One of the free services available online is the Social Security Death Index. This index provides the dates of birth and death of the deceased, the city and state of last residence, the social security number, and the state in which the social security card was issued. There is also a link which automatically writes the SS-5 letter with which one can obtain a copy of the original social security card application. With the information provided in the SSD Index such as the date of birth, one can write for a copy of the birth certificate which will list the names of the parents. This is a good place to begin to fill out the missing information on anyone's family tree. Keep in mind, however, that the ancestor has to have been young enough to work under the Social Security Act which was instituted in 1935.
Family Trees
Thousands of individuals have contributed what they know about their ancestry and posted this information online. There are numerous Internet sites that allow members to post ancestry information which can then be accessed by all. Not everyone's ancestors will show up on family trees, but it is worth trying these sites.
Gravestone and Cemetery Records
A free service is available to search cemetery records. There are other websites but many charge a fee to search their databases. Some specific cities and states have limited gravestone information online. However, due to the vast number of cemeteries and gravestones, searching these sites is very much a hit or miss process. If one knows where an ancestor lived when they died, he or she may have to go to the local cemeteries and inquire. With the exception of very old or small burial sites, most cemeteries keep some type of records going back to the beginning of their existence.
Census and Other Records
Census and voting records, some dating back to the 1700s, are accessible through Ancestry, the largest Internet genealogy service. Passenger manifests are also available here which can be extremely helpful if an ancestry emigrated from another country. Unfortunately, one must buy a membership, although a free trial is often available. Ancestry also has military rosters and birth, death, and marriage records (depending on the states and specific dates). Ancestry also maintains its own family tree databases which one can access for free. It even has the ability for DNA testing for an additional fee.
With these online resources, one can get a decent start to researching his or her ancestry. Not everything is accessible online and one may need to seek help at a public library or historical society, However, these websites will deliver a wealth of information.
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