Searching for one's ancestors can be an exciting and rewarding experience, much like looking for buried treasure. It provides an opportunity for learning about our past and developing a better understanding of ourselves, as well as for connecting with relatives we might never have met otherwise and with other interesting people involved in the quest for their own heritage. There is a wealth of information available on the Internet to assist us with conducting genealogical research. The intention of this website is to introduce you to some of the best Internet resources currently available which will, hopefully, make your search a little easier. Happy hunting!

Getting Started with your Research

Please explore the following Internet sites and print sources which will assist you with beginning your genealogical research.

Genealogy Help and Guides
http://www.genhomepage.com/help.html

Getting Started in Genealogy and Family History
http://www.genuki.org.uk/gs/
Advice on getting started and a reference list from the U.K. and Ireland Genealogical Information Service.

Hints for Researching your Family History
http://www.win.org/library/services/lhgen/hints.htm

How to and Help
http://www.familytreemaker.com/links/c/c-how-to-and-help.html
An extensive list of beginner guides. Also includes gravestone rubbing, interviewing techniques, and research help.

How to (from Cyndi's List)
http://www.CyndisList.com/howto.htm
Another extensive list for beginners including educational opportunities, general genealogical guides, Family History Centers, mailing lists, publications and software, citations and footnotes and a section for young people.

Research Guidance
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/RG/frameset_rg.asp

Information for Researchers (from US Gen Web)
http://www.usgenweb.org/research/starting.shtml
Contains researching help for maiden names, how to find immigration and passenger arrival records, genealogy vocabulary, and old occupations. Also includes how to care for old documents and publishing.

Twenty Ways to Avoid Genealogical Grief
http://www.naesmyth.com/20ways.htm
An article which originally appeared in The British Columbia Genealogist.

Print sources available at the Camden County Library to help you get started with your research.

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Pathfinders, Directories, and Megasites

The following sites attempt to provide access to all or most of the genealogy information and resources currently available on the Internet. A variety of these pathfinders or megasites have been included because no one site is all-inclusive and the format of one site might appeal more to one user than another. It is recommended that you explore each of these sites as they are updated regularly and contain a wealth of information.

Ancestors
http://www.pbs.org/kbyu/ancestors/
Homepage of the PBS series on genealogy and family history. Includes hints on beginning research, military records, blank family tree charts and forms, viewer's guide to getting started, teacher's guide, and genealogy links.

Ancestry, Inc.
http://ancestry.com/learn/main.htm
Includes Social Security Death index, American Marriages, Early American Immigrants, links, newsletters, many searchable databases, genealogy products, and assistance for beginning researchers.

Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet
http://www.CyndisList.com/
One of the most comprehensive lists of genealogy websites including thousands of links arranged alphabetically by category. Updated regularly. Includes categories for all fifty states, Canadian provinces, foreign locales, various ethnic and religious groups, personal home pages, and for special topics of interest such as adoption and heraldry. Also available is a genealogy home page construction kit.

Genealogy Gateway
http://www.gengateway.com/
Immense collection of genealogy and family history links on the Internet.

Genealogy Home Page
http://www.genhomepage.com/
Hundreds of genealogy links organized by topic. Includes a list of new genealogy links which is updated daily and upcoming genealogy events.

I Found It! (Genealogy Search Engine)
http://www.gensource.com/ifoundit/
A directory of genealogy related sites on the Internet. This site does not provide an index, but is searchable.

National Genealogical Society Netguide
http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/
In addition to hundreds of links, this national organization provides a library and loan program, quarterly journal, bimonthly newsletter, and home study course.

RootsWeb Genealogical Data Cooperative
http://www.rootsweb.com/
A collection of valuable genealogical resources dedicated to supporting the ROOT-L mailing list. Includes the most up-to-date version of the Roots Surname List, archive files for the ROOTS-L mailing list, and more. Provides free Web server space to any genealogical or historical society. This site calls itself "the Internet's oldest and largest genealogy site". RootsWeb provides space on its server for genealogy home pages and websites and hosts thousands of mailing lists.

USGen Web Project
http://www.usgenweb.com/
Organized by county and state. Sponsors special projects at the national level. State websites include very important information such as as postings of unknown county queries, family reunion bulletin boards, state histories, and maps showing changing county boundaries, and so on. Includes information on how to begin genealogical research and an archives.

World GenWeb
http://www.worldgenweb.org/
Connects the world genealogical community. A must-see for researching your emigrant ancestors.

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Genealogy publications, organizations, and mailing lists

Publications and Organizations

Ancestry
http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/columnists/main.htm
Weekly electronic genealogy columns covering genealogy topics.

