Searching the Internet for Genealogical and Family History Records Welcome Spring 2019 1 Joseph Sell Gain confidence in your searching Using Genealogy sources to find records Course Objectives Improve your search skills Use research libraries and repositories 2 • All records are the product of human endeavor • To err is human • Not all records are online; most General records are in local repositories Comments • Find, check, and verify the accuracy of all information • The internet is a dynamic environment with content constantly changing 3 • Tip 1: Start with the basic facts, first name, last name, a date, and a place. • Tip 2: Learn to use control to filter hits. Tips to • Tip 3: Wildcards are a powerful tool for dealing with name Search variations. • Tip 4: Location can be a key search term. • Tip 5: Filter by location. 4 • Tip 6: Limit your scope. Can exclude trees, photos, or stories and publications. • Tip 7: Search records by type Tips to • Tip 8: Use the Category to see results by records or by Search categories. • Tip 9: Search a single collection • Tip 10: Read the collection description 5 Internet Genealogical Searching Census Topics • US • State • Foreign Major Web Sites 6 Google Search – Helpful Hints • Google • Example – •J A C Chandler “College of William and Mary” • site:findagrave.com David Clark 1714 •site:familysearch.org John F Kennedy 1917 • YouTube - Google Genealogy • Use of Google for Genealogical Searches video • Other videos on Genealogy 7 • “Clement Remington” Pennsylvania OR New Examples Jersey Using • “Civilian Conservation Google Corp” Colorado • “Moses Wade” Utah 8 Hint •Do not forget to bookmark or save as favorite sites that you like on your computer 9 Examples Civil Conversation Corp US Federal Census Native Americans British Isles Virginia Vital Records 10 Genealogy Articles, Tips and Research Guides (Joe Beine) • Census Records for the USA, Canada and Ireland • US Census Records – Research Tips and Clues 1790-1940 Research • Summary of Information of Provided in the 1940 Census and Where to Find Guides the Records Online The Family History Guide • Free learning, research, training, and activities center for family history 11 • Ancestry ($) • Free at the Library • FamilySearch • FindMyPast ($) • Free at FHC The Big • British Isles Records Genealogical • Developing US Catholic Records Web Site • HeritageQuestOnline • Free at Library or home via library card number • MyHeritage ($) • Free at FHC • World Vital Records 12 Links to Record Sources • LDS Genealogy • Free U.S. Genealogy Directory to Locate the Available Genealogy Records for a Specific Town, County, or State • FamilySearch Research Wiki • FamilyTreeMagazine 13 US Census • Every ten years beginning in 1790 States Census • Some States done in years ending in 5 up to 1935 or 1945 Census Foreign Census Records • Canada –evert ten years beginning in 1871 • UK- every ten years beginning in 1841 • Other Alternative to Census • City Directories 14 Helpful Guides to Census “DIGGING DETAILS US CENSUS FACTS BEGINNING CENSUS RESEARCH GUIDE FROM PRE-1850 US RESEARCH AND FOR STATES CENSUS” RECORD KEEPING CENSUSES 15 • Track your family back in time • Approximate birth years • Some birth location Usefulness information of the US • Estimate marriage dates Census • Immigration year beginning 1900 US census • Verify work of others 16 US beginning • 1850 – all family 1790 Head of Household members • 1871 – all family Census Canada members Records Great Britain • 1841 - all family beginning 1841 members 17 US Census 1790–1840 1880 1910–1940 Name Family and Headcount Name all Individuals, Age, Sex Name all Individuals, Age, Sex by age and Gender Color, Place of Birth, Relation Color, Place of Birth, Relation to Head of Household to Head of Household, Year of Birth Name all Individuals, Age, Sex Color, Place of Birth, Relation Name all Individuals, Age, Sex to Head of Household, Month Color, Place of Birth and Year of Birth 1850–1870 1900 18 19 Sources for US Census • HeritageQuest Online – via WRL • Select Heritage Quest and enter library card number • Ancestry.com via WRL or FHC or $ at home • Familysearch.org 1790-1940 transcriptions and some images • Archives.com - $ at home • CensusRecords.com - $ at home • CensusFinder – Portal to other sites • African American Census 20 Cautions Search Engines May need to and Indexes are search more than NOT the same for one database to the same database find ancestor Not all databases Creative spelling have every census of surname 21 Enumerator and Transcription Errors Unexpected Name Changes Age Discrepancies Cautions Geographic Wrong Turns Untimely Deaths Too Many Hits Who May Have Provided the Information 22 A Free site from the LDS FamilySearch.org Very Large Number of Databases Useful for