Free Genealogy
This section will be devoted to free genealogy. Providing the most recent free genealogy data available online. There may be the occasional link in this section that takes you to a subscription based website, but the database linked to will be free to access. Unfortunately, quality free data, especially original source records, isn't easy to come by. For a seasoned genealogist, it's the source material that is the most important. But all genealogists need guidance as to where to find the source material, and which documents should they try and access/purchase. Free genealogy online, then can provide that part of your research, and lay the fundamental groundwork of who, what, when, and where.
On occasion, some of the pages below will reference some works which come only at cost along with free works. In order for you to find that free genealogy, we've listed the pages here. As always, what is and is not free on each page is clearly labeled.
New Free Genealogy Online
Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography - Free
In 1915, Lyon Gardiner Tyler wrote three volumes and edited two
additional volumes dedicated to Virginia Biography. His intention was to
cover biographies of important Virginians from the founding of the colony
until the present time of publication (1915). The entire work includes
more then 2000 pages of biographies of Virginians who were influential in
the early history of Virginia. - Added 25 Feb. 2008
The History
of Detroit and Michigan - Free
The manuscript we feature here is a comprehensive study into the first
200 years of Detroit and Michigan history. Source: The History of Detroit
and Michigan: A Chronological Cyclopaedia of the Past. - Added 10 Feb 2008
The Records of
Convocation, 1790-1848 - Free
The records of the Diocese of Connecticut in the Episcopal Church.
Included with the early historical facts and history, can be found
biographical sketches concerning early members of the convocation. - Added
7 Jan 2008
Armorial Families: A
Directory of Gentlemen of Coat-Armour - Free
Enclosed in this massive manuscript are thousands of descriptions of
Coats of Arms of families in 1905 England and Scotland. Included with
those description will often be found colored coats of arms. - Added 6 Jan
2008
Chicago
University Register of the Officers and Alumni, 1892-1902 - Free
This is the first General Register to be published by the University.
It is intended to give a concise history of the personnel of the
University for the first ten years, closing with July 1, 1902. - Added 5
Jan 2008
Students of the University of Virginia - Free
This manuscript is a directory of the students enrolled in the
University of Virginia up to 1878. While the title denotes that the work
contains short biographies, that is an overstatement. Readers, however,
shall find mention of over 10,000 names, along with brief facts about each
person, up to the time of publication (1878). - Added 4 Jan 2008
History
of Eastern Worcester, MA - Free
On the second Saturday of June, 1889, and of June, 1890, respectively,
and on Saturday, Aug. 16, 1890, Caleb A. Wall held field meetings, at
different historic points on the west side of that ancient landmark, Lake
Quinsigamond. At these meetings he gave accounts of the first settlers and
their locations along the west shore of the lake, and on Plantation street
and vicinity. - Added 3 Jan 2008
Biographical Illustrations of Worcestershire - Free
The manuscript provided here gives insight into the men who were
active in early Church history in Worcestershire England. Some of the
first biographies mentioned depict men living in the 600's AD.
Biographical illustrations of Worcestershire: including lives of persons,
natives or residents, eminent either for piety or talent: to which is
added, a list of living authors of the county. - Added 2 Jan 2008
Scotch Highlanders
in America - Free
An attempt is here made to present certain Scotch Highland settlements
prior to the Revolution. These settlements form a very important and
interesting place in the early history of our country. While they may not have
occupied a very prominent or pronounced position, yet their exertions in
subduing the wilderness, their activity in the Revolution, and the wide
influence exercised by the descendants of these hardy pioneers, have brought
their history and achievements into notice. - Added 1 Jan 2008
Armory and Lineages
of Canada - Free
The purpose of this work is to give a short sketch of the lineage of
prominent persons in Canada in 1915, with notes of anything of interest or
importance regarding any ancestor, and especially to record, briefly but
permanently, the achievements of those who, having served their country with
distinction, have passed away, but whose names should not be dropped or their
deeds forgotten, as is necessarily the case in reference works the scope of
which is limited to the living. - Added 19 Dec 2007
History
of Dorchester, Massachusetts - Free
The "Committee of the Dorchester Antiquarian and Historical Society" have
done themselves and their society much honor, and the public a valuable
service, by the publication of the carefully prepared volume which bears their
Imprimatur. The first recorded evidence of the establishment of our present
town organizations that we have met with, is at ancient Dorchester, in 1633;
and the Free School System, which is the boast of New England, if not
initiated there, has not to our knowledge been proved to have existed
elsewhere at an earlier date. And the dates of the establishment of four
important manufactures in this town, carry with them a strong if not the
positive claim of Dorchester for the first production of two articles of
subsistence, viz., corn-meal and chocolate; one of defence, viz., gunpowder;
and one of civilization, viz., paper. - Added 14 Dec 2007
History and Genealogy of Colchester, Nova Scotia - Free
Thomas Miller was a longtime resident in Colchester County, Nova Scotia.
