Records: What Sources I Have Used

Submitted by HOST GFS Grace@aol.com

 

We are often asked as genies, what is our favorite source of records. I have often answered that the Census is my favorite source. The most valuable source is the information gathered from the eldest members of your own family. If I hadn't grilled my Ireland-born Grandfather, I would have hit a brick wall that would not have allowed my research to go beyond the USA.

I must admit though, that if I had not started a scrapbook when I was in Junior High School, I might not have had a lot of information later on when I got serious about doing my family history.

I had scraps of paper in my scrapbook where I had taken notes from conversations with my Irish Grandfather, a Great-Aunt and notes about my immediate family.

I kept letters that my brothers wrote to me when they were away at war, obits of family members, and wedding notices.

In an article written about my eldest brother, who was KIA in WW2, it mentioned that he had been buried in a cemetery in Belgium for two years until his remains were brought home. I wrote to the Belgium Embassy to see if I could find out something about the cemetery, and they kindly sent me a beautiful package of pictures, and the layout of the cemetery.

Posting queries about your family is another way of seeing if someone is doing your family history. I wrote an article about my Prussian Grandfather who was a part of the capture of a German Luxury Ship that was held in the harbor when WW1 broke out and my Grandfather, who was the Yardmaster at the Brooklyn Navy Yard at the time, helped to sail the ship, the "Vaterland', into the waters near the New Harbor after the United States entered the war, and the US Government declared it "captured," and renamed it the "Leviathan" and used it as a troop ship during WW1.

Months later, I received an email from a man whose father was stationed aboard the "Leviathan" and he sent me many pictures of the ship to add to my family history. Pictures seem to make the stories about your family more interesting.

Speaking of pictures they get to another source..

In my scrapbook were many pictures of my family. This source puts faces to the ones that you are documenting.

Joining Genealogical Societies have their value, for they not only have research books, film, and other research tools, they often go on trips to various locations such as NARA (National Archives), Genealogy Conferences, Emigrant Libraries and to various FHC(Family History Centers). County Courthouses contain birth, death and even Naturalization papers if they were done before 1906.

I have also joined the Union County Historical Society in New Jersey so that I am able to perhaps query for information that is still held there locally.

Church Records are another source. If a birth certificate is hard or impossible to find, I try to get baptism records, which for Catholics are a good substitute, and are even allowed as a substitute for proof of birth for official documents, such as a Passport.

Finally, another source of information that I have obtained, is burial records. This can be a great source, especially if most of the family is buried in one cemetery, or as in my case, there is a very large plot, bought by my Grandfather that now has 20 family members of my family buried there. Another source is the Funeral Home that handled your family member's burial, and even the Memorial cards that are handed out at the Funeral Home will give information such as birth date and date of death.

I am looking forward to the release of the 1930 Federal Census on April 1, 2002.

There are quite a few of my siblings on that particular one, and I also can find the marriage dates of Aunts and Uncles and births and deaths of cousins.

There are many resources if you look for them and try to be creative.

Host GFS Grace
Irish/Scot SIG
NJ/NY SIG
Family Treehouse

© 2002 GFNEWS, a monthly publication of the Golden Gate Genealogy Forum, Inc. of Franklin, MA.
(America Online Keyword: roots.) The Editors welcome your ideas and articles,
success stories, favorite genealogy research tips, comments and suggestions.

© 2002 Graphics By Carol, All Rights Reserved