Kentucky Church Records: Difference between revisions

Olson, Mary M. A Complete Index to Webb’s Centenary of Catholicity in Kentucky: Including an Appendix on All Catholic Churches and Missions in Kentucky. Rineyville, Ky.: M.M. Olson, 1983. FS Catalog book 976.9 K2w index

Sketches of the Early Catholic Missions of Kentucky, 1787 to 1827. Spalding, M. J. Louisville, Ky.: B.J. Webb & Brother, 1844. Indexed by surname.

Methodist

The history of Methodism in Kentucky ($), index. Vol. 2

Presbyterian

History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 2nd ed. Nashville, Tennessee: Board of Publication of Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1888.
Shane Manuscript Collection. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1966–1967. FS Library Film 498615 (1st of 36 films). An index to the Kentucky papers in this collection is: Hall, William K. The Shane Manuscript Collection: A Genealogical Guide to the Kentucky and Ohio Papers. Galveston, Texas: Frontier Press, 1990. FS Library Book 974.811 A3h. This name index shows the Shane Manuscript reel number and the corresponding FS Library film number. WorldCat

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, Kentucky.

b. Click on Places within United States, Kentucky 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, Kentucky [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.

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.

Baptist

1750-1899 U.S., Southern Baptist Church Records, 1750-1899 at Ancestry - index & images ($)

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Archives and Special Collections
Boyce Centennial Library
2825 Lexington Road
Louisville, KY 40280
E-mail: archives@sbts.edu

It has Baptist Church histories and Southern Seminary information and photographs. It also has minutes from Baptist Churches and Baptist Church associations. Mostly the records are from Southern Baptists, but there are also records from American, "colored," and Primitive Baptist congregations. Minute books do not contain birth, marriage, or death information. They may, however, help to verify the membership of an individual, tell if someone was disciplined for offenses, or track the movement of a minister.

Lutheran

ELCA Region 6 Archives
Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University
2199 East Main Street
Columbus, OH 43209-2334

Phone: (614) 236-6855
E-mail: reg6archives@capital.edu

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

Methodist

The state of Kentucky is covered by two Methodist conferences that oversee the missions and business of the church. The Kentucky Annual Conference oversees the majority of the churches in Kentucky, while the Redbird Missionary Conference oversees the state’s Southeastern counties. The conferences have collected records from churches that have closed. Records of existing congregations are generally still in the churches.

Kentucky Annual Conference
2000 Warrington Way
Browenton Building, Suite 28
Louisville, KY 40222-340
Telephone: 1-502-425-388
Fax: 1-502-426-5181

Redbird Mission Conference
6 Queendale Center
Beverley, KY 40913
Telephone: 1-606-598-5915
Fax: 1-606-598-6405

Roman Catholic

Parish and Institutional Records Collection: Manuscripts and Microfilm This page lists the parish records held in the collection.

University of Notre Dame Archives Repository
607 Hesburgh Library
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556

Phone: (574) 631-6448
E-mail: archives@nd.edu

Catholic Church records collected by Francis P. Clark of Catholic parishes that closed during the 1950s and following Vatican II throughout Kentucky and the Ohio Valley. During this era, when many Catholic parishes would close, the priests would throw out their old record books. Patrick developed relationships with priests throughout the region and personally visited closing parishes and collected record books, ephemera, and photographs which he later donated to the Notre Dame University Archives where he worked as supervisor of the microfilm department.

Records of existing Catholic parishes are generally kept in the individual churches, though copies of the sacramental records are sent to the appropriate diocese.

Diocese of Covington

Records are maintained at the parish level.
The Diocese of Covington serves the following Kentucky counties: Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Fleming, Gallatin, Grant, Harrison, Kenton, Lewis, Mason, Owen, Pendleton.^[2]

Diocese of Lexington

Records are maintained at the parish level.
The Diocese of Lexington serves the following Kentucky counties: Anderson, Bath, Bell, Boyd, Bourbon, Boyle, Breathitt, Carter, Clark, Clay, Elliott, Estill, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Garrard, Greenup, Harlan, Harrison, Jackson, Jessamine, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lincoln, McCreary, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, Menifee, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Rowan, Scott, Wayne, Whitley, Wolfe, Woodford.

Archdiocese of Louisville

Records are maintained at the parish level.
The Archdiocese of Louisville serves the following Kentucky counties: Barren, Bullitt, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Green, Hardin, Hart, Henry, Jefferson, Larue, Marion, Meade, Metcalfe, Monroe, Nelson, Oldham, Russell, Shelby, Spencer, Taylor, Trimble, Washington.

Diocese of Owensboro

Office of Archives and Records
McRaith Catholic Center
600 Locust Street
Owensboro, KY 42301

Phone:270-683-1545
E-mail: archives@pastoral.org

Sacramental Registers in the Archives Sacramental records created 72 or more years ago are open and available for research use.

The Archives currently holds registers that contain sacramental records dating from 1868 to 1996 for approximately 23 parishes, missions, and religious communities within the current boundaries of the Diocese of Owensboro. The bulk of these records date from the mid-1870s through the 1940s, and most were created by parishes that are now closed or merged with other parishes. This link has a complete browsable list of records available.

For open parishes, direct requests to the local parish.

