Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Review - Genealogy at a Glance: Civil War Genealogy Research

The Genealogical Publishing Company in Baltimore has published another in its series of "Genealogy at a Glance" laminated research guides - this time for Civil War Genealogy Research by Nancy Hendrickson. 


This "Genealogy at a Glance" booklet has four laminated pages on one 11" x 17" paper (folded). It is designed to give the user the basic elements of genealogy research in the allotted space. They provide an overview of the facts a researcher needs to know in order to begin and proceed successfully with research in the subject.

The description of the 
Civil War Genealogy Research booklet includes:

Over 3 million men took part in the Civil War. In addition to combat and personnel records, they left behind a vast body of records that can be mined for such information as dates and places of birth, names of family members, and places of interment. The key to these records is knowing what they are and where they can be found. The best thing you can do is to consult this Genealogy at a Glance research guide, which promises easy access to an enormous trove of data.

First we are shown how to determine if an ancestor participated in the war. From there we are introduced to the vast possibilities of such records as Compiled Military Service Records (enlistment papers, muster rolls, etc.), pension records, regimental rosters, and veterans' census schedules, with dates of enlistment and discharge, rank, and names of survivors. As the major record groups are described, one after the other, so too are the most helpful websites and associated archives.

The focus then shifts to complementary resources, which include archival collections, books for further research, and a comprehensive list of online Civil War resources. In line with the now familiar Genealogy at a Glance format, the four specially laminated pages of this work are designed to give you as much useful information in the space allotted as you'll ever need. Focusing on key record sources and materials for further reference, Civil War Genealogy Research allows you to grasp the fundamentals of research at a glance, placing you in control of this vast subject in just a few moments of your time.

The booklet has these subjects:

*  Contents
*  Quick Facts 
*  Where to Start
*  Types of Civil War Records
*  Census Records
*  Other Resources
*  Collections
*  Further Reading
*  Online Resources

This booklet is designed primarily for the person who is not an expert, or has little experience, on finding Civil War ancestors.  It provides guidance and excellent ideas to help researchers to find records for their Civil War ancestors. Reference books, records at the National Archives, State Archives, Library of Congress and other repositories, online databases and websites for some of the topics are cited in the text.

For someone like me that teaches and talks about genealogy a bit, it is invaluable because I can pull it out and provide some guidance to my student or colleague interested in the subject.

The beauty of these "Genealogy at a Glance" booklets is that they are very light and portable in a briefcase or laptop case. They are fixtures in my research case.

This four-page laminated booklet costs $8.95,  plus postage and handling (4th Class Mail $4.50; FedEx Ground Service in the USA, $6.00). You can order it through the Genealogical Store, or use the link for the 
Civil War Genealogy Research booklet and click on the "Add to Cart" link.  I recommend buying these at seminars and conferences where they are offered in order to avoid the shipping costs.
*  Book Review:  Genealogy at a Glance - Family History Library Research
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Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2013.

Disclosure: Genealogical.com contacted me recently and asked me to provide a review of this booklet. They mailed me a review copy for my personal use as remuneration for this review. 

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