Off the Beaten Genealogical Path

Sometimes I get tired of ordering birth and death certificates, sifting through census data, or searching cemetery databases. Not tired of genealogy, but tired of the "traditional" channels for research.

That's when an article like Kathy Jones-Kristof's comes in to play. Her "Unusual Places to Look for Genealogy" does a great job of listing a number of different avenues for research - some that you probably have never thought about, and some which you have probably not tried for awhile. It's worth taking a fresh look at the article, as well as the rest of her blog:

http://genealogyhelpandhints.com/2008/07/05/unusual-places-to-look-for-genealogy/

Inspired by her post (it was written awhile ago but I just came across it today), I decided to search some Unclaimed Property type sites and actually came across three recently-deceased cousins listed. I've contacted their next of kin, and am hoping that there is some sort of positive payout for them!

Japan's Itako a Dying Breed

With modernity comes some loss of belief in the ability to commune with one's ancestors:

“This is an era when children ignore their parents and forget about the dead,” said Mr. Kurokawa, who runs an inn near the temple that caters to visitors of the spiritual mediums.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/21/world/asia/21japan.html