Maryland Genealogical Society

K is for Kinship

Understanding kinship terms is an essential skill for successful genealogical research. The words our ancestors used to describe family relationships didn't always mean what they mean today, and misreading a kinship term can send a researcher down entirely the wrong path. In older records, "son-in-law" was sometimes used to mean "stepson," and "daughter-in-law" could refer to a stepdaughter. "Cousin" was often used loosely to describe almost any relative — a
nephew, a niece, or a distant relation — rather than the specific relationship we understand today. Even "brother" and "sister" could sometimes refer to brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law rather than biological siblings.

Colonial Maryland documents such as wills and deeds used kinship terms that can easily mislead modern readers. Taking a moment to consider what a term actually meant in its historical context — rather than its modern meaning — can save hours of misdirected research and prevent you from following the wrong family connection entirely.

Tip for beginners: When you encounter a kinship term in an old document, don't assume it means the same thing it does today. Make a note of it and look for other records that might help clarify the actual relationship before drawing conclusions.

Tip for experienced researchers: Kinship terms can vary not only by time period but also by region and ethnic community. If you're researching a specific ethnic or religious community in Maryland — German, Quaker, or Catholic, for example — it's worth looking into how kinship terms were used within that particular community.

Now it's your turn! Has a confusing kinship term ever led you down the wrong research path — and how did you figure it out?

In tracing our family histories, we encounter many ancestors who served in America's wars and can learn much about them and their families from the records and other sources that document their service.

The MGS Links collection features links to many national websites with military records such as the National Archives and Fold3. But it also features Maryland-specific content, including guides to materials at the Maryland Center for History and Culture and the Maryland State Archives. In our Members Only webinar collection, MGS members can learn more about Maryland's involvement in America's early wars by viewing the webinar "Colonial and Revolutionary Military Records of Maryland."

Learn more here: www.mdgensoc.org

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J is for Journals

Diaries, journals, letters, and memoirs offer something that official records rarely can — a glimpse into an ancestor's inner world. Personal writings can reveal thoughts, feelings, and daily experiences that never appear in a census record or a deed. A letter describing a journey to a new home, a diary entry written during a time of war or hardship, or a memoir recounting childhood memories can bring an ancestor to life in a way that no other source quite matches. Even fragments of personal writing — a few pages of a diary or a handful of surviving letters — can transform a name on a family tree into a real person.

Maryland researchers looking for personal papers, diaries, and letters beyond their own family collections may find valuable materials at the Maryland Center for History and Culture or the Maryland State Archives, both of which hold manuscript collections donated by Maryland families over the years. Local historical societies and libraries are also great places to search for these materials. If your own family has diaries, letters, or memoirs, consider whether donating copies to one of these institutions might preserve them for future researchers.

Most importantly - be a good ancestor! Write letters, and consider keeping a journal for your future descendants. Leave them a rich, full story about you!

Tip for beginners: If your family doesn't have diaries or letters, don't overlook published collections. Many diaries and memoirs have been transcribed and published in genealogical journals or books, and some are available online through Google Books or the Internet Archive.

Tip for experienced researchers: When analyzing a letter or diary, pay close attention to the names mentioned in passing — neighbors, friends, and distant relatives often appear in personal writings in ways that can suggest new research directions or confirm relationships you've been trying to prove.

Now it's your turn! If you could read one ancestor's diary or letters, whose would it be — and what would you hope to learn?

On this Memorial Day, honor the service and sacrifice of your ancestors by telling their stories. Where to begin? We can help: www.mdgensoc.org

Check out this event from our friends at the Maryland Center for History and Culture on May 30!

The Library of Virginia has an amazing collection of primary sources, important to the history of our entire nation. Check out this news about collections available online!

The Library of Virginia is pleased to announce we have a new digital collection online just in time for the VA250 celebrations! The Land Office Military Certificates collection documents the second step of a three-step process for Revolutionary War veterans to obtain bounty land in return for their service.

The certificates are printed forms filled in with the name of the individual, his rank, whether he served in a state or a continental line unit and the length of such service. In 2022, we digitized the microfilm, which includes the records for around 7,500 Virginia Revolutionary War veterans' claims. We are excited that these records, so important to our understanding of the experiences of those who fought for independence, are now freely available online.

https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/collectionDiscovery?vid=01LVA_INST:01LVA&collectionId=81192215680005756&lang=en

VA250 - American Revolution 250 Commission

I is for Immigration

Immigration is at the heart of so many American family histories. Whether your ancestors arrived in the Colonial period as settlers, indentured servants, or transported convicts; were transported here via forced servitude, slavery, or trafficking; came during the great waves of Irish and German immigration in the 19th century; or, arrived from Southern and Eastern Europe in the early 20th century - understanding when and how they made that journey can open new chapters in your family history. Passenger lists, port records, and immigration documents can reveal names, ages, birthplaces, occupations, and the towns or villages your ancestors left behind — sometimes providing the key to researching your family in another country. For some, the records leave more questions than answers, and more intense research is required in order to turn up clues.

Maryland has a long and rich immigration history stretching back to the Colony's earliest days. As one of the original thirteen colonies, Maryland attracted settlers from England and other parts of Europe from the 1630s onward. The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries created natural ports of trade and entry, and this trade attracted workers. Baltimore emerged as one of the busiest ports of entry on the East Coast, welcoming waves of immigrants from Ireland, Germany, and beyond for decades. The founding of the our Nation's first railroad in Baltimore, the B&O Railroad in 1828, created an even greater demand for workers, a large portion of which were Irish and Free Black workers who moved West with the railroad.

Researchers tracing Maryland ancestors will find that immigration records touch nearly every ethnic and cultural community that has called our State home. For researching immigration records, Ancestry.com and FamilySearch are excellent starting points, with extensive collections of passenger lists and port records available online. The Maryland State Archives also holds records relevant to early immigration and settlement in the state. When you find a passenger record, note every detail it contains — a hometown or region of origin can be the key that unlocks research in another country entirely. The National Park Service has important information about the routes our ancestors took from Baltimore and other East Coast ports toward the West.

Tip for beginners: Start your immigration research by talking to older family members about what they know of your family's origins. Even a vague family story — "we came from somewhere in Germany" — can point you toward the right records to search.

Tip for experienced researchers: If you've hit a wall with a passenger list search, try searching for siblings or other known relatives who may have immigrated around the same time. Family members often traveled together or followed one another in chain migrations, and finding one may lead you to another. You may also find clues in newspapers, where the names of immigrants were often published in daily lists.

Now it's your turn! Do you know the story of how your ancestors came to America — and what records helped you piece it together?

Our next Member Meet-up will be hosted on May 13 via Zoom. Not a member yet? Join here - www.mdgensoc.org. Already a member? Register for the Meet-Up in the Members Only Section of the website.