TheGenealogist is pleased to announce the release of the 1871 Burke’s Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland, now fully searchable online.

This important reference work contains hundreds of thousands of names linked to the principal landed families of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, often tracing lines back several centuries. Researchers will find detailed pedigrees, family connections, heraldic information and references to estates, a rich resource for anyone with roots in the British and Irish gentry.

Adding these records further strengthens TheGenealogist’s growing collection of classic genealogical reference books, giving family historians more ways to bridge gaps in the civil and parish records.

TheGenealogist's Head of Content, Mark Bayley, commented:
“Burke’s is one of those cornerstone sources that helps you understand not just who your ancestors were, but how they were connected. Making this available online and searchable will save researchers hours of work.”

The new records are available now to Diamond subscribers at TheGenealogist.co.uk.

The Family of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, the master of gothic suspense and author of Carmilla, the story of a mysterious female vampire that inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula, can be found in these records - read his story here: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2025/ghosts-in-the-family-tree-8783/

Don’t miss out! For a limited time, you can subscribe to TheGenealogist for just £129.95 - Save Over £75

Not only will you get a £40 lifetime discount, but you'll also receive a 12-Month Subscription to Discover Your Ancestors Online Magazine worth £36!

Explore these new records and start your genealogical journey today with TheGenealogist by claiming this offer here: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/MGBBLG1025

Offer expires 31st January 2026.

About TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist is an award-winning online family history website, who put a wealth of information at the fingertips of family historians. Their approach is to bring hard to use physical records to life online with easy to use interfaces such as their Tithe and newly released Lloyd George Domesday collections.

TheGenealogist’s innovative SmartSearch technology links records together to help you find your ancestors more easily. TheGenealogist is one of the leading providers of online family history records. Along with the standard Birth, Marriage, Death and Census records, they also have significant collections of Parish and Nonconformist records, PCC Will Records, Irish Records, Military records, Occupations, Newspaper record collections amongst many others.

TheGenealogist uses the latest technology to help you bring your family history to life. Use TheGenealogist to find your ancestors today!

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Jane Arnold (MLIS’08) Archivist at Cape Breton University, says there’s great joy in being recognized by her peers for her commitment to her profession. The recipient of the Dalhousie Library and Information Alumni Association’s (DLIAA) Outstanding Alumni Award for 2025 adds that it's also a reminder to provide the next generation of archivists, librarians and information professionals, with realistic expectations about their careers.

She explains that sometimes, "you don't have the resources to generally carry out your job that you're so passionate about. You must be persistent, and you have to be adaptable."

Arnold says this doesn’t diminish the significance of the profession, because the need for their skills is at a critical juncture. “It’s important to have information professionals help students understand credible sources, truth in a post-truth society, and how to navigate artificial intelligence.”

AI as it exists today didn’t exist when Arnold came to Halifax to study in 2006. A mature student, she knew it wasn’t going to be easy for her, her 10-month-old, or her husband who left his job to live here too. But the richness of the program, and the inspiration that she drew from the profession and the faculty, far exceeded any hardship.

With a background as a heritage professional, Arnold weighed the pros and cons of the various disciplines being taught in the program, but returning to Cape Breton Island was her priority.  

Since graduating and joining the Beaton Institute at Cape Breton University, she’s helped the organization adapt to broader expectations on accessibility of information. Digitizing their collections and building relationships with the communities on the island to see them as partners are a few of her successes. And she’s given back to the larger community of archivists.

As said in the presentation of the award, “A former, President, Vice-President, and Executive member of the Council of Nova Scotia Archives, Director and Chair of the Old Sydney Society’s Museum Committee, President of Heritage Cape Breton Connection and Chair of the Library and Cultural Resources Council at CBU, Arnold has dedicated herself to advancing the visibility and value of archival organizations across the province.”

With an enduring love for her occupation, Arnold wishes there were more positions for archivists. She adds, “I have a fierce love of the island and there's no end to the work. There's so much work to be done in terms of cultural preservation and transmission.”

These sessions are suggested for novice and intermediate researchers

Session 1: Reasons for Immigration, Basic Ancestry Research Plan, Exploration in Usage of 3 Research Websites, and Description of Research Software. Virtual Zoom class scheduled for Wednesday, November 5th, 2025, from 01:00 PM to 3:00 PM Eastern Time.

