Alabama Church Records: Difference between revisions

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Latest revision as of 15:18, 12 April 2024

United States

U.S. Church Records

Alabama

Church Records

Alabama Wiki Topics

Beginning Research

Record Types

Alabama Background

Cultural Groups

Local Research Resources

For greater success, use all the Wiki Articles in this series:

First Presbyterian
Birmingham, Alabama

Historical Background

Alabama is located in the middle of the Bible Belt, a region of numerous Protestant Christians. A majority of people in the state identify as Evangelical Protestant. As of 2010, the three largest denominational groups in Alabama are the Southern Baptist Convention, The United Methodist Church, and non-denominational Evangelical Protestant. Many Baptist and Methodist congregations became established in the Great Awakening of the early 19th century, when preachers proselytized across the South. The Presbyterian churches were strongly associated with Scots-Irish immigrants of the 18th century and their descendants.^[1]

Information Found in the Records

To effectively use church records, become familiar with their content. Click on these links to learn about a specific record type:

Minutes or Historical Narrative

Finding the Records

Look for online records.

Some records have been digitized and posted online, where they are easily searched. These are listed at the top of this page and on the Alabama Online Genealogy Records page.

Online databases are incomplete. This can lead to two common errors:

Near matches: Researchers might mistakenly accept an entry very similar to their ancestor, thinking it is the only one available. Only use information that matches your ancestor in date, place, relationships, and other details.
Stopping research: Researchers might assume the database proves church records do not exist. Actually the record is still out there, just not in this incomplete collection of records. Keep searching!

1807-1947 Alabama miscellaneous church records, 1807-1947 at FamilySearch; images
1831-1994 Alabama, Church Records, 1831-1994 at FamilySearch; index and images — How to Use this Collection
1881-1930 Alabama, Births and Christenings, 1881-1930 at FamilySearch; index Coverage Table — How to Use this Collection
1816-1957 Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957 at FamilySearch; index - Coverage Table— How to Use this Collection

Presbyterian

1701-1970 U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1970 at Ancestry - index and images, incomplete ($)

Look for digital copies of church records in the FamilySearch Catalog.

FamilySearch Library
Salt Lake City, Utah

The FamilySearch Library (FS Library) has a substantial collection of original church records and transcripts on microfilm for churches in the United States.
Online church records can be listed in the FamilySearch Catalog under the state, county, or town.
If you find a record that has not yet been digitized, see How do I request that a microfilm be digitized?
Some records might have viewing restrictions, and can only be viewed at a FamilySearch Center near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations.
To find records:

a. Click on the records of United States, Alabama.

b. Click on Places within United States, Alabama and a list of counties will appear.

c. Click on your county if it appears.

d. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.

e. Click on Places within United States, Alabama [COUNTY] and a list of towns will appear.

f. Click on your town if it appears, or the location which you believe was the parish which served your town or village.

g. Click on the "Church records" topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.

h. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the listing for the record.

. The magnifying glass indicates that the record is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the records.

Consult available finding aids.

These aids generally provide lists of records that are known to exist and information on their location.

Finding Aid for Church and Synagogue Records Collections, 1805-2008 Browsable list. This collection contains the records of major denominations within Alabama, including Baptist, Catholic, Church of Christ, Episcopal, Jewish, Methodist and Presbyterian.
Catalog of church records in Samford University libraries
PERiodical Source Index (PERSI) at Allen County Public Library; index PERSI is an index to family and local history periodicals from 1847 to the present. Many of these periodicals publish church records.

Baptist Records

1750-1899 U.S., Southern Baptist Church Records, 1750-1899 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
Church Records on Microfilm: Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archive Includes information on ordering records.
List of Baptist churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Alabama - to find churches that existed in earlier times.

Episcopal/Anglican Records

Inventory of the Church Archives of Alabama: Protestant Episcopal Church. Birmingham, Alabama: Alabama Historical Records Survey Project, 1939. This gives the location of each church with a brief history and describes the types and years of records that existed for each congregation in 1939. Information on record location usually gives the name and address of the 1939 rector, though it no longer applies. Generally, the records are stored with the current rector; so if the address given is the church itself, it still applies.

Presbyterian Records

Hall, James H.B. The History of the Cumberland, Presbyterian Church in Alabama Prior to 1826 - Transactions of the Alabama Historical Society, Vol. 4 (1904):365-394. Digital version at Internet Archive. Identifies "minute books" available for early Presbyteries. The early Presbyteries did not keep records of baptisms, marriages, and burials.

Correspond with or visit the actual churches.

Some records are still held in the local churches. Contact the current minister to find out what records are still available.

Make an appointment to look at the records. Or ask the minister of the church to make a copy of the record for you.
To find church staff available, you might have to visit on Sunday.
Ask for small searches at a time, such as one birth record or a specific marriage. Never ask for "everything on a family or surname".
A donation ($25-$40) for their time and effort to help you would be appropriate.
If the church has a website, you may be able to e-mail a message.
See the Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters.
Each denomination page offers an online address directory of local churches for that denomination.

Check the church records collections in archives and libraries.

Some church records have been deposited for preservation in government archives or in libraries. Watch for links to digitized, online records offered by the archives. Some archives provide research services for a fee. For others, if you cannot visit in person, you might hire a researcher.

Here you will find archive information unique to the state. Many more archives are kept by denomination. For denominational archives, go to Searching for Church Records by Denomination.

Birmingham Public Library

Birmingham Public Library
2100 Park Place
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
Phone:(205) 226-3600

Alabama Episcopal Church Records. 1830's to 1970's. Index. The original parish registers are preserved in the Archives of the Birmingham Public Library as part of the records of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama. This database includes all information found in the registers. The registers are available to the public, but because of their age and fragility, it is not possible to make copies of pages from the registers.

