Delaware Research Outline Table of Contents Records Of The Family History Library Family History Library Catalog Archives And Libraries Bible Records Biography Business Records And Commerce Cemeteries Census Church Records Court Records Directories Emigration And Immigration Gazetteers Genealogy Guardianship Records History Land And Property Maps Military Records Naturalization And Citizenship Newspapers Periodicals Probate Records Slavery And Bondage Societies Taxation Vital Records Voting Registers For Further Reading Comments And Suggestions RESEARCH OUTLINE Delaware This outline describes major sources of information UNITED STATES - CENSUS about families from Delaware. As you read this DELAWARE - MILITARY RECORDS outline, study the United States Research Outline DELAWARE, NEW CASTLE - PROBATE (30972), which will help you understand RECORDS terminology and the contents and uses of DELAWARE, NEW CASTLE, WILMINGTON genealogical records. - CHURCH RECORDS The record type you want to search, such as: RECORDS OF THE FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY UNITED STATES - CENSUS DELAWARE - MILITARY RECORDS DELAWARE, NEW CASTLE - PROBATE The Family History Library has many of the RECORDS records described in this outline, including: DELAWARE, NEW CASTLE, WILMINGTON - CHURCH RECORDS • All available census records The section headings in this outline match the • Most available pre-1860 church, probate, court, names of record types used in the catalog. and land records ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES • Birth records to 1923, marriage records to 1954, and death records to 1955 The archives, libraries, and societies listed below have major collections or services helpful Most of the Delaware microfilms at the Family to genealogical researchers. History Library were acquired between 1947 and 1949. Except for some published records, little has • Delaware Public Archives been added to the collection since then. 121 Duke of York Street Dover, DE 19901 If the Family History Library has a source Telephone: 302-739-5318 described in this outline, the outline lists the book, Fax: 302-739-6710 microfilm, microfiche, and computer numbers. Internet: http://archives.delaware.gov/ These are preceded by FHL, the abbreviation for Family History Library. These numbers may be used to locate materials in the Family History The Delaware Public archives has a number of Library and to order microfilm and microfiche at useful databases on-line. These include their family history centers. library catalog, an index of naturalizations, and a database of probate files (see Naturalization The computer number can be used if you have and Probate Records sections below. access to the Family History Library Catalog on computer. The “Computer Number Search” is the A guide to some of their records is: fastest way to find a source in the catalog. Mattern, Joanne, and Harold B. Hancock, FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY comps. A Preliminary Inventory of the CATALOG Older Records in the Delaware Archives. Dover, Del.: Delaware Public Archives, 1978. (FHL fiche 6331225.) This source The library's records are listed in the Family briefly describes jurisdiction, record type, History Library Catalog found at the Family number of volumes, and dates covered. History Library and at each family history center. To find a record, look in the Locality Search of the • National Archives—Mid-Atlantic Region Family History Library Catalog for: 900 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 The place where your ancestor lived, such as: Telephone: 215-606-0100 Fax: 215-606-0116 Internet: www.archives.gov/midatlantic 1 Riggs, John Beverley. A Guide to Manuscripts • The Delaware Genealogical Society in the Eleutherian Mills Historical 505 Market Street Mall Library . Greenville, Del.: Eleutherian Wilmington, DE 19801 Mills Historical Library, 1970. (FHL book Telephone: 302-655-7161 (Historical Society 975.11/G1 J53e; and supplement.) This of Delaware - they will take a message) guide lists records acquired through 1965. Internet: www.delgensoc.org The supplement lists records acquired through 1975. The Delaware Genealogical Society has many research and indexing projects underway. See their For more information about Delaware Internet site for a listing. You can print a volunteer repositories see: registration from their Internet site. They have the Delaware Families Projects, where researchers Holley, Barbara Ann, ed. Directory of submit information on their families that lived in Libraries and Information Sources in the Delaware in the time period, 1787-1800. Many of Philadelphia Area (Eastern Pennsylvania, those families have been researched. They also Southern New Jersey, and Delaware). have a genealogical queries database you can Philadelphia: Special Libraries Association, search at their