It was his intention at first to write only about his own kindred; but, having
begun, he was led on to mention, nearly all the Grantees of the Townships of
Truro, and some of Onslow and Londonderry, with their descendants, as far as
he could gather information. - Added 7 Dec. 2007
History
of Thompson Country, British Columbia - Free
This manuscript is basically a history of the area around Fort Thompson,
British Columbia. Wade, Mark Sweeten. The Thompson country: being notes on the
history of southern British Columbia, and particularly of the city of
Kamloops, formerly Fort Thompson. Kamloops, British Columbia: Inland Sentinel
Print, 1907. - Added 7 Dec 2007
History of
Fredericksburg, Virginia - Free
Silvanus Quinn penned a volume in the early 1900's on the history of
Fredericksburg, Virginia. Largely a historical volume, genealogists will find
of interest mentions of early settlers of the area around Fredericksburg, as
well as some biographies of some distinguished men who were buried at
Fredericksburg, Virginia. Quinn, Silvanus J., The History of the City of
Fredericksburg Virginia. Richmond, Hermitage Press, 1908. - Added 5 Dec 2007
Vital
Records of Dover, Massachusetts - Free
Alphabetical indexes to the vital records of the town, supplemented by
information from church registers, cemetery inscriptions and other sources. -
Added 26 Nov 2007
History of
Augusta County, Virginia - Free
A county remote from the first scenes of European settlement in Virginia;
not visited by whites until 1716; uncolonized till 1732, and organized less
than a century and a half ago, appears to offer few materials for history. But
that holds untrue. The history written by John Lewis Peyton delves into the
first 150 years of existence of Augusta County. Besides the rich history, also
provided for the genealogists are family genealogies, biographies of important
people, and marriage records covering the early years of existence of the
county. - Added 24 Nov 2007
History of
Lynn Massachusetts - Free
History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts: Including Lynnfield, Saugus,
Swampscot, and Nahant, by Alonzo Lewis and James R. Newhall. Published at
Boston by John L. Shorey in 1865. A revision and continuation of Lewis's
History of Lynn, first published 1829. - Added 3 Nov. 2007
Old Edinburgh - Free
Watkeys, Frederick William. Old Edinburgh; being an account of the ancient
capital of the Kingdom of Scotland, including its streets, houses, notable
inhabitants, and customs in the olden time. Published in 1908, at Boston, by
L.C. Page & Company. - Added 2 Nov. 2007
History of Rye, England
- Free
Holloway, William. The history and antiquities of the ancient town and
port of Rye, in the county of Sussex. With incidental notices of the Cinque
Ports. Published at London: J. R. Smith, 1847. Though this work is called a
History of Rye, yet still, so far as regards the Charters, the Customals, and
the Courts, it contains matters interesting to all the Cinque Ports. - Added 1
Nov. 2007
History of Morley,
England - Free
The purpose of this book is, to present the reader with a succinct
account, historical and topographical, of a locality, which both on account of
its ancient history and its modern manufactures, is not unknown to fame. The
author, William Smith provides an impressive list of illustrations which
depicts the early woollen industry. - Added 31 Oct. 2007
History of the Town of Kings
Bridge - Free
Edsall, Thomas Henry. History of the town of Kings Bridge: now part of the
24th ward, New York City. Privately printed at New York City in 1887. - Added
30 Oct 2007
A History Of Lake
Champlain - Free
Judged by the standard of historic interest, Lake Champlain has no rival
in all the continent of North America; and in natural scenic beauty, it ranks
with the best the world affords. Crockett, Walter Hill, A History Of Lake
Champlain; the record of three centuries, 1609-1909. Published 1909 at
Burlington, Vt., H. J. Shanley & Co. - Added 29 Oct. 2007
Publications of the Brookline Historical Society - Free
The Brookline Historical Publications Society compiled numerous volumes of
their works into separate series and published each series in one bound
volume. Series 1 contains numerous historical accounts of early Brookline, and
for genealogists, the baptisms, marriages and deaths recorded of the First
Parish Church. - Added 28 Oct. 2007
History of
Wolfeborough, New Hampshire - Free
Parker, Benjamin Franklin, History of Wolfeborough, New Hampshire, (1901).