The Diocese of Owensboro serves the following Kentucky counties: Allen, Ballard, Breckinridge, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Daviess, Edmonson, Fulton, Graves, Grayson, Hancock, Henderson, Hickman, Hopkins, Livingston, Logan, Lyon, McCracken, McLean, Marshall, Meade, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Simpson, Todd, Trigg, Union, Warren, Webster.

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

↑ Sydney E. Ahlstrom, A Religious History of the American People (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1972). FS Library Book 973 K2ah.
↑ Map of the Roman Catholic Dioceses in the United States of America, Office of Catholic Schools Diocese of Columbus, accessed 3 Nov 2010.

[1] Sydney E. Ahlstrom, A Religious History of the American People (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1972). FS Library Book 973 K2ah.

[rome-2] 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 8: / Line 8: @@
 }}
-===Online Resources===
+<div style="float:right; margin:30px">
+{|
+|-
+|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''']]
+|-
+|
+[[Image:Kentucky churches.png|thumb|right|500px]]
+|}
+</div>
+------
+==Historical Background==
+Before 1900 the largest religious groups in [[Kentucky, United States Genealogy|Kentucky]] were the [[Baptist Church in the United States|'''Baptist''']], [[Methodist Church in the United States|'''Methodist''']], [[Roman Catholic Church in the United States|'''Roman Catholic''']], and [[Presbyterian Church in the United States|'''Presbyterian''']] churches.<ref>Sydney E. Ahlstrom, ''A Religious History of the American People'' (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1972). {{FSC|282712|item|disp=FS Library Book 973 K2ah}}.</ref>
-*[https://books.google.com/books?id=_6zVAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false A History of Kentucky Baptists: From 1769 to 1885, Including More Than 800 Biographical Sketches, Volume 2].
+==Information Found in the Records==
-*[https://books.google.com/books?id=f9gpAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false The Ministerial Directory of the Baptist Churches in the United States of America] with biographies
+To effectively use church records, become familiar with their content. Click on these links to learn about a specific record type:
-*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=26765 The history of Methodism in Kentucky], ($), index. [http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89067565259;view=1up;seq=7 Vol. 2]<br><br>
+{|
+|-
+|style="vertical-align:top; padding-right:30px"|
+*[[What Can I Find in U.S. Church Records?#Baptisms or Christenings|Baptisms or Christenings]]
+*[[What Can I Find in U.S. Church Records?#Marriages|Marriages]]
+|style="vertical-align:top; padding-right:30px"|
+*[[What Can I Find in U.S. Church Records?#Funerals or Burials|Funerals or Burials]]
+*[[What Can I Find in U.S. Church Records?#Membership Lists|Membership Lists]]
+|style="vertical-align:top; padding-right:30px"|
+*[[What Can I Find in U.S. Church Records?#Minutes or Historical Narrative|Minutes or Historical Narrative]]
+|}
-{{Adoption KYGenWeb}}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 ages; dates of baptism, christening, or birth; death information; and marriage information such as a brides’ maiden name and the names of both sets of parents. Records may include other relatives who were witnesses or members of the congregation. The members of some churches were predominately of one nationality or ethnic group.
+==Finding the Records==
+===Look for online records.===
-<br>Before 1900 the largest religious groups in [[Kentucky, United States Genealogy|Kentucky]] were the [[Baptist Church in the United States|Baptist]], [[Methodist Church in the United States|Methodist]], [[Roman Catholic Church in the United States|Roman Catholic]], and [[Presbyterian Church in the United States|Presbyterian]] 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>
+<br>
-The [[Family History Library|Family History Library]] has copies of some original church records, as well as published transcripts and histories.
+*'''1818-1995''' {{RecordSearch|2790250|Kentucky, Church Records, 1818-1995}} Index and images, incomplete - [[Kentucky Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]
+*'''1839-1960''' {{RecordSearch|1674843|Kentucky, Births and Christenings, 1839-1960}} Index only, incomplete - [[Kentucky Births and Christenings - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]
+*'''1785-1979''' {{RecordSearch|1674849|Kentucky, Marriages, 1785-1979}} Index only. - [[Kentucky Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]
-Many denominations have collected their records into central repositories. You can write to the following addresses to learn where their records are located.
+*'''1843-1970''' {{RecordSearch|1674848|Kentucky, Deaths and Burials, 1843-1970}} Index only. - [[Kentucky Deaths and Burials - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]
-===Non-Denominational===
