Cemetery Records – There might be more genealogical information available arising out of a death than is found on a death certificate, an obituary, or a church register entry of a burial. Tombstones or other cemetery records may offer additional family clues. There are two kinds of cemetery records with which family researchers should be concerned:

* Gravestone and monument inscriptions – You never know what might be on a gravestone until you see it. Usually you can count on finding at least a name and a death date. But often, especially on those tombstones which are not too recent, places of marriage, names of parents, names of spouses, names of children, religious affiliation, military service (even specific organization and war) can also be found on gravestones. There is an advantage to personally visiting a cemetery in order to view, as a whole, all of the graves on the same cemetery lot. People are usually related in some way if they are buried in the same lot. A transcribed or published tombstone index is a poor substitute for a personal visit. The possibility of transcription errors and the arrangement of published sources cause confusion about who is buried in which lot, hence who is related to whom. The ravages of time and nature may have long since rendered your ancestral tombstones unreadable. Or progress may have destroyed or moved the cemetery. Vandals may have damaged or destroyed valuable monuments. Where these things have happened, the published transcripts are the only alternative. Remember that an engraver can make errors as easily as can a printer. Also, a tombstone may not be placed on a grave until many years after the death, and the dates are often supplied from someone’s (sometimes faulty) memory.

* Records kept by cemetery management and caretakers (sexton’s records) – Sexton’s records vary in content and nature even more than do tombstone inscriptions. A family cemetery may have no sexton’s records at all. Church cemeteries seldom have any record of burials aside from what is kept in the church’s registers (and sometimes a book telling which church member owns which cemetery lot). Most other cemeteries – those owned by the government and those which are owned privately – usually maintain some type of record. Sometimes these are merely books or plats showing lot ownership, but even these can save you a lot of wandering and wondering when you are looking for the graves of your ancestors in a large cemetery. Other cemeteries have extensive records on everyone buried therein – sometimes quite a bit more complete than the information engraved on the tombstones. Sexton’s records may be indexed and arranged numerically by lot number, which has nothing to do with the dates the lots were purchased. They are generally in the custody of the present sexton or in the office of the county or town clerk. If not, these people can tell you where they are kept. The information found therein is basic genealogical data and it is information you will need for your genealogical record. Remember that the evidence is mostly secondary (especially for older persons), and no more reliable than the informant who provided it.

Census Records – Census records are probably the most popular documents used for family history research. They offer a wealth of genealogical information including: names, ages, places of birth, occupations, places of residence, marital status, etc. The federal census was taken once every ten years beginning with 1790. As new territories gained statehood, they were then included in the following census. Later census enumerations included more family information than earlier ones did. Beginning in 1850, each person living in the household was named and described on a separate census page line. Previously, only the head of the household was named. Census records are easily accessible through the Latter Day Saints (LDS) Family History Centers, libraries, historical societies, commercial vendors, and the internet.

* Begin by locating your parents or grandparents on the most recent census available. Record the names, ages, and birthplace of each family member. If possible, make a photocopy of the pertinent census page for future reference.

* Then move back ten years to the next previous census. Search for the same family members at ten years younger in age. Try to determine an approximate marriage date for the parents.

* Move back another ten years to try to find the same parents as unmarried individuals still living with their parents. You will then have identified one more family generation to add to your pedigree chart.

* Repeat this process with each preceding census. Be sure to record every clue from each census. A piece of information may seem insignificant initially, but after analyzing your data later on, you may find that small bit of information to be a critical clue to solving a family mystery.

Church Records – Church records constitute a vast, relatively-unexplored and little-known source of genealogical evidence. One problem is they are usually not easy to locate. In many respects, the records of most churches are not unlike vital records. They deal with the same essential identifying data – births, marriages, deaths – only in a slightly different way. Rather than the actual birth, the church ordinarily reports the baptism or christening – usually a few days later. Instead of a marriage license or bond, the church keeps a record of the actual marriage and of the banns. And instead of the death, the church is more likely to record the burial. But because of the near proximity of these dates, time wise, they serve the same purpose. These church records were generally kept in a much earlier time period than were civil vital records. These three events – christenings, marriages, and burials – are usually the most important and certainly the most widely used church records in genealogical research. They are ordinarily kept in books called registers.