University Archives

Samford University Library
800 Lakeshore Drive
Birmingham, AL 35229

[http://bpldb.bplonline.org/db/episcopal

Telephone:205-726-2196
E-mail: referenc@samford.edu

State Archives

Alabama Department of Archives and History
Montgomery, Alabama

Alabama Department of Archives and History
P.O. Box 300100
624 Washington Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36130

Telephone:334-242-4435

Finding Aid for Church and Synagogue Records Collections, 1805-2008 Browsable list. This collection contains the records of major denominations within Alabama, including Baptist, Catholic, Church of Christ, Episcopal, Jewish, Methodist and Presbyterian.
- Index to Churches in the Alabama Church and Synagogue Records Collection Database at the Alabama Archives - index.
Research Request Form and Instructions
Website

Collection includes: Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Mobile; family records 1700-1860, some Catholic school records, some Catholic newspapers, Catholic cemetery records, and funeral home records.

Lutheran

James R. Crumley Jr. Archives
4201 Main St.
Columbia, SC 29203

Phone: 803-461-3234
E-mail: crumleyarchivist@gmail.com

Archives hold records for closed churches. For open churches write directly to the local church.

Roman Catholic

Diocese of Birmingham
2121 3rd Ave.
P.O. Box 12047
North Birmingham, AL 35202-2047
Phone: (205) 838-8322

All records are maintained in the local parishes.

The diocese includes the counties of: Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Colbert, Coosa, Cullman , DeKalb, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marengo, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Perry, Pickens, Randolph, Shelby, Sumter, St. Clair, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker and Winston.^[2]

Cathedral Basilica
of the Immaculate Conception
Mobile, Alabama

Archdiocese of Mobile Archives
14 S. Franklin St.
Mobile, AL 36602
Phone: (251) 415-3850
Except for the Cathedral, all records are maintained in the local parishes.

"The records for the Cathedral parish from 1704-1739 have been published and are available for purchase by mail. Until more of our records are published, the archives will try to honor requests for individual sacramental information as staff/volunteer time is available.

Make each request in writing using this form. Print it, fill out as completely as possible for each record requested, and mail.
There is a $10 fee to search for each sacramental record requested. This is for the search, so it is payable regardless of whether we are able to find the record.
Please mail all forms with payment for the total number of requests.
We can only supply the information contained in the sacramental record (translated where applicable), not an official certificate and not a copy of the original entry.
We will not honor requests for research of general family lines." (In other words, request a specific event, but don't ask them to find everything about a family at once.)

The Archdiocese includes the counties of: Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Dallas, Elmore, Escambia, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, Russell, Washington and Wilcox.^[2]

Correspond with genealogical or historical societies.

Some church records have been given to historical societies. Also, historical societies may be able to tell you where the records are being held. To find a society near you, consult these lists:

Next, go to the Wiki article for your ancestors' denomination.

There are frequently additional, nationwide or regional archives and online collections for each denomination. Find the article for your ancestors' denomination and follow the instructions there to access these sources.

Major U.S. Religious Denominations
Adventist Amish Anabaptist Anglican Apostolic Christian Armenian Catholic Armenian Evangelical Armenian Orthodox Assemblies of God Baháʼí Baptist Buddhist Catholic Apostolic Church of the Brethren Community of Christ Confucianism Congregational	Coptic Orthodox Disciples of Christ Dutch Reformed Episcopal German Reformed Greek Orthodox Hinduism Huguenot Hutterites Jehovah's Witnesses Jewish The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) Lutheran Maronite Catholic Church Melkite Greek Catholic Methodist	Mennonite Moravian Muslim Orthodox Church in America (OCA) Pentecostal Presbyterian Roman Catholic Russian Orthodox Schwenkfelders Serbian Orthodox Sihkism Society of Friends (Quakers) Syriac Orthodox Church Ukrainian Orthodox United Church of Christ United Brethren in Christ Unitarian/Universalist

Carefully compare any record you find to known facts about the ancestor

You will possibly find many different people with the same name as your ancestor, especially when a family stayed in a locality for several generations, and several children were named after the grandparents or aunts and uncles. Be prepared to find the correct church records by organizing in advance as many of these exact details about the ancestor as possible:

name, including middle name and maiden name
names of all spouses, including middle and maiden name
exact or closely estimated dates of birth, marriage, and death
names and approximate birthdates of children
all known places of residence
occupations
military service details

Carefully evaluate the church records you find to make sure you have really found records for your ancestor and not just a "near match". If one or more of the details do not line up, be careful about accepting the entry as your ancestor. There are guiding principles for deciding how to resolve discrepancies between records that are seemingly close. For more instruction in evaluating evidence, read the Wiki article, Evaluate the Evidence.

References

↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Alabama", in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabama#Religion, accessed May 2020.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Map of the Roman Catholic Dioceses in the United States of America, Office of Catholic Schools Diocese of Columbus, accessed 3 Nov 2010.

[1] Wikipedia contributors, "Alabama", in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabama#Religion, accessed May 2020.

[rome-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Map of the Roman Catholic Dioceses in the United States of America, Office of Catholic Schools Diocese of Columbus, accessed 3 Nov 2010.