-Ruth E. Browning abstracted names and events from '''[http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/resources/index/index.html The Christian Messenger]''' and created an every name index. The Christian Messenger was a religious newspaper during the 1800's which included "letters with information about the churches, obituaries, death notices, names of subscribers, letters from preachers, etc."<ref>Ruth E. Browning, ''Name Index to the Christian Messenger'' at http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/resources/index/index.html</ref>&nbsp; The information abstracted from this newspaper came from several counties in Kentucky.
+====Online Books====
+=====Baptist=====
+*'''1750-1899''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62267/ U.S., Southern Baptist Church Records, 1750-1899] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/760362 '''''A History of Baptists in Kentucky.'''''] Frank M. Masters. Louisville, Kentucky: Kentucky Baptist Historical Society, 1953''.
+*[https://archive.org/details/historyofkentuck01inspen '''''A History of Kentucky Baptists: From 1769 to 1885, Including More Than 800 Biographical Sketches'''''. Vol. 1] [https://archive.org/details/historyofkentuck02inspen Vol. 2]  Spencer, John H; Spencer, Burrilla B., ed
+*[http://books.google.com/books?id=f9gpAAAAYAAJ '''''The Ministerial Directory of the Baptist Churches in the United States of America.'''''] George William Lasher Oxford, Ohio: Ministerial Directory Co., 1899.
-The [https://kygs.org/ Kentucky Genealogical Society] maintains a digitized archive of family bible records that have been donated by people with Kentucky ancestors. Members can access an archive of the digital scans through the kygs.org website.
+=====Catholic=====
+* [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/70285 '''''The Centenary of Catholicity in Kentucky''.'''] Webb, Benjamin J. Louisville, Ky.: Charles A. Rogers, 1884.
+::Olson, Mary M. ''A Complete Index to Webb’s Centenary of Catholicity in Kentucky: Including an Appendix on All Catholic Churches and Missions in Kentucky''. Rineyville, Ky.: M.M. Olson, 1983. {{FSC|303205|item|disp=FS Catalog book 976.9 K2w index}}
+*[https://www.archive.org/details/sketchesofearlyc00spal '''''Sketches of the Early Catholic Missions of Kentucky, 1787 to 1827'''''.] Spalding, M. J.  Louisville, Ky.: B.J. Webb &amp; Brother, 1844. Indexed by surname.
+=====Methodist=====
+*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=26765 '''The history of Methodism in Kentucky'''] ($), index. [http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89067565259;view=1up;seq=7 Vol. 2]<br><br>
-===Baptist===
+=====Presbyterian=====
+*[https://books.google.com/books?id=qtFLAAAAMAAJ '''''History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 2nd ed''.'''] Nashville, Tennessee: Board of Publication of Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1888.
+*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/439629 '''''Shane Manuscript Collection''''']. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1966–1967. {{FSC|439629|item|disp=FS Library Film 498615 (1st of 36 films)}}. An index to the Kentucky papers in this collection is: Hall, William K. ''The Shane Manuscript Collection: A Genealogical Guide to the Kentucky and Ohio Papers''. Galveston, Texas: Frontier Press, 1990. {{FSC|525495|item|disp=FS Library Book 974.811 A3h}}. This name index shows the Shane Manuscript reel number and the corresponding FS Library film number. [https://www.worldcat.org/title/shane-manuscript-collection-a-genealogical-guide-to-the-kentucky-and-ohio-papers/oclc/23174419 '''WorldCat]
-The Baptist Churches in Kentucky have no central repository for their records. Baptist minutes and other records were kept by the clerk of each congregation. Many clerks considered the papers their personal property and upon their death their papers often became the property of their descendants. As a result, many Baptist records were lost or remain unaccounted for. A few clerks passed the records to their successors, and the records remained with the church. Some Baptist records have been donated to public libraries or historical and genealogical societies. At the Archives of the Kentucky Baptist Convention (formerly the Kentucky Baptist Historical Society) there are no congregation records, nor does staff know where specific congregation records may be found. The staff can, however, provide addresses of Kentucky congregations when the name of a church is known. The address of the archive is:
+===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=36&query=%2Bplace%3A%22United%20States%2C%20Kentucky%22 '''records of United States, Kentucky'''].
+:::b. Click on '''Places within United States, Kentucky''' 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, Kentucky [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.
+-----
-'''Archives of Kentucky Baptist Convention'''<br>10701 Shelbyville Road<br>Middletown, KY 40243-0433<br>Telephone: 1-502-245-4101<br>The mailing address is:<br>P.O. Box 43433<br>Louisville, KY 40253-0433&nbsp;
+===Consult available finding aids.===
-The major repository for Southern Baptist records in Kentucky is the Archives and Special Collections department of:
+'''These aids generally provide lists of records that are known to exist and information on their location.'''
-[http://library.sbts.edu/ '''Southern Baptist Theological Seminary''']<br>Boyce Centennial Library<br>2825 Lexington Road<br>Louisville, KY 40280<br>E-mail: [mailto:archives@sbts.edu archives@sbts.edu]