This manuscript is rich in history and filled with genealogical content. We
only wish the author had taken the time to publish a second book using the
genealogy content available at the time. - 27 Oct. 2007
A
Diary Of Noteworthy Events In Worcester, Massachusetts - Free
The Worcester book: a diary of noteworthy events in Worcester,
Massachusetts, from 1657 to 1883. Written by Franklin P. Rice; published by
Putnam, Davis and Co., at Worcester, MA in 1884. - Added 26 Oct. 2007
History of
the town of Dunbarton, New Hampshire - Free
Each researcher will be enabled to peruse a summary account of the
settlement and progress of their Dunbarton, New Hampshire, amidst whose
formerly dense forests their adventurous ancestors established their abodes,
without the trouble of tracing particulars through the records of the first
one hundred and nine years. - Added 25 Oct 2007
Biographical History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - Free
This biographical volume covers prominent individuals in the communities of
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; particularly those who served in public
office. Though not an exhaustive work, it does include a great deal of useful
information for historical and genealogical research. There is no index, but
names are listed alphabetically. Some of the accounts are lengthy and
detailed, others are brief. - Added 24 Oct 2007
History of Highgate,
Middlesex, England - Free
This manuscript depicts the early history of Highgate England, with
particular attention paid to the early houses and their residents. Of unique
curiosity will be the chapter on Gossip and Customs of early Highgate. - Added
23 Oct 2007
History of the
County of Middlesex, Canada - Free
Middlesex County, Canada was settled by two distinct groups of people.
Indians, who'd resided in that area for many centuries, and the Tories who
avoided the call of duty against the country they still felt loyalty to. From
the Six Nations tribes to these Tory settlers, this county was settled with
ever changing loyalty between the British Crown and the new America. - Added
23 Oct 2007
History of Athens County,
Ohio - Free
This manuscript was written in 1869 by Charles Manning
Walker and describes the first 61 years of Athens County history. Inclusive in
the book are lists of prominent positions for each town, as well as
biographies of the "leading men" of each town. Also included, are short
histories of the county and each town remaining in 1869. - Added 18 Oct 2007
Vital Records of Billerica, Massachusetts - Free
The following records of births include all entries to be found in the
books of record kept by the town clerks; in the church records; in the
Middlesex County Records; in the cemetery inscriptions; and in private records
found in family Bibles, etc. - Added 16 Oct. 2007
History of Herkimer
County, New York - Free
Benton, Nathaniel Soley. A History of Herkimer County. Published 1856, J.
Munsell. Provides a history of the County along with biographical sketches of
leading citizens up until 1856. - Added 16 Oct 2007
History of
Rockbridge County, Virginia - Free
There is but one Rockbridge County in the United States. The unique name
is due to a great natural curiosity within its limits. The position of the
county is nearly midway in the longer direction of the Valley of Virginia. The
latitude—mostly to the south of the thirty-eighth parallel— is that of the
center of Kentucky, the south of Missouri, and the center of California -
Added 15 Oct 2007
Boston Notarial
Records - Free
This volume, which is the thirty-second in the series of Boston Records,
contains the notarial records of William Aspinwall from 1644 to 1651
inclusive. The work was commenced by William H. Whitmore, Esq., late Registrar
of Boston. Aspinwall, William. A volume relating to the early history of
Boston, containing the Aspinwall notarial records from 1644 to 1651. Published
by Boston Municipal printing office in 1903. - Added 11 Oct 2007
Utah, The Inland Empire -
Free
This manuscript is Sargent, Arthur T. Utah, the inland empire: the story
of the pioneers: resources and industries of the state: attractions of Salt
Lake City: leading men of the community. Published 1902, Salt Lake City, Utah:
Deseret News. It provides the reader a look into the early settlement of Utah,
providing ample biographies of early leaders and business men. - Added 10 Oct
2007
DuPage County,
Illinois History - Free
Du Page County Guide was the last brush-stroke in the portrait of
America that the Federal Writers' Project set itself to paint. The
century-old county of Du Page extends over 338: square miles of fecund,
broadly undulating land, hemmed in on two sides and part of a third by
Cook County.
History
of Medford, Middlesex, Massachusetts - Free
This manuscript provides a detailed history of Medford up until 1886.
Genealogists should pay particular attention to the early tax payers list,
biographical notices, and most especially the register of families.
