Tools Page

The Inman Compendium

Browser Enhancers/Add-ons

If you get tired of those annoying pop-up browser windows that are built-in to some web sites, then you need to try one of these two products. I get tired of trying to close windows that I don't want open and can't keep closed. But that has stopped since I started using these. Pop-up windows are at your control because some sites require a new window to open. But it will eliminate the unwanted advertising that is common with these new browser windows. Both are freeware.

Consumer News

I  am always getting emails about the government changing rules governing the net, scams, frauds, etc. Most of them are outdated or completely erroneous. Visit ConsumerNet and get accurate data on items concerning the internet.

Calendars

Perpetual Calendar
If you need to find the day of the week for a certain day, or find the date for a day of the week, either way this will figure out what you want.
There is also a number of calendar calculating functions available. Figure ages, time lengths, etc. Check it out for yourself.

English Calendars
This site is intended to replace clumsy handbooks of dates for students of English history and literature. It is also accurate for European history outside of England, with the exception of the period 1582-1752. It includes the following:
Ecclesiastical Calendar - Old and New Style Dating - Day of the week - Regnal Years

Census Records On-line

This may a duplicate link, but be sure to look at USGenWeb for their listings.
Forms and help with early Census records - click here.
Genealogy Spreadsheets, Archive Census, Cemetery and Manifest Data Forms - click here.

Email Security and Spam Prevention

Mail Washer is for email security. It operates in advance of your regular email and allows you to check messages
for viruses or SPAM. If you still want the message you can open it in your regular email. If it is spam, you can "bounce" it back to the originator so that it seems like your email address is no longer active. This should prompt the sender to remove your name from their list. The setup and instructions are very easy and clear. Freeware.
Spamcop is a service that reads the junk mail, SPAM, that you get and sends an email to the servers involved. Almost all servers have a "No Tolerance" policy for Spammers. If you can report the offenders you can get them kicked off of their server. To repeat their spaming efforts they have to set up a new account with a new server. You just need to know how to copy the message, with headers, and paste it into the Spamcop form. It is a free service well worth the effort to use. It only takes a minute per spam reort.

Forms

If you need any forms or charts, go here. It includes family charts, blank census forms, a soundex form, ancestors and descendants charts, and search logs.

Virtual Family Group Sheet - Send your data over the net, instantly. If you, or the recipient, have trouble attaching and sending group sheets this form will send the data as a text file.
It requires that JAVA be enabled on your browser . For Netscape only.

Genealogy Programs

Brother's Keeper
An excellent shareware product written and constantly upgraded by a genealogist.
It presents all of the data on screen in a very easy to see format. It is the program used by The Inman Compendium. It has an excellent look-up feature which helps prevent duplicate names, locations and sources. Shareware.
Res Privata
When uploading a file for use on the web, certain information on living persons needs to be removed. This program allows you to decide which dates/data you remove. It offers the most options of all the programs I found. It is very easy to use and it remembers the options you choose. Shareware.

Glossary of Diseases

A table of definitions of diseases used in older vital records.
A glossary of diseases that you find mentioned in many old vital records.

Internet Relay Chat

IRC is a way for you and anyone else online to have a private, real-time conversation on your computer. It is very similar to online chat rooms but you get to decide with whom you want to talk. Use this link, www.icq.com, to get the free software and the instructions for its use. Apply for an ICQ # and then start letting your fellow researchers know that you are ready to talk. Send me your ICQ # and I will add it to your entry in the Guest Book and research pages. These numbers go with you wherever you go, regardless of changing servers, etc. People will always be able to find you with your ICQ #.

Land Records

The Official Federal Land Patent Records Site
Providing live database access to Federal land conveyance records for the Public Land States. Image access is provided to more than 2 million Federal land title records for Eastern Public Land States, issued between 1820 & 1908.

Legal Land Descriptions in the USA
To help you figure exact locations of sites listed in wills, deeds, grants, etc. CLICK HERE.

Location Finders

If you are interested in locating a city that is not on any of your maps
these sites will help. I have found many cities using one or more of these.

Expedia Maps
A busy site but it has found a lot of sites for me in my research.

Tiger Maps
I just found this site. It gives Lat/Long and choice of sites to display. Very good.

Reverse-Lookup
Includes many options for locating cities worldwide, including MapQuest. Also has many other search features as well.