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-''[[United States|United States&nbsp;]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] &nbsp;[[Alabama|Alabama&nbsp;]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] &nbsp;[[Alabama_Church_Records|Church Records]]'' <br><br> [[Image:{{FirsBapt}}]]
+{{breadcrumb
+| link1=[[United States Genealogy|United States]]
-=== Alabama Churches General Information  ===
+| link2=[[United States Church Records|U.S. Church Records]]
+| link3=[[Alabama, United States Genealogy|Alabama]]
-Church records and the information they provide vary greatly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age; dates of baptism, christening or birth; marriage information, such as the bride’s maiden name and the names of both sets of parents; death or burial date; admissions; and removals. Records may include names of other relatives who were witnesses or members of the congregation. The members of some churches were predominately of one nationality or ethnic group. Church records are important for Alabama family research because civil authorities in Alabama did not begin registering vital statistics until after 1908.
+| link4=
+| link5=[[Alabama Church Records|Church Records]]
-Roman Catholic church records for Mobile date from about 1700. In the 1800s, the largest religious groups in [[Alabama|Alabama]] were the [[Baptist Church in the United States|Baptist]], [[Methodist Church in the United States|Methodist]], and [[Presbyterian Church in the United States|Presbyterian]][[Image:First Presbyterian Birmingham Nov 2011 01.jpg|frame|right|200x180px|<center>First Presbyterian Birmingham, AL.</center>]] churches.<ref>Sydney E. Ahlstrom, ''A Religious History of the American People'' (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1972). {{FHL|282712|item|disp=FHL book 973 K2ah}}.</ref><ref>[http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/01_2000.asp Association of Religion Data Archives]) </ref>
+}}
+{{AL-sidebar}}
-To find information about churches up to 1870, such as when the churches were founded, names of ministers and early members, and associated cemeteries, see:
+__TOC__
+<div style="float:right; margin:30px">
-*Daughters of the American Revolution (Alabama). ''Some Early Alabama Churches (Established Before 1870).'' Birmingham, Alabama: Parchment Press, 1973. {{FHL|216586|item|disp=FHL book 976.1 K2d, film 1026262 item 8}}
+{|
-The {{FHL|405785|subject_id|disp=Family History Library}} has a few church records for Alabama, but most remain with the local churches. Also search for local (city and county) church records in the&nbsp;[[Family History Library Catalog Place-name Search|Family History Library Catalog]]. Some denominations have collected their records into central repositories. You can write to the following addresses to learn where records of a particular denomination are located.
-=== Baptist  ===
-[[Image:First_Baptist_Montgomery.jpg|frame|right|320x230px|<center>First Baptist Church of Montgomery, Alabama</center>]]
-Special Collection, Samford University Library. See [[Alabama Archives and Libraries|Alabama Archives and Libraries]]. The Samford University Library Website has an inventory of their records and contains many different Alabama denominations in their collection besides Baptist. Also included are [http://library3.samford.edu/search~S27?/X(american%20Missionary%20association)&SORT=D/X(american%20Missionary%20association)&SORT=D&SUBKEY=(american%20Missionary%20association)/1%2C38%2C38%2CB/frameset&FF=X(american%20Missionary%20association)&SORT=D&1%2C1%2C microfilmed records] of the American Missionary Association, a interdenominational missionary society devoted to abolitionist principles beginning in 1846.
-For histories of the Baptist Church, see:
-*Holcombe, Hosea. ''A History of the Rise and Progress of the Baptists in Alabama. 1840.'' Reprint, Bessemer, Alabama: West Jefferson County Historical Society, 1974. {{FHL|192489|item|disp=FHL book 976.1 K21h}} This history of the Baptist Church to 1840 is indexed.
-*Flynt, F. Wayne. ''Alabama Baptists: Southern Baptists in the Heart of Dixie.'' Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1998.
-*Bledsoe, W.C. ''History of the Liberty (East) Baptist Association of Alabama.'' Atlanta, Ga.: Constitution Job Office, 1886. Digital version at {{FSbook|187764}} - free.
-*Riley, B.F. ''A Memorial History of the Baptists of Alabama: Being an Account of the Struggles and Achievements of the Denomination from 1808 to 1923.'' Philadelphia: The Judson Press, 1923. Digital version at {{FSbook|187841}} - free.
-An 1899 directory of Baptist ministers lists biographical details about many ministers born or serving in the state: <ref>Davis points out that not all ministers participated, see: Robert S. Davis, "Some Baptist Ministers of South Carolina at the Turn of the Century," ''The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research,'' Vol. 32, No. 1 (Winter 2004):13-22. {{FHL|43856|item|disp=FHL Book 975.7 B2sc v. 32}}</ref>
-*''The Ministerial Directory of the Baptist Churches in the United States of America.'' Oxford, Ohio: Ministerial Directory Co., 1899. Digital version at [http://books.google.com/books?id=f9gpAAAAYAAJ Google Books].
-=== Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)  ===
-Early church records, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for Alabama Wards and Branches can be found on film and are located at the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City. The film numbers, for each ward, can be located through the [https://www.familysearch.org/#form=catalog Family History Library Catalog&nbsp;] or by referring to Jaussi, Laureen R., and Gloria D. Chaston. Register of Genealogical Society Call Numbers. 2 vols. Provo, Utah: Genealogy Tree, 1982. {{FHL|129780|item|disp=FHL book 979.2258 A3j; fiche 6031507}}. These volumes contain the film numbers for many (but not all) membership and temple record films.
-=== [[Image:St. Mary's-on-the-Highlands Episcopal Church Dec 2012.jpg|frame|right|400x220px]]Episcopal ===
-{| width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"
 |-
-| bgcolor="#cccccc" colspan="7" | <center>'''Episcopal Statistics in Alabama 1830 to 1898<ref>R.H. Cobbs and W.C. Whitaker, "Statistics of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Alabama," ''Transactions of the Alabama Historical Society,'' Vol. 2 (1898):83-89. Digital version at {{FSbook|88951}} - free.</ref>'''</center>
