Ten Genealogical Books I Can't Do Without - Carnival of Genealogy

Ten Genealogical Books I Can’t Do Without, at least, for right now ...in no particular order

I wish there were 10 books written about my ancestors!

Although there aren't, I do have a good number of books at home and I use libraries a great deal, especially the British Columbia Genealogical Society's Walter Draycott Library. Here are a few I rely on or re-read often.

I'm cheating a bit here with the #10 for my list; I'd have another 10 I'd recommend, especially for Canada or British Columbia. Quite a few of these are Canadian books - but only four cover Canadian topics - and some of those IRWINS did live in the United States.

1. Robert Irwin’s Brothers and Sisters and their Families from County Cavan, Ireland to Fenelon Township, Ontario by Ross W. Irwin (Guelph, Ontario, Canada: 2003)
-also John Irwin’s family...2003 and Robert Irwin...2001

Still working my way through all the information Ross Irwin, my ‘Irish Cousin’, has amassed on our family lines. If you may be related, please do be in touch: http://www3.sympatico.ca/rwirwin/irwinFamilyHistory.html


2. Everyman’s Dictionary of Dates, Sixth Edition, revised by Audrey Butler (London, England: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd., 1974)

Since I’m a timeline person, a book like this is always both interesting and useful.

3. Researching Canadian Uncommon Sources by Michelle Labrosse-Purcell (Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Heritage Productions, 2004)

A good starter guide to Canadian contacts for fraternal societies, professional associations, medical and legal records.

4. Pioneer Register: Pioneers of British Columbia, Pre 1900, edited by Iline Gronlund (Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: British Columbia Genealogical Society, 2004)

5. British Columbia War Memorials: An Index of Names (Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: British Columbia Genealogical Society, 1990)

Lots of British Columbia names in both these books. Both are available: http://www.bcgs.ca/

6. 500 Brickwall Solutions to Genealogy Problems (Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Moorshead Magazines, 2003) and More Brickwall Solutions to Genealogy Problems, edited by Marc Skulnick and Victoria Moorshead (Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Family Chronicle Magazine, 2004)

Many, many research ideas in these stories. Here’s a sampling: http://www.familychronicle.com/BrickwallSampleMain.html


7. How Do I Prove It? by Dr. Penelope Christensen (Toronto, Ontario, Canada:Heritage Productions, 2000)

8. About Genealogical Standards of Evidence, A Guide For Genealogists by Brenda Dougall Merriman (Toronto, Ontario: The Ontario Genealogical Society, 2008 3rd Edition) I'm still using an older edition, but I'm ordering this new one.

9. Genealogical Proof Standard: Building A Solid Case by Christine Rose (San Jose, California, USA: CR Publications, 2005)

I find these last three books always useful re-reads.

10 Evidence Explained... Elizabeth Shown Mills (Baltimore, Maryland, USA: Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., 2007)

Bet this last one is on many lists.

Now here is my idea for another topic - Do you read genealogy magazines and journals? If so, which ones? I'm reading the September/October Everton's Genealogical Helper. Everton's is one I'd be hard pressed to give up and now there's an on-line version of it too. What are your favourites?

I just noticed that The Educated Genealogist includes the National Genealogical Society quarterlies in her top ten: http://sherifenley.blogspot.com/2008/09/10-books-i-have-used-in-last-6-months.html