Why did our ancestors venture to America? Their important reasons drive research to find out more about them. Understand the research process and learn the steps! This class presents four research websites, real time how-to usage, as well as a look into one helpful research software for maintaining your tree. Class handouts will be highlighted during the presentation so participants can access them later at home. Ask questions any time during the presentation.

Join the Pastfinders of the South Lake County Genealogical Society for an online class. Family History Research classes are made up of three distinct sessions. Each session operates independently of the others, allowing you to participate in one or all three. These classes are available to you at no charge. Register Today!

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/FamilyHistoryR1105-1PM

 

Session 2: Family History Research: Digging into Vital Records, Uncovering Census Basics, Avoiding Research Errors, etc. Virtual Zoom class scheduled for Wednesday, November 12th, 2025, from 01:00 PM to 3:00 PM Eastern Time. 

In this class, become acquainted with types of vital records, learn how to recognize first and second sources, interpret census, naturalization and military draft registration data. You will see how to avoid common research mistakes and see varieties of simple family tree publications. Class handouts will be highlighted during the presentation so participants can access them later at home. Ask questions any time during the presentation.

Join the Pastfinders of the South Lake County Genealogical Society for an online class. Family History Research classes are made up of three distinct sessions. Each session operates independently of the others, allowing you to participate in one or all three. These classes are complementary and available to all. Learn more at PastfindersSLC.org

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/FamilyHistoryR1112-1PM  

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Session 3 – Family History Research: Obituary Notes, Steps in the Naturalization Process, Government Website Sources. Virtual Zoom class scheduled for Wednesday, November 19th, 2025, from 01:00 PM to 3:00 PM Eastern Time. 

This class will cover the various types of obituary notices and their genealogical value. The phases of the US Naturalization Process and their connection to the US Census will be explored. We will look at Alien Files in the National Archives Database, the history of US Visas needed/used by ancestors, and understand how the US Archives Publication List can uncover sourcing for research. Ask questions any time during the presentation.

Join the Pastfinders of the South Lake County Genealogical Society for an online class. Family History Research classes are made up of three distinct sessions. Each session operates independently of the others, allowing you to participate in one or all three. These classes are available to you at no charge. Register Today! To learn more please visit our website: PastfindersSLC.org.

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/FamilyHistoryR1119-1PM 

The Bremer County Genealogical Society is presenting an Ancestry.com program Saturday, Nov. 1, at 10 a.m. at the Waverly Public Library, offering training on how to navigate its genealogical tools to trace family history, including marriage, birth and death records and so much more.

Lindsey Kuhlmann, WPL librarian, will be showing how to get started with researching your ancestors with the library edition of Ancestry at the Waverly Public Library. This program is only available for use through a library that has a subscription.

The Bremer County Genealogical Society welcomes guests. Membership is $10 per year and includes two newsletters during the year. Programming is March-May, field trips are during the summer, then there is programming again September-December.

This Halloween, MyHeritage is offering free access to over 1.5 billion death, burial, cemetery, and obituary records from October 30 through November 2, 2025. These records are rich with genealogical details, such as names, places, dates, and family connections, and can open doors to new family history breakthroughs. Since last Halloween, 18 collections in this category have been added or updated, making the chances of finding something new even better. By the way, the MyHeritage DNA kit is now on sale for Halloween as well — it’s a great opportunity to take advantage of our new Whole Genome Sequencing technology (which, is now the exclusive processing method for all new MyHeritage DNA kits).

Henry County archivist Stephanie Routon Tayloe was honored by a state historical organization earlier this month for her efforts to preserve records from the American Civil War.

Tayloe received the Jefferson Davis Historical Gold Medal from the United Daughters of the Confederacy of Tennessee. The award, which is one of the organization’s highest honors, was presented Oct. 11 at the UDC Tennessee Convention in Greeneville.

A Paris native, Tayloe has headed the Henry County Archive and Genealogy Library for the past 18 years.

During her tenure, Tayloe and the archive’s volunteers have cleaned, indexed and prepared records to be microfilmed that span 180 years of the county’s history. The records start with the county’s founding in 1821 and continue through the year 2000.