+|style="border:1px solid DarkBlue; margin:70px; background:GhostWhite; width 15%; padding-right:15px; padding-left:15px; height:50px "|
+<center>'''For greater success, use all the Wiki Articles in this series:'''</center>
+*[[What Can I Find in U.S. Church Records?|'''What Can I Find in U.S. Church Records?''']]
+*[[Determining the Church Your Ancestor Attended|'''Determining the Church Your Ancestor Attended''']]
+*[[How to Find Church Records in the United States|'''How to Find Church Records in the United States''']]
+*[[United States Church Records#Searching for Church Records by Denomination|'''Searching for Church Records by Denomination''' ]]
+*[[United States Church Records#Searching for Church Records by U.S. State|'''Searching for Church Records by U.S. State''']]
+|}
+</div>
+<div style="float:right">
+{|
 |-
-| Baptisms
+|
-| Confirmations
+[[Image:First Presbyterian Birmingham Nov 2011 01.jpg|thumb|200px|<center>'''First Presbyterian'''<br>'''Birmingham, Alabama'''</center>]]
-| Marriages
+|}
-| Burials
+</div>
-| Deacons Made
+==Historical Background==
-| Priests Ordained
+Alabama is located in the middle of the Bible Belt, a region of numerous '''Protestant Christians'''. A majority of people in the state identify as '''Evangelical Protestant'''. As of 2010, the three largest denominational groups in Alabama are the [[Baptist Church in the United States|'''Southern Baptist Convention''']], [[Methodist Church in the United States|'''The United Methodist Church''']], and '''non-denominational Evangelical Protestant'''. Many Baptist and Methodist congregations became established in the Great Awakening of the early 19th century, when preachers proselytized across the South. The [[Presbyterian Church in the United States|'''Presbyterian''']] churches were strongly associated with Scots-Irish immigrants of the 18th century and their descendants.<ref> Wikipedia contributors, "Alabama", in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia,'' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabama#Religion, accessed May 2020. </ref>
-| Churches Consecrated
+==Information Found in the Records==
+To effectively use church records, become familiar with their content. Click on these links to learn about a specific record type:
+{|
 |-
-| <center>24,921</center>
+|style="vertical-align:top; padding-right:30px"|
-| <center>15,402</center>
+*[[What Can I Find in U.S. Church Records?#Baptisms or Christenings|Baptisms or Christenings]]
-| <center>5,574</center>
+*[[What Can I Find in U.S. Church Records?#Marriages|Marriages]]
-| <center>11,184</center>
+|style="vertical-align:top; padding-right:30px"|
-| <center>75</center>
+*[[What Can I Find in U.S. Church Records?#Funerals or Burials|Funerals or Burials]]
-| <center>65</center>
+*[[What Can I Find in U.S. Church Records?#Membership Lists|Membership Lists]]
-| <center>30</center>
+|style="vertical-align:top; padding-right:30px"|
+*[[What Can I Find in U.S. Church Records?#Minutes or Historical Narrative|Minutes or Historical Narrative]]
 |}
-A list of the Episcopal congregations in Alabama before 1939 is:
+==Finding the Records==
+===Look for online records.===
+Some records have been digitized and posted online, where they are easily searched. These are listed at the top of this page and on the [[Alabama Online Genealogy Records|'''Alabama Online Genealogy Records page''']].
-*''Inventory of the Church Archives of Alabama: Protestant Episcopal Church.'' Birmingham, Alabama: Alabama Historical Records Survey Project, 1939. {{FHL|214903|item|disp=FHL book 976.1 K2h; film 897366 item 3}}; digital version at [https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE88487 FamilySearch Books]. This gives the location of each church with a brief history and describes the types and years of records that existed for each congregation in 1939.
-For a history, consult:
+<br>
-*Whitaker, Walter C. ''History of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Alabama 1763-1891.'' Birmingham, Ala.: Roberts &amp; Son, 1898. Digital version at [https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE202365 FamilySearch Books] - free.
+{|
+|-
-=== [[Image:Fort_Deposit,_Alabama_United_Methodist_Church.JPG|frame|right|420x290px|<center>Fort Deposit, Alabama United Methodist Church</center>]]Methodist  ===
+|
+[[File:Caution sign.png|70px]]
-[http://www.huntingdon.edu/ Houghton Memorial Library]<br>Huntingdon College <br>1500 E. Fairview Avenue<br>Montgomery, AL 36106-2148 <br>Phone: (334) 833-4421<br>Fax: (334) 263-4465 <br>E-mail: [mailto:edidwell@huntingdon.edu <u>edidwell@huntingdon.edu</u>]
+|
+Online databases are <span style="color:Red">'''incomplete'''</span>. This can lead to two common errors:
-[http://library.bsc.edu/about.htm Charles Andrew Rush Library]<br>Birmingham-Southern College<br>900 Arkadelphia Road<br>P.O. Box 549020 <br>Birmingham, AL 35254-9990 <br>Phone: (205) 226-4740 <br>Fax: (205) 226-4743
+#'''Near matches:''' Researchers might <span style="color:Red">'''mistakenly accept an entry very similar to their ancestor'''</span>, thinking it is the only one available. Only use information that matches your ancestor in date, place, relationships, and other details.
+#'''Stopping research''': Researchers might <span style="color:Red">'''assume the database proves church records do not exist'''</span>.  Actually the record is still out there, just not in this <span style="color:Red">'''incomplete'''</span> collection of records.  Keep searching!
-Histories of the Methodist Church in Alabama include:
+|}
+*'''1807-1947''' [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1248908 Alabama miscellaneous church records, 1807-1947] at FamilySearch; images
-*Lazenby, Marion Elias, ''History of Methodism in Alabama and West Florida''. N.p., 1960. {{FHL|192480|item|disp=FHL book 976.1 K2L}}. This book includes a list of deceased ministers and a name and subject index.
+*'''1831-1994''' {{RecordSearch|2790182|Alabama, Church Records, 1831-1994}} at FamilySearch; index and images — [[Alabama, Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]
+*'''1881-1930''' {{RecordSearch|1661470|Alabama, Births and Christenings, 1881-1930}} at FamilySearch; index [[Alabama Births and Christenings, Coverage Table - FamilySearch Historical Records|Coverage Table]] — [[Alabama Births and Christenings - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]
