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How to Find Descendants in the United States: Difference between revisions
How to Find Descendants in the United States (view source)
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=== '''''Step 4: Consult Additional Sources''''' === | === '''''Step 4: Consult Additional Sources''''' === | ||
<div class="Section3"> | <div class="Section3"> | ||
Five record types are particularly rich in descendant information:<br> | Five record types are particularly rich in descendant information:<br> | ||
*[[United States Census|census]]<br> | *[[United States Census|census]]<br> | ||
*[[United States Probate Records|wills (probate records)]]<br> | *[[United States Probate Records|wills (probate records)]]<br> | ||
* | *[[United States History|county and local histories]]<br> | ||
*[[United States Church Records|church records]]<br> | *[[United States Church Records|church records]]<br> | ||
*[[United States Obituaries|obituaries]] | *[[United States Obituaries|obituaries]] | ||
{| | {| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" width="272" align="right" border="1" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffff99" | '''Tip:''' Search a few census pages before and after a family for possible relatives living nearby. Watch for similar names or place of origin. | | valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffff99" | '''Tip:''' Search a few census pages before and after a family for possible relatives living nearby. Watch for similar names or place of origin. | ||
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'''Census.''' Censuses show where a family lived. When you know where someone lived you can search for other records created for them in that place. Censuses also may list all living members of a family, and tell their relationship to the head of house. The best researchers use ALL the censuses available for every member of a family. <br> | '''Census.''' Censuses show where a family lived. When you know where someone lived you can search for other records created for them in that place. Censuses also may list all living members of a family, and tell their relationship to the head of house. The best researchers use ALL the censuses available for every member of a family. <br> | ||
*To use the '''British''' 1881 census index online click [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=census/search_census.asp here] and in the Census field select the ''1881 British Census''.<br> | *To use the '''British''' 1881 census index online click [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=census/search_census.asp here] and in the Census field select the ''1881 British Census''.<br> | ||
*For links to the '''Canadian''' census indexes online click [http://www.warnes.net/Teslacorp/GenealogyLinks/index_html?Tab=2-Canada%20Records here] and scroll down to the Census Records section to select a province and census year.<br> | *For links to the '''Canadian''' census indexes online click [http://www.warnes.net/Teslacorp/GenealogyLinks/index_html?Tab=2-Canada%20Records here] and scroll down to the Census Records section to select a province and census year.<br> | ||
*For links to the '''United States''' census indexes online click [http://www.warnes.net/Teslacorp/GenealogyLinks/index_html?Tab=4-US%20Census here] and select a state and census year.<br> | *For links to the '''United States''' census indexes online click [http://www.warnes.net/Teslacorp/GenealogyLinks/index_html?Tab=4-US%20Census here] and select a state and census year.<br> | ||
'''Wills and probate records.''' Some jurisdictions have wills or probate records useful to genealogists as early as the 1600s. Wills commonly list children by name. Even if your ancestor did not leave a will, a probate record containing a list of possible heirs may still exist. Wills and probate records are generally kept on a county level, so you will need to have some idea of where your ancestors died to find a will. To see probate records available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers, click [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=localitysearch&columns=*,0,0 here] and follow these steps:<br> | '''Wills and probate records.''' Some jurisdictions have wills or probate records useful to genealogists as early as the 1600s. Wills commonly list children by name. Even if your ancestor did not leave a will, a probate record containing a list of possible heirs may still exist. Wills and probate records are generally kept on a county level, so you will need to have some idea of where your ancestors died to find a will. To see probate records available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers, click [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=localitysearch&columns=*,0,0 here] and follow these steps:<br> | ||
#In the '''Place''' field, type the name of the county where your ancestor resided. | #In the '''Place''' field, type the name of the county where your ancestor resided. | ||
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#Look for "Probate Records" listed among the record types. Microfilms of the listed records are available in the Family History Library and can be ordered from a local Family History Center.<br> | #Look for "Probate Records" listed among the record types. Microfilms of the listed records are available in the Family History Library and can be ordered from a local Family History Center.<br> | ||
</div><div class="Section3"> | </div><div class="Section3"> | ||
{| | {| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" width="221" align="right" border="1" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffff99" | '''Tip:''' You can search for town histories as well as county histories.<br> | | valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffff99" | '''Tip:''' You can search for town histories as well as county histories.<br> | ||
|} | |} | ||
'''County and local histories.''' County histories often identify families and some of their descendants. To see what county histories are available in the Family History Library and Family History Centers, click [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=localitysearch&columns=*,0,0 here] and follow these steps: | '''County and local histories.''' County histories often identify families and some of their descendants. To see what county histories are available in the Family History Library and Family History Centers, click [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=localitysearch&columns=*,0,0 here] and follow these steps: | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