USPS Zip Code Locator
Sometimes cities are not on any map, but have a Zip Code. Check to see from which city that Zip Code receives mail delivery.
Maps at Google.com
This site now allows you to enter a city, address OR latitude and longitude and get a map. The maps can't be saved but they can be printed. So if you get the lat and long numbers for a site, just enter them in the search box and a map will be produced for you. EXAMPLE
555-1212.com
This source will find zip codes, addresses and people. It even has a reverse look-up feature for all three. But the reason I post it here is if you give it an address it will mark the address on a map. Then you can print the map for trips. The maps are not real big or detailed.
Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
 This site will locate all of the cities that meet your search command. Includes the state and county. This will save the trouble of going to a map to locate the county. Includes lat & long.

USGS - Cemetery Locator
I have finally found a way to locate many distant cemeteries in advance of a trip.
It may look difficult to use but is very simple if you print out and follow these steps: 

  1. Bring up the page with the form and fill in this info: State Name, County, and Feature Type. That would be cemetery in this case. 

  2. Click on "Send Query" and wait!! Sometimes it is slow! 

  3. It will list all of the recorded cemeteries in that county. 

  4. A chart will be generated of all cemeteries listed for that county. The latitude and longitude is given which can be used in some computer mapping programs like Google (see above). And the city where it is located is given.

  5. Pick out the cemetery you want to locate. 

  6. A table with the same data is produced. On the right is a table to choose which mapping program to use to display the location of the cemetery.

  7. Follow the zoom abilities on that map to discern the accurate location. (The following instructions are for use in the old USGS system.)

  8. A map will appear for the area with the cemetery indicated by a red circle. If there are  towns nearby it will show the names. 

  9. If you want to ZOOM In for a closer look, click on the link below the map. 

  10. I zoom in until I can clearly identify the major landmarks or roads.

  11. Then I open a new browser window and go to MapQuest and find the same city. I zoom in as close as I need to read street names.

  12. Customize this map to about 800x900 and grayscale colors.

  13. Center the map to the area you need. Click your right mouse button on the map and choose "view image".

  14. This opens the image in a new window without advertisements. 

  15. Then print the map and mark the cemetery using the data from the USGS map.

OR

You can now use the lat & long data given by the USGS and enter those numbers in the Google Maps form and it will supply the map for you.

and Maps

If you need Hi-Tech satellite maps of individual states, CLICK HERE.

For state maps, subdivided and color coded by county, CLICK HERE.

Or you can get state and county maps from the Census Bureau.

Maybe you need a map of Europe - GO HERE.

This site has all kinds of other options for maps. Check it out!

See a satellite view of your block. What's next??

Online Family Memorial

WorldWideCemetery - a place where Internet users, their families and friends can erect permanent monuments to their deceased loved ones. A wonderful idea. worth looking at.

Recording Monument Inscriptions

View a page devoted to helping you decipher the details on those dated monuments.

The Association for Gravestone Studies - an FAQ on gravestone rubbings.

Social Security Look-Ups

Ancestry.Com
This has been a very reliable source for SS records. There are a few others,
but they have display limitations I don't like.

RootsWeb.com
Apparently uses the same format as Ancestry.com. Another good choice.
For more options use the Advanced Search button.

Sierra FamilyTree.Com
This is a backup site. Displays very little data on screen.

Soundex Generator

If you are headed to the archives to view Soundex film, you might need to figure out the most common Soundex numbers you will need. In my database, I have tried to figure these numbers for you. Wives will have their maiden name and at least the first two husbands names posted. If you need others, use the form below or click here to figure the Soundex Code. If busy, try here.

SOUNDEX is a phonetic code utilized to index various U.S. Census data since 1880.
Instructions:
  1. Enter the surname for which to generate a SOUNDEX code.
  2. Click on the SOUNDEX button.
  3. See the corresponding SOUNDEX code in the field.

Enter the surname for which to generate SOUNDEX code: (No Spaces)

The SOUNDEX code for this surname is:

Web Sites and Addresses

If you are an Inman researcher, why not make it evident in your email address and web site.
The INMAN.NET is a modestly priced way to advertise your family name.
12,000+ family names available.
The most inexpensive web space available is SurnameWeb. If you are interested in hosting a  site larger than your local server allows, this is a good option. Contact them for details.