Cross References

Heritage Quest ("HQ") offers a variety of genealogy data, but they are most widely known for their online service of searchable indices of the US Censuses with linkage to underlying images. Other databases: 25,500 searchable family and local history books, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files and PERSI (the PERiodical Source Index). HQ indexes and images are completely different from Ancestry.com; in some cases they are better, other cases worse. Scope of coverage is different, but both are working to complete indices. HQ search engine is more limited than Ancestry.com. You can only search on exact spelling of given name or surname: no Soundex or wildcards, age search on 10-year range, etc.

HQ no longer sells subscriptions to individuals but only to institutions like public libraries. Your public library most likely subscribes and, depending on arrangement, may allow registered library patrons to access the service from home, unlike Ancestry. At one time Godfrey Memorial Library (Middletown CT) sold reasonably priced subscriptions to the general public that included access to HQ. As of 2004, this fee was $35 per year which includes access to all their resources, but as of March, 2006 that has apparently been discontinued. See Eastman's "Encyclopedia of Genealogy" - HeritageQuestOnline for alternative sources. HQ also sells various other products to the public; check their website.