MDGenWeb Project

Always use maiden names.

When you're researching your Maryland ancestor, many records are created in her maiden name up to her marriage. But it may also appear in birth records of her children, her death record, her parents or siblings obituary...

I always search by maiden name first. And then married name if I am looking for a record created during her marriage like a land record.

Knowing what to look for will save time when you're looking for your maryland relatives and ancestors.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Hhbmd1ZYq/

Every maiden name is a doorway to a whole new branch of your family tree. Don’t let it be obscured by a married surname!

If you're eager for more tips about researching the women in your family, head to Youtube for Crista's virtual session focused on finding maiden names: https://bit.ly/4s5nHYG

Anyone at RootsTech 2026, in person or online?

I am attending online and it is TOP NOTCH!

The Vendor Hall has some great promotions if you're looking to join some genealogy powerhouses.

RootsTech Explore RootsTech, the world’s largest family history conference. Join inspiring live events and access on-demand genealogy classes anytime, anywhere.

Kent County Maryland

Death records for Maryland at the Internet Archives:

https://archive.org/details/reclaim-the-records-maryland-death-index-1973-2014-msa-se-151/Reclaim_The_Records_-_Maryland_Death_Index_1973-2014_-_msa_se151_-_00001/

From 'Your Archive'
5 Easy Ways to Capture Oral Histories in Your Community
Preserve the past. Capture the present. Inspire the future.
Variety of different people capturing audio and video content
Every community has stories worth saving, whether its tales of change, resilience or belonging that define who we are. But too often, those stories fade before they’re ever recorded. Oral history gives us a way to hold onto them: to preserve the past through the voices that lived it, to capture the present before it slips away, and to inspire the future with real experiences told in real voices.

And thanks to modern tools like YourArchive, capturing those stories has never been easier. No recording kit. No technical know-how. Just a voice, a story, and a platform that records, transcribes, stores and shares them safely for generations to come.

Whether you’re part of a museum, a local historical society, or a community heritage project, here are five simple ways to start capturing the voices that make your community unique.

Start with Everyday Conversations
Oral history doesn’t have to begin with formal interviews or expensive equipment, it can start with simple conversations.

Chat to the people who know your area best: long-time residents, shop owners, volunteers, or local historians. Ask about daily life, favourite places, or memories of how the community has changed over time.

“What was it like growing up here?”

“What’s the biggest change you’ve seen on the high street?”

“What makes this place feel like home?”

These casual, human stories bring warmth and authenticity to your project, and with YourArchive, they can be recorded directly from any smartphone, tablet, or computer in minutes.

2. Capture the Present, Not Just the Past
Oral history isn’t only about what came before, it’s also about preserving what’s happening now.

Today’s experiences will one day become tomorrow’s heritage. From a museum reopening to a new town mural or a local festival, recording reflections as they happen gives future generations a vivid snapshot of life in this moment.

Encourage community members to record short voice notes or video reflections that capture the atmosphere of today. How it feels to live, work, and belong in your area right now. These living stories ensure your archive grows with your community, not apart from it.

3. Turn Stories into Interactive Digital Experiences
Once you’ve collected your stories, don’t keep them hidden! Bring them to life in creative, engaging ways.

With YourArchive, recordings can be transformed into short videos, audio reels, or even interactive digital maps and virtual tours that connect people to place and story.

Imagine:

A map of wi******er UK showing oral histories and historical content available in each area
A map of your town or county where people can click on a location to listen to voices from that street or local landmark.

A virtual museum tour with embedded oral histories bringing exhibits to life.

Or a community event with a video of your community’s memories being played as a backdrop

These immersive experiences deepen engagement, spark curiosity and make local history accessible far beyond the archive.

And because YourArchive automatically transcribes and tags every story, it’s easy to create searchable, multimedia experiences that turn local memories into dynamic digital journeys.

4. Make It Easy and Accessible for Everyone
Community storytelling works best when everyone can take part.
YourArchive removes the barriers that often hold people back: no microphones, editing software or specialist knowledge required.

