Month: September 2025
-
Advanced City Directory Research: Professional Genealogy Methods
•
City directories are one of the most powerful yet overlooked genealogical tools. Unlike census records, they provide yearly snapshots that capture where ancestors lived, how they worked, and how their lives changed over time. In this article, I explore advanced strategies for using directories effectively—from browsing images instead of relying…
-
In the News: David Sten’s American Life Through Newspaper Headlines
•
When Swedish immigrant David Svensson Sten arrived in America in 1926, he probably never imagined his life would be so thoroughly documented in local newspapers. Over 29 newspaper mentions spanning 1939-1960 reveal how deeply he integrated into his Delaware community. From a dramatic 1939 car accident that made multiple headlines…
-
Education: It’s More Than Just a Report Card
•
When I examine my family’s educational history, I see more than report cards and diplomas—I witness the dramatic transformation of American education itself. From Slovak and Polish great-grandparents who couldn’t read to siblings with master’s degrees, our four-generation journey mirrors America’s evolving commitment to universal education. In the 1870s, students…
-
Hidden in Plain Sight: The City Directory Advantage
•
City directories offer genealogical gold beyond census records, providing annual snapshots of ancestors’ working lives from the 1800s through 1930s. These published guides documented not just occupations and addresses, but revealed family relationships, economic mobility, and neighborhood connections that census records often missed. My great-great-grandfather William Dowling’s progression from peddler…