-*West, Anson. ''A History of Methodism in Alabama.'' Nashville, Tenn.: Pub. House, Methodist Episcopal Church South, 1893. Digital version at [https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE78543 FamilySearch Books] - free.
+*'''1816-1957''' {{RecordSearch|1674672|Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957}} at FamilySearch; index - [[Alabama Marriages, Coverage Table - FamilySearch Historical Records|Coverage Table]]— [[Alabama Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]
-=== Presbyterian  ===
-[[Image:First_Presbyterian_Huntsville_May_2011_01.jpg|frame|right|240x380px|<center>First Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama</center>]]
-[http://www.history.pcusa.org/ Presbyterian Historical Society ]<br>425 Lombard Street<br>Philadelphia, PA 19147 <br>Phone: (215) 627-1852 <br>Fax: (215) 627-0509
+====Anglican/Episcopal Collections====
+*'''1830s-1970s''' [http://bpldb.bplonline.org/db/episcopal Alabama Episcopal Church Records] at the Birmingham Public Library - index
+*'''1832-1972''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/70662/ Web: Alabama, Episcopal Church Registers Index, 1832-1972] at Ancestry - index ($)
+*'''1837-1970''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61748/ Alabama, Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, Church Records, 1837-1970] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
-Early Presbyteries (with years organized): Alabama Presbytery (1821), Elyton Presbytery&nbsp;(1831), Birmingham Presbytery (1896), Talladega Presbytery (1836), Springville Presbytery (1880), Robert Donnell Presbytery (1890), The New Hope Presbytery(1838), and The McGready Presbytery (1840/1).<ref>James H.B. Hall, "The History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Alabama Prior to 1826," ''Transactions of the Alabama Historical Society,'' Vol. 4 (1904):392-394. Digital version at [http://archive.org/stream/transactionsala03socigoog#page/n408/mode/2up Internet Archive] - free.</ref>
+====Lutheran====
+*'''1781-1969'''  [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60722/ U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969] at Ancestry - index and images, incomplete.($)
+*'''1800-1947''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61584/ U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Swedish American Church Records, 1800-1947] at Ancestry - index and images, incomplete.($)
-Histories of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church include:
+====Methodist Collections====
+*'''1830-1920''' [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1246931 Methodist Episcopal Church, 1832-1920, Alabama] at FamilySearch; images
+*'''1836-1928''' [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1246933 Circuit Methodist Episcopal churches in Alabama, 1836-1928] at FamilySearch; images
+*'''1836-1919''' [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1246932 Circuit Methodist Episcopal churches, 1836-1919, Alabama] at FamilySearch; images
+*'''1830-1934''' [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1246949 Methodist Episcopal Church records, 1830-1934, Alabama] at FamilySearch; images
-*Hall, James H.B. "The History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Alabama Prior to 1826," ''Transactions of the Alabama Historical Society,'' Vol. 4 (1904):365-394. Digital version at [http://archive.org/stream/transactionsala03socigoog#page/n380/mode/2up Internet Archive] - free. Identifies minute books available for early Presbyteries. The early Presbyteries did not keep records of baptisms, marriages, and burials.
+====Presbyterian====
+*'''1701-1970''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61048/ U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1970] at Ancestry - index and images, incomplete ($)
-=== [[Image:St. Leo's Catholic Church Demopolis 03.JPG|frame|300x270px|<center>St. Leo's Catholic Church Demopolis</center>]]Roman Catholic  ===
+===Look for digital copies of church records in the FamilySearch Catalog. ===
+[[File:Family History Library.jpg|right|thumb|<center>'''FamilySearch Library'''<br>'''Salt Lake City, Utah'''</center>]]
+*The [https://www.familysearch.org/en/library/ FamilySearch Library] (FS Library) has a substantial collection of original church records and transcripts on microfilm for churches in the United States.
+*Online church records can be listed in the FamilySearch Catalog under the state, county, or town.
+*If you find a record that has not yet been digitized, see [https://beta.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-request-that-a-microfilm-be-digitized '''How do I request that a microfilm be digitized?''']
+*Some records might have viewing restrictions, and can only be viewed at a [https://www.familysearch.org/help/fhcenters/locations/ '''FamilySearch Center'''] near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations.
+*To find records:
+:::a. Click on the [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/results?count=20&placeId=33&query=%2Bplace%3A%22United%20States%2C%20Alabama%22 '''records of United States, Alabama'''].
+:::b. Click on '''Places within United States, Alabama''' and a list of counties will appear.
+:::c. Click on your county if it appears.
+:::d. Click on the '''"Church records"''' topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
+:::e. Click on '''Places within United States, Alabama [COUNTY]''' and a list of towns will appear.
+:::f. Click on your town if it appears, or the location which you believe was the parish which served your town or village.
+:::g. Click on the '''"Church records"''' topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
+:::h. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the listing for the record. [[File:FHL icons.png|75px]].  The magnifying glass indicates that the record is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the records.
-[http://www.bhmdiocese.org/ Diocese of Birmingham]<br>2121 3rd Ave.<br>P.O. Box 12047<br>North Birmingham, AL 35202-2047<br>Phone: (205) 838-8322
+===Consult available finding aids.===
