“A to Z Genealogy Tips – Fortnightly Series”

Journals and diaries offer a personal glimpse into your ancestors’ daily lives.

Even brief entries can provide locations, occupations, and social connections. Some diaries and journals revolve around specific events such as political, military or pioneering events, others are more general in nature bt give insights into specific eras, social or work events.  Local historical societies, libraries and other archives sometimes hold unpublished journals that add depth to official records. Journals bring your family history to life beyond dates and names.

Further many published family histories are preserved though libraries for Family Historical Societies.  These can hold information about sections of your family history and worth checking.

Seek out diaries, personal writings or family histories in archives to enrich your family story.