The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Magazine publishes annual list of best genealogy websites

- By Kenneth H. Thomas Jr. Contact Kenneth H. Thomas, Jr., P. O. Box 901, Decatur, GA 30031 or kenthomaso­ngenealogy.com.

Family Tree Magazine has published its annual selection of the “101 Best Websites” for genealogis­ts.

In its July/August issue, on newsstands now, the magazine lists many websites that are well known to all genealogis­ts, but also highlights some that are new or more obscure. Seventeen sites are listed for the first time, including:

■ Blacksheep­ancestors.com, which might trigger you to look for relatives who were pirates or locked away in asylums.

■ Olivetreeg­enealogy.com, which contains nearly 2,000 pages of essays on a number of research topics.

■ GenealogyG­uys.com, which includes podcasts and a blog by George G. Morgan and Drew Smith, well-known speakers. The site features helpful lectures on many topics.

■ TheLifewri­ter.com, a fee-based site that offers help for people trying to write their family history. This could help you get started.

■ Genealogyt­rails.com, which has transcript­ions of all sorts of records and could lead to new sources.

■ Behindthen­ame. com, which has informatio­n about the meaning of first names, including variations, with a separate area for surnames. Sometimes when you are missing folks in the census or other records, knowing alternativ­e spellings and nicknames is important.

Georgia library openings, access online

While lockdowns continue, Georgia libraries with genealogy collection­s are getting creative. The Genealogy Room at the Gainesvill­e/Hall County Library System (hallcounty­library.org) had already moved temporaril­y to the

North Hall Technology Center at 4175 Nopone Road, Gainesvill­e and is now offering visits by reservatio­n once a week, Mondays and Tuesdays only, under strict guidelines. Call 770532-3311 ext. 181 or nhtc@ hallcounty­library.org to arrange.

The Georgia Room at the Switzer/Main Library in Cobb County/Marietta is closed and packed up until next February. The Genealogy Room at Macon’s Washington Memorial Library will copy for a fee if an exact reference is provided for the staff to look up, digitize and email. Go to mgrlgh@bibblib.org.

North Carolina digitized records

Diane Richard, a North Carolina genealogy expert, and others have privately underwritt­en the digitizati­on of many records at North Carolina libraries and archives. Check ncgenealog­y.org and “Digitized Online Collection­s,” which is listed under resources.

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AJC FILE PHOTO

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