What’s in a name? Well, in South Africa, quite a lot! Surnames carry the stories of ancestors, cultures, and the complex history that shaped this incredible country. Whether your last name is Van der...
Author - Will Moneymaker
Tracing Ancestry Through South African Church and Civil Records
Church and civil records are foundational resources for tracing ancestry in South Africa. Before formal civil registration was introduced, church records were the primary means of documenting life...
Introduction to South African Genealogy
South Africa has an extraordinary history and a complex blend of cultures, rewarding and challenging genealogical research here. Whether your ancestors were part of the indigenous communities...
Civil War Dog Tags: A Soldier’s Final Act of Identity
The American Civil War saw immense loss, with over 620,000 soldiers dying from battle, disease, or imprisonment. Amid this devastation, one truth became clear: many soldiers were dying without...
Woodrow Wilson: The Visionary Idealist
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was born in Staunton, Virginia, on December 28, 1856. He was the third of four children born to Joseph Ruggles Wilson, a Presbyterian minister, and Janet Woodrow Wilson. The...