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Hello PA friends,

It’s Independence Day weekend! It’s 246 years since the 1776 convention in Philadelphia. If you ever get the chance to visit Independence Hall in Philadelphia, you can experience standing in the place where the Declaration and Constitution were signed. And if you do it in the summer heat, you can wonder how they survived packed into that room wearing wool suits and no air conditioning!

🗺 History Highlight

Anyone with ancestors living in or around Philadelphia in what is now Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware counties had front row seats to the Revolutionary War. The Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776 and one would assume that every street corner had people proclaiming “liberty for all!” In actuality the majority of residents in the city and outside of it tried to stay as neutral as possible due to Philadelphia’s changes:

• 1775 Philadelphia is Capital of the British Colony of Pennsylvania
• 1776 Philadelphia is Capital of the United States
• 1777 Philadelphia is Headquarters for the British Army
• 1778 Philadelphia is Capital of the United States again

Living in Philly during those 3 years would have made me try to stay neutral too! Too much tar and feathers!

🔖 Featured Genealogy Record

Whether you are just starting in Pennsylvania research, or been at it awhile, there are 3 things you can do to get it right. (Think of this as things I wish I had done consistently with my family history.)

1. Collect stories from family about their memories growing up.
2. Find those family members in the census and start collecting vital records.
3. Write up and share what is found back to the family in step #1.

When I’ve shared family history back to my family, they always give me more details about our history. They also correct mistakes I’ve made! And I often find a few surprises for them that fill in details they didn’t know.

I hope you get to talk with lots of family this weekend and through out the summer and collect those stories!

🎙 What’s New on the Podcast

New episode covering death certificates, birth certificates, and marriage licenses here in Pennsylvania:

Membership Site Upgrades

It looks like I have some technical issues to fix on my website. If you want to join as a member or recently joined, hold tight while I see what I can switch to make it work. Technology is both my friend and foe