-The diocese includes the counties of: [[Bibb County, Alabama|Bibb]], [[Blount County, Alabama|Blount]], [[Calhoun County, Alabama|Calhoun]], [[Chambers County, Alabama|Chambers]], [[Cherokee County, Alabama|Cherokee]], [[Chilton County, Alabama|Chilton]], [[Clay County, Alabama|Clay]], [[Cleburne County, Alabama|Cleburne]], [[Colbert County, Alabama|Colbert]], [[Coosa County, Alabama|Coosa]], [[Cullman County, Alabama|Cullman]] , [[DeKalb County, Alabama|DeKalb]], [[Etowah County, Alabama|Etowah]], [[Fayette County, Alabama|Fayette]], [[Franklin County, Alabama|Franklin]], [[Greene County, Alabama|Greene]], [[Hale County, Alabama|Hale]], [[Jackson County, Alabama|Jackson]], [[Jefferson County, Alabama|Jefferson]], [[Lamar County, Alabama|Lamar]], [[Lauderdale County, Alabama|Lauderdale]], [[Lawrence County, Alabama|Lawrence]], [[Limestone County, Alabama|Limestone]], [[Madison County, Alabama|Madison]], [[Marengo County, Alabama|Marengo]], [[Marion County, Alabama|Marion]], [[Marshall County, Alabama|Marshall]], [[Morgan County, Alabama|Morgan]], [[Perry County, Alabama|Perry]], [[Pickens County, Alabama|Pickens]], [[Randolph County, Alabama|Randolph]], [[Shelby County, Alabama|Shelby]], [[Sumter County, Alabama|Sumter]], [[St. Clair County, Alabama|St. Clair]], [[Talladega County, Alabama|Talladega]], [[Tallapoosa County, Alabama|Tallapoosa]], [[Tuscaloosa County, Alabama|Tuscaloosa]], [[Walker County, Alabama|Walker]] and [[Winston County, Alabama|Winston]].<ref name="rome">[http://www.cdeducation.org/oym/connections/dioceseusmap.htm Map of the Roman Catholic Dioceses in the United States of America], Office of Catholic Schools Diocese of Columbus, accessed 3 Nov 2010.</ref>
+'''These aids generally provide lists of records that are known to exist and information on their location.'''
+*[https://archives.alabama.gov/findaids/v8813_Denomination.pdf '''Finding Aid for Church and Synagogue Records Collections, 1805-2008'''] Browsable list. This collection contains the records of major denominations within Alabama, including '''Baptist, Catholic, Church of Christ, Episcopal, Jewish, Methodist and Presbyterian'''.
+*[https://library3.samford.edu/search~S27/?searchtype=Y&searcharg=church+records&searchscope=27&m=&SORT=D '''Catalog of church records in Samford University libraries''']
+*[https://www.genealogycenter.info/persi/ PERiodical Source Index (PERSI)] at Allen County Public Library; index PERSI is an index to family and local history periodicals from 1847 to the present. Many of these periodicals publish church records.
+====Baptist Records====
+*'''1750-1899''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62267/ U.S., Southern Baptist Church Records, 1750-1899] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*[https://www.sbhla.org/coll.htm '''Church Records on Microfilm: Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archive'''] Includes information on ordering records.
+*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Baptist_churches_on_the_National_Register_of_Historic_Places_in_Alabama '''List of Baptist churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Alabama'''] - to find churches that existed in earlier times.
-[http://www.mobilearchdiocese.org/archives/archives.cfm?AOMDeptID=21 Archdiocese of Mobile Archives]<br>14 S. Franklin St.<br>Mobile, AL 36602<br>Phone: (251) 415-3850
+====Episcopal/Anglican Records====
+*[https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/540603-inventory-of-the-church-archives-of-alabama-protestant-episcopal-church?offset=1 '''''Inventory of the Church Archives of Alabama: Protestant Episcopal Church'''].'' Birmingham, Alabama: Alabama Historical Records Survey Project, 1939. This gives the location of each church with a brief history and describes the types and years of records that existed for each congregation in 1939. Information on record location usually gives the name and address of the 1939 rector, though it no longer applies. Generally, the records are stored with the current rector; so if the address given is the church itself, it still applies.
-The Archdiocese includes the counties of: [[Autauga County, Alabama|Autauga]], [[Baldwin County, Alabama|Baldwin]], [[Barbour County, Alabama|Barbour]], [[Bullock County, Alabama|Bullock]], [[Butler County, Alabama|Butler]], [[Choctaw County, Alabama|Choctaw]], [[Clarke County, Alabama|Clarke]], [[Coffee County, Alabama|Coffee]], [[Conecuh County, Alabama|Conecuh]], [[Covington County, Alabama|Covington]], [[Crenshaw County, Alabama|Crenshaw]], [[Dale County, Alabama|Dale]], [[Dallas County, Alabama|Dallas]], [[Elmore County, Alabama|Elmore]], [[Escambia County, Alabama|Escambia]], [[Geneva County, Alabama|Geneva]], [[Henry County, Alabama|Henry]], [[Houston County, Alabama|Houston]], [[Lee County, Alabama|Lee]], [[Lowndes County, Alabama|Lowndes]], [[Macon County, Alabama|Macon]], [[Mobile County, Alabama|Mobile]], [[Monroe County, Alabama|Monroe]], [[Montgomery County, Alabama|Montgomery]], [[Pike County, Alabama|Pike]], [[Russell County, Alabama|Russell]], [[Washington County, Alabama|Washington]] and [[Wilcox County, Alabama|Wilcox]].<ref name="rome" />
+====Presbyterian Records====
+*Hall, James H.B. ''The History of the Cumberland, Presbyterian Church in Alabama Prior to 1826'' - ''Transactions of the Alabama Historical Society,'' Vol. 4 (1904):365-394. Digital version at [http://archive.org/stream/transactionsala03socigoog#page/n380/mode/2up Internet Archive]. Identifies "minute books" available for early Presbyteries. The early Presbyteries did not keep records of baptisms, marriages, and burials.
-For further information about local church records, please refer to county or city pages.
+===Correspond with or visit the actual churches.===
+Some records are still held in the local churches. Contact the current minister to find out what records are still available.
+*'''Make an appointment''' to look at the records. Or ask the minister of the church to make a copy of the record for you.
+*To find church staff available, you might have to visit on Sunday.
+*Ask for small searches at a time, such as one birth record or a specific marriage. Never ask for "everything on a family or surname".
+*A '''donation''' ($25-$40) for their time and effort to help you would be appropriate.
+*If the church has a website, you may be able to '''e-mail a message'''.
+*See the [[Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy|'''Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy''']] for help with composing letters.
+*Each [[United States Church Records#Searching for Church Records by Denomination|'''denomination page''']] offers an [[United States Church Records#Searching for Church Records by Denomination|'''online address directory of local churches''']] for that denomination.