Another kind of church record that has special genealogical value is the record which indicates removal to or arrival from another congregation. Most churches kept records of this type so that faithful members would be welcomed into the church when they moved to a new location. Each church had a different name for them. The Society of Friends (Quakers) called them certificates of removal, the Protestant Episcopal Church (Church of England) called them letters of transfer, the Baptists called them letters of admission, the Congregationalists called them dismissions, and the Latter-day Saints (Mormons) called them certificates of membership. These records are useful because they allow a family to be traced with relative ease from one locality to another, sometimes a very difficult matter without such assistance. The problem with them is that they are usually incomplete.

Other types of church records include confirmations, lists of communicants, membership lists, excommunications – all of which are frequently recorded in the registers – plus vestry minutes and proceedings (Protestant Episcopal Church), sessions minutes (Presbyterian Church), and other minutes which include financial reports, disciplinary actions and fines toward backsliders, and (for the Friends) disownments and manumissions. These records often contain information of significant family history value. Church records often vary considerably even within the same denomination. There is frequently extensive variance in records of the same congregation when a new minister or a new clerk took over the record-keeping duties.

The challenge is finding the church records that apply to your family. In America, where church and state are separate and where people with ancestry from all over Europe lived side by side and intermarried, there are two main problems:

* Determining the church with which your family had affiliation – Clues to solve this problem might come from many sources. Perhaps the family’s present affiliation can help you, or the national origin of the family, or family tradition. You might find your answer in a will or a deed or on a tombstone. It may be in an obituary. Or there may be a clue in the locality where your ancestor lived – it may have been the settlement of a particular religious denomination – but you must know the locality’s history to determine this. A person may have belonged to several churches during his lifetime. This was quite common on the frontier, because if a town had only one church that was usually where the town’s residents went to worship, regardless of former affiliation. In later years obituaries, death certificates, hospital records, etc., contain statements of religious preference.

* Locating the records of that church in the locality where your ancestor lived – There are some reference tools to assist in locating church records, but even these are quite incomplete. There is no complete guide to American church records. The personnel at the LDS Family History Library have done some studies on the location of church records, but they have a long way to go before the true objective is attained. We must not assume that church records do not exist just because we have been unable to find them. Naturally, some records are no longer in existence because they have been lost or destroyed. Some steps you might take include:

- Consider that the records are still in the custody of the church where they were kept, if that church still exists.

- An advertisement in a local newspaper may lead to the whereabouts of available records, especially those in private hands.

- Ask questions – of ministers, chambers of commerce, old-timers, anyone who might know where the church records are stored.

- The records of many churches have been published, especially in genealogical and historical periodicals, and are thus available. These are generally not too accessible either from the standpoint of finding the proper magazine or of knowing that an article of value is within it. One of the best approaches is to use the periodical indexes to quickly determine if an article in one of the past issues mentions the church you are searching records for.

- A few church records are also available in book form. Look under the locality of interest in your library catalog. In using published church records, as with all published sources, remember that they present secondary evidence and frequently contain copying errors.

- Many church records are now being microfilmed by the churches themselves and by other agencies. Historical societies often preserve microfilm copies as well as originals, and copies are frequently available for sale or for reading. The LDS Family History Library has microfilmed the records of many churches throughout the U.S. and you may find it worthwhile to check its holdings before making a lot of other searches.

- Libraries and historical societies have collected many church records and these are readily available for searching. The primary problem is to determine just who has the records. The National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections can be useful in that effort.

Court Records – In most states, court records of one type or another go back to the very beginning, thus providing a useful source of genealogical evidence. However, many of the most valuable court records – the older records and case files – are stored in out-of-the-way places because they are not in current use and space is scarce. Often the present records custodian is unaware of the location (and frequently the existence) of such records. In some cases, the WPA (Works Projects Administration) inventories of the various county courthouses are useful, but often the information therein, which was current in the early 1940’s, is antiquated. In searching for these records, the genealogist will do well to employ diligence and imagination. The records and files of some court actions are voluminous. You may find hundreds of pages of various kinds of papers in the file of just one case. In such situations, it is impractical for you to copy all of this material into your notes; however, you will find it worthwhile to go through the papers and abstract everything of significance. The complaint of the plaintiff, the answer of the defendant to the complaint, and the decree (the final judgment) are usually of the most genealogical significance. The complaint and the answer, which are the formal allegations and defenses of the parties, are called pleadings. Court records, with some exceptions, are open to the public use. If they are not on film for the locality you need, you can contact the court by telephone or personally visit the courthouse.

