Genealogy Websites for Beginners
http://www.cyndislist.com
A comprehensive collection of Internet genealogy resources. This is an excellent starting point. Over 239,000+ resources organized and cross-referenced in over 150+ categories.
http://www.familysearch.org
The home of the Ancestral File, International Genealogical Index (IGI) and the Family History Library catalog with Pedigree Resource File, Family Group Sheets, 1880 U.S. Census, 1881 Canadian and British Censuses, and U.S. Social Security Death Index.
http://heritagequestonline.com
Has the U.S. Censuses for 1790, 1800-1820, 1860-1870, 1910-1930. Has full text books and PERSI –PERiodical Source Index - for those who have a subscription either as an individual or through their local library.
http://www.michigan.gov/hal
1870 Michigan Census Index and images. Select HAL Site Subject Index.
http://www.ellisisland.org
Records from passenger records from 1892-1924.
http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/EIDB/ellis.html-
ContainsPassenger Record, Text Manifest, Scanned Manifest, and Ship Image.
http://www.rootsweb.com
Home of the ROOTS-L genealogy listserv, the Roots Surname List, and World Connect Family Tree Project among other genealogical sites, including Mailing Lists, and Message Boards.
http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com
SSDI (Social Security Death Index) and form letter to obtain a copy of the application.
www.vitalchek.com
Vital Records for the states, what is available for each state and how to order.
www.usgenweb.com
Home of the US Gen Web Project, a comprehensive site that provides links to all the state genealogy Web Sites, which provide gateways to the counties.
www.mifamilyhistory.org
Includes but is not limited to: Civil War Roster for Michigan, cemeteries, GENDIS 1867-1882, MiGen Web by county, research outline by LSD, and Library of Michigan link.
http://freebmd.rootsweb.com
Source for index to British birth, marriage, and death records since 1 July 1837.
www.genealogy.com
Includes Learning Center: Perfect for new users. Has articles, classes, reference material – translation of form letters in foreign languages.