Tayloe has compiled more than 70 genealogy and history books, including 14 focusing on the Civil War period. These comprise the obituaries, letters and biographies of Henry County’s Confederate veterans.

In addition, she authored 38 articles in The Post-Intelligencer’s “Tennessee Trailings” column about the county and state’s history before, during and immediately after the Civil War.

Tayloe is the recipient of two previous awards for her work in historic preservation. She received the UDC’s Judah P. Benjamin Medal in 2013 and was honored with the Daughters of the American Revolution’s Excellence in Historic Preservation Award — its highest national award for preservation of historic records — in 2015.

Nevada State Archives to hold a celebration of life event after the former Nevada state archivist Guy Rocha died on September 18, 2025. 

The event will be held on Friday, October 31 at the Nevada State Library, Archives, and Public Records in Carson City.

According to Nevada State Archives, the program begins at 10 a.m. and attendees are invited to stay afterward to look at the Archives Reading Room which will have photos and other Rocha artifacts.

The Nevada State Archives also says checks donations can be mad through the forms of checks and cash. 

Both checks and cash should include a note that specifies the donation is for the Nevada State Archives in honor of Guy Rocha.

Organizers say there will be a donation box at the memorial.

Checks and cash can also be mailed to Nevada State Archives, 100 N Stewart Street, Carson City, NV 89701.

The Sno-Isle Genealogical Society (SIGS) continues its “Our Nation, Our Families: The Tapestry of Us” series in November by welcoming Dr. Alicia Valentino from the Edmonds College Anthropology Department to share insights from their archaeological dig at Japanese Gulch in Mukilteo.

The SIGS November meeting is on Wednesday, Nov. 5, at the Wickers Building in Heritage Park in Lynnwood. The event includes a pre-meeting social hour starting at 6:30 p.m. where guests can meet SIGS members, enjoy refreshments and get answers to their questions about how to start family research. Don’t worry if you’re new — no experience is needed, just curiosity. There will be activities designed to spark conversation and help you discover your own connections to history.

At 7:30 p.m., the main presentation begins in-person and online. Japanese Gulch has been an important locale since the first human habitation of Puget Sound. Used by Native Americans for its resources, its vicinity later became the site for the signing of the Point Elliott Treaty and eventually home to Japanese mill workers.

Today it remains a quiet plot with trails and a fish-bearing stream, but buried below the surface are remnants of the immigrant community that thrived for 30 years. Edmonds College explored the remnants of the Japanese Gulch community during the summer of 2025 and Dr. Valentino will trace the gulch’s history from local Tribes to modern trails.

The meeting is free and open to the public. For more details, including live-stream information, visit the SIGS calendar page.

Researchers and archivists will share experiences tracing family histories. Participants will learn tips and tools on how to find family branches. The free online program focuses on Cape Verdean-descended families. It connects to the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s Cape Verdean Contemporary project. The event is Tuesday, Nov. 12, from noon to 1 p.m. on Zoom.

Speakers include Carl J. Cruz, a Cape Verdean historian who studies local family lines. Cynthia Evans is Director of Research for the 10 Million Names project and specializes in African American genealogy. James L. Lopes has worked in museum education and researched Cape Verdean American family networks.

Human remains discovered in Walnut Creek belonged to an Olean woman who was reported missing last year.

According to the Milcreek Township Police Department, the remains belonged to Rebecca (Foley) Hakes. Relatives reported Hakes missing during the third quarter of 2024.

The remains were discovered on Oct. 24, 2024, near the northern edge of the Millcreek Mall property. 

An autopsy determined that the remains were those of an adult female who showed no sign of trauma or natural disease. 

Millcreek police partnered with Othram Inc., a Texas-based company specializing in forensic genetic genealogy. DNA extracted from the remains was analyzed and compared to publicly accessible DNA profiles. Genealogists at Othram and investigators from Millcreek Township Police and the Erie (Pa.) Police Department collaborated to build potential genetic networks connected to the remains.

As possible relatives were identified, investigators conducted numerous phone interviews in search of individuals willing to provide DNA samples. A genetic network centered around McKean and Potter counties in Pennsylvania and Cattaraugus County in New York was eventually identified. Following additional interviews, two DNA samples were submitted to Othram by potential relatives.

Those samples allowed Othram to conclusively identify the remains as belonging to Hakes.