Anders Genealogical Services

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Anders Genealogical Services

Anders Genealogical Services can help you research your family's past, compile completed information into a family tree or family book, and more.

Anders Genealogical Services specializes in helping you find your ancestors in Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, and South Carolina. I also have extensive experience with African American family histories. If you are interested in learning more about your family past or are doing your own family research but have gotten stuck I can help.

09/17/2025

Join our newsletter for expert tips on breaking through challenging research barriers, uncovering ancestral stories that might seem lost to time, and transforming fragments of information into rich family narratives. 📰

Whether you're a dedicated researcher or someone looking to preserve your family's important history without doing the work yourself—this newsletter delivers a valuable perspective on what's possible. 💻

At Anders Genealogical Services, we're passionate about helping you uncover your family's unique journey - because your story deserves to be told. Sign up today and start your path to discovering ancestors you never knew existed.

https://www.andersgenealogicalservices.com/newsletter

09/14/2025

If you are attending the 46th Annual Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Conference in South Carolina this year - Please stop by and say Hi!

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Mica L. Anders is a professional genealogist with nearly 20 years of experience specializing in African American genealogy. She was the first-ever history fellow at the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery, where her groundbreaking research on the state’s early African American communities earned her the Minnesota Genealogical Society’s Pioneer Award.

With expertise in overcoming pre-1870 research challenges, Mica blends rigorous historical research with powerful storytelling to bring family histories to life. She collaborates with museums to highlight underrepresented narratives and is an active member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

Catch her at the AAHGS 2025 National Conference:

Hidden Narratives: Reconstructing Families Through Civil War Pension Records – October 10, 5:15–6:15 PM

Register today: https://aahgs.org/annualconference

09/08/2025

What happened to the Black families who were integral to building communities across rural Minnesota and the Midwest in the 1800s?

They WERE here.

They started businesses, raised families, attended schools, and were essential parts of these early communities.

But by the early 1900s? Gone.

And what's worse, in most cases, they were left out of the official histories of the area.

This isn't just about demographic shifts. This is about erasure.

The stories of early Black residents who helped build these communities alongside their neighbors are missing from the narratives of so many of these towns.

Through a historic Black trail and marker partnership project between Dakota County Historical Society & Building Remembrance for Reconciliation we have been brought in under Amplifier Experience Design to help research and tell their stories.

We're working to uncover and restore these stories. We're rewriting them back into history where they belong.

These early Black residents were members of their communities. Their contributions mattered. And now their stories are being told again.

08/27/2025

So many questions!! What does this even mean?
The remark says, "H. Cook born May 16 /43 in blue on right forearm."
Do you think it was a permanent tattoo? Was it in pen? Why might it have been there? And for how long??
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Harrison Cook was born in Huntington, Pennsylvania in the 1840s. Since he was born before the end of Pennsylvania's "gradual emancipation," it's unclear if he was born enslaved or born free.

He was 22 years old when he enlisted in Company B of the 41st Infantry of the United States Colored Troops and was soon promoted to Corporal. Interestingly, his complexion was listed as "yellow" and he had grey eyes.

He eventually moved to Hastings, MN in the 1870s and joined the small but established Black community in the area.

08/26/2025

"I don't know what to say so I just won't reach out!" – sound familiar when thinking about reaching out to a DNA match? Here's why that's not true!

Many clients come to me nervous about contacting their DNA matches. The truth? Even a simple, friendly message can open doors to amazing family connections.

I've guided countless clients through this process, helping them craft messages that have led to reunions with long-lost relatives and breakthrough discoveries in their family trees.

The key elements of a good first message are:
Introduce yourself clearly
Mention the specific DNA connection
Share a bit about your research
Express interest in collaboration

Think about all of the people starting on their journey to find previously unknown relatives. Sometimes all they have is a DNA match. Now that's not to say it will be easy, but we always begin the process with what you know and build from there.

Let's turn your DNA matches into meaningful family connections. Book a consultation today. On this call, we'll chat about your goals for exploring your DNA results, and I'll guide you through the best approaches to reach out. I can't wait to support you in bringing your family stories to light.

08/25/2025

Myths can steer our genealogy journey off course. For me, myth-busting isn't just about correcting misconceptions; it's about opening doors to our past that some believe are firmly shut.

The lie that our ancestors absolutely can not be found in early censuses is a narrative that needs changing. From the 1790 census onward, free people of color have been documented, by name, across the U.S. It's a crucial part of our history that deserves recognition.

Yes, many (if not most) of our ancestors were enslaved and are likely not listed in pre-1870 censuses BUT let's shift the narrative and approach our genealogy journey with hope and persistence.

