#genchat 🦋
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genchat.bsky.social
#genchat 🦋
@genchat.bsky.social
BlueSky account for #genchat , the #genealogy chat on social media since 2013. Every 2nd and 4th Friday at 7pm Pacific, 8pm Mountain, 9pm Central, 10pm Eastern, 11pm Atlantic.

Hosted by Christine @geneapleau.bsky.social

https://www.genchatgenealogy.com/
#genchat Open Mic coming up this Friday!
#genchat I am so sorry we ran out of time! Thanks for all your courthouse stories!
Next time (Nov 28) is our LAST OPEN MIC about #Genealogy Related Projects - be it professional, personal, creative or whatever! See you there!
November 25, 2025 at 12:04 PM
#genchat I am so sorry we ran out of time! Thanks for all your courthouse stories!
Next time (Nov 28) is our LAST OPEN MIC about #Genealogy Related Projects - be it professional, personal, creative or whatever! See you there!
November 15, 2025 at 4:03 AM
A5 #genchat One of my favorite new discoveries is the Massachusetts Judicial Archives, which can be contacted via email. The more info you have on the case, the better. And it's free!
Other states may have something similar.
November 15, 2025 at 3:59 AM
check the hours, the parking, what you are and are not allowed to bring in with you, and be prepared for all minds of old school information capture
November 15, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Q5 #genchat What if the records are too old to be stored at the courthouse?
November 15, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Sorry, I do want to get out the last question... #genchat
November 15, 2025 at 3:56 AM
A4 #genchat Remember what courthouses are actually there for: working through legal matters. As with any place of business, dress & act professionally & efficiently. Obey the rules!
November 15, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Q4 #genchat If you’ve exhausted online resources, what are some tips about visiting a courthouse to access records?
November 15, 2025 at 3:51 AM
A3 #genchat I have no idea if any courthouses have online indexes or records, but it could be worth a gander.
November 15, 2025 at 3:48 AM
Q3 #genchat if you are willing to spend .10/page if you look up over $15/month worth of stuff in federal courts, it may be worth signing up for a PACER account: pacer.uscourts.gov
November 15, 2025 at 3:45 AM
Q3 #genchat What are some online repositories of court records?
November 15, 2025 at 3:37 AM
A2 #genchat on the FS Wiki, if you go to this link & navigate to a state, you can see what kinds of courts they have (I imagine other localities are set up the same way): www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Unit...
November 15, 2025 at 3:33 AM
A2 #genchat Well, the first one for me was newspapers! They often have legal notices that might say "Superior Court" & list some actions
November 15, 2025 at 3:31 AM
Q2 #genchat How do you determine which court would hold records of a transaction?
November 15, 2025 at 3:22 AM
A1 #genchat FamilySearch full-text search has turned up quite a bit of court docs for me:
name changes
probate
land transactions
money claims
November 15, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Q1 #genchat What types of occurrences might have initiated action in a court?
November 15, 2025 at 3:10 AM
ICEBR #genchat I went to a courthouse once for research on my husbands family. Small county in the NC mountains, so easy access & very amenable.
I don't think I'd even try my local courthouse; it's very busy & business like there. Not #genealogy friendly.
November 15, 2025 at 3:10 AM
FYI, my screen was just acting a little weird, so if I disappear, that may be why. Though my husband just turned off our new smart TV, so that may be connected! #genchat
November 15, 2025 at 3:08 AM
Can anyone explain to me why sometimes a wife has to release dower in a land sale and sometimes she is not mentioned? Early 1800s USA
November 15, 2025 at 3:06 AM
ICEBREAKER #genchat Have you ever done research in a courthouse?
November 15, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Hello, #genchat ! It's good to be here & seeing y'all tonight. It's been a day, let me tell you!
Anyhow, today we are talking about court records, so let's get to it!
November 15, 2025 at 3:00 AM
It feels like an age since the last #genchat we had…and it’s coming up again this Friday!
And that's another #genchat ! Thanks for all the inspiration, tips & heartfelt comments. Next time (November 14), we're "going to court" - talking about court records: in person & online. See you then!
November 12, 2025 at 4:03 AM
It is with bittersweet feeling that I’m announcing the end of #genchat as we know it as of December 12 on Bluesky and 13 on Mastodon. There are several reasons for this:
November 8, 2025 at 2:17 AM
#InternetArchive tip from Thomas MacEntee: on your account, you can create your own lists of items! For example, he had a list for Crandell Genealogy in which he saved all books on that subject. #genchat
November 7, 2025 at 1:50 PM