About American Ancestors
An award-winning publication
American Ancestors is a unique, full-color magazine that comes out four times a year, and offers compelling information for family historians of all levels. Features cover useful genealogical sources, helpful research strategies, compelling historical accounts, and interesting case studies. American Ancestors is a benefit of membership starting at the Individual level, as both a print publication and an online PDF.

Spring 2022 issue now available
This issue’s cover story provides a behind-the-scenes look at the recent overhaul of our website. We also present articles on researching a 19th-century orphan, an 18th-century clockmaker, and the trousseau of Prudence Merritt, as well as features on family letters, Connecticut mental health stories, and the Fairbanks House Museum of Dedham, Massachusetts. This issue also includes our 2021 Annual Report. Members of American Ancestors can download a PDF of the issue at our past issues archive.

Volume 23, Number 1, Spring 2022
The New AmericanAncestors.org: Expanding Our Reach
A Message from Our President & CEO | Staff Profile |
In This Issue | Obituaries |
Branches of Our Family | Staff List |
News | Family Focus |
Programs & Tours |
Features
The New AmericanAncestors.org: Expanding Our Vision |
A Colonial Landmark Looks to the Future: The Fairbanks House in Dedham, Massachusetts |
Researching Mental Health Histories |
In Search of Clockmaker “Jonathan Mulliken of Falmouth” |
Using Family Letters to Illuminate the Past |
The Trousseau of Prudence Merritt Jeff Record |
Column
Research Services Case Files |
Access the members-only archive
Download past issues
You can access and download all past issues of American Ancestors magazine from 2010 to present with your American Ancestors/NEHGS membership.

Search past magazine issues
Searchable Database
Search the magazine database by name, date, keyword, and more. You can also access a database of past issues of New England Ancestors (2000-2009), predecessor to American Ancestors magazine.

Become a contributor
LETTERS AND FEEDBACK
Email letters to magazine@nehgs.org or American Ancestors magazine, 10 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116. We regret that we cannot reply to every letter. Published letters will be edited for clarity and length.
Have you hit a brick wall in your research?
We seek stories of members’ most challenging “brick walls” for publication in American Ancestors. Send your story to magazine@nehgs.org. Please limit your submissions to 200 words or less; include your name and American Ancestors/NEHGS member number. We regret that we cannot publish or respond to every submission. Published submissions will be edited for clarity and length.
SUBMIT A BOOK NOTICE
American Ancestors is pleased to list members’ recently published family history and source records publications. Books must be published within twelve months of the date of submission. The donation of one copy of each book to the Society is required. In order to have a book listed in American Ancestors, please provide the following:
1) Surname (genealogies), state or subject (other books)
2) Title
3) Author(s)/editor(s)/compiler(s)
4) Place of publication
5) Publisher/self-published
6) Year of publication
7) Hardcover/softcover/other
8) Page count
9) Specify if index, illustrations, or appendixes are included
10) Description of book in 25 words or less
11) Contact/ordering information, including email address
12) American Ancestors/NEHGS member number
To place your listing, email magazine@nehgs.org. Book donations may be sent to Family Focus, American Ancestors, 101 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116-3007.
FAMILY ASSOCIATIONS AND DNA STUDIES IN PROGRESS
Family association events and DNA Studies in Progress are announced free for NEHGS members on a space-available basis. (The same notice will be published only once per year.) Event notices should be submitted at least six to nine months prior to the event date. To submit your brief notice (75 words or less), email: magazine@nehgs.org with “Family Associations” or “DNA studies in progress” in the subject line.
SUBMIT AN ARTICLE
For information on writing and submitting an article to American Ancestors, please click here to review our writer’s guidelines.