-'''The Drouin Collection'''
+===Check the church records collections in archives and libraries.===
+Some church records have been deposited for preservation in government archives or in libraries. Watch for links to '''digitized, online records''' offered by the archives. Some archives provide '''research services''' for a fee. For others, if you cannot visit in person, you might hire a [https://algensoc.org/main/researchers.html '''researcher.''']
+<br>
-[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1111 Early U.S. French Catholic Church Records, 1695-1954]&nbsp; Ancestry ($). This database only contains the French Catholic parish records from the United States in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, and Pennsylvania. It is the U.S. part of the U.S. and French-Canadian Drouin Collection. For more details see ''[[The Drouin Collection: Six databases]]''
+<span style="color:DarkViolet">'''Here you will find archive information unique to the state. Many more archives are kept by denomination. For denominational  archives, go to  [[United States Church Records#Searching for Church Records by Denomination|'''Searching for Church Records by Denomination.''']]</span>
+====Birmingham Public Library====
+[http://www.bplonline.org/about/contact.aspx '''Birmingham Public Library''']<br>
+Park Place<br>
+Birmingham, Alabama 35203<br>
+Phone:(205) 226-3600<br>
+*[http://bpldb.bplonline.org/db/episcopal '''Alabama Episcopal Church Records''']. 1830's to 1970's. Index. The original parish registers are preserved in the Archives of the Birmingham Public Library as part of the records of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama. This database includes all information found in the registers. The registers are available to the public, but because of their age and fragility, it is not possible to make copies of pages from the registers.
-The types of records include baptisms, marriages, and burials as well as confirmations, dispensations, censuses, statements of readmission to the church, and so on. They are written mainly in French, as well as English, Latin, and Italian.
+====University Archives====
+'''Samford University Library'''<br>
+Lakeshore Drive<br>
+Birmingham, AL 35229<br>
+*[http://bpldb.bplonline.org/db/episcopal
+<br>
+Telephone:205-726-2196<br>
+E-mail: referenc@samford.edu<br>
+*[https://library3.samford.edu/search~S27/?searchtype=Y&searcharg=church+records&searchscope=27&m=&SORT=D '''Catalog of church records in Samford University libraries''']
+*[https://algensoc.org/main/researchers.html '''Alabama Genealogical Society AGS RESEARCHERS LIST''']
-'''State of Alabama'''
+====State Archives====
+[[File:Alabama Department of Archives and History.jpg|thumb|right|370px|<center>'''Alabama Department of Archives and History'''<br>'''Montgomery, Alabama'''</center>]]
+'''Alabama Department of Archives and History'''<br>
+P.O. Box 300100<br>
+Washington Ave.<br>
+Montgomery, AL 36130<br>
+<br>
+Telephone:334-242-4435<br>
-[http://www.archives.state.al.us/ Dept. of Archives and History]<br>624 Washington Ave.<br>Montgomery, AL 36130-3601<br>Collection includes:
+*[https://archives.alabama.gov/findaids/v8813_Denomination.pdf '''Finding Aid for Church and Synagogue Records Collections, 1805-2008'''] Browsable list. This collection contains the records of major denominations within Alabama, including '''Baptist, Catholic, Church of Christ, Episcopal, Jewish, Methodist and Presbyterian'''.
+**[http://www.archives.alabama.gov/AlChurchRecs/search.cfm '''Index to Churches in the Alabama Church and Synagogue Records Collection Database'''] at the Alabama Archives - index.
+*[https://archives.alabama.gov/referenc/newform2.html '''Research Request Form and Instructions''']
+*[https://archives.alabama.gov/ '''Website''']<br>
-*Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Mobile, Alabama)
+'''Collection includes: '''Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Mobile; family records 1700-1860, some Catholic school records, some Catholic newspapers, Catholic cemetery records, and funeral home records.'''
-*Family Records, 1700-1860
+====Lutheran====
-*Scattered issues of Mobile and Birmingham Catholic newspapers in originals
+[http://www.crumleyarchives.org '''James R. Crumley Jr. Archives''']<br>
-*Local Catholic cemetery gravestone transcriptions and funeral home records
+Main St.<br>
-*Items pertaining to Catholic education in Alabama (yearbooks, students and faculty lists), scattered localities and dates.
+Columbia, SC 29203 <br>
+<br>
+Phone: 803-461-3234<br>
+E-mail: crumleyarchivist@gmail.com<br>
+*Archives hold records for '''closed churches.'''  '''For open churches write directly to [[Lutheran Church in the United States#Correspond with or visit the actual churches.|the local church.''']]
-Some of the records of this diocese are available on microfilms at the Family History Library.
+====Roman Catholic====
+*[http://www.bhmdiocese.org/ '''Diocese of Birmingham''']<br>2121 3rd Ave.<br>P.O. Box 12047<br>North Birmingham, AL 35202-2047<br>Phone: (205) 838-8322 <br>
+All records are maintained in [https://www.bhmdiocese.org/parishfinder '''the local parishes.''']<br>
-Alabama church records are listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:
+The diocese includes the counties of: [[Bibb County, Alabama Genealogy|Bibb]], [[Blount County, Alabama Genealogy|Blount]], [[Calhoun County, Alabama Genealogy|Calhoun]], [[Chambers County, Alabama Genealogy|Chambers]], [[Cherokee County, Alabama Genealogy|Cherokee]], [[Chilton County, Alabama Genealogy|Chilton]], [[Clay County, Alabama Genealogy|Clay]], [[Cleburne County, Alabama Genealogy|Cleburne]], [[Colbert County, Alabama Genealogy|Colbert]], [[Coosa County, Alabama Genealogy|Coosa]], [[Cullman County, Alabama Genealogy|Cullman]] , [[DeKalb County, Alabama Genealogy|DeKalb]], [[Etowah County, Alabama Genealogy|Etowah]], [[Fayette County, Alabama Genealogy|Fayette]], [[Franklin County, Alabama Genealogy|Franklin]], [[Greene County, Alabama Genealogy|Greene]], [[Hale County, Alabama Genealogy|Hale]], [[Jackson County, Alabama Genealogy|Jackson]], [[Jefferson County, Alabama Genealogy|Jefferson]], [[Lamar County, Alabama Genealogy|Lamar]], [[Lauderdale County, Alabama Genealogy|Lauderdale]], [[Lawrence County, Alabama Genealogy|Lawrence]], [[Limestone County, Alabama Genealogy|Limestone]], [[Madison County, Alabama Genealogy|Madison]], [[Marengo County, Alabama Genealogy|Marengo]], [[Marion County, Alabama Genealogy|Marion]], [[Marshall County, Alabama Genealogy|Marshall]], [[Morgan County, Alabama Genealogy|Morgan]], [[Perry County, Alabama Genealogy|Perry]], [[Pickens County, Alabama Genealogy|Pickens]], [[Randolph County, Alabama Genealogy|Randolph]], [[Shelby County, Alabama Genealogy|Shelby]], [[Sumter County, Alabama Genealogy|Sumter]], [[St. Clair County, Alabama Genealogy|St. Clair]], [[Talladega County, Alabama Genealogy|Talladega]], [[Tallapoosa County, Alabama Genealogy|Tallapoosa]], [[Tuscaloosa County, Alabama Genealogy|Tuscaloosa]], [[Walker County, Alabama Genealogy|Walker]] and [[Winston County, Alabama Genealogy|Winston]].<ref name="rome">[https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=a945f185eab041378d595f6c0a7f628f Map of the Roman Catholic Dioceses in the United States of America], Office of Catholic Schools Diocese of Columbus, accessed 3 Nov 2010.</ref>
