Florida Church Records
| Florida Wiki Topics |
|
| Beginning Research |
| Record Types |
|
| Florida Background |
| Cultural Groups |
| Local Research Resources |
Online Resources
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. Records may include names of other relatives who were witnesses or members of the congregation. The members of some churches were predominantly of one nationality or ethnic group.
Before 1900 the largest religious groups in Florida were the Baptist, Methodist-Episcopal (now United Methodist) and Roman Catholic.[1]
The Family History Library has a few original records of Florida churches and some materials that have been published by the DAR and others.
For more information about churches in Florida, see:
- A Preliminary List of Religious Bodies in Florida. Jacksonville, Florida: Historical Records Survey, 1939. FHL Collection book 975.9 K2ha; film 1036590 item 6; fiche 6019561
- Guide to the Supplementary Vital Statistics from Church Records in Florida. Three Volumes. Jacksonville, Florida: Historical Records Survey, 1942. FHL Collection book 975.9 V2h; film 1425703, item 6
Some denominations have collected their records into central repositories. You can write to the following addresses to learn where their records are located:
Baptist
Florida Baptist Historical Society
5400 College Drive
Graceville, FL 32440
Phone: (800) 328-2660, x-480
Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives
The Southern Baptist Convention Building
901 Commerce St., #400
Nashville, TN 37203-3630
phone: (615) 244-0344
The Family History Library has microfilms of some of the minutes and membership lists from the Southern Baptist Historical Commission.
Many of the Baptist associations and their records are described in:
- Inventory of the Church Archives of Florida: Baptist Bodies. Jacksonville, Fla.: Historical Records Survey, 1939-1940; FHL Collection book 975.9 K2h; film 1036585 item 4
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
Early church records, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for Florida wards and branches can be found on film and are located at the Family History Library. The film numbers, for each ward, can be locate through the FamilySearch Catalog.
Another way to find the film numbers is to refer 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.
Methodist
Florida United Methodist Archives
Roux Library - Florida Southern College
111 Lake Hollingsworth Drive
P.O. Box 3767
Lakeland, FL 33801-5698
Phone: (863) 680-4164
United Methodist Archives Center
Drew University
36 Madison Avenue
Madison NJ 07940
Phone: (973) 408-3000
For a history of the Methodist Church in Florida, see:
- Smith, George G. The History of Methodism in Georgia and Florida: From 1785 to 1865. Macon, Ga.: Jno. W. Burke and Company, 1877; FHL Collection book 975 K2s; fiche 6048432
Roman Catholic
9401 Biscayne Boulevard
Miami Shores, FL 33138
Telephone: (305) 757-6241
Fax: (305) 754-1797
The Archdiocese includes the counties of: Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe.[2]
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 1800
Orlando, Florida 32802-1800
Physical Address:
50 East Robinson
Orlando, Florida 32801
Telephone: 407-246-4800
Fax: 407-246-4942
E-mail: cbrinati@orlandodiocese.org
The diocese includes the counties of: Brevard, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia.[2]
9995 N. Military Trail
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
Phone: (561) 775-9500
The diocese includes the counties of: Indian River , Martin , Okeechobee , Palm Beach and St. Lucie . [2]
-Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee
11 North B St.
Pensacola, FL 32502
Phone: (850) 435-3500
The diocese includes the counties of: Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Taylor, Wakulla, Walton and Washington.[2]
-Diocese of St. Augustine Archives
P.O. Box 3506
St. Augustine, FL 32085
Phone: (904) 823-8707 or (904) 806-2131
The diocese includes the counties of: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee and Union.[2]
6363 9th Ave. N
St. Petersburg, FL 33710
Phone: (727) 344-1611
The diocese includes the counties of: Citrus, Hernondo, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas.[2]
-Diocese of Venice
1000 Pinebrook Road
Venice, FL 34285
Phone: (941) 484-9543
The diocese includes the counties of: Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Manatee and Sarasota.[2]
- The Family History Library has 14 microfilms of records for the years 1594 to 1924 from the main cathedral in St. Augustine.
Other early records are described in:
- McAvoy, Thomas T. Guide to the Microfilm Edition of the Records of the Diocese of Louisiana and the Floridas, 1576-1803. Notre Dame, Ind.: University of Notre Dame Archives, 1976. FHL Book 973 K23m.
Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:
- Florida Births and Christenings (FamilySearch Historical Records)
- Florida Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)
- Florida Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)
References
- ↑ Sydney E. Ahlstrom, A Religious History of the American People (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1972). FHL Book 973 K2ah.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Map of the Roman Catholic Dioceses in the United States of America, Office of Catholic Schools Diocese of Columbus, accessed 3 Nov 2010.
| ||||||