Landing the Ancestors: Federal and State Land Records ---- Land records are among the earliest, most complete and most valuable genealogical records- and often among the most puzzling. Understanding how land was acquired, measured and recorded under the law is essential to using the records effectively.
Copyright Mythconceptions-----What we don't know about copyright law can hurt us-right in the pocketbook! Here's a guide to the most common mistakes and misunderstandings about copyright and what we can and can't do with materials created by others in our family research.
The First Trip to the Courthouse-----If there is one home truth in genealogy research, it's this: not everything is available online. Sooner or later, every genealogist has got to make that first trip to the courthouse to check out the original records available there. How to prepare for that trip, the rules of the road, what to expect, what to ask for, and how to be sure you'll be welcomed back the next time are explored in this lecture
Polls, Personality and Property---Making Sense of Tax Lists-----Somebody had to pay government’s bills and they did it through the law by imposing taxes on polls, personal property and real property. The records of those taxes offer some of the best clues available to our ancestors their families and their neighborhoods.