Funeral Director Records – These are the records kept by the funeral director (or undertaker) that performed the pre-burial duties for the dead ancestor. Today, the funeral director is usually responsible for initiating and filing the death certificate, and frequently the obituary notice. Most funeral directors also maintain private records equally as good as the official records. Some of these private records contain useful information not included on the death certificate (i.e. they often give the name of the insurance companies with whom the deceased had his life covered. Insurance companies also have extensive genealogical data in some of their records. However, insurance records are private and, like the funeral director’s records, are available only at the discretion of the company officials.) Most funeral directors are very cooperative and more than willing to help you find information in their records. Remember that their records are private, and when they open them to you it is a favor and not a legal obligation. Some funeral director’s records go back more than 100 years, but they certainly do not have to be that old to be valuable. As with death certificates, if they deal with persons who died in their old age, these records can bridge two or three generations of time. They can provide names, dates, places, etc. When a person dies in a place where he did not live, the body is often handled by a funeral director at the place of death. It is embalmed there and prepared for the return home. This is good to remember when you are looking for the funeral director’s records and cannot locate them in the home town. When the problem is a recent one, the obituary notice may provide a clue to this kind of situation, and the death certificate (filed in the state of death) will give specific information.

Land Records – It is rare to find complete basic genealogical data in land records. They are not the type of source to find numerous names, birth dates, birth places, names of parents, etc. that identify and set apart one person from all others. However, three factors which make land records important to the American genealogist are:

* The early American was land-minded. Land was inexpensive and readily available, so most people owned some. Hence, in early America and until well into the 19th century, the great majority of males who lived to maturity can be found in the land records.

* Land records exist from the very beginning of the first permanent settlements in America and are frequently one of the few sources of identifying evidence in existence for early settlement periods. Their very existence in periods when there were few other records makes them valuable far beyond what their ordinary content might suggest.

* The older the records are, especially those land records which resulted from private land transactions, the more genealogical data (especially concerning relationships) they contain.

There is a great deal of genealogical value in the land records other than just historical interest. All of them contain valuable data on names, dates, and places which can help us put wandering ancestors in specific places at specific times and can provide other useful clues essential to genealogical investigation – even clues to connections between individuals and families.

Military Records – Wars have been an integral part of American history and have produced genealogical records of millions of persons. These are records which not only hold the key to successfully extending many pedigrees, but also contain valuable family history information that helps you see your ancestors as the real persons they were and not just names on a pedigree chart. If your ancestor lived at a time when he could have served in a war, you must consider a search of military records. Don’t wait for a clue indicating military service – just go ahead and make your search in the records of the appropriate war. Of course, your task will be much easier if you have specific data on the organization to which your ancestor belonged, or at least the state from which he served. Such clues can be found in various places – family records, old letters, Bibles, tombstones, obituaries, local histories, church records, vital records (especially death certificates), etc., are all likely sources. You must know the state from which your ancestor served in order to find Civil War service records. The information found in military records is often of such a nature that it facilitates the use of other sources and suggests new possibilities.

Mortality Schedules – The mortality schedules were introduced in 1850. A schedule separate from the census was devised for the purpose of collecting data about persons who died during the census year. These mortality censuses’ were completed for 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, and a limited census for 1885. In 1918 and 1919, these schedules (with the exception of those for 1885) were removed from federal custody and each state was given the option to secure the ones relating to itself. The mortality schedules were transferred by the Census Bureau to state libraries and historical societies. In cases where state officials declined to receive them, the schedules were sent to the DAR Library in Washington. The original schedules claimed by the DAR were for the states of Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee, and the District of Columbia. Most, but not all, of these have been indexed by the DAR and some have been transcribed. In 1980, those original schedules still in custody of the DAR were sent to the National Archives. The mortality schedules comprise a valuable source of genealogical information and should not be overlooked. However, there are shortcomings you should be aware of. They only represent the deaths for one year out of every ten. In other words, there were four mortality schedules to cover deaths over a thirty-one year period (1849-80). Many deaths were obviously missed by these schedules. The information usually shown on the mortality schedules include: the name of the deceased, his age, sex, state of birth, month of death, and cause of death. Access to the mortality schedules can be obtained through the Census Microfilm Rental Program or LDS Family History Centers.