+===Correspond with or visit the actual churches.===
-<div style="width: 100%; float: left">
+Some records are still held in the local churches. Contact the current minister to find out what records are still available.
-[[Image:Kentucky churches.png|thumb|right|400px]]
+*'''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-$40) for their time and effort to help you would be appropriate.
+*If the church has a website, you may be able to '''e-mail a message'''.
+*See the [[Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy|'''Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy''']] for help with composing letters.
+*Each [[United States Church Records#Searching for Church Records by Denomination|'''denomination page''']] offers an [[United States Church Records#Searching for Church Records by Denomination|'''online address directory of local churches''']] for that denomination.
-It has Baptist Church histories and Southern Seminary information and photographs. It also has minutes from Baptist Churches and Baptist Church associations. Mostly the records are from Southern Baptists, but there are also records from American, "colored," and Primitive Baptist congregations. Minute books do not contain birth, marriage, or death information. They may, however, help to verify the membership of an individual, tell if someone was disciplined for offenses, or track the movement of a minister.
+===Check the church records collections in archives and libraries.===
+Some church records have been deposited for preservation in government archives or in libraries. Watch for links to '''digitized, online records''' offered by the archives. Some archives provide '''research services''' for a fee. For others, if you cannot visit in person, you might hire a researcher.<br>
+<br>
+<span style="color:DarkViolet">'''Here you will find archive information unique to the state. Many more archives are kept by denomination. For denominational  archives, go to  [[United States Church Records#Searching for Church Records by Denomination|'''Searching for Church Records by Denomination.''']]</span>
+====Baptist====
+*'''1750-1899''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62267/ U.S., Southern Baptist Church Records, 1750-1899] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+[http://library.sbts.edu/ '''Southern Baptist Theological Seminary''']<br>Archives and Special Collections<br>Boyce Centennial Library<br>2825 Lexington Road<br>Louisville, KY 40280<br>E-mail: [mailto:archives@sbts.edu archives@sbts.edu] <br>
+:It has Baptist Church histories and Southern Seminary information and photographs. It also has minutes from Baptist Churches and Baptist Church associations. Mostly the records are from Southern Baptists, but there are also records from American, "colored," and Primitive Baptist congregations. Minute books do not contain birth, marriage, or death information. They may, however, help to verify the membership of an individual, tell if someone was disciplined for offenses, or track the movement of a minister.
-Minutes and sacramental records of some Southern Baptist congregations have also been sent to the following Tennessee archive:
+====Lutheran====
+[http://www.capital.edu/elca-region-6-archives/ '''ELCA Region 6 Archives''']<br>
+Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University<br>
+East Main Street<br>
+Columbus, OH 43209-2334<br>
+<br>
+Phone: (614) 236-6855<br>
+E-mail: reg6archives@capital.edu<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.''']]
-'''[http://www.sbhla.org Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives]'''<br>The Southern Baptist Convention Building<br>901 Commerce Street #400<br>Nashville TN 37203-3630<br>Telephone 1-615-244-0344
-Histories of the Baptist Church in Kentucky include:
+====Methodist====
+The state of Kentucky is covered by two Methodist conferences that oversee the missions and business of the church. The Kentucky Annual Conference oversees the majority of the churches in Kentucky, while the Redbird Missionary Conference oversees the state’s Southeastern counties. <span style="color:DarkViolet">'''The conferences have collected records from churches that have closed. Records of existing congregations are generally still in the churches. '''</span>
-*''Baptists in Kentucky 1776–1976''. A Bicentennial Volume Middletown Ky Kentucky Baptist Convention 1975 (Not at Family History Library)
-*Masters, Frank M. ''A History of Baptists in Kentucky. Louisville, Kentucky: Kentucky Baptist Historical Society, 1953''. {{FHL|760362|item}} 976.9 K2ma This history is currently being brought up to date. It is indexed.
-*Spencer, John H. ''A History of Kentucky Baptists: From 1769 to 1885, Including More Than 800 Biographical Sketches''. 2 vols. Cincinnati, Ohio: J. R. Baumes, [1886]. Digital versions of Volume 1 at [http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/spencer.ky.baptist.vol.1.html Baptist History Homepage]&nbsp;and [http://books.google.com/books?id=DXzZAAAAMAAJ Google Books]; digital versions of Volume 2 at [http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/spencer.ky.baptist.vol.2.html Baptist History Homepage] and [http://books.google.com/books?id=_6zVAAAAMAAJ Google Books]; {{FHL|131107|item|disp=FHL book 976.9 K2s}}. This book includes biographies and is indexed.
