Nancy Dru

Genealogy, Gardening and Good Food

Explore genealogy and include everyday living in your personal family stories.

Inspect My Favorite Links

Genealogy Websites:

  • Ancestry: A great resource for genealogical research.
  • Berks County and Reading, PA: Includes birth, marriage, death, and estate searches.
  • Berks County Genealogical Society (BCGS): Provides genealogical data of interest to both amateur and professional genealogists, including a searchable catalog and genealogy classes.
  • ChicagoAncestors.org: Allows users to discover historical information about addresses in Chicago, including memories, notes, photos, and more.
  • East Trent Genealogy: Offers historical data from the parishes of the East Trent Benefice in Nottinghamshire, including transcriptions of baptisms, burials, and marriages.
  • FamilySearch: My favorite as all the records are free. I am also a volunteer consultant at one of their many FamilySearch centers around the world.
  • Family Tree Maker: lets you quickly and easily build your family tree, with single-click synchronization with Ancestry
  • Find a Grave: The world’s largest gravesite collection, providing access to millions of cemetery records and memorials.
  • Findmypast: Focuses on British and Irish genealogy, offering access to unique records and resources.
  • Fold3: Specializes in military records, providing access to a wealth of documents related to military history and genealogy.
  • Genealogy and Local History Library: Located inside the Sanilac County Historic Village and Museum, it offers a collection of genealogical and local history resources for Sanilac County, Michigan.
  • GenealogyBank: Provides access to historical newspapers, obituaries, and other documents that can help trace family history.
  • Geneanet: A community-driven website offering a vast collection of genealogical records and family trees from around the world.
  • Gravestone Photographic Resource (GPR): An international directory of grave, tomb, war, and other death memorials, offering access to millions of cemetery records and photographs.
  • GRO (General Register Office): The official government office for birth, marriage, and death records in England and Wales. It’s a valuable resource for obtaining certified copies of vital records.
  • Illinois Death Certificates Database, 1916-1972: Provides listings of death certificates filed with the Illinois Department of Public Health between 1916 and 1972.
  • Legacy Find an Obituary: A comprehensive database to find obituaries from various locations and newspapers.
  • Local Family Database Belgard-Schivelbein: Provides a list of surnames and access to genealogical records from the Belgard and Schivelbein regions.
  • Long Island Genealogy Birth Date Calculator: A tool to calculate birth dates from death dates and ages.
  • Michiganology: Provides access to a vast collection of Michigan-related historical records and genealogical resources.
  • Missouri Digital Heritage: Provides access to more than 9 million records from the Missouri State Archives, the Missouri State Library, and other institutions across the state.
  • MyHeritage: Offers extensive genealogical records, family tree building tools, and DNA testing services.
  • National Park Service’s Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System (CWSS): Contains information about the men who served in the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War.
  • Newspapers by Ancestry: A vast archive of historical newspapers that can provide context and details about ancestors’ lives.
  • Registers Tyrol: Provides access to various parish records and historical documents for genealogical research.
  • State Archives of the Canton of Bern: Provides access to Swiss parish records and other historical documents for genealogical research.
  • The National Archives (UK): Provides access to a wealth of historical records related to England and Wales, including birth, marriage, and death records.
  • USGenWeb Project: A volunteer-driven project that provides free genealogy websites for genealogical research in every county and every state of the United States.
  • Washington State Archives: Offers access to a variety of digital archives, including birth, death, marriage, and census records.
  • WieWasWie: Allows users to search through more than 245 million historical records from the Netherlands, bringing Dutch family history to life.
  • Winthorpe with Langford Parish Council: Provides historical data and records from Winthorpe village, including baptisms, marriages, and burials dating back to the 17th century.

     DNA Testing Services:

  • 23andMe: Offers DNA testing services that include ancestry breakdowns, health reports, and family matching.
  • AncestryDNA: Provides DNA testing services along with genealogical records and family tree building tools.
  • Gedmatch: A free third-party tool where you can upload raw DNA data from various testing companies to find matches and explore genealogical connections.
  • MyHeritage DNA: Provides DNA testing services along with extensive genealogical records and family tree building tools.

     Gardening Websites and Resources:

General Note:

These UT Extension publications provide good general information on various gardening topics. For specific planting dates and advice tailored to your location, it’s always a good idea to check with your local county extension office.

Latest Posts

This is an easy salad that I made for Thanksgiving. The dressing melds the flavors beautifully and can be prepared the day before. All you need is a sharp knife, a cutting board, and a bowl. Most of the vegetables …

  I never planted Swiss chard in my garden, or I should say, I didn’t have any success in growing it my first year. I do remember my mom growing Swiss chard, but as a kid, I wasn’t too fond …

Roasted Root Vegetables is an easy recipe I developed with input from Copilot, or as I refer to him, ‘Bluebee.’ Before he changed to Copilot, he was the symbol of a blue “B” for ‘Bing.’ To me, Bluebee symbolizes a …

I haven’t blogged about the Pickle Patch lately, and the perfect ending for the harvesting season was naturally Thanksgiving. It seems that our house is the hub for the holidays. I might be retired, but I am kept busy with …

I haven’t paid much attention to Ancestry as I have been working steadily on my research on my maternal grandfather’s mother’s lines through the records on FamilySearch. I finally figured out which Michael Kubinski was mine, which I mentioned in …

While making chicken soup, I thought of this great title. I wasn’t planning on posting about chicken soup, but when a good title comes along, I must write about it.  What can I say? This soup is made after feasting …

Do you ever get stuck on an ancestry problem where you have no one to ask about it or you feel uncomfortable always emailing your friend for help? Now, I could schedule a free 20-minute consultation, which I have done …

Hi again. I didn’t forget about posting my favorite bread and butter pickles. I have been making this recipe for 22 years. According to my recipe, I started making them July 31, 2002. What can I say? It is our …

I am a little late on this post, but I am sure you will understand why, as I have added another plot (25’x100′) called ‘the back 40′ directly behind the pickle patch (25′ x 100’). Our cucumbers started coming in …

You are probably thinking that something broke on my new computer, and I lost my genealogy work. I can safely say my computer is fine, but my genealogy thumb drive is toast. To me this was a freak accident as …

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