Teaching tools 23 Search all collections or selected collection Name Modify by event FAMILYSEARCH • Birth • Residence • Marriage • Death Relationship 24 Appears in 1930 US Census; Died in 1938 Search for John Brosko found Where no records prior to 1930 is John Brosko Revised search • Search wife’s first name – Eva • Spouse - John • Her time of Birth – 1880-1890 • Residence – Delaware County, PA 25 In 1910 Census found John Brostko and family Unlocked other records using Found Brostko • 1920 US Census John • WWI Draft Registration • Ellis Island Immigration Brosko • Identified Brothers Alexander and Michael • Marriage License to Ewa Dzaiduch (Diduch) Lesson - May need to be creative in search strategy 26 27 Year of Birth – 25 Sep 1969 Calculated from age and date of death Place of Birth – Bear River, Nova Scotia Maiden Name - Graham Estella Kennedy Husband’s Name – George Edward Purdy Purdy Father’s name – George Graham Place of interment – Belmont Cemetery, Belmont Massachusetts Data from the Death Certificate 28 Familysearch.org Death certificate for Estella Purdy Find Estella Purdy Exercise Born c 1869, Nova Scotia Find Estella Graham Born c 1869, Nova Scotia 29 • In FamilySearch.org for Estella Graham / Estella Purdy • Canada Census: 1871, 1881, 1891 Exercise - • Birth of Daughter Beatrice What Did We • Canadian Marriage 15 Apr 1891 Find? • Mass. Marriage of Beatrice • Canada Census 1901, 1911 (Pardy) • US Border Crossing August 1917 • US Census 1920, 1930 30 • In Ancetry.com Estella Graham • Canada Census 1871, 1881, 1891, 1911 Exercise - What Did • In Ancetry.com Estella Purdy We Find? • Canada Census 1901, 1911 (Pardy) • US Border Crossing August 1917 31 • Need WRL Card for Home Access • http://www.wrl.org/ Cursor Over Collections Select Genealogy Example Select Heritage Quest using Enter Library Card Heritage Number Quest - WRL US Census Search Frank Gruber in 1900 in Pennsylvania born about 1840 in Louisiana 32 • Use Heritage Quest or FamilySearch to find ancestors in the US CENSUS • John F Kennedy born 1918 in MA Exercise • Theodore Roosevelt born 1857 in NY mother Martha • P T Barnum born 1810 CT • Find your ancestor(s) 33 Special and States Censuses – Usually in the “5” years Slave Schedules (1850-1860) Morality Schedules (1850-1885) Alternative to US Agricultural Schedules (1850-1880) Censuses Manufacturing and Industry Schedules (1820, 1850-1880) Veterans Schedule (1840-1890) City Directories 34 Fold3.com • At FHC and WRL Genealogy Computer New York City Directories City • 1786-1922/3 work in progress Directories Ancestory.com ($) Online Historical Directories • Links to online city directories 35 Examples from City Directories • Massachusetts> Boston> 1789> Revere • Pennsylvania> Philadelphia> 1785> Franklin • New York>New York City> 1790 >Hamilton 36 State Tax Lists Finding And – e.g. North Using Tax Carolina Records Tax Records Income Tax Records of the Civil War Years 37 Alternative Sources for Missing Records Home and Family Sources Town and State Vital Records Census Records Bounty Land Records Military Records Pension Records (State and Federal) Church Records Newspapers Manuscripts and Diaries Cemetery Records Business and Employment Records Complied Biographies School and College Records Appellate Court Records Federal Land Records Records of fraternal orders and lodges 38 • Canadian • National Archives of Canada - images on-line • Ancestry.com • Familysearch.org Sources • UK and Wales 1841-1911 • Findmypast ($ or FHC/WRL genealogy Foreign computer) Census • Free UK Census 1841-1891 • Familysearch.org • England and Wales 1841-1911 • Scotland 1841-1891 • Some other European locations 39 • Use Foreign Census Exercise Foreign/Alternative Census Search • HeritageQuest via WRL 40 • HOW TO FIND YOUR FAMILY Online Guide HISTORY & CULTURAL ROOTS: to An Online Guide Genealogical Sites • Introductory guide for starting internet genealogical study (2004) 41 Other Sites for Genealogy • Access Genealogy • American Ancestors ($) • New England Historic Genealogical Society • USGenWeb 42 Family History and Genealogy Magazine Family Tree Magazine (at Internet Genealogy Magazine WRL or $) ($) Genealogy and family Using online resources; history with topics include focuses entirely on Internet resource guides for specific genealogy. ethnicities, technology how- to articles, history and genealogy news 43 • Death Records • Vital Records Topics • Military Records • Church Records • Record Keeping – Family Trees (On- line and Genealogical Software) 44 Primary Source Information (record generated at time of event) • Name, date of death, location of Data on death, cause of death, burial location Death Secondary Source Information Certificates (record generated after time of event) • Names of spouse, parents, place and