading →

Posted in DNA | 12 Comments

NGS 2012 Day 3

Posted on May 12, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

NGS 2012 Day 3 Into the final stretch at the National Genealogical Society Conference here in Cincinnati — one more day of sessions and meeting people and putting faces with names and catching up on old friends and… So… what … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Leave a comment

NGS 2012 Day 2

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

NGS Day Two Okay, let’s see here. What three things stood out for me in Day Two of the National Genealogical Society conference in Cincinnati? Let’s try these: Germans; widow’s weeds; and records access. Germans It’s estimated that one out … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 4 Comments

NGS 2012: Day 1

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

NGS Day One Even for veterans of several national genealogical conferences, the National Genealogical Society’s annual conference — underway now in Cincinnati — can be overwhelming. And with dozens of official bloggers, tweeters, Facebookers and more covering this year’s conference, … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Resources | 2 Comments

SSDI still at risk

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Judy G. Russell

SSDI still in the gunsights While genealogists began to gather yesterday in Cincinnati for the 2012 National Genealogical Society Conference, foes of public access to the Social Security Death Master File — known to genealogists as the SSDI — gathered … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 8 Comments