Tuesday's Tip: Digging for Gold in Coal Mine Country

Lineage societies are a great place to look for family fun facts of the past.  While a member of several societies, I am most fond of the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society.  I reckon it's because my kin removed to the area from Ireland and Eastern Pennsylvania back before the colonies declared independence from across the pond.

I've been a member of WPGS for over ten years now.  This is not something I can say for all the societies I've joined from time to time.  What brings me back?  I really enjoy reading their magazine which is published on a quarterly basis.  I diligently search each issue for familiar names and have been rewarded several times.

In fact, I joined in with a couple of cousins and, in 2006, published a diary from the 1861 timeframe.  How has so much time passed?

Back to the present.

The WPGS covers the 26 counties in western PA.  They also have some free databases on their website.  For members, there are more databases dating back to 1974 to lose yourself while reading.

It's a great tip.  If you've got old family from those hills that were chock full of coal, spend some time there digging for your family gold nuggets.

Ahhh, genealogy.  Love finding those nuggets.  Love it more when it leads to more fabulous finds and not the proverbial "fool's gold."

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