Association of Professional Genealogists
http://www.apgen.org/

Family Chronicle
http://www.familychronicle.com/
A magazine for families researching their roots.

Federation of Genealogical Societies
http://www.fgs.org/
This site includes a directory of genealogical societies from Ancestry.com and the FGS.  It also includes a calendar of events for seminars and workshops.

Heritage Quest
http://www.heritagequest.com

International Internet Genealogical Society
http://www.iigs.org/

National Genealogical Society
http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/l

National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution
http://www.dar.org

RootsWeb Review
http://e-zine.rootsweb.com/
Weekly email magazine of the RootsWeb Genealogical Data Cooperative.

Mailing lists

Mailing lists hosted by Rootsweb
http://www.rootsweb.com/~maillist/

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Resources available at the Camden County Library

Print sources to help you get started with your research:

Do Your Family Tree
Eakle, Arlene (video 929.1 Do)

How To Climb Your Family Tree
Stryker-Rodda, Harriet (Large Type 929.1028 Str and 929.1028 Str)

Managing a Genealogical Project
Dollarhide, William (Ref 929.1 Dol)
This book contains sample genealogy charts and forms.

General print sources

The Center - A Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Area
Schaefer, Christina K. (Ref 929.1072 Sch)
This is a guide to research in Washington, D.C.

The Handy Book for Genealogists: United States of America
Everton, George B. (Ref 929.1072 Eve)

Netting Your Ancestors: Genealogical Research on the Internet
Howells, Cyndi (Ref 929.1028 How)
Cyndi Howells of Cyndi's List (see megalists above) shares her knowledge of genealogical resources on the Internet.

Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy
Greenwood, Val D. (Ref 929.1072 Gre and 929.1072 Gre)

The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy
Eakle, Arlene (Ref 929.1 Sou)

Virtual Roots
Kemp, Thomas Jay (Ref 929.1028 Kem)
This is a guide to good Internet sites for genealogy.

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Periodicals

Periodicals available at the Camden County Library which include genealogy columns:
American Spirit
Everton's Genealogical Helper
Genealogical Computing
Yankee

We have 25 reels of microfilm that contain the city directories for Camden County from 1863-1947 (some years were not available – please see the list below.) These reels are located with the other microfilm on the 2nd floor, near the reference desk. A list of the years available is below. All are Camden City directories unless noted otherwise.

1863/64-1877/78 -- Missing years 1868, 1871, 1873
1878/79-1881/82
1882/83-1885/86
1887/88-1890/91
1892/93-1893/94
1894/95-1895/96
1896-1897
1898-1899
1900-1901
1902-1903
1904/05-1905-06
1906-1907/08
1908/09-1909/10
1910/11-1911
1912-1913
1914-1915
1916
1917  -- No reels exist for 1918-1919
1920-1921
1922-1923
1924/25-1926
1927-1928
1929-1931 -- No reels exist for 1932-1939
1940-1943 – Audubon, Collingswood, Gloucester, Haddon Heights, Haddon Township, Haddonfield, Merchantville, Oaklyn, Pennsauken Township, Woodlynne -- Missing years 1941, 1942
1943-1947 -- Audubon, Collingswood, Gloucester, Haddon Heights, Haddonfield, Merchantville, Oaklyn, Woodlynne – Missing years 1944, 1945, 1946

3. Federal Census records

The Federal Census reels for the Camden County area for 1850-1930 are  available with the other microfilm on the 2nd floor, near the reference desk.  Please see our census page at  http://www.camdencountylibrary.org/genealogy/census.htm for more details.

Note: The Federal Census is also available on Ancestry-Library Edition and Heritage Quest databases, both available at Camden County Library. In addition, Heritage Quest is available from your home, with a valid library card number.

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In our Reference Collection we have:

1. City Directories

We have a collection of print copies of local city directories. These can be found on the reference shelves. A list of cities and years available is below:

2. Telephone Directories

We have print copies of Camden County telephone directories from 1960-present. With the exception of the most current directory, these are kept in Storage. We are happy to retrieve these for your use, but would appreciate a few hours’ notice, especially nights and weekends.

. Please ask for them at the Reference Desk.

3. Other Reference Materials

R929.3747 Ben     Passenger Arrivals at the Port of New York, 1820-1829 and 1830-1832 (from Customs Passenger Lists).

R929.3089 Zim     German Immigrants:  Lists of Passengers Bound from Bremen to New York, 1847-1854, with Places of Origin.

R929.373 Fil     Passenger and Immigration Lists Index:  A Guide to Published Arrival Records of about 500,000 Passengers Who Came to the United States and Canada in the Seventeenth, Eighteenth, and Nineteenth Centuries (We own 13 volumes of this multi-volume set).

