When one computer crashes...

Alright, you'll have to excuse this post. It's probably going to be a bit random. But as I posted a few days ago, my netbook crashed so I lost all of the favorites that were on that computer. So this afternoon I was on the desktop, which was my primary computer prior to last May, and rediscovered some favorites that I had saved there. Some of them I thought were worth sharing so here they are:

The ISRR (International Soundex Reunion Registry) http://plumsite.com/isrr/ - This site just looks like a fun thing to keep in mind, especially if you have clients who are preparing for a reunion or who are looking for relatives

The Workhouse http://www.workhouses.org.uk/index.html?Bristol/Bristol.shtml - This was a site that I saved when trying to figure out if there was some truth to a family legend that said one of my Stevens ancestors, the emigrant who supposedly left England for America probably in the 1770s, was a prisoner in Bristol, England during the War of 1812. This site does allude to the fact that what had been a 19th century workhouse, had a history as a prison and more specifically, as a POW prison during the War of 1812. Its name is Stapleton and I have since found out that the FHL has microfilm of prisoners who were released from Stapleton after the war. So far, there's no sign of my Charles T. Stevens, but I haven't finished looking at the film. This site is important because it gives a good deal of background information on a very little known prison during this time. Most people think of places like Dartmoor when they think of War of 1812 POWs and if their ancestor doesn't appear in the lists of for that prison or one of the other biggies, the family history can get discredited. So this is a good site to be aware of just in case one of those POW stories comes your way.

A Primer for New England Research http://www.genealogy.com/genealogy/25_kory.html - Ok, obviously a "primer" can be helpful for whatever basic information it can provide. So for that alone, this was a pretty handy dandy site to keep in mind. But the author of this one, written for genealogy.com, is Kory Meyerink who is also the author of a book on finding hidden sources which is a greatly important resource. So that's two good reasons to check this one out. It may be a little dated, yes, but the basic foundation is still solid. If you need another reason, he gives several recommendations for reference works that are also helpful.

Bureau of Land Management Land Patent Search page http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch/Default.asp? - Pretty self-explanatory. You can search and view original images right from the site. If the images are not included, you can order the files.

Kentucky Land Office site http://www.sos.ky.gov/land/search/ - Have an ancestor who lived in Virginia in the 18th century? Who was involved in some kind of military service during the revolution? Perhaps you have an early Kentucky ancestor? Then you may want to keep this one in your favorites list as well. The Kentucky Land Office site offers several databases for your to search, as well as original (and printable) images online. But just as important is the background information provided for the different records collections. They give a great explanation of the process behind certificates of settlement and preemption.

about.com Genealogy Blog http://genealogy.about.com/b/ - This is the about.com Genealogy channel blog by Kimberly Powell. Kimberly Powell is a well-known genealogist and her blog is filled to the brim with great information as well as posts that just plain interesting reading. If it's not on your regular "to read" list, it should be.

Maureen Taylor, the "Photo Detective" has both a blog found here: http://blog.familytreemagazine.com/photodetectiveblog/?p_PageAlias=photodetective
and a regular site found here:
http://www.photodetective.com/

She uses her blog to show various photos that she has been sent, has in her collection, and/or those which bring up certain aspects of photo identification. Through her main site, you can find out how to send her your own unidentified photos and follow her lecture schedule. You can find out about her WONDERFUL book on either site but my favorite, and one which I think should be on every genealogists bookshelf, is Uncovering your Ancestry through Family Photographs (more info found here http://www.fwbookstore.com/product/1217/genealogy ). Her discussion of how to tell what kind of early photograph you have, ambrotype, tintype, daguerreotype, etc., is worth the purchase price alone.

NARAtions http://blogs.archives.gov/online-public-access/ - If you are a genealogist or even an amateur family historian, you will no doubt rely upon records held by the federal government, specifically the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), to help your research. Keeping informed on what is going on with NARA means you're keeping your eyes on what's happening with those records that are so important to you. In light of all of the proposed changes coming to the National Archives in D.C. specifically, keeping this blog on your radar has become even more important.

Maybe something in this list will be helpful to you. Or better yet, maybe you have your own favorites saved somewhere that may have gotten forgotten.