Old Newspapers – Old newspapers from the geographical area where your ancestor lived are another useful, though far from trustworthy, printed genealogical source. Obituaries, marriage and engagement stories and announcements, probate court proceedings (legal notices), notes of thanks (statements by families of deceased persons expressing appreciation for sympathies extended), news items, etc., can all be sources of important family data. Generally, weekly newspapers are a better source because they usually contain more detailed information than do the larger dailies. When you use newspapers, especially older ones, remember that journalism has not always had the objective reporting of facts as an avowed goal. Very often, the details in early newspapers are sketchy, even for persons of the most elevated standing. Sometimes, however, these newspaper accounts provide useful data for identifying ancestors and especially for distinguishing them from other persons of the same name.

It is often difficult to locate old newspapers which might be of value to your research. Three good sources to locate the appropriate newspaper are:

* History and Bibliography of American Newspapers, 1690-1820, 2 volumes including additions and corrections by Clarence Saunders Brigham, Shoe String Press, 1962, Hamden, CT.

* American Newspapers 1821-1936: A Union List of Files Available in the United States and Canada by Winifred Gregory (ed.), H. W. Wilson Co., 1937, New York.

* Newspaper Indexes: A Location and Subject Guide for Researchers, 3 volumes by Anita Milner, Scarecrow Press, 1977-82, Metuchen, New Jersey. If you are unaware of any specific newspaper in the locality where your ancestor lived and the newspaper is still in publication, the Ayer Directory of Newspapers and Periodicals (N. W. Ayer and Sons, annual, Philadelphia) will be a useful guide. It will list the date the paper began publication and whether it has weekly or daily circulation. If there are no newspapers being published (or none were published during the proper time period) in the town where your ancestor lived, search the towns nearby (there are maps in Ayer) to see if any of them had newspapers that might be helpful.

A good use for current newspapers is in locating unknown relatives. You may still have relatives living in places where your ancestors lived many years ago. Though your direct ancestor moved away, some of their brothers and sisters may have remained. There may be a sizeable branch of the family still living in the area. An advertisement in a local paper, with sufficient identifying information, can often produce surprising results. Frequently, a kind letter and a small remittance to the editor of the local weekly will put your query in his news columns rather than with the ads.

Probate Records – All records which relate to the disposition of an estate after its owner’s death are referred to as probate records. They fall mainly into two classes. If a person died leaving a valid will we say he died testate, if not, he died intestate. In most localities in America, these records comprise, as a group, one of the most useful genealogical resources available. Since the first permanent settlement, there has never been a time in America when men did not make wills or when the estates of those who failed to do so were not handled by a court. The court was appointed to see that the legal heirs became the heirs in fact. Anyone was free to make a will if he was of sound mind, of legal age, and free from restraint. And, of course, anyone was free not to make a will and thus die intestate if he chose to do so. Persons not of legal age, not sound of mind, and under the force of restraint could also make wills – but not legal ones. If a will was successfully challenged on any of these points, it was not acceptable as a valid will and its provisions could not be carried out. Some persons died leaving no property of value and hence no record of probate. Most persons in America, however, who lived to adulthood, have left some type of estate to be administered, and in the resulting records your searches can achieve varying degrees of success. The very nature of a probate record makes it an invaluable genealogical source. They exist because of relationships, both family and social, between various persons. When a man makes a will it is because he wants those whom he loves to have the substance and benefits of his worldly estate after his death. Every person named in the probate records and every relationship stated increases the value of the records. Probates are a family-oriented source. Probate records do have a few shortcomings, including:

* Not everyone left a will and resulting probate records.

* All next-of-kin are not always named in the probate records and the children of deceased children are sometimes listed simply as grandchildren.

* Places of residence of next-of-kin are rarely recorded in probate records.

* Maiden surnames of spouses are rarely mentioned.

* The actual date of death of the deceased is only found occasionally.

* Not knowing the last place of residence of the deceased could be a barrier to locating his probate records.

* Probates are usually indexed separately within each jurisdiction and these indexes are only to testators (the person making the will) and intestates, not to beneficiaries or heirs.

