The Genealogist's Companion & Sourcebook (Paperback)

by Emily Croom (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
A companion to Croom's Unpuzzling Your Past: A Basic Guide to Genealogy (Betterway Bks., 1989), this volume offers a beyond-the-basics guide to tracing family history. Croom explains how to research, locate, and use church and funeral home records; government records at federal, state, and local levels, including the U.S. Serial Set and the Territorial Papers of the United States; court records; newspapers; and maps. She joins other recent writers in her "cluster genealogy" approach of including the broad family, neighborhoods, and the historical context in the research strategy. Chapters on African American and Native American genealogy provide timely information for the library reference desk and individual research, and librarians will applaud the inclusion of material on libraries and archives and how to use them. Appendixes include forms, dates, Roman and Arabic numerals, and a list of publishers, while an essential index helps to bring the book together. Despite several omissions and errors, Croom's latest volume is as useful as her earlier handbook. Recommended for all libraries providing genealogy guidance and for the home market.
Judith P. Reid, Library of Congress
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Croom is a genealogist of excellent repute and the author of six genealogical volumes dealing with her own family roots in Kentucky and Tennessee, plus the much respected publication, now in its second edition, Unpuzzling the Past (Betterway, 1989).

Croom's latest endeavor, The Genealogist's Companion, is an intermediate-level how-to genealogy book that explains and details diverse collections and libraries within the U.S. and the records that may be found within them. It is a companion to Unpuzzling the Past and does not repeat basic research sources or methods from that book. In addition to covering government records, cemetery records, newspapers, city directories, and other sources, there are chapters on African American and Native American genealogy. Appendixes include lists of National Archives branches, libraries (including rental libraries), and publishers of genealogical materials.

The Genealogist's Companion must be compared with Greenwood's Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy (2d ed., Genealogical Publishing, 1990). Greenwood (three times the length of Croom) is much more detailed, provides forms, and gives essential information on all major sources of research, while including valuable explanations on probate, land, and court records. Croom is written in a conversational tone so that the reader seems to be receiving guidance from a close friend who has already trodden the path that the reader is about to start. Because the volume is easy reading and instructive at the same time, it will be a very popular choice for public libraries.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Betterway Books (April 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558703314
• ISBN-13: 978-1558703315
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #247,166 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I wouldn't be without this book, June 16, 1998

By A Customer

I bought this book when I first started doing genealogy, and I wouldn't be without it. It is a concise and thorough explanation of the basic research tools we all need to use. Even after having researched for several years, I find myself re-reading chapters to remind myself how to do particular things -- and I always "remember" some valuable information that I would have forgotten without this book. A bonus is that it is paperback and can be easily toted to the library or on research trips.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't do my research without Emily Croom's books!, March 29, 1999

By A Customer

I own all of her books and refer to them constantly! She offers the best information I've found on where and, especially, how to write for records. It's been my experience to find that other "how to" books all offer the addresses (which I can usually locate on the Internet anyway), but don't offer actual examples of the correspondence! Mrs. Croom does! I recently attended a local seminar where I had the opportunity to chat with her. She informed me that her next book will be coming out in the near future and it will focus on giving assistance with where to go when you've reached a brick wall in your research. I can't wait! Also, last but not least important, Mrs. Croom is a very nice lady!!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical, effective, step-by-step instruction, March 18, 2001

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

In The Genealogist's Companion & Sourcebook, genealogist Emily Croom presents the novice with a practical, effective, step-by-step instruction to the use of primary and secondary sources for genealogical research. Croom shows how to overcome such commonplace research obstacles as public records being lost to fire or flood which often frustrate family searchers. She shows how to use "cluster genealogy" effectively, as well as how to utilize church and funeral home records, government documents, court records, newspapers, and maps. To help illustrate her beyond-the-basics advice Croom employs bibliographies, case studies, appendices with census forms, a family group sheet, and information on major archives, libraries, lending libraries, and publishers. The Genealogist's Companion & Sourcebook is an invaluable addition to any personal or genealogical society reference shelf. Also highly recommended is Emily Croom's earlier guide: Unpuzzling Your Past: A Basic Guide To Genealogy.