Scott Phillips
GET UPDATES FROM Scott Phillips
 
Scott Phillips is a genealogical historian and owner of Onward To Our Past® genealogy services. Scott calls genealogy his ‘sweetest passion’ and his wife calls it ‘our shadow’! Scott specializes in immigrant ancestry, especially from Bohemia (Czech Republic), Cornwall, Devon, and Kent in the United Kingdom, Italy, and the United States. In addition to being a regular genealogy contributor for Huffington Post Scott also blogs weekly for the e-publications of GenealogyBank.com. Scott has recently been published by the Ohio Genealogy Society, National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library, Czechoslovak Genealogical Society International, Save Ellis Island, MyHeritage, Archives.com (now part of Ancestry.com, and the Greater Cleveland Genealogy Society as well as others. He has been chosen as a presenter at the recent International World Congress of the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences. You can follow Scott on his Facebook page and on his website/blog.

Blog Entries by Scott Phillips

The Best and the Worst of Genealogy Home Offices

(0) Comments | Posted 19 May 2013 | (12:08)

2013-05-19-Scottinofficesmall.jpg

Many of us who love and labor over our family histories, ancestry, and genealogy do so from a home office. In my case, early in my career I worked for decades in many different corporate offices for various companies and organizations. Now, for the...

Read Post

Genealogy and Change: Like Tea and Scones, We Must Embrace Them Both

(0) Comments | Posted 25 April 2013 | (09:25)

Someone once said 'some things never change'. Don't believe them! Nothing ever stays the same and everything is always changing. So it is with genealogy and our quests to find our family histories. While the fundamentals might remain similar over time, how we go about it, what we can access,...

Read Post

Scott's Third Set of Tips for 'Real World' Family History and Genealogy Fans

(0) Comments | Posted 15 April 2013 | (12:09)

Welcome back! I am Scott Phillips of Onward To Our Past® genealogy services and this is the third in my series of four articles titled "Scott's Tips for the 'Real World' Family History and Genealogy Fan". I am pleased to be sharing many of my favorite tips here on Huffington...

Read Post

Real World Tips for Genealogists/Family Historians: Second in the Series

(0) Comments | Posted 4 April 2013 | (12:48)

Hi everyone! This is edition number two of my four-part series on my 'Real World' tips for those of us who love and enjoy working on our family history, ancestry, and genealogy. My goal is to keep my tips easy and inexpensive!

2013-04-04-Cheapjpg.jpg

You can...

Read Post

Why Do So Many Genealogy Bloggers Promote Genealogy 'Myths'?

(1) Comments | Posted 26 March 2013 | (10:04)

If you have spent much time working on your family history and/or genealogy, then you know there is a popular saying as follows: "Genealogy without proof is mythology."

Why then do so many genealogy bloggers take such time and effort in promoting mythology and misinformation about genealogy?

I have...

Read Post

'Real World' Tips for Genealogists and Family Historians

(7) Comments | Posted 18 March 2013 | (23:21)

We all love to get tips on how to be better, more effective, efficient, etc. This is sure true for me when I am doing my genealogy and family history work. Unfortunately, I have found that often times the 'tips' are so involved, complex, and time consuming that if I...

Read Post

Seven Simple Steps for Volunteer Success for Genealogy Societies

(0) Comments | Posted 28 February 2013 | (08:47)

Several folks have contacted me after reading my earlier article entitled "Scott's Seven Simple Steps to Genealogy Society Success" and asked what my thoughts are regarding one of the other critical aspects of Genealogy Societies, and other not-for-profit organizations, volunteers.

2013-02-28-Deskcloseup.jpg

I have worked...

Read Post

Scott's Seven Simple Steps to Genealogy Society Success!

(0) Comments | Posted 16 February 2013 | (09:17)

Almost everyone I know who is into genealogy belongs to at least one Genealogy Society. If you are a genealogy aficionado like me, then you might belong to 19, as I do. But no matter if it is one or twenty this article is aimed at you, the Board of...

Read Post

Active Genealogy: Will You Answer the Call?