-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].
-Other Kentucky Baptist collections include:
-''Baptist Association Minutes: Collection of the Baptist Bible College-Mayfield, Kentucky- Associations in Kentucky, Tennessee, illinois and Other Miscellaneous Items. ''Murray, Kentucky&nbsp;: Special Collections Division, Murray State University, 1970.
-===Methodist===
-The state of Kentucky is covered by two Methodist conferences that oversee the missions and business of the church. The conferences have collected records from churches that have closed. Records of existing congregations are generally still in the churches. The Kentucky Annual Conference oversees the majority of the churches in Kentucky, while the Redbird Missionary Conference oversees the state’s Southeastern counties.
 '''[http://www.kyumc.org/ Kentucky Annual Conference]'''<br>2000 Warrington Way<br>Browenton Building, Suite 28<br>Louisville, KY 40222-340<br>Telephone: 1-502-425-388<br>Fax: 1-502-426-5181
 '''[http://www.rbmission.org/ Redbird Mission Conference]'''<br>6 Queendale Center<br>Beverley, KY 40913<br>Telephone: 1-606-598-5915<br>Fax: 1-606-598-6405
-For background information about the Methodist Church, see:
+====Roman Catholic====
+*[https://archivesspace.library.nd.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/615460 '''Parish and Institutional Records Collection: Manuscripts and Microfilm'''] This page lists the parish records held in the collection.<br>
-*Arnold, William Erastus. ''A History of Methodism in Kentucky.'' 2 vols. Louisville, Kentucky: Herald Pub., 1935–1936. {{FHL|83656|item|disp=FHL book 976.9 K2a}} These books are indexed and contain a history of the Methodist Church before 1935.
+'''University of Notre Dame Archives Repository'''<br>
-*Short, Roy H. ''Methodism in Kentucky''. Rutland, Vermont.: Academy Books, 1979. (Not at Family History Library.)
+Hesburgh Library<br>
+Notre Dame, Indiana 46556 <br>
-===Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)===
+<br>
+Phone: (574) 631-6448<br>
-Early church records, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for&nbsp;Kentucky Wards and Branches can be found on film and are located at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. The film numbers, for each ward, can be locate through the [https://www.familysearch.org/#form=catalog FamilySearch Catalog] . Or by refering to Jaussi, Laureen R., and Gloria D. Chaston. Register of Genealogical Society Call Numbers. 2 vols. Provo, Utah: Genealogy Tree, 1982. (FHL book 979.2258 A3j; fiche 6031507). These volumes contain the film numbers for many (but not all) membership and temple record films.
+E-mail: archives@nd.edu<br>
+::Catholic Church records collected by Francis P. Clark of Catholic parishes that closed during the 1950s and following Vatican II throughout Kentucky and the Ohio Valley. During this era, when many Catholic parishes would close, the priests would throw out their old record books. Patrick developed relationships with priests throughout the region and personally visited closing parishes and collected record books, ephemera, and photographs which he later donated to the Notre Dame University Archives where he worked as supervisor of the microfilm department.
-===Roman Catholic===
+-----
+'''Records of existing Catholic parishes are generally kept in the individual churches, though copies of the sacramental records are sent to the appropriate diocese.'''
-Records of existing Catholic parishes are generally kept in the individual churches, though copies of the sacramental records are sent to the appropriate diocese. Sacramental records include baptisms and confirmations, which may contain marriage and burial information as well as godparents’ names. The diocesan archives also have some school records. The state of Kentucky is served by the following four Catholic dioceses:
+----
+:'''[http://www.covingtondiocese.org/ Diocese of Covington]'''<br>
-The '''Diocese of Covington''' serves the following Kentucky counties: [[Boone County, Kentucky Genealogy|Boone]], [[Bracken County, Kentucky Genealogy|Bracken]], [[Campbell County, Kentucky Genealogy|Campbell]], [[Carroll County, Kentucky Genealogy|Carroll]], [[Fleming County, Kentucky Genealogy|Fleming]], [[Gallatin County, Kentucky Genealogy|Gallatin]], [[Grant County, Kentucky Genealogy|Grant]], [[Harrison County, Kentucky Genealogy|Harrison]],&nbsp;[[Kenton County, Kentucky Genealogy|Kenton]], [[Lewis County, Kentucky Genealogy|Lewis]], [[Mason County, Kentucky Genealogy|Mason]], [[Owen County, Kentucky Genealogy|Owen]], [[Pendleton County, Kentucky Genealogy|Pendleton]].<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>
+Records are maintained [https://covdio.org/buildings-properties-2/parish-boundaries/ '''at the parish level.''']<br>
