Fold3.com
Member Pat Miller shares a tip that Fold3.com is allowing free access to browse military records this Memorial Day weekend. Access is free until Tuesday.
Homestead Act
A recent article from the Legal Genealogist site acknowledges the 157th birthday of the Homestead Act of 1862. Land acquired under the Homestead Act began the transfer of public land from the federal government to private hands. The act was repealed in 1976, but by then 270 million acres had been acquired. If eligible, up to 160 acres of land could be had for $18! Such land records may include naturalization, marriage, and birth information, in addition to land description, improvements, etc. Did your ancestor acquire land under the Homestead Act? Read the post HERE and follow the links to learn more.
Early Census Controversy
Member Merilee Mulvey viewed a recent article from the New England Historical Society’s site that reveals in 1840 census workers were tasked with identifying the number of people with mental disabilities. “Of the more than 17 million people counted in the 1840 census, 17,456 were listed as ‘insane and idiots’.” This statistic was later “debunked”. Read the full post HERE.
Siuslaw Genealogical Society blog 