(0) Comments | Posted 5 February 2013 | (10:18)

If you are a genealogy geek like me then you garner a great deal of satisfaction and enjoyment from your work on your family history, family tree, and/or genealogy. As far as I am concerned, there are few thrills that match those I have gotten from working on my family...

Read Post

Can't We Just Get Along? History and Genealogy Need to Join Up

(1) Comments | Posted 16 January 2013 | (15:05)

Not long ago I was on the telephone pitching a story line I had for an article to a history society. The editor was quite interested in the concept, my bona fides, etc. Then I mentioned that I was going to accomplish this article with the inclusion of some information...

Read Post

I Really Hate Genealogy Snobs!

(4) Comments | Posted 30 December 2012 | (12:07)

I love, truly love, genealogy and family history! I am a true-life example of my favorite genealogy quote "I used to have a life and then I started doing genealogy."

2012-12-30-Desktightshot.jpg

Unfortunately, I have come to discover that there tend to be...

Read Post

Christmas and Genealogy: What a Wonderful Time of the Year!

(0) Comments | Posted 21 December 2012 | (10:05)

While I work on genealogy year-round, there is certainly something special about genealogy at Christmas and Hanukkah holiday times!

These holidays are filled with tradition, family, stories, and gatherings. What better time to do some serious collecting of stories, photographs, memories, and traditions!

2012-12-21-St_Nicholas.jpg

Read Post

Cash vs. Care and UK Churchyards

(0) Comments | Posted 13 December 2012 | (09:45)

2012-12-13-StMinverchurchyardwithPhillipsgravefrom1654.jpg

I am quick to admit that the current economic times are challenging and that this is especially true for many of the ancient parish churches in the UK. I'll also admit, right up front, to these two additional points: 1) While my Cornish roots...

Read Post

What is it About the Cornish and Genealogy?

(0) Comments | Posted 19 November 2012 | (11:47)

I am blessed to have some very clear national histories in my family tree. My maternal grandfather and grandmother both came from Bohemia and I have traced my Bohemian (now Czech Republic) ancestry in these branches back to the 1600s so far. Both the paternal and maternal branches of my...

Read Post

The 12 Worst Questions to Ask a Family Historian or Genealogist

(0) Comments | Posted 8 October 2012 | (00:05)

We have all had it happen!

You get to a party or gathering and ask what you think is a pretty tame, bland, or innocuous question of someone. They then proceed to answer you with an hour long dissertation all the while you are trapped in the corner with...

Read Post

Palaeography: A Crucial Specialty for Successful Genealogy

(0) Comments | Posted 2 October 2012 | (09:27)

Palaeography. I'll admit it right off. The first time I came across this specialty I was not familiar with it. I'll also grant you that it is not a word that we tend to use all the time, nor one that trips easily off the tongue. However, if you are...

Read Post

Are You a Genealogy Geek and Proud of it?

(7) Comments | Posted 25 September 2012 | (10:31)

A couple years ago I was given one of those page-a-day calendars. I tore off the first day, New Year's Day, Jan 1 and have kept it ever since. It speaks to me like little else does!

2012-09-25-Iusedtohavealife.bmp

Is there really anything left to say?

...
Read Post

First Ever English Translation of Rare 1895 Czech Resource to be Made Available Free

(0) Comments | Posted 19 September 2012 | (10:28)

For the first time ever in English, a rare look at an early immigrant community as well as more than one thousand immigrant family names will be available to historians and genealogists as a free, online resource. I am announcing here today the completion of a nearly year-long project to...

Read Post

Could You Walk Around the World Five and ½ Times...Blind?

(0) Comments | Posted 5 September 2012 | (19:01)

I have to admit, that as much as I am fascinated by the dates, details, and documentation of genealogy, my absolute favorite aspect is the stories. It is something very special when I discover a story or stories that really tell me about what kind of person one of my...

Read Post

Getting the Younger Generations Into Genealogy in Three Easy Steps

(1) Comments | Posted 31 August 2012 | (00:27)

There is one question that seems to pervade genealogy today. It is this: 'How do we get the next generation 'into' genealogy?'

2012-08-30-ThreeofthePs.jpg

Many organisations, companies, and families struggle with this question. While I don't profess to be a mastermind, I do...

Read Post