+The '''Diocese of Covington''' serves the following Kentucky counties: [[Boone County, Kentucky Genealogy|Boone]], [[Bracken County, Kentucky Genealogy|Bracken]], [[Campbell County, Kentucky Genealogy|Campbell]], [[Carroll County, Kentucky Genealogy|Carroll]], [[Fleming County, Kentucky Genealogy|Fleming]], [[Gallatin County, Kentucky Genealogy|Gallatin]], [[Grant County, Kentucky Genealogy|Grant]], [[Harrison County, Kentucky Genealogy|Harrison]], [[Kenton County, Kentucky Genealogy|Kenton]], [[Lewis County, Kentucky Genealogy|Lewis]], [[Mason County, Kentucky Genealogy|Mason]], [[Owen County, Kentucky Genealogy|Owen]], [[Pendleton County, Kentucky Genealogy|Pendleton]].<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>
-:'''[http://www.covingtondiocese.org/ Diocese of Covington]'''<br>Office of the Archive <br>P.O. Box 18548<br>Erlanger, KY 41018-0548<br>Telephone: 1-606-283-6210<br>Fax: 1-606-283-6334<br><br>
+----
+:'''[http://www.cdlex.org/ Diocese of Lexington]'''<br>
-The '''Diocese of Lexington''' serves the following Kentucky counties: [[Anderson County, Kentucky Genealogy|Anderson]], [[Bath County, Kentucky Genealogy|Bath]], [[Bell County, Kentucky Genealogy|Bell]], [[Boyd County, Kentucky Genealogy|Boyd]], [[Bourbon County, Kentucky Genealogy|Bourbon]], [[Boyle County, Kentucky Genealogy|Boyle]], [[Breathitt County, Kentucky Genealogy|Breathitt]],&nbsp;[[Carter County, Kentucky Genealogy|Carter]], [[Clark County, Kentucky Genealogy|Clark]], [[Clay County, Kentucky Genealogy|Clay]], [[Elliott County, Kentucky Genealogy|Elliott]], [[Estill County, Kentucky Genealogy|Estill]], [[Fayette County, Kentucky Genealogy|Fayette]], [[Floyd County, Kentucky Genealogy|Floyd]], [[Franklin County, Kentucky Genealogy|Franklin]], [[Garrard County, Kentucky Genealogy|Garrard]], [[Greenup County, Kentucky Genealogy|Greenup]], [[Harlan County, Kentucky Genealogy|Harlan]], [[Harrison County, Kentucky Genealogy|Harrison]], [[Jackson County, Kentucky Genealogy|Jackson]], [[Jessamine County, Kentucky Genealogy|Jessamine]], [[Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy|Johnson]], [[Knott County, Kentucky Genealogy|Knott]], [[Knox County, Kentucky Genealogy|Knox]], [[Laurel County, Kentucky Genealogy|Laurel]], [[Lawrence County, Kentucky Genealogy|Lawrence]], [[Lee County, Kentucky Genealogy|Lee]], [[Leslie County, Kentucky Genealogy|Leslie]], [[Letcher County, Kentucky Genealogy|Letcher]], [[Lincoln County, Kentucky Genealogy|Lincoln]], [[McCreary County, Kentucky Genealogy|McCreary]], [[Madison County, Kentucky Genealogy|Madison]], [[Magoffin County, Kentucky Genealogy|Magoffin]], [[Martin County, Kentucky Genealogy|Martin]], [[Menifee County, Kentucky Genealogy|Menifee]], [[Mercer County, Kentucky Genealogy|Mercer]], [[Montgomery County, Kentucky Genealogy|Montgomery]], [[Morgan County, Kentucky Genealogy|Morgan]], [[Nicholas County, Kentucky Genealogy|Nicholas]], [[Owsley County, Kentucky Genealogy|Owsley]], [[Perry County, Kentucky Genealogy|Perry]], [[Pike County, Kentucky Genealogy|Pike]], [[Powell County, Kentucky Genealogy|Powell]], [[Pulaski County, Kentucky Genealogy|Pulaski]], [[Rockcastle County, Kentucky Genealogy|Rockcastle]], [[Rowan County, Kentucky Genealogy|Rowan]], [[Scott County, Kentucky Genealogy|Scott]], [[Wayne County, Kentucky Genealogy|Wayne]], [[Whitley County, Kentucky Genealogy|Whitley]], [[Wolfe County, Kentucky Genealogy|Wolfe]], [[Woodford County, Kentucky Genealogy|Woodford]].
+Records are maintained [https://www.cdlex.org/parishfinder '''at the parish level.''']<br>The '''Diocese of Lexington''' serves the following Kentucky counties: [[Anderson County, Kentucky Genealogy|Anderson]], [[Bath County, Kentucky Genealogy|Bath]], [[Bell County, Kentucky Genealogy|Bell]], [[Boyd County, Kentucky Genealogy|Boyd]], [[Bourbon County, Kentucky Genealogy|Bourbon]], [[Boyle County, Kentucky Genealogy|Boyle]], [[Breathitt County, Kentucky Genealogy|Breathitt]], [[Carter County, Kentucky Genealogy|Carter]], [[Clark County, Kentucky Genealogy|Clark]], [[Clay County, Kentucky Genealogy|Clay]], [[Elliott County, Kentucky Genealogy|Elliott]], [[Estill County, Kentucky Genealogy|Estill]], [[Fayette County, Kentucky Genealogy|Fayette]], [[Floyd County, Kentucky Genealogy|Floyd]], [[Franklin County, Kentucky Genealogy|Franklin]], [[Garrard County, Kentucky Genealogy|Garrard]], [[Greenup County, Kentucky Genealogy|Greenup]], [[Harlan County, Kentucky Genealogy|Harlan]], [[Harrison County, Kentucky Genealogy|Harrison]], [[Jackson County, Kentucky Genealogy|Jackson]], [[Jessamine County, Kentucky Genealogy|Jessamine]], [[Johnson County, Kentucky Genealogy|Johnson]], [[Knott County, Kentucky Genealogy|Knott]], [[Knox County, Kentucky Genealogy|Knox]], [[Laurel County, Kentucky Genealogy|Laurel]], [[Lawrence County, Kentucky Genealogy|Lawrence]], [[Lee County, Kentucky Genealogy|Lee]], [[Leslie County, Kentucky Genealogy|Leslie]], [[Letcher County, Kentucky Genealogy|Letcher]], [[Lincoln County, Kentucky Genealogy|Lincoln]], [[McCreary County, Kentucky Genealogy|McCreary]], [[Madison County, Kentucky Genealogy|Madison]], [[Magoffin County, Kentucky Genealogy|Magoffin]], [[Martin County, Kentucky Genealogy|Martin]], [[Menifee County, Kentucky Genealogy|Menifee]], [[Mercer County, Kentucky Genealogy|Mercer]], [[Montgomery County, Kentucky Genealogy|Montgomery]], [[Morgan County, Kentucky Genealogy|Morgan]], [[Nicholas County, Kentucky Genealogy|Nicholas]], [[Owsley County, Kentucky Genealogy|Owsley]], [[Perry County, Kentucky Genealogy|Perry]], [[Pike County, Kentucky Genealogy|Pike]], [[Powell County, Kentucky Genealogy|Powell]], [[Pulaski County, Kentucky Genealogy|Pulaski]], [[Rockcastle County, Kentucky Genealogy|Rockcastle]], [[Rowan County, Kentucky Genealogy|Rowan]], [[Scott County, Kentucky Genealogy|Scott]], [[Wayne County, Kentucky Genealogy|Wayne]], [[Whitley County, Kentucky Genealogy|Whitley]], [[Wolfe County, Kentucky Genealogy|Wolfe]], [[Woodford County, Kentucky Genealogy|Woodford]].
