|
|
| Line 49: |
Line 49: |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| Stay focused on one person and event in that person's life, but change the record type you search to find the event. Here are some ideas to help you find good substitutes for missing burned county records.
| |
|
| |
| '''''Record Finders.''''' Use the [[United States Record Finder]] on the Wiki to identify alternative record types you could use to find documentation for various events. <br>'''''Death records.''''' More records result from death than any other event. Perhaps the event you want to document will be mentioned in a record created at the time of death.<br>'''''Land records.''''' These records are so important they are usually the first to be re-recorded after a disaster. Local title companies, the state, and feds may have land records too.<br>'''''Local histories and biographies''''' may be based on sources that were not destroyed in the disaster.<br>'''''Censuses''''' (federal and state) were rarely stored at the burned courthouse. They show family changes over time.<br>'''''Tax records''''' show residence and neighbors. If they were not stored at the burned courthouse they may be a source of information about your family.<br>'''''Newspapers''''' mention our ancestors, and a copy somewhere usually survives a disaster. First see if nearby newspapers have been digitized and are available on the Internet. If not, you can get a microfilm copy of almost any newspaper through inter-library loan at college or public libraries. Use the [http://www.neh.gov/projects/usnp.html ''U.S. Newspapers Program''] (www.neh.gov/projects/usnp.html) will help you find newspapers and obtain newspaper microfilms.<br>'''''Legislative petitions''''' were sent to the state capitol and show residence and neighbors.<br>'''''Collections.''''' Search this Wiki for the ''Genealogy'' article of a state to identify important collections in that state to research for your ancestors.
| |
|
| |
| ==== Jurisdiction Alternatives ====
| |
|
| |
| The county records may have burned, but the town, state, or federal governments may have similar records. Do not forget to check in neighboring towns and counties too. Try an area search. Draw a circle around the home of your family and search all the jurisdictions with the circle. Slowly expand the circle searching the area farther and farther from home.
| |
|
| |
|
| ==== Repository Alternatives ==== | | ==== Repository Alternatives ==== |