#In the '''Place''' field, type the name of the county where your ancestor resided. | #In the '''Place''' field, type the name of the county where your ancestor resided. | ||
#In the '''Part of''' field, type the name of the state in which the county is located.<br> | #In the '''Part of''' field, type the name of the state in which the county is located.<br> | ||
#Look for "History" among the record types. Microfilms of the listed records are available in the Family History Library and can be ordered from a local Family History Center.<br> | #Look for "History" among the record types. Microfilms of the listed records are available in the Family History Library and can be ordered from a local Family History Center.<br> | ||
<div class="Section3"> | <div class="Section3"> | ||
'''Church records. '''Many churches kept christening (baptism) records showing a child and parents. If you can guess the denomination of your ancestor, look for church records. To see church records available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers, click here and follow these steps: | '''Church records. '''Many churches kept christening (baptism) records showing a child and parents. If you can guess the denomination of your ancestor, look for church records. To see church records available at the Family History Library and Family History Centers, click here and follow these steps: | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
#In the '''Place''' field, type the name of the town (or county) where your ancestor resided. | #In the '''Place''' field, type the name of the town (or county) where your ancestor resided. | ||
#In the '''Part of''' field, type the name of the state in which the town or county is located. | #In the '''Part of''' field, type the name of the state in which the town or county is located. | ||
#Look for "Church Records" among the record types. | #Look for "Church Records" among the record types. | ||
#Look for the denomination of your ancestor's family. Sometimes there is more than one church for that denomination, and sometimes none will be listed. | #Look for the denomination of your ancestor's family. Sometimes there is more than one church for that denomination, and sometimes none will be listed. | ||
<div class="Section3"> | <div class="Section3">If the Family History Library does not have the records, you may want to call a church directly. Many directories are available on the Internet to help you find the telephone number of a church.</div> | ||
If the Family History Library does not have the records, you may want to call a church directly. Many directories are available on the Internet to help you find the telephone number of a church.</div> <br> | <br> | ||
{| | {| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="8" width="200" align="right" border="1" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffff99" | '''Tip:''' The U.S. Social Security Death Index shows the birth date, death date, and death place of Social Security card holders who have died. The index covers deaths from 1962 to the present. Click [http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi/ here] to search one of the free versions of this index.<br> | | valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffff99" | '''Tip:''' The U.S. Social Security Death Index shows the birth date, death date, and death place of Social Security card holders who have died. The index covers deaths from 1962 to the present. Click [http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi/ here] to search one of the free versions of this index.<br> | ||
|} | |} | ||
'''Obituaries.''' By the 1870s local newspapers often published obituaries listing the surviving relatives of the deceased and sometimes their residence. To find an obiturary you must guess the death date and newspaper where the obituary would have been published.<br> | '''Obituaries.''' By the 1870s local newspapers often published obituaries listing the surviving relatives of the deceased and sometimes their residence. To find an obiturary you must guess the death date and newspaper where the obituary would have been published.<br> | ||
Modern newspapers archives in each state have microfilm copies of most old newspapers. Click [http://www.neh.gov/projects/usnp.html here] for the ''U.S. Newspapers Program'' and scroll to the state to learn the contact information for the newspaper archives for your ancestor's state. Ask the archivist how you can find obituaries in the best local newspapers, or arrange an inter-library loan for newspaper microfilms. | Modern newspapers archives in each state have microfilm copies of most old newspapers. Click [http://www.neh.gov/projects/usnp.html here] for the ''U.S. Newspapers Program'' and scroll to the state to learn the contact information for the newspaper archives for your ancestor's state. Ask the archivist how you can find obituaries in the best local newspapers, or arrange an inter-library loan for newspaper microfilms. | ||
Some obituary archives are already available on the Internet. For example:<br> | Some obituary archives are already available on the Internet. For example:<br> | ||
*[http://www.ancestry.com/search/obit/?o_xid=0028727949&o_lid=0028727949&o_xt=28727949 Ancestry.com Obiturary Collection] | *[http://www.ancestry.com/search/obit/?o_xid=0028727949&o_lid=0028727949&o_xt=28727949 Ancestry.com Obiturary Collection] | ||
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*[http://obits.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/obit.cgi?o_xid=0028727949&o_lid=0028727949&o_xt=22478094 RootsWeb Obiturary Daily Times] | *[http://obits.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/obit.cgi?o_xid=0028727949&o_lid=0028727949&o_xt=22478094 RootsWeb Obiturary Daily Times] | ||
*or use a search engine like [http://www.google.com/ Google] or [http://www.yahoo.com/ Yahoo] to search for an individual and his or her obituary. | *or use a search engine like [http://www.google.com/ Google] or [http://www.yahoo.com/ Yahoo] to search for an individual and his or her obituary. | ||
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=== '''''Step 5: Compile and Share What You Have Learned''''' === | === '''''Step 5: Compile and Share What You Have Learned''''' === | ||