Residents can record from home, or volunteers can collect stories in person using just a tablet or phone at community events, open days or heritage fairs.

This simplicity makes it possible to capture a wider range of voices, capturing the often untold stories. This gives you a more inclusive picture of community life.

5. Store, Transcribe, and Share Securely
Collecting stories is only the beginning. To ensure they endure, they need to be stored, organised and accessible.

Image showing a transcription for a video captured via YourArchive.
YourArchive automatically transcribes every recording, making it easy to search, quote, or use for exhibitions and research. Each story is securely stored and tagged, so nothing gets lost on a forgotten hard drive.

For museums and local historical societies, this means building a structured, searchable digital collection that can be reused for future projects, from funding bids to educational programmes and community outreach.

Inspiring the Future
Every voice you record today is a gift to the future. Imagine a child fifty years from now listening to a recording of their great-grandparent describing life in your town… the accents, laughter, and emotion intact.

By capturing those stories now, you’re not only preserving the past; you’re creating a bridge to the future. One that connects people through shared memory, place and identity.

With YourArchive, it’s never been simpler to start.

🎙️ Record anywhere, anytime.
✍️ Transcribe automatically.
🗂️ Store securely and share effortlessly.

So why wait? Start collecting the voices of your community today and ensure that the memories of your community continue to inspire for generations to come.
Contact us today or book a short demonstration to discover how YourArchive makes it easy to record, preserve and share your community’s living history.

Key Takeaways:
Oral history is a powerful way to preserve personal stories that bring community heritage to life.

You don’t need specialist equipment. Anyone can record a story using YourArchive from any device.

Capturing contemporary voices is just as important as preserving past memories.

YourArchive can turn recordings into videos, audio reels, and interactive digital experiences.

Automatic transcription and secure storage make it easy to build a searchable, long-term digital archive.

Museums, towns, and local historical societies can use oral histories to boost engagement, education and even local tourism.

FAQS:
What is oral history and why is it important?
Oral history is the practice of recording people’s memories, experiences and reflections. It’s important because it preserves personal perspectives that often don’t appear in written records, helping future generations understand what life felt like in a particular place and time.

Do I need special equipment to record oral histories?
No. With YourArchive, you can record audio or video directly from any smartphone, tablet, or computer (no microphones, cameras, or editing software required). This makes it accessible for organisations of all sizes.

How can oral histories be used by museums and local historical societies?
Museums and societies can use oral histories to enrich exhibitions, promote local heritage, support education programmes, or build digital experiences like virtual tours and interactive maps. They also help strengthen community engagement.

Can YourArchive transcribe oral history recordings?
Yes. All recordings uploaded or captured through YourArchive can be automatically transcribed. This makes stories searchable, accessible and easy to reuse for displays, research or publications.

How can I share the oral histories once they’re recorded?
YourArchive gives you multiple ways to bring recorded stories to life. You can share oral histories directly to social media, download them for use on your website, or include them in newsletters, exhibitions and presentations. Built-in tools also let you transform recordings into short videos (even combining multiple clips) or create interactive map-based experiences where people can explore stories by location. This makes it easy to share voices with your community across digital channels, physical displays, or immersive online experiences.

Is YourArchive suitable for small heritage groups or volunteer-led projects?
Absolutely. YourArchive is built to be simple, flexible, and low-maintenance, ideal for small museums, local history societies, and volunteer-led projects, as well as larger organisations. You don’t need technical expertise or specialist equipment to get started and the platform scales naturally as your collection grows. If you'd like to explore whether it’s the right fit for your project, we’re always happy to arrange a short call to understand your requirements.

Have you ever pulled a record that didn’t say what you expected?

Before you download a single record, read the finding aid.
• Learn what years a record set actually covers
• See what’s missing (and why)
• Understand how records were created and used
• Avoid false assumptions and wasted time
• Spot related record series you might otherwise miss

The Maryland State Archives does an exceptional job documenting this context. Their finding aids often answer your questions before you start clicking images. I’ll add the direct link so you can see what I mean—this is how stronger research starts.

https://guide.msa.maryland.gov/pages/viewer.aspx?page=topviewed

Maryland land patents are more than property records—they’re timeline builders.