+----
+[[File:Mobile Cathedral, East view 20160712 1.jpg|thumb|300px|<center>'''Cathedral Basilica''' <br>'''of the Immaculate Conception''' <br>'''Mobile, Alabama'''</center>]]
+*[http://mobarch.org/ministries-offices/archives/ '''Archdiocese of Mobile Archives''']<br>14 S. Franklin St.<br>Mobile, AL 36602<br>Phone: (251) 415-3850
+*Except for the Cathedral, all records are maintained in [http://mobarch.org/about/parishes/ '''the local parishes.''']<br>
-:ALABAMA — '''CHURCH RECORDS'''
+"The records for the Cathedral parish from 1704-1739 have been published and are available for purchase by mail. Until more of our records are published, '''the archives will try to honor requests for individual sacramental information as staff/volunteer time is available'''.
-:ALABAMA, [COUNTY] — '''CHURCH RECORDS'''
+*Make each request in writing using [http://mobarch.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Genealogical_Research-Individual_Sacramental_Request2.pdf '''this form.'''] Print it, fill out as completely as possible for each record requested, and mail.
-:ALABAMA, [COUNTY], [TOWN] — '''CHURCH RECORDS'''
+*There is a $10 fee to search for each sacramental record requested. This is for the search, so it is payable regardless of whether we are able to find the record.
+*Please mail all forms with payment for the total number of requests.
+*We can only supply the information contained in the sacramental record (translated where applicable), not an official certificate and not a copy of the original entry.
+*We will not honor requests for research of general family lines." (In other words, request a specific event, but don't ask them to find everything about a family at once.)
-== Websites  ==
+The Archdiocese includes the counties of: [[Autauga County, Alabama Genealogy|Autauga]], [[Baldwin County, Alabama Genealogy|Baldwin]], [[Barbour County, Alabama Genealogy|Barbour]], [[Bullock County, Alabama Genealogy|Bullock]], [[Butler County, Alabama Genealogy|Butler]], [[Choctaw County, Alabama Genealogy|Choctaw]], [[Clarke County, Alabama Genealogy|Clarke]], [[Coffee County, Alabama Genealogy|Coffee]], [[Conecuh County, Alabama Genealogy|Conecuh]], [[Covington County, Alabama Genealogy|Covington]], [[Crenshaw County, Alabama Genealogy|Crenshaw]], [[Dale County, Alabama Genealogy|Dale]], [[Dallas County, Alabama Genealogy|Dallas]], [[Elmore County, Alabama Genealogy|Elmore]], [[Escambia County, Alabama Genealogy|Escambia]], [[Geneva County, Alabama Genealogy|Geneva]], [[Henry County, Alabama Genealogy|Henry]], [[Houston County, Alabama Genealogy|Houston]], [[Lee County, Alabama Genealogy|Lee]], [[Lowndes County, Alabama Genealogy|Lowndes]], [[Macon County, Alabama Genealogy|Macon]], [[Mobile County, Alabama Genealogy|Mobile]], [[Monroe County, Alabama Genealogy|Monroe]], [[Montgomery County, Alabama Genealogy|Montgomery]], [[Pike County, Alabama Genealogy|Pike]], [[Russell County, Alabama Genealogy|Russell]], [[Washington County, Alabama Genealogy|Washington]] and [[Wilcox County, Alabama Genealogy|Wilcox]].<ref name="rome" />
-*http://www.genealogy.com/5_grnwd.html
+===Correspond with genealogical or historical societies.===
-*http://www.accessgenealogy.com/church/alabama.htm
+Some church records have been given to historical societies. Also, historical societies may be able to tell you where the records are being held. To find a society near you, consult these lists:
-*http://www.censusfinder.com/alabama.htm
+*[https://altttp.genealogyvillage.com/societies.htm '''Historical & Genealogical Societies of Alabama''']
+*[https://archives.alabama.gov/Research/societies.pdf '''Alabama County Historical and Genealogical Societies''']
-== References  ==
+==Next, go to the Wiki article for your ancestors' denomination. ==
+There are frequently additional, nationwide or regional archives and online collections for each denomination.  Find the article for your ancestors' denomination and follow the instructions there to access these sources.
+{{Template:US-church-sidebar}}
+<br>
-{{reflist}}
+==Carefully compare any record you find to known facts about the ancestor==
+You will possibly find many different people with the '''same name as your ancestor,''' especially when a family stayed in a locality for several generations, and several children were named after the '''grandparents or aunts and uncles'''. Be prepared to find the correct church records by organizing in advance as many of these exact details about the ancestor '''as possible''':
+*'''name''', including '''middle name and maiden name'''
+*names of all '''spouses''', including middle and maiden name
+*exact or closely estimated '''dates of birth, marriage, and death'''
+*names and approximate birthdates of '''children'''
+*all known places of '''residence'''
+*'''occupations'''
+*'''military''' service details
+<br>
-{{Alabama|Alabama}}
+[[File:Dark_thin_font_green_pin_Version_4.png|50px]]'''Carefully evaluate''' the church records you find to make sure you have really found records for your ancestor and not just a '''"near match"'''. If one or more of the details do not line up, be careful about accepting the entry as your ancestor. There are guiding principles for deciding how to resolve discrepancies between records that are seemingly close. For more instruction in evaluating evidence, read the Wiki article, [[Evaluate the Evidence|'''Evaluate the Evidence'''.]]
-[[Category:Alabama|Church Records]]
+==References==
+<references/>
+{{USChurch}}
+[[Category:U S States Church records]]