Family Tree Magazine and David A. Fryxell just announced their choice of 101 Best Genealogy Websites for 2010 and frankly, I am a bit disappointed. While some of the tried and true favourites such as Ellis Island, One-Step Web Pages, Family Search and Cyndi’s List were chosen, there were many other wonderful sites that were overlooked.
In the category European Ops: Sites for researching in Continental Europe only 9 sites were chosen and yet not one site was recognized for Italian, Spanish, Hungarian or Irish Genealogy despite the fact that there are several note worthy sites available to choose from. Clearly they missed the boat on this one and it appears the magazine is catering to a particular demographic audience.
Year after year we see the same sites listed in these lists and year after year very few European websites, if any, are ever chosen. When they are chosen they seem added as if almost an after thought. While I enjoy using some of these sites as much as the next guy or gal, I honestly believe it’s time to broaden one’s horizon’s and start thinking outside the box to help break down those brick walls. How many times can a person talk about the same genealogy sites or special offers that so and so is promoting for a limited trial period? What about the endless online sites funded, maintained, updated and made available freely 365 days a year?
Perhaps it’s time to start our own list of top 100 websites and recognize some of these unsung heroes. Then maybe they will realize all the wonderful resources they have been ignoring all this time.
The Georgia Archives site is rich in many types of information including actual death certificates primarily from 1919 through 1927, with some as early as 1914. There are also Confederate Pension Applications with the handwritten documentation, colonial era wills, county marriage books, and more.