However, the manuscript is peppered throughout with interesting anecdotal
statements and facts of past residents, and as such, the entire manuscript
should be thoroughly checked. - Added 7 Oct 2007
History of
North Allerton, York, England - Free
The town of North Allerton is pleasantly situated in an agreeable
valley, in the North Hiding of the county of York; to the district around
it has, from the earliest period, given the name of a shire; it is
thirty-two miles north of York, and thirty-four south of Durham. Ingledew,
Christopher James Davison: The history and antiquities of North Allerton,
in the county of York; Published by London: Bell & Daldy, 1858. - Added 5
Oct 2007
History of Alton,
Southampton, England - Free
In writing this sketch of Alton, William Curtis intended to trace
Alton's history as far as possible from the earliest ages to the present
time. Book by William Curtis: A short history and description of the town
of Alton in the county of Southampton; published 1896, Winchester: Warren
& Son; London, Simpkin & Co., Limited. - Added 5 Oct 2007
History of
Cook County, Illinois - Free
Goodspeed, Weston Arthur. History of Cook County, Illinois: being a
general survey of Cook County history, including a condensed history of
Chicago and special account of districts outside the city limits: from the
earliest settlement to the present time. Published Chicago, Goodspeed
Historical Association. - Added 4 Oct 2007
Vital
Records of Topsfield, Massachusetts - Free
The following records of births, marriages and deaths include all
entries to be found in the books of record kept by the town clerks; the
church records now in the custody of the town clerk; the returns made to
the Salem Quarterly Court; cemetery inscriptions; and a private record of
deaths, covering the period of 1790—1853, now in the possession of Mrs.
George Warren Towne, of Danvers, Mass. - Added 3 Oct 2007
Vital Records of Beverly, Massachusetts
- Free
The following records of births include all entries to be found in the
books of record kept by the town clerks; in the church records; in the
returns made to the Salem Quarterly Court; in the cemetery inscriptions;
and in private records found in family Bibles, etc. These records are
printed in a condensed form in which every essential particular has been
preserved. - Added 3 Oct 2007
Mormon
Battalion and the Mexican War - Free
Two different manuscripts are provided here that detail the 6 month
history of the Mormon Battalion and its march from Council Bluff, Iowa to
San Francisco, a march of over 2,000 miles. Note... Only the 2
historical manuscripts on this page are free. The Pension application
images are a dataset available via subscription from FootNote. - Added 28
Sep 2007
Latter-Day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia - Free
These four volumes comprise more than three thousand biographies of the
early leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, many
accompanied by photographs. Sketches of many women are included. - Added
28 Sep 2007
Old
First Massachusetts Coast Artillery - Free
This manuscript depicts the history of the Old First Massachusetts
and provides the names of the Captains of each company from its
origination through 1917. Old First Massachusetts Coast Artillery in
War and Peace: By Frederick Morse Cutler, B.D., First Lieutenant,
Chaplain, published in 1917. - Added 28 Sep 2007
History of Sigma
Alpha Epsilon - Free
The Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity was a secret fraternity. As such, a lot
of the names of members has been lost over the years. However, if your
ancestor was a member of this fraternity, then this manuscript should provide
some insight into the early chapters of the fraternity. - Added 27 Sep 2007
The
Collections Of The State Historical Society Of Wisconsin - Free/$
The Historical Society of Wisconsin published from 1854-1931 a series of
volumes providing an eclectic look into the early history of Wisconsin. While
most of the data is historical in nature, some of the specific articles can
provide
large sources of genealogical content for early Wisconsin genealogists. Most
of the volumes listed in this section are free, but a few of them are only
available through a subscription to WVR.
New Mexico, her natural resources and attractions: being a collection of facts, mainly concerning her geography, climate, population, schools, mines and minerals, agricultural and pastoral capacities, prospective railroads, public lands, and Spanish and Mexican land grants.
Memories of Early Days in Buffalo -
Free
Written by Sylvester J. Matthews in 1913, this manuscript details early
life in Buffalo, New York. Buffalo in 1838 was a city of "magnificent
distances." The speculative bubbles that had been blown during the
previous decade had been burst as in a single night by the panic of '37.
Building enterprises of every kind were at a standstill, real estate in
great quantities had been thrown into chancery and much more tied up in
various ways of litigation, rendering it unavailable for new enterprises
that subsequently started up in the '40's, and in some instances even into
the '50's.
History of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Maryland of the United Lutheran
church in America, 1820-1920 - Free
Written by Abdel Ross Wentz in 1920. While providing an exhaustive history of
the Synod of Maryland it also provides a list of the Pastors of the Synod
during the years 1820-1920.
History of Palmyra, Wayne County, New York -
Free
Compiled and written by the Palmyra, N. Y. Western Presbyterian Church,
Woman's Society, this manuscript provides names, dates, and narrative
concerning the early settlers of Palmyra.
Lancashire Gleanings - Free
Written by William Edward Armytage Axon in 1883, this manuscript provides
a glimpse into the early days of Lancashire, England.
Until we get a chance to further develop this section, here's a list of the few premier free genealogy sites online: