Kate Townsend, Genealogist

04/30/2026

If you're at the Ohio Genealogical Society Conference this week, keep a lookout for Cecelia McFadden, who will be on-site to answer any and all questions you have about GRIP Genealogy Institute this summer!!

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04/29/2026

I will be virtually presenting my lecture, "Applying Investigative Skills for the Financial Crime World to Genealogy," this Saturday for the Wheaton Public Library. In the presentation, I discuss how I transitioned my skill set as an investigator to genealogical research, and how you can do the same!

Register using the link below:

Kate Townsend started her career as an investigator fighting financial crime. Learn how to apply the skills she developed investigating fraud, money laundering, and high-net-worth individuals to your genealogical research pursuits.

04/16/2026

Did you know that the Returns of Marriages in the City of Pittsburgh, covering the period of 1875 to 1909, have now been digitized and are available on Ancestry.com?

Even if you have a copy of the marriage license and a return from the Allegheny County Courthouse, additional details might be found on these records. Therefore, they are worth exploring!

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Return of a Marriage in the City of Pittsburgh, Hugh McKissick and Mary Deary, 3 April 1902; “Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S., Marriage Returns, 1875-1909,” database and digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/63168/records/90047978 : accessed 23 March 2026); citing City of Pittsburgh Marriage Returns, 1875-1909, Box 10; Detre Library and Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh.

04/14/2026

Last week, Cecelia McFadden and I were on the Heritage Hunters podcast. We discussed all things related to the 1890 Census loss and how our course, GRIP Genealogy Institute, will help students learn how to overcome record loss and orient themselves with additional record resources. Be sure to listen!

What happened to the 1890 U.S. Census—and why does it matter so much for your family history?In this episode, we sit down with certified genealogist Kate Tow...

04/09/2026

I recently stumbled upon this incredible early City of Pittsburgh, Registration of Death, record for Lara Derry, a presumably formerly enslaved woman.

The record indicated that she passed away on 7 June 1876, at the age of ninety-nine, revealing an inferred birth-year of approximately 1777. Since she was born in “Africa,” she was seemingly brought to this country as part of the slave trade, before it was banned on 1 January 1808, with the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves.

Finding a record such as this is a small window into the life of someone who likely survived the middle passage, enslavement, the Civil War, and Reconstruction. And yet, her life recently resurfaced again and is remembered 150 years later.

City of Pittsburgh, Registration of Deaths, Vol. 14, p. 582, entry for Lara Deary, 7 June 1876; “Pittsburgh City Deaths, 1870-1905,” database and digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939V-8L96-R8 : accessed 6 April 2026); citing digital film 4672699, imaged from Family History Library film 505823.

04/07/2026

The vast majority of the 1890 U.S. Census may be gone, but your ancestors’ stories aren’t.

*Surrogates and Substitutes: The 1890 U.S. Census Exemplar* is a weeklong GRIP Genealogy Institute course at the University of Pittsburgh designed to help genealogists break through one of the toughest gaps in American genealogical research. Learn how to rebuild households, trace migrations, and uncover context using powerful substitute records.

Registration is now open for this in-person course in July 2026!

1890 U.S. Census, McDonough County, Illinois, population and social statistics schedule, Mount Township, enumeration district (ED) 174, page 854 (stamped).

04/06/2026

I am so proud that my article, "Honoring Blue-Collar Ancestors: Inclusive Programming in Practice," discussing the "Blue-Collar Ancestry" series at the Heinz History Center, is featured in this month's National Genealogical Society Magazine. If you are a National Genealogical Society member, please check it out! If not, consider joining the National Genealogical Society.

The April to June 2026 issue of NGS Magazine is now available and ready for you to explore. Each issue offers trusted research guidance, case studies, and insights from leading genealogists to help you build your skills and confidence.

One of the benefits of NGS membership is free access to every new issue as soon as it is released. If you are already a member, log in and start reading today. If you are not yet a member, now is a great time to join.

Visit the NGS website to read the latest issue or learn more about membership: https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/magazine/

03/27/2026

Did you know that the first comprehensive nationwide federal requirement for non-citizens ("aliens") in the United States to register and be documented came in 1940 with the passage of the Alien Registration Act, also known as the Smith Act?

Under this law, all non-citizens aged 14 and older were required to complete Alien Registration (AR-2) forms.

Katherine Golden, who arrived in the United States in May 1892, was one such individual who completed an AR-2 form in accordance with this law.

US Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Alien Registration Form, No. 4583223, Katherine Aloysia Golden; Alien Registration Files, August 1, 1940 to March 31, 1944, Historical Records Series, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Washington, DC.

03/25/2026

Did you know that you once had to apply for a Social Security number?

Maurice Francis Murphy applied for his Social Security number on 4 January 1943.

These documents, which are requested via a Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") request, are an excellent genealogical resource, because they asked the applicant to give details including their date of birth, place of birth, and parents' names.

Maurice Francis Murphy, SS no.172-20-5563, 4 June 1943, Application for Account Number (Form SS-5); Social Security Administration, Baltimore, Maryland.

03/25/2026

If you’re thinking about or planning to come to , in July 2026, in Pittsburgh, check out this video to see where classes will be held!

03/24/2026

I am excited to be part of this wonderful event in August. I will be giving two lectures:

-The People Who Built America: Researching Your Blue Collar Ancestors
-Charting Out the Company Town in Pennsylvania: Researching Coal Industry Communities

I would love to see you there!

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