Discover your family history with Heritage Quest, an easy to search collection of genealogical and historical sources - with coverage dating back to the 1700's.
Just visit our website at www.chatham.k12.ny.us to log in with your library barcode and PIN and you're in! Or use the library's computers to access this in-depth resource.
This online collection includes Census records going back to 1790, 28,000 digitized genealogy and local history books, Revolutionary War records, and the "Freedman's Bank Records" which offers valuable data that can provide important clues to tracing African American ancestors prior to and immediately after the Civil War.
Tips for getting started with the amazing history of you!
1. List what you already know - start an ancestral chart
2. Interview relatives - make family group sheets
3. Get death records - death certificates, obituaries, etc. Then..
4. Follow death record clues - time/place of death lead to birth, marriage and other records
5. Search census records - learn where ancestors lived, then..
6. Search local sources - newspapers, local histories, property and (land) maps, court and church records, tax lists, will, etc.
7. Don't forget - family histories, immigration records, ship passenger lists, military records, etc.
If you would like an introduction to working with Heritage Quest we have two demonstration sessions coming up.
Wednesday, Nov. 17 at 6pm
Thursday, November 18 at 11am
Please contact us by email or by calling 392-3666 to register. Please state the session you would like to attend.
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