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- United States
U.S. GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH CHECKLIST
GOALS:
FAMILY NAME .......................................................................
PLACE / LOCALITY ................................................................
DATE/EVENT ........................................................................
I. REFERENCE AIDS
□ research guides and handbooks = "how-to", research methods
□ library inventories = availability and access of records
[start with FHL Catalog online]
□ maps, gazetteers, finding aids = geography, locations, changes of place names
II. SOURCES FOR SURVEYING PREVIOUS RESEARCH
□ family and home sources = compiled stories and genealogies, traditions
□ databases = compiled genealogies and indexes [beware of errors and duplication]
√ LDS Ancestral File √ LDS Pedigree Resource File
√ International Genealogical Index
√ other mega Internet files: ………………………………………………
□ local histories, biographies = stories, history, life sketches of settlers
III. SOURCES FOR ORIGINAL RESEARCH
A. Preliminary materials
□ family and home sources = vital statistics, memorabilia, family documents
□ directories = residence, occupation
B. Vital records (civil and church)
□ birth or christening = date and place of birth, parentage, religion
□ marriage = date and place of marriage, age, parents, witnesses
□ death = date and place of death and birth, spouse, cause of death, burial place
□ cemetery, sexton = age, death date and place, spouse, residence, birth
C. Census records
□ indexes = year, state and county of residence [most now on Internet]
□ federal enumerations = age, occupation, residence, place of origin, family
□ state and special lists = age, occupation, residence, origin, family
D. Probate court records
□ wills = family links, property ownership, place of death
□ administrations, etc. = relatives, property settlement
E. Land and property records
□ deeds or mortgages = spouse, residence, property ownership
□ grants and surveys = residence, property ownership
F. Court records
□ civil and criminal = lawsuits, debts, occupation, lifestyle
□ adoption, guardianship = relatives, lifestyle
□ divorce = vital statistics, family links, residences
G. Naturalization and citizenship records
□ declarations of intention = birth date and place, arrival, residence
□ petitions = birth date and place, arrival, residence, occupation, etc.
□ oaths, final certificates = place or court of prior naturalization applications
H. Emigration and immigration records
□ passenger lists = age, occupation, origin, family members, arrival
□ border crossings = birthplace, relatives, arrival, occupation
□ passport applications = birth date and place, occupation, description
I. Military records
□ pension files = age, spouse, heirs, occupation, residence, birthplace
□ service files = rank, unit, age, physical description
□ bounty land records = age, residence, military service
J. Miscellaneous records
□ tax, school, voting, commercial = residence, occupation, age
□ lineage society files = biography, family links, vital statistics
□ newspapers, obituaries = vital statistics, residence, occupation
□ others (family Bibles, funeral homes, prisons, etc.)
IV. LOCATIONS OF RECORDS (list those near you)
□ LDS Family History Centers ..................................................
□ LDS Family History Library ...................................................
□ Public and university libraries ................................................
□ Genealogical & historical societies .........................................
□ Local courthouses ..............................................................
□ Church archives ................................................................
□ National Archives & regional branches ....................................
□ Others .........................................................................
P.S.: ORGANIZING THE SEARCH
◘ family group records ◘ pedigree chart
◘ research logs ◘ other forms or software:
Learn to gather, evaluate, and organize historical documents. The better you describe a search or a source, the more focused you will be, and less likely to repeat a search. The more you are organized, the more accurate the results will be. One pedigree chart is your first ‘road map’.
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