-:'''[http://www.cdlex.org/ Diocese of Lexington]'''<br>1310 West Main Street<br>Lexington, KY 40508-2040<br>Telephone: 1-606-253-1993<br><br>
-Lexington is a relatively new diocese. It has copies of sacramental records from 1950 to the present; earlier records are in the Diocese of Covington.
+----
+:'''[https://www.archlou.org/services-directory/archdiocesan-agencies-facilities/archives/ Archdiocese of Louisville]'''<br>
+Records are maintained [https://www.archlou.org/parishes/find-a-parish/ '''at the parish level.''']<br>
 The '''Archdiocese of Louisville''' serves the following Kentucky counties: [[Barren County, Kentucky Genealogy|Barren]], [[Bullitt County, Kentucky Genealogy|Bullitt]], [[Casey County, Kentucky Genealogy|Casey]], [[Clinton County, Kentucky Genealogy|Clinton]], [[Cumberland County, Kentucky Genealogy|Cumberland]], [[Green County, Kentucky Genealogy|Green]], [[Hardin County, Kentucky Genealogy|Hardin]], [[Hart County, Kentucky Genealogy|Hart]], [[Henry County, Kentucky Genealogy|Henry]], [[Jefferson County, Kentucky Genealogy|Jefferson]], [[Larue County, Kentucky Genealogy|Larue]], [[Marion County, Kentucky Genealogy|Marion]], [[Meade County, Kentucky Genealogy|Meade]], [[Metcalfe County, Kentucky Genealogy|Metcalfe]], [[Monroe County, Kentucky Genealogy|Monroe]], [[Nelson County, Kentucky Genealogy|Nelson]], [[Oldham County, Kentucky Genealogy|Oldham]], [[Russell County, Kentucky Genealogy|Russell]], [[Shelby County, Kentucky Genealogy|Shelby]], [[Spencer County, Kentucky Genealogy|Spencer]], [[Taylor County, Kentucky Genealogy|Taylor]], [[Trimble County, Kentucky Genealogy|Trimble]], [[Washington County, Kentucky Genealogy|Washington]].
+----
-:'''[http://www.archlou.org/ Archdiocese of Louisville]'''<br>212 East College Street<br>Louisville, KY 40203<br>Telephone: 1-502-585-3291 <br><br>
+:[http://www.owensborodio.org/ '''Diocese of Owensboro''']<br>
+Office of Archives and Records<br>
+McRaith Catholic Center<br>
+Locust Street<br>
+Owensboro, KY 42301<br>
+<br>
+Phone:270-683-1545<br>
+E-mail: archives@pastoral.org<br>
+*[https://owensborodiocese.org/sacramental-registers-in-the-archives/?rform=0 '''Sacramental Registers in the Archives'''] Sacramental records created 72 or more years ago are open and available for research use.
+::The Archives currently holds registers that contain sacramental records dating from 1868 to 1996 for approximately 23 parishes, missions, and religious communities within the current boundaries of the Diocese of Owensboro. The bulk of these records date from the mid-1870s through the 1940s, and most were created by '''parishes that are now closed or merged with other parishes.''' This link has a complete browsable list of records available.
+*For open parishes, direct requests to [https://owensborodiocese.org/category/directory/parishes/ '''the local parish.''']<br>
 The '''Diocese of Owensboro''' serves the following Kentucky counties: [[Allen County, Kentucky Genealogy|Allen]], [[Ballard County, Kentucky Genealogy|Ballard]], [[Breckinridge County, Kentucky Genealogy|Breckinridge]], [[Caldwell County, Kentucky Genealogy|Caldwell]], [[Calloway County, Kentucky Genealogy|Calloway]], [[Carlisle County, Kentucky Genealogy|Carlisle]], [[Christian County, Kentucky Genealogy|Christian]], [[Crittenden County, Kentucky Genealogy|Crittenden]], [[Daviess County, Kentucky Genealogy|Daviess]], [[Edmonson County, Kentucky Genealogy|Edmonson]], [[Fulton County, Kentucky Genealogy|Fulton]], [[Graves County, Kentucky Genealogy|Graves]], [[Grayson County, Kentucky Genealogy|Grayson]], [[Hancock County, Kentucky Genealogy|Hancock]], [[Henderson County, Kentucky Genealogy|Henderson]], [[Hickman County, Kentucky Genealogy|Hickman]], [[Hopkins County, Kentucky Genealogy|Hopkins]], [[Livingston County, Kentucky Genealogy|Livingston]], [[Logan County, Kentucky Genealogy|Logan]], [[Lyon County, Kentucky Genealogy|Lyon]], [[McCracken County, Kentucky Genealogy|McCracken]], [[McLean County, Kentucky Genealogy|McLean]], [[Marshall County, Kentucky Genealogy|Marshall]], [[Meade County, Kentucky Genealogy|Meade]], [[Muhlenberg County, Kentucky Genealogy|Muhlenberg]], [[Ohio County, Kentucky Genealogy|Ohio]], [[Simpson County, Kentucky Genealogy|Simpson]], [[Todd County, Kentucky Genealogy|Todd]], [[Trigg County, Kentucky Genealogy|Trigg]], [[Union County, Kentucky Genealogy|Union]], [[Warren County, Kentucky Genealogy|Warren]], [[Webster County, Kentucky Genealogy|Webster]].
-:[http://www.owensborodio.org/ '''Diocese of Owensboro''']<br>Catholic Pastoral Center<br>600 Locust Street<br>Owensboro, KY 42301<br>Telephone: 1-502-683-1545
 :
+-----
