Kate Townsend, Genealogist

03/27/2026

Did you know that the first comprehensive nationwide federal requirement for non-citizens ("aliens") in the United States to register and be documented came in 1940 with the passage of the Alien Registration Act, also known as the Smith Act?

Under this law, all non-citizens aged 14 and older were required to complete Alien Registration (AR-2) forms.

Katherine Golden, who arrived in the United States in May 1892, was one such individual who completed an AR-2 form in accordance with this law.

US Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Alien Registration Form, No. 4583223, Katherine Aloysia Golden; Alien Registration Files, August 1, 1940 to March 31, 1944, Historical Records Series, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Washington, DC.

03/25/2026

Did you know that you once had to apply for a Social Security number?

Maurice Francis Murphy applied for his Social Security number on 4 January 1943.

These documents, which are requested via a Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") request, are an excellent genealogical resource, because they asked the applicant to give details including their date of birth, place of birth, and parents' names.

Maurice Francis Murphy, SS no.172-20-5563, 4 June 1943, Application for Account Number (Form SS-5); Social Security Administration, Baltimore, Maryland.

03/25/2026

If you’re thinking about or planning to come to , in July 2026, in Pittsburgh, check out this video to see where classes will be held!

03/24/2026

I am excited to be part of this wonderful event in August. I will be giving two lectures:

-The People Who Built America: Researching Your Blue Collar Ancestors
-Charting Out the Company Town in Pennsylvania: Researching Coal Industry Communities

I would love to see you there!

OUR PENNSYLVANIA STORY - LEARN, SHARE, CONNECT

03/20/2026

Did you know that a woman’s citizenship in the United States was once tied to marriage?

Under the Nationality Act of 1855, foreign women could automatically gain U.S. citizenship by marrying an American man, while the Expatriation Act of 1907 caused American women to lose their citizenship if they married foreign nationals. This system was partially reformed by the Cable Act of 1922, which ended automatic citizenship through marriage and began treating women’s nationality as independent of their husbands.

That is why on this passenger manifest from 1923, the citizenship status of returning United States citizen, Anna Frena, was substantiated with her marriage on 29 December 1915.

Manifest, Ship Voldendam, Rotterdam to New York, arrival date 29 September 1923, p. 160, lines 1-3, entries for Anna Frena, Mary Frena, and John Frena; “New York, Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1925,” database and digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9TK-CVP8 : accessed 18 March 2026); citing National Archives microfilm publication T715, Roll 3381.

03/18/2026

The recording from the most recent installment of the Heinz History Center's "Blue Collar Lecture" series is now available for free online!

It gives a glimpse into the kinds of real-world research challenges, strategies, and constraints we’ll tackle in my upcoming course at the GRIP Genealogy Institute.

Take a deep dive into the lives of your coal miner ancestorsIn this lecture from the History Center’s Blue-Collar Ancestry series, professional genealogist K...

03/17/2026

There’s nothing like learning in-person with fellow genealogists.

Join us this July in Pittsburgh at the GRIP Genealogy Institute at the University of Pittsburgh for an immersive week focused on solving one of genealogy’s problems: the missing 1890 U.S. Census. The research strategies and record sets that will be delved into will be applicable to your research elsewhere.

More details, including a registration link, are available here: https://grip.ngsgenealogy.org/courses/surrogates-and-substitutes-the-1890-us-census-exemplar/

Visit the post for more.

03/12/2026

I am back to normal life, researching in Western Pennsylvania. Today took me to the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society library at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh as I researched a family from Elizabeth, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

03/09/2026

Ready to Take Your Genealogy Skills to the Next Level?

Join me this summer in Pittsburgh at the GRIP Genealogy Institute for an in-depth course:

“Surrogates and Substitutes – The 1890 U.S. Census Exemplar.”

The loss of the 1890 U.S. Census doesn’t have to stop your research. In this hands-on institute course, you’ll discover powerful surrogate records, overlooked sources, and advanced research techniques that can help you break through brick walls and uncover new details about your ancestors.

Whether you're an experienced researcher or looking to strengthen your methodology, this course will expand your toolkit and help you think creatively about records that might not be on your radar.

📍 Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
📅 When: July 13, 2026, to July 17, 2026, at the GRIP Genealogy Institute

👉 Learn more and register:
https://grip.ngsgenealogy.org/courses/surrogates-and-substitutes-the-1890-us-census-exemplar

03/08/2026

In case you missed it, my lecture "Planning and Organizing Research Findings for Tough Problems" is available to view for free with registration on the RootsTech website. The link is available here: https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/speakers/kate-townsend-cg/en.

03/07/2026

I had an amazing time at this year, connecting with colleagues and speaking on the BCG and ICAPGen-sponsored Advanced Track. If you registered for RootsTech, whether online or in person, a recording of my lecture discussing "Planning and Organizing Research Findings for Tough Problems" is already available for you to view.

03/03/2026

My interview highlighting my GRIP Genealogy Institute course with Cecelia McFadden this summer at the University of Pittsburgh is now on YouTube. Feel free to check it out and join us in Pittsburgh this summer!

Jeanette Sheliga interviews Kate Townsend and Cecilia McFadden about their brand-new 2026 GRIP in-person course, Surrogates and Substitutes: The 1890 US Cens...