Compiled Records for Mid-South Research: Difference between revisions

This is a bibliographic essay of compiled records for doing Mid-South Research, which includes Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.<br>  

[[Image:Library-shelves-bibliographies-Graz.jpg|right|290x240px|Library-shelves-bibliographies-Graz.jpg]   The research methods used for doing research in the mid-south are much the same as would be used for doing research in any area of America. Of course, there will always be variables. The decision of what records to use will be based on time lines, historical background, and the culture and makeup of the people who settled in the area you are researching. What is important to know, is that no matter where your research begins, it should always begin with compiled records.   The use of compiled records is an essential part of genealogical research. These records contain information that has been gathered and in some cases indexed from other sources. With the use of these records, a researcher can benefit from the work that has already been done. They also help the researcher to be able to focus in on what needs to be done and often provides leads to other sources. It is important as a researcher to use finding aids that can save redoing work that has already been done and reduce the hours needed for a research project. However, it is important to remember that these records are not the final say. It is necessary for us to take this information and use it as a stepping stone to obtaining original records and verifying information.   In the past, when looking for compiled records, a person had only published sources available. Now with the use of computers and the internet, a whole new world has been opened up. The International Genealogical Index (IGI) is one of the resources of the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Containing approximately 250 million names, it is an index of people's names that were either submitted to the church, or were extracted from records that the church has microfilmed over the years. You can use the Family Search to locate information about your ancestors.  This site can be accessed at familysearch.org.   Another good online site for compiled records is provided by Ancestry.com. It is called Ancestry World Tree and contains nearly 400 million names in family trees submitted by users of this site. A search of this site confirmed that there are many submitted records for those individuals from the mid-southern states. Ancestry World Tree is the largest collection of its kind on the Internet. However, it is important to note that this site states the following: Ancestry World Tree GEDCOM files are voluntarily submitted by Ancestry users like yourself. We take all files "as is" and cannot guarantee the completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of the information contained in this database. [https://www.familysearch.org/#_ftn2 [2]] As was stated above, compiled records are not proven records. It is our responsibility to take this information and verify the accuracy of what we choose to use in our research.  

[http://www.familysearchwiki.org/#_ftnref2 [2]] Ancestry.com, Ancestry World Tree, Online &lt;http://www.ancestry.com/trees/awt/main.aspx&gt; Accessed 10 February 2006.

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