~ Early Web Links ~

The WorldGenWeb Project is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization dedicated to collecting and providing free access to genealogical and historical records from countries around the world. An invaluable resource for family history researchers, the site organizes records by country, covering virtually every nation on the globe from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.

Run by Roberta Estes, DNAeXplained is a deeply detailed genetic genealogy blog covering DNA testing, inheritance patterns, ethnicity calculations, and how to use tools like Y-DNA, mitochondrial DNA, and X-DNA to discover your ancestors. With hundreds of posts, guides on specific ancestral groups like Acadians and Native Americans, and tutorials tied to platforms like FamilyTreeDNA, this is an exceptional resource for anyone serious about DNA-based ancestry research.

Olive Tree Genealogy Blog is a long-running resource maintained alongside the Olive Tree Genealogy website, offering tutorials, obituary transcriptions, genealogy news, book and app reviews, and links to free genealogy records. The blog focuses heavily on Canadian and American ancestry research, with regular posts sharing historical obituaries and tips for tracing family trees.

JewishGen's Ellis Island One-Step Search Tools, developed by Stephen Morse, provide powerful alternative search interfaces for the Ellis Island immigrant arrival database covering records from 1892 to 1957. Part of the broader JewishGen platform, this tool is particularly valuable for Jewish genealogy researchers tracing ancestors who passed through Ellis Island, with access to ship manifests and flexible search options beyond the official database.

The East Texas Genealogical Society serves six counties in the Tyler, Texas region, offering monthly meetings, special interest groups on DNA and African American research, and a searchable archive of surnames and county indexes. Members gain access to a newsletter, store discounts, and a members-only section, while the public can attend free events and tap into resources for tracing ancestors in East Texas and beyond.

Cousin Russ runs this practical blog dedicated to helping users navigate Family Tree Maker software, covering versions FTM2017 and FTM2019 on both PC and Mac. Posts address real reader questions on topics like census source templates, relationship settings, citations, and undocumented features, making it a handy reference for genealogists using the program.

JoeAnt.com hosts a curated web directory focused on genealogy resources, listing sites for ancestor searches, family tree research, obituary databases, ethnic records, heraldry, and surname lookups. A well-organized gateway to dozens of genealogy tools and databases, it covers everything from beginner guides to specialized resources like military records and international family history searches.

GenealogyInTime Magazine offers detailed tutorials on using Google Advanced Search techniques to find genealogical records, covering strategies like excluding irrelevant results and refining ancestor searches. This multi-part guide is part of a broader resource hub with search engines, articles, and tips aimed at family history researchers of all skill levels.

SearchforAncestors.com offers a specialized Google search tool that teaches genealogists how to use advanced Google features for tracing family history, covering everything from searching for GEDCOM files to finding digitized books and newsgroup archives. Each search form comes with practical tips and explanations tailored to genealogy research, making it a genuinely useful toolkit for beginners and experienced researchers alike.

A scholarly database dedicated to Afro-Louisiana history and genealogy, built around Dr. Hall's research into enslaved and free Black populations in Louisiana. Visitors can search original historical documents, view primary sources, and explore Dr. Hall's calculations relating to this specialized archival record.