This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/AUZ.2ACEB/683 Message Board Post: Are you trying to learn more about your ancestors that came from Mexico? Trying to figure out how to find key information so you can trace your Mexican roots? Do you know the name of the hacienda or villa or city they came from? You can purchase "Mexican-American Genealogical Research: Following the Paper Trail to Mexico" by going to the Heritage Books website: http://marketplacesolutions.net/secure/heritagebooks/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=HBI&Product_Code=S2139 This the description: Mexican-American Genealogical Research: Following the Paper Trail to Mexico - John Schmal and Donna Morales. Mexican-American genealogical research has long been an under-appreciated pastime, practiced by a select few. However, "Mexican-American Genealogical Research: Following the Paper Trail to Mexico" brings a new resource into the public eye and provides the everyday American with suggestions for locating Mexican ancestors. The most important piece of information for the Mexican-American genealogist to obtain is the name of the place from which his or her Mexican ancestors came. In this respect, the search for Mexican roots is exactly the same as that of every other ethnic group that came to America. If you cannot locate your ancestral town, it will be very difficult for you to get past the border to learn more about your ancestors. Donna Morales and John Schmal have collaborated in the presentation of this resource guide, which illustrates many documents from the family! of Ms. Morales, both in Mexico and the United States. The utilization of information from birth and death certificates, newspaper obituaries, naturalization records, alien registration forms, and funeral records are discussed. All of these have the potential of helping the reader to determine the place of origin of his or her Mexican ancestor. The authors also illustrate church and civil records from Mexico and show the reader the amazing amount of detail that the researcher will find in such records. The search for Indian roots in Mexico is also discussed in some detail. And, in the last chapter, the authors present an outline to help the reader get started and to organize his or her data. (2002), 2004, 5½x8½, paper, index, 166 pp. $21.00 S2139 ISBN: 0-7884-2139-5 The book includes a whole chapter on border crossing records: visas, alien identification cards, temporary permits, manifests, etc., as used in previous years. Good luck. John Schmal