Northwest Indiana Genealogical Society - NWIGS

08/29/2026

08/29/2026

Researching Your Ancestors in the Hamburg Passenger Lists

The Hamburg Passenger Lists are one of the most important — and most underused — immigration resources in genealogy. Covering departures from the port of Hamburg primarily between 1850 and 1934, these lists document millions of emigrants leaving Europe for destinations around the world.
Because these are departure records, they can reveal information that never appears on Ellis Island or Castle Garden manifests. This Quicksheet explains how the Hamburg Passenger Lists work, what information they contain, and how to use them effectively — especially when U.S. arrival searches fail.

Get the Quicksheet PDF at https://theancestorhunt.com/blog/researching-your-ancestors-in-the-hamburg-passenger-lists/

08/29/2026

LINK IN COMMMENTS! BONUS FREE Huguenot Genealogy Cheat Sheet! Huguenot genealogy changes completely based on where your family landed after fleeing France.

The 1572 St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre scattered early Protestant refugees into Switzerland, the German Palatinate, and Dutch provinces. The 1685 Revocation of the Edict of Nantes sparked a much larger second wave that likely carried your ancestors to England, Ireland, South Africa, or colonial America.

If your family went to Amsterdam, you need the Walloon Index card file microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah or the Grand Livre des Réfugiés. If they settled in London or Ireland, you will be digging through the Huguenot Society of London Quarto Series, like Volume XIX for Portarlington. If they stayed behind in France and abjured under pressure, those conversion records sit in French departmental archives alongside Catholic parish files.

One family name can point to five different countries and completely distinct record sets.

Grab your free copy of our NEW Huguenot Genealogy Cheat Sheet by reading the article - the link is in the comments.

08/29/2026

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08/19/2026

08/19/2026

08/19/2026

Here's your update on the National Archives location closures: There's still no plan. That's the update. 8 weeks and counting.

Where are the permanent archival collections going? Which public research rooms will serve them? How long will records be unavailable while they are moved? How will researchers request large files remotely and what is the cost? What happens to certified-copy service? What happens to the archivists who have spent years learning these collections?

These are not unreasonable questions, and NARA absolutely knows how to answer them.

When NARA moved more than 11,000 cubic feet of court records from Chicago to Kansas City in 2023, it told researchers what was moving, where it was going, when access would stop, and when the records were expected to become available again.

In 2019, NARA published that same kind of detailed notice for a move involving just eight cubic feet of records.

Now? Silence. And my gut says more location closures are coming. Like Philadelphia.

08/19/2026

https://genealogybargains.com/lftwebinars-upcoming✌️ Three days of peace, love, and family history are coming to your screen this August 17–21! 🎪

Gather 'round for a virtual festival of discovery where we bring your ancestors out of dusty archives and into the light. This week at Legacy Family Tree Webinars, join thousands of fellow family historians to supercharge your research with modern AI genealogy tools, unlock hidden relatives through the DNA FAN Club, and trace forgotten Canada-US migration pathways. Learn how to transform flat names and dates into vibrant, three-dimensional stories of real people who walked before us. Grab your favorite mug, claim your spot in the crowd, and let us explore your roots together! 🌳✨

Supercharged Research: Working with AI Tools and Meeting Genealogy Standards - Tuesday August 18th

DNA in Action 4 of 6: The DNA FAN Club
Wednesday August 19th

Migration Pathways Between Canada and the United States You Haven’t Considered
Friday August 21st

🎟️ Reserve your free virtual seat for this week's full lineup today!

Legacy Family Tree MyHeritage