Every overlooked entry, every pre-dismissed possibility, is a lost chance to connect with our past. Let's not limit our search based on common myths. Our ancestors' stories are waiting to be discovered.

08/13/2025

Thank you Minnesota Genealogical Society for inviting me to present on Upper Midwest Ethnic Research at the Upper Midwest Genealogy Institute.

I started my presentation making sure we were all working from the same baseline...that we are in fact all "ethnic."

I presented lots of resources and methodologies to look for your ancestors beyond the typical census and vital records.

The short version: don't overlook the local community resources like newspapers, fraternal organizations, mutual aid societies, and religious institution records. They are often full of documents to help tell the stories of our ancestors.

08/07/2025

What happens when a young Black waiter in Civil War-era Baltimore decides to join the Navy? Sometimes focusing deeply on just one ancestor reveals an entire family's transformation.

This is just a glimpse of what we discovered in a single Ancestor Package. We found Benjamin in military records as a Landsman - often a position for those without sailing experience or formerly enslaved people. We traced his movements between Baltimore and Washington DC through city directories. We uncovered how he and Annie built a life together, raising children who would go on to become nurses, bookkeepers, and in Walter's case, one of Philadelphia's first Black undertakers.

And that added 'e' at the end of Casselle? That was Walter's mark on the family story - a small change that created a new legacy.

By diving deep into one ancestor's life, we uncovered not just dates and places, but a rich story of choices and changes that shaped his family's future. This is what's possible when we focus our research on understanding one person's complete journey.

What could we discover about your ancestor? Book your Ancestor Package today.

07/26/2025

TOMORROW'S THE DAY!
Our Branching Out collaborative genealogy session happens TOMORROW, and I couldn't be more excited to work with you all!

If you've been:
-Hitting dead ends in your research
-Wrestling with the same family mystery for months (or years!)
-Wondering if there are resources you haven't discovered yet
-Looking for a supportive community of fellow researchers..this is your LAST CHANCE to join us!

A few final spots remain for tomorrow's session (July 27th, 2-4pm CDT). Grab yours now.

Who else needs this? Tag a friend who'd love to join our genealogy breakthrough session!
See you tomorrow!

07/25/2025

Just TWO DAYS until our Branching Out session!
Are you ready to break through your genealogy roadblocks? Our collaborative workshop brings together researchers at all levels to solve family history mysteries together.

What will you discover this weekend?
-New research approaches you hadn't considered
-Resources you didn't know existed
-Connection with fellow genealogy enthusiasts
-Professional guidance on your specific challenges

🔗 Register now - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/branching-out-fresh-perspectives-to-advance-your-family-history-research-tickets-1309993709449 !

Who's joining us? Drop a 🙋🏽‍♀️ in the comments!

07/23/2025

We often picture our grandmas, great-aunts, and great-great-grandmas in their care-taking years.

We think of women with their aprons tied, silver hair pinned back, their hands busy with love and comfort. All while knowing today's gorgeous grandmas rarely fit this outdated image.

But before they were the matriarchs we remember, they were women in their prime.

They were the ones turning heads at church socials, dancing until dawn, and living boldly in their own time.

And here's the beautiful truth: they never stopped being gorgeous.

That silver hair tells stories of wisdom earned. Those weathered hands that worked so hard have built, created, and endured. Those knowing eyes have seen decades of change and found ways to survive and sometimes thrive.

When I research family histories, I love finding those early photos where you can see the spark, the confidence, the absolute radiance of these women before life asked them to carry so much.

They were vibrant, they were stunning, and they carried that beauty through every season, every challenge, every triumph and heartbreak.

But there's something powerful about discovering who these women were and honoring their complex lives, whether we knew them personally, only through stories, or are still searching for traces of who they were.

Drop a 💕 if you're thinking of the gorgeous, complicated, real women who came before you or share a photo if you have one.

07/21/2025

"My family wasn't important. We weren't wealthy or famous."

I hear this every week, and it breaks my heart a little each time.

Because somewhere in dusty church records and forgotten census pages, there's documentation of the woman who worked double shifts to keep her kids in school.

The man who walked 5 miles to work every day. The grandmother whose name appears in community documents as someone neighbors turned to.

These stories don't surface in casual family conversations.

They're buried in archives, scattered across decades of records, hidden in documents most people don't know exist.

Your work ethic, your values, your resilience?

They came from real people with real names who made real choices.

But without proper research, they remain just feelings you can't explain.

That's where genealogy comes in! To give names, faces, and documented stories to the traits you've always carried.

What "ordinary" trait do you have that you've never been able to explain?

Address

Saint Paul, MN
55014

Telephone

+16125671717

Website

https://andersgenealogicalservices.com/

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