.

R929.373 Phi     Philadelphia Naturalization Records:  An Index to Records of Aliens' Declarations of Intention and / or Oaths of Allegiance, 1789-1880, in United States Circuit Court, United States District Court, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, Quarter Sessions Court, Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia.

R929.3 Ori     The Original Lists of Persons of Quality; Emigrants; Religious Exiles; Political Rebels; Serving Men Sold for a Term of years; Apprentices; Children Stolen; Maidens Pressed; and Others Who Went from Great Britain to the American Plantations 1600-1700.

R929.373 Uni     A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services with their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence.

R369.13 Cen     DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) Patriot Index:  Centennial Edition.

R929.373 Cle     American Marriage Records Before 1699.

R929.373 Ord     The Order of the Founders and Patriots of America Register, Lineages of Associates, Third Supplement, 1961-1980.

R929.3 Mye.     Quaker Arrivals at Philadelphia, 1682-1750.

R929.3748 Duf     Guide to Records of the Sale of Commonwealth Property in the County of Philadelphia, 1780-1798. 

R369.13 Cen     Centennial Register, 1888-1988, Pennsylvania Sons of the Revolution.

R929.2097 Rob     Ancestors of American Presidents.

R929.3748 Roa     Colonial Philadelphians.

R369.13 Kil     Virtutis Praemium.  The Men Who Founded The State Society of the Cincinnati of Pennsylvania.

R929.2097 Pyne     Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence.  Vol. 3 - New Jersey. 

R974.91 to 974.999     Histories of various counties in New Jersey, with an emphasis on Southern New Jersey.

R974.9 Bio     Biographical Resources for New Jersey (Biographical, Genealogical and Descriptive History of the State of New Jersey)

R920.0749 New     New Jersey Biographical Dictionary.

R920.0749 Nel     Nelson's Biographical Cyclopedia of New Jersey.

R974.0974 Cha     Early Germans of New Jersey, Their History, Churches and Genealogies.

R929.3749 Gen     Genealogies of New Jersey Families.

R920.0749 Sin     New Jersey Biographical Index (covers some 100,000 biographies and associated portraits in 237 N.J. cyclopedias, histories, yearbooks, periodicals, and other collective biographical sources published to about 1980).

R973.34 Str     Official Register of the Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Revolutionary War.

R929.3749 Doc     Documents of the Colonial and Revolutionary History of New Jersey (includes Wills Index from 1670-1817; Marriages Index from 1665-1800 and Extracts from American Newspapers Relating to New Jersey 1704-1782 - indexed).

R917.4987     City Directories:  Camden for 1882-1884, 1940 and 1943; Haddonfield for 1950, 1952-56; Collingswood, 1950; Gloucester City, 1951-52 and Haddon Heights/Barrington, 1950-51.

R929.3 Cra     Gloucester County, New Jersey.  Marriage Records.

R929.3749 Cra     South Jersey Marriages:  Supplementing the Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem County Marriage Records.

R929.3749 Cra     Burlington County, New Jersey Marriages.

R929.3749 Cra     Camden County, New Jersey Marriages.

R929.3749 Str     Revolutionary Census of New Jersey.

R973.314 Jon     The Loyalists of New Jersey.

R973.3097 Str     Certificates and Receipts of Revolutionary New Jersey.

R973.7097 Jac     New Jerseyans in the Civil War.

R973.7349 Too     New Jersey Troops in the Gettysburg Campaign.

R973.74 Har     History of the Second Regiment, N.G.N.J., Second N.J. Volunteers, Spanish War, Fifth New Jersey Infantry.

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Other Local Resources for Genealogy Research

Camden County Historical Society

Physical Address:  Park Boulevard and Euclid Ave., Camden, NJ 08103

Mailing Address:  P.O. Box 378, Collingswood, NJ 08108-0378

Phone:  856-964-3333

Hours: Sunday 12-5 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday: Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 12:30-4:30 p.m.; 1st & 3rd Saturday, 12-5.

Website:  http://www.cchsnj.com/ 

Access to the library is free to Society members and available to non-members for a daily fee of $5.00; $4.00 for senior citizens and students with ID.

Gloucester County Historical Society

Address:  17 Hunter Street, Woodbury, NJ 08096

Phone:  856-845-4771

E-mail:  gchs@net-gate.com 

Website:  http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgchs/

Hours:  Monday-Friday from 1-4 P.M.; Tuesday and Friday from 6:00-9:30 P.M.; First Saturday of the month from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.; Last Sunday of the month from 2:00-5:00 P.M.

Admission is free, but a donation is requested.

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