Internet site. They have a listing on Philadelphia Chapter, 1977. (FHL book their Internet site for surname web pages for 974.811 J54s 1977; film 1,036,557 item 9.) Delaware families. Briefly lists address, phone, hours, collection, and use of interlibrary loan. • The Historical Society of Delaware 505 Market Street Mall Historical Records Survey (Delaware). Wilmington, DE 19801-3091 Inventory of the County Archives of Telephone: 302-655-7161 Delaware. No. 1. New Castle County. Fax: 302-655-7844 Dover, Del.: The Public Archives Internet: www.hsd.org Commission, 1941. (FHL book 975.11 A3i; film 897,354 item 1; fiche 6051279.) • The Historical Society of Pennsylvania Detailed description of each record type 1300 Locust Street including years covered, number of Philadelphia, PA 19107-5699 volumes, and contents. Telephone: 215-732-6201 Fax: 215-732-2680 Computer Networks and Bulletin Boards Internet: www.hsp.org Computers with modems are important tools for • The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania obtaining information from selected archives 215 S. Broad St., 7th floor and libraries. In a way, computer networks Philadelphia, PA 19107-5325 themselves serve as a library. The Internet, Telephone: 215-545-0391 certain computer bulletin boards, and Fax: 215-545-0936 commercial on-line services help family history researchers: • Hugh M. Morris Library University of Delaware • Locate other researchers 181 So. College Ave. • Post queries Newark, DE 19717-5267 • Send and receive E-mail Telephone: 302-831-2965 • Search large databases Internet: www.lib.udel.edu • Search computer libraries E-mail: [email protected] • Join in computer chat and lecture sessions • Hagley Museum and Library You can find computerized research tips and P.O. Box 3630 information about ancestors from Delaware in a Wilmington, DE 19807-0630 variety of sources at local, state, national, and Telephone: 302-658-2400 international levels. The list of sources is Fax: 302-658-3188 growing rapidly. Most of the information is Internet: www.hagley.lib.de.us/center.html available at no cost. Addresses on the Internet change frequently. As of April 1997, the following sites are important The records and publications of more than 1,000 gateways linking you to many more network businesses, and some families, especially the and bulletin board sites: Du Pont and related families, are at the Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Library. A guide to their records is: 2 •USGenWeb Daughters of the American Revolution www.usgenweb.com/ (DAR), Delaware. Old Bible Records. 13 A cooperative effort by many volunteers vols. Newark, Del.: n.p., 1944-73. (FHL to list genealogical databases, libraries, book 975.1 V29d; on 5 films starting with bulletin boards, and other resources 845,762.) This collection contains records available on the Internet for each county, of persons living about 1650-1970, to state, and country. which the Historical Society of Delaware has an every-name index. • Roots-L www.rootsweb.com/roots-l/usa/ Virdin, Donald O., Donald M. Hehir, and Lu A useful list of sites and resources. Verne Hall. Delaware Bible Records. 6 Includes a large, regularly-updated vols. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1991- research coordination list. 1998. (FHL book 975.1. V2v.) These Bible records were originally collected by Internet sites specifically about Delaware family members of the Revolution. Each volume history include: has an every-name index. • Delaware Families Project A partial index to the DAR collection of Bible records is: Documents all families living in Delaware between 1787 and 1800. Kirkham, E. Kay. An Index to Some of the Bibles and Family Records of the United • Delaware Genealogical Society States. Vol. 2. Logan, Utah: Everton Publishers, 1984. (FHL book Ref 973 Lists key repositories and publications. D22kk v. 2; fiche 6089184.) • Sources of Genealogical Information in The Delaware Public Archives (see the Delaware “Archives and Libraries” section of this outline www.everton.com/usa/de.htm for the address) is actively collecting and Lists counties, when created, and their indexing Bible records. You can write for more resources. information about the current status of this collection. The Historical Society of Delaware For further details about using computer networks, (see the “Archives and Libraries” section of this bulletin boards, and news groups for family history outline for the address) also collects Bible research, see the United States Research Outline records. (30972), 2nd ed., “Archives and Libraries” section. BIOGRAPHY FamilySearch™ The Historical Society of Delaware has a card The Family History Library and some family index to many biographical items, called the history centers have computers with FamilySearch. Family Surname File, with approximately FamilySearch is a collection