-'''Notre Dame University Archives''' in South Bend, Indiana, maintains a large archive of Catholic Church records collected by Francis P. Clark of Catholic parishes that closed during the 1950s and following Vatican II throughout Kentucky and the Ohio Valley. During this era, when many Catholic parishes would close, the priests would throw out their old record books. Patrick developed relationships with priests throughout the region and personally visited closing parishes and collected record books, ephemera, and photographs which he later donated to the Notre Dame University Archives where he worked as supervisor of the microfilm department. If you are having trouble locating Catholic church records from throughout the Ohio Valley, you should contact the [http://archives.nd.edu/ Notre Dame University Archives] to see if they may have records for the parish you are researching.  <br>
-Histories:
-*Webb, Benjamin J. ''The Centenary of Catholicity in Kentucky''. Louisville, Ky.: Charles A. Rogers, 1884. Digital version&nbsp;at [http://www.archive.org/details/centenaryofcatho00webb Internet Archive].&nbsp;1980s reprint: {{FHL|70285|item|disp=FHL book 976.9 K2w}}. This work is indexed in:
-:*Olson, Mary M. ''A Complete Index to Webb’s Centenary of Catholicity in Kentucky: Including an Appendix on All Catholic Churches and Missions in Kentucky''. Rineyville, Ky.: M.M. Olson, 1983. {{FHL|303205|item|disp=FHL book 976.9 K2w index}}
-*Spalding, M. J. ''Sketches of the Early Catholic Missions of Kentucky, 1787 to 1827''. Louisville, Ky.: B.J. Webb &amp; Brother, 1844. Digital version at [http://www.archive.org/details/sketchesofearlyc00spal Internet Archive]; 1980s reprint: {{FHL|47506|item|disp=FHL book 976.9 K2sp}}. Indexed by surname.
-===Presbyterian===
-The records of the Presbyterian Churches are kept in the individual congregations. Records are only centralized when a congregation wants to have records archived or when a church closes. Records that have been archived are sent to one of the following two repositories:
-'''[http://www.history.pcusa.org/ Presbyterian Historical Society]<br>'''425 Lombard Street<br>Philadelphia, PA 19147-1516<br>Telephone: 1-215-627-1852
-'''[http://www.phcmontreat.org/ Presbyterian Historical Society]'''<br>318 Georgia Terrace<br>Montreat, NC 38757<br>Telephone: 1-828-669-7061<br>Fax: 1-828-669-5369<br>Their mailing address is:<br>Presbyterian Historical Society<br>P.O. Box 849<br>Montreat, NC 38757
-The above-mentioned archives collect papers of ministers and session, trustee, and women’s missionary society records. These records may contain information about members’ baptisms, marriages, and communions. The staff at the archives do not do research; however, you can do research in person for a small fee. A published guide to the holdings of the archives is mentioned in the [[United States Church Records|United States Church Records]]&nbsp;under the heading "Presbyterian."
-The Presbyterian Church in Kentucky is coordinated by the Louisville Presbyterian Seminary. The library of the seminary does not collect records of any congregations, but it does have ministerial directories with information on many ministers. The staff of the library can direct you to congregations in the state where records may be located. Inquiries to the Louisville Presbyterian Seminary should be directed to:
-'''The Library'''<br>[http://www.lpts.edu/ Louisville Presbyterian Seminary]<br>1044 Alta Vista Road<br>Louisville, KY 40205<br>Telephone: 1-502-895-3411<br>Fax: 1-502-895-1096&nbsp;
-For a history of early Presbyterians in Kentucky, see:
-*McDonnold, Benjamin Wilburn. ''History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 2nd ed''. Nashville, Tennessee: Board of Publication of Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1888. Digital version at [http://books.google.com/books?id=qtFLAAAAMAAJ Google Books];&nbsp;{{FHL|256478|item|disp=FHL Book 976 K2m}}. This early church covered parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. The book is indexed.
-*Weeks, Louis. ''Kentucky Presbyterians''. Atlanta, Ga.: John Knox Press, 1983. (Not at Family History Library.)
-A collection of historical, biographical, and genealogical records of the Presbyterian Church in the early days of Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania is:
+===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:
+<br>
-*''Shane Manuscript Collection''. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1966–1967. {{FHL|439629|item|disp=FHL Film 498615 (1st of 36 films)}}. An index to the Kentucky papers in this collection is:
+==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.
-:*Hall, William K. ''The Shane Manuscript Collection: A Genealogical Guide to the Kentucky and Ohio Papers''. Galveston, Texas: Frontier Press, 1990. {{FHL|525495|item|disp=FHL Book 974.811 A3h}}. This name index shows the Shane Manuscript reel number and the corresponding Family History Library film number.Cun
+{{Template:US-church-sidebar}}
+<br>
-====== '''''Cumberland Presbyterian Church''''' ======
-A collection of records related to Cumberland Presbyterian Church records from congregations through Kentucky can be found at the [http://www.cumberland.org/hfcpc/ Church Foundation archives website.]
-:
-For information on other denominations, see [[United States Church Records|United States Church Records]].<br>
+==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>
+[[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'''.]]
 ==References==