Links
Over the years, I've had lots of aspiring genealogists ask me where to start looking on line. I've compiled a list of a few resources here. Some of these are obscure links that I've had on my site since it began in 2001, but I left them up because they're still active and - of course - I have a fondness for history.

Find a Grave
This site has certainly expanded since I started using it. Many many volunteers have not only added pictures of graves, they've now also often included genealogical data, as well. Many of the family members are also linked. It's a great resource for finding more clues to the whereabouts of long lost ancestors. They have a mobile app, too!

My
Cinnamon Toast
I
listed my site here way back when. It
has lots of links and
surnames in various areas
around the world. Don't ask me where the name originated; I have no idea.
Family
Search.org
This
is the Latter Day Saints'
search page. I have found
at least 100 birth records
here that led me back
to my 17th and 18th century
ancestors. It's a wonderful
resource that includes the 1881 censuses
from the U.S., Canada,
and England.
Their pilot program has yielded lots of vital records of interest to me: http://pilot.familysearch.org.
Heritage Quest
I had free access to this site when I lived in Maryland. I see Michigan residents can access it from home now. Check your own local library online to see if you can use this site in your state.
Cornwall Online Parish Clerk
If you have ancestors in the U.K., you're in luck. Birth records are available from 1837, and I've also received copies of marriage records for my St. Breward ancestors. It's a handy site. Sometimes extra clues can be gained by seeing the records in register order, so some are also available either on the OPCwebsite, or on individual OPCs' sites (see the individual parish pages to find direct links to the material).
Ancestry.com
I
use this one the most.
I swore I would never
pay for my genealogy information,
but I'm forced to eat
my words. This information
that I've gathered from
this site makes it well
worth the membership cost.
Rootsweb
These
message boards have led
me to lots of connections.
(See
the story of William
Robroy McGregor's photos
and the article about
South Bend Genealogy Society
volunteer, Irv
Morse.)
Counties
and States - This
page on the rootsweb site
lets you enter any city
and state and gives you
the county. It's a big
help when you need to
find censuses and vital
records.
Trace Your Family Roots From Immigration to US Citizenship: A Genealogy Guide
I've used peoplefinders.com to look up cousins, but I never saw this valuable page. This resource was sent to me by a helpful 8th grade class in Maine. Thanks, kids!
People Search: Genealogy Resources
I've used peoplefinders.com to look up cousins, but I never saw this valuable page. This resource was sent to me by another helpful 8th grade class. I always appreciate genealogy tips.
Order
Vital Records Online
I
ordered 2 death certificates
online and they were in
my possesion in a couple
of weeks. You have to
sign up for Vitalcheck
to order and use a credit
card, but it was convenient
and fast. I could even
check the progress by
signing in with the order
processing number they
give you. Fast and easy!
Ontario
Cemetery Finding Aid
This
is where I've found dozens
of the Canada family members
and where they are buried.
It's a great starting
point. It helped me tremendously
in researching the Billings,
Bromells, and Rushtons
of Elgin and Brant, Ontario.

Tombstone
Birthday Calculator
This
is a big help with old
tombstones that tell the
date of death and the
exact age in years, months,
and days.
By
the way, to do this calculation
by hand when the online
calculator is not available,
use the 8870 formula (the
calculator calls this
the 30 day month length).
Example: If a person died
May 6, 1889 at age 71
years, 7 months and 9
days:
18890506
Year, day, month of death
(yyyymmdd)
-710709 Subtract
age at death (yymmdd)
18179797
-8870 Subtract
constant 8870
18170927 = Born 27 Sept.
1817 (yyyymmdd) This person
was born on September
27, 1817

Perpetual
Calendar
Ever
find an obituary dated
more than a century earlier
that doesn't give the
exact date? Well, if it
it's got the date of the
paper, like May 6, 1899,
and it says, "So
and so died on Wednesday,"
use this site to find
Wednesday's date in a
snap.

The
St. Thomas Cemetery
I've
gotten lots of help from
the caretaker of this
cemetery, Lesley Cairns.
(See Archives from December
2001.)
BlueSky
Memorials
My
love of genealogy and
history led me to develop
this online memorial site.
We
haven't had a booming
business, but I enjoy
creating memorials for
our family members. The
tributes contain pictures,
obituaries, and family
history information, and
more. These tributes last
forever.