Genealogy Club - January 22

Melanie Sturgeon, who was the State Archivist and Director of the Arizona State Archives spoke to our group last night. Her topic was "Finding Women in Public Records." After 16 years at the archives, Melanie had plenty of suggestions regarding both well known and obscure types of records that genealogists should consult.

She stressed that we need to be aware of county boundary changes as well as the social geography of the area where our ancestors lived. Melanie stated that land records and probate records would be extremely useful in helping to learn a woman's maiden name, as the witnesses and other people named might be members of her family.

Archives exist in every state and can also be found in provinces and foreign countries. They should be an important resource to consider as we research our families.