Abrams Collection Genealogy Highlights
July/August 1999
Volume 1, Number 4

Ancestry.com has been publishing print and electronic products for genealogy research for 15 years. The Web site offers over 240 million names in over 1,600 databases. Some databases may be searched free of charge, but most are offered on a subscribers-only basis. The Library of Michigan subscribes to Ancestry.com to provide the best access for our patrons.

Connecting to Ancestry

Connect to www.ancestry.com through your Internet browser.

Searching Ancestry

There are two ways to search Ancestry.com. You may search all the databases at once or search a specific database.

1. Begin at Ancestry's main page and enter a first and last name in the boxes provided. Pull down the Locality menu to choose a state, if desired. Click on the Search button.
2. Ancestry will return a list of databases that include the name you have searched. Click on the individual database title and Ancestry will bring up your requested information.

1. Click on the Advanced or the Ancestry Search Center links on the main page. These links will take you to the Advanced Searches page.
2. Click on the link for View All Databases and Ancestry will return the list of databases divided into categories.
3. Choose a category and scan the list of database titles. Click on the title you wish to search.
4. When the new page comes up, enter the name of the person you wish to search in the appropriate box.
5. On the Search Results page, click the link to View Search Results.
6. Use the Forward and Back buttons at the top of your screen (or toolbar) to move between pages.

Some Useful Databases on Ancestry.com

Free Databases

Ancestry World Tree: Pedigree files submitted by visitors to Ancestry.

50,000 Bibliographic Sources from the Library of Congress: List of genealogy and local history books found at the Library of Congress.

GenPageFinder: Ancestry's search engine that indexes the contents of genealogy Web sites.

Phone and Address Listings: On-line phone directory.

Social Security Death Index: List of individuals paid a lump sum death benefit by Social Security through 1998.

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Subscription Databases

General Topics

AIS Census Indexes: Electronic version of Accelerated Indexing Systems' census index volumes. Includes Michigan censuses from 1827 to 1870.

American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI): Electronic version of a 200-volume print source that indexes numerous genealogical records and family histories.

Andersonville Prisoners of War: National Park Service records of camp inmates between 1863 and 1865.

DAR Lineage Books: References to Revolutionary War ancestors and their descendants as submitted to the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Dawes Commission Index 1896: Individuals in the Five Civilized Tribes (Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole) who applied for citizenship in 1896. Herkimer and Otsego Counties, New York, Directories, 1917: Collection of city directories containing the names of nearly 13,500 residents.

Irish Flax Growers List, 1796: List of Irish farmers growing flax in 1796; compiled by the Ulster Historical Foundation.

New York City Directory, 1890: Directory of 384,000 city residents. Includes coverage of Bronx, Kings and Queens Counties. Useful substitute for the 1890 Federal Census.

PERiodical Source Index (PERSI): Comprehensive subject index of genealogy and local history periodicals compiled by the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Wuerttemberg Emigration Index: German and Prussian immigrants to the United States who applied to leave Germany from late 1700s to 1900.

WWI Civilian Draft Registration: Registration list of men born between 1873 and 1900 who registered for the draft in 1917 and 1918. Includes approximately 24 million men.

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Great Lakes Topics

1790-1870 Michigan Census Index: Electronic version of Accelerated Indexing Systems' census index volumes for Michigan.

Land Records-Michigan: Index of Michigan land patents. Patents are the initial transfer of land from government to private hands. Databases are also available for Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

Marriages-Michigan to 1850: A database of 13,000 names compiled by the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

Michigan Death Index 1971-1996: Includes decedent's name, birth and death dates, county and town of death, and county and town of residence at time of death.

Monroe County Directories: Directories from 1874-75, 1892, and 1897. Includes Adrian in Lenawee County for 1874.

Northern Michigan Newspaper Surname Index: Index of names that appear in 14 different newspapers from Cheboygan and Mackinac Counties from 1871 to 1929.

Ohio Death Index 1958-1969, Update: Ohio Department of Health's index of deaths from 1958 to 1969. Ancestry.com also has Ohio index coverage for 1989 to 1992.

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Updated 08/06/2008