Social Security Applications – When Social Security benefits were instituted in 1937, each employed person filed an application for a Social Security number. The application form asked questions concerning birth date and place, parents' names, spouse's name, and residence address at the time of the application. To receive benefits, individuals were also required to document their births, even if their birth states had not required birth registration. The 1880 and 1900 census enumerations were partially or fully indexed to help provide this documentation, and, during this time, many delayed birth certificates were issued by counties when individuals submitted family information such as Bibles to the court. The resulting information was kept in the individual's Social Security files and is now available from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Social Security Administration through the Freedom of Information Act. The cost for a photocopy of the Social Security Application is $27. You can search for your ancestor and obtain a request for application form at: www.obitcentral.com/obitsearch/ssdi.htm

Town Meeting Records – In most of New England, vital information was recorded in the town meeting records. Births and marriages were generally recorded much more faithfully than were deaths. It was quite common to record the births of all the children in a family at one time; often several years after the actual dates of some of those births. Though some town meeting records have been published and others have been microfilmed, most must still be searched at the town hall.

Vital Records – Vital records are primarily civil records of births, marriages, and deaths and can be an important source of genealogical information. Your research project cannot be complete without them. The vital records are generally maintained by the individual States. Registration of the vital statistics was conducted in a handful of large U.S. cites as early as the mid-1800’s, but record keeping was very poor in the rest of the country. By 1880, weekly information was being received by the newly created National Board of Health from about ninety cities. Useful death records generally were developed slightly earlier than good birth records due to interest in combating disease. All states kept good marriage records at some level of jurisdiction. When writing for copies of certificates, be as brief as you can. Public officials may be too busy to read long detailed letters. Some vital statistics offices will supply records only to relatives. Personal checks should be avoided in favor of cashier’s checks and money orders. Give as much information about the event as you can or the record may not be found.

* Birth and Death records – contain information of exceptional genealogical value even though most of the records are of relatively recent vintage. The death certificate form includes information on the birth (date and place) and on the parentage of the deceased. Some death certificates may lack some detail due to a lack of knowledge of the informant and errors may exist due to poor memories. The information on the death certificates are valuable with confirming family information obtained from other sources. A request for a birth certificate must include the names of parents. A booklet published by the Department of Health and Human Services Where to Write for Vital Records can be ordered from: Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. Order number S/N 017-022- 00794-1 for a small fee. An internet search for death or birth records by state and county should also provide information on how to obtain copies of certificates: including the appropriate forms and fees.

* Marriage and Divorce records – Marriage records are most often found in the county where the licenses were issued. Many of the early records have been published in books, periodicals, CD’s, or on the internet. Marriage records are generally available quite early in many areas of the U.S., with some exceptions: South Carolina did not have official marriage records until 1911. Most early marriage records do not contain detailed genealogical data; however, there are some exceptions. Errors often exist in marriage records and you should always be aware of that possibility. Some persons were inclined to falsify ages and names when registering with the county clerk. Sometimes, in order to be more efficient, the county clerk recorded the date of marriage at the time of the license was issued instead of waiting for the certificate to be returned. Spelling errors are also a possibility. Poor handwriting and damaged or faded records can also be a problem. Divorce records follow much the same pattern as marriage records but are not generally as early. Most of the records are in the counties where the divorces were granted, but many states now have central filing of official divorce records.

Wills – One significant quality of a will is the fact that it usually states specific and direct family relationships - by a person who ought to know. Other types of records do not always give this type of direct evidence. Other important genealogical data that might be found in wills include:

* Some wills give clues to former places of residence.

* When a name is common, legacies mentioned in a will can sometimes be traced to prove actual connections. Parentage can thus be often proved or disproved.

* A will may give you an idea about the existence of other records – his religious affiliation could lead to church records, his profession may be indicated in his will, land ownership could lead to land records, military or naval service might be mentioned.

* Wills and other probate records may provide information on when the death occurred.

* Often the persons who are named as executors, who sign as subscribing witnesses, or who bind themselves as sureties are relatives; and a careful study of records relating to these persons may lead to more information on your ancestors. (Note: a person who receives by a will cannot legally sign as a witness to it).

Most wills in the United States are registered and filed in the counties where they were probated (at the testator’s place of domicile), though a few states have non-county jurisdictions. The courts may be called by different names but their responsibilities are the same, as those duties relate to probate matters and the administration of estates. If you want to secure a copy of a will by correspondence or from a microfilm, etc, it is essential that you know the jurisdiction that originally produced and recorded that will. Once you determine the proper jurisdiction, you will find that most wills are indexed and can be searched quite easily.