• Trace ancestors back to the 1600s
• Pinpoint when someone arrived in Maryland
• Identify neighbors, associates, and family networks
• Spot occupation clues tied to acreage and location
• Track migration patterns as land changes hands
• Discover earlier generations before census records existed

If your ancestor owned, leased, inherited, or patented land, this is a record set you can’t ignore. I’ll drop a direct link to the Maryland State Archives so you can explore it yourself.

https://guide.msa.maryland.gov/pages/viewer.aspx?page=land-patents

https://landrec.msa.maryland.gov/Pages/Login.aspx

I just used these to trace my grandmothers home back to 1851... it was a library at one point. Then the Wilna telephone company. My grandfather bought it from the Department of Public Works in 1936.

Great records!

Check it out!

It’s Genealogy Week, and HCPL has a fascinating lineup of virtual genealogy programs to help you explore your past, from 6:30-8:00 pm!

January 27 → Peggy Jude
Introduction to AI for Genealogy

January 28 → Jamie Lee McManus Mayhew
DNA Demystified: A Guide to Cracking Your Genetic Code

January 29 → James M. Beidler
Zigzagging Through German Church Records

View our full lineup: hcplmd.org/genealogyweek

Check out our Upcoming Virtual Genealogy with HCPL playlist for a sneak peek: hcplmd.org/genealogyteasers

❄️❄️❄️❄️ Enjoying the snow here in Maryland today?

Snowstorms have a way of slowing us down just enough to notice them. Today’s snowfall might feel like an inconvenience—or a cozy to stay in and bake cookies and binge watch Netflix, like me!

While this may be an epic ice event for many, it’s worth remembering that some of Maryland’s biggest storms were not so long ago.

☃️ The Blizzard of 2016 dropped 29.2 inches on the Baltimore metro area.
☃️ Snowmageddon in 2010 buried much of the state under more than two feet of snow.
☃️ The Storm of the Century in 1993 earned its name, dumping 15–25 inches and shutting down nearly everything in its path.

But, let’s rewind a couple of generations.

🌨️ In January of 1922, our ancestors faced what became known as the 'Knickerbocker Storm', more than 20 inches of heavy, wet snow fell across the Mid-Atlantic. Unlike the powdery snow we saw early today, this was dense and dangerous. Roofs strained. Buildings groaned. Transportation halted.

The storm is named after the Knickerbocker Theatre in Washington, D.C., whose roof collapsed under the weight of the snow, killing 98 people and injuring more than 130. It remains one of the deadliest building collapses in U.S. history.

There were no weather apps. No advance warnings. No emergency alerts buzzing in pockets. Families relied on experience, neighbors and sheer resilience. Some shoveled roofs to prevent collapse. Others would have huddled indoors for days, burning whatever fuel they had. Many walked miles through snow just to check on relatives or bring food.

So here’s something to ponder:

❓What was your family doing in January 1922?

🧑‍🌾 Were they farmers worrying about livestock?
🚗 Did they have one of those new fandangle automobiles yet, or still relied on horse and wagon?
🚽 Did they have indoor plumbing, or have to improvise if they couldn't get to the outhouse?

They most likely relied on coal stoves or wood stoves. Perhaps they used their oil lamps and self made candles for light? Maryland still had one foot in rural 1800's and the other in more modern cities. Folks experienced this storm very differently.

Storms like the Knickerbocker remind us that weather isn’t just history—it’s someone's 'lived experience'.

If you know a family story tied to a winter storm, please share!

Stay safe out there, and remember... our ancestors were fierce! Just another day in their life.

FREE education from our neighbor to the north.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17sZGfCmMm/

Join us virtually on Thu. January 15 at 7 p.m. ET as Sunny Morton presents "Intro to U.S. Church Records: Why We Care Where Grandma Went to Church". The live event is FREE to all. GSP members will have access to the recording until March 16, 2026. For more information and registration go to: https://genpa.org/programs-and-events/