Don’t Know Much About Genealogy Kathy Petlewski Plymouth District Library 2013
Aug 31, 2014
Don’t Know Much About Genealogy
Kathy PetlewskiPlymouth District Library
2013
Where in the World Do I Start?
What is genealogy?What tools will I need?Which books should I
read?
The great document search begins … often with your relatives
Family Records to GatherBirth & death
certificatesMarriage / divorce
recordsJournals or diariesOld scrapbooks / photo
albumsAutograph booksMemorial or prayer
cardsOld address books
Family bibleMilitary discharge
papersCitizenship papersWillsNewspaper clippingsSchool & church
recordsInsurance policiesDeeds
4 Generation Ancestral Chart
Family Group Sheets
1. After filling in your pedigree chart, look at the blank spaces.
2. Decide which branch is your focus– and who to start looking for first.
3. Analyze the information you have, and brainstorm ways to get what you will need.
4. Get a map and a history book relating to the area you are researching. Read for background information.
Plan a Search Strategy
It’s Never to Early to Start Organizing!
Binder System Commercial Genealogy Software
http://genealogy-software-review.toptenreviews.com/
U.S. Census RecordsMilitary RecordsFederal land recordsImmigration & Naturalization
RecordsNative American & African
American records
Searching Federal Records
1790 Census form 1790 Census
1930 Census for Plymouth
Military RecordsMuster RollsPayrollsCompiled Service
RecordsBattle ReportsCourt-Martial Cases
& DesertersPrisoners of WarCasualties & Deaths
Pensions (applications, declarations, indexes)
Bounty-Land GrantsBonusesBurialsCensuses of VeteransSoldiers’ HomesPardons
(Confederate)
Record From Ancestry Library Ed.
Michigan Military Records
Revolutionary War Pension Recordsfrom HeritageQuest.com
Civil War Regiment Details fromNational Park Service
World War 1 Draft Registrationfrom Ancestry Library Edition
Immigration & Naturalization1820-1890 – Customs
Passenger Lists for US ports.
1891-1954 – Immigration Passenger Lists.
Ship Passenger Lists.Many Indexes for
Baltimore, Boston, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia & some minor ports.
Generally, naturalization was a 2-step process that took at least 5 years.
File 1st papers (Declaration of Intent) after 2 years of residence.
Petition for Naturalization after an additional 3 years.
What Info should you have before looking for Ship Records ?
1. Full name of your ancestor.
2. Approximate age at arrival in America
3. Approximate date of arrival in America
Using Ancestry for Passenger Lists
Ancestry Library Edition
Must be used in the Library
Both pre 1820 & post 1820
Info also taken from books.
Other Sources for Passenger Lists
National Archives – AAD web site
http://aad.archives.gov/aad
Choose “genealogy” & then “passenger lists.”
Have both name files and ship files
Naturalization Process – Exceptions to the Rule
Derivative citizenship granted to wives and minor children of naturalized men. From 1790 – 1922, wives of naturalized men automatically became citizens.
In 1922, women who were 21 years of age and older were entitled to citizenship. Residency requirement to file a declaration of intention was waived.
From 1824 to 1906, minor aliens who had lived in the US five years before their 23rd birthday could file both their declarations & petitions at the same time.
Naturalization Process – More Exceptions to the Rule
With the passage of the 14th Amendment in 1868, African Americans automatically became citizens.
Special Consideration given to veterans – After 1862, any veteran could become a citizen after having been here only 1 year. (1918 law allowed over 192,000 aliens from WW I to become citizens immediately after serving in the War.)
The Citizen Act of 1924 provided that all “non-citizen Indians born within the territorial limits of the United States” be citizens.
Pre-1906No uniform standards for amount or type of
information asked on Naturalization Records.No special place to store these records – could
be in any court of record, in libraries, archives – or destroyed.
Very little biographical information found in these older records.
Naturalization Records
Naturalization RecordsAfter Sept. 27,1906Bureau of Immigration & Naturalization
required standardized forms including age, occupation, personal description, date & place of birth, citizenship, present & last foreign addresses, ports of embarkation & entry, name of vessel and date of arrival in US.
Duplicate copies of these forms were sent to Bureau of Naturalization in Washington DC & a third copy kept in naturalizing court. (Original went to citizen.)
Naturalization Process - Petition for Naturalization
Declaration of Intention, 1930
30 public land states created from public domain
All states west of Mississippi River except Texas & Hawaii
States created from old Northwest Territory and old Spanish & Indian Lands
Federal Land Records
Land Patent from Bureau of Land Management
Lineage books from patriotic societies – ie. D.A.R
Family genealogiesCompiled biographies based on state or
region – ie First Settlers of New EnglandCompiled biographies based on religious
or ethnic groups – ie. Quakers, Palatines
Published Genealogies and Histories
Other Materials Containing Possible Genealogical
InformationCemetery IndexesHistories of towns,
counties, other countries
Employment records (mining, railroad records)
Fraternal organization records
Local and state historical museums & societies
County courthousesFamily History Libraries (LDS)Burton Historical Collection (DPL)Allen County Public Library (Fort Wayne,
IN)National Archives / Library of Congress
Other “Brick & Mortar” Resources
Know the basics before you go online – then continue to practice the same rules of evidence that apply for print resources!
Verify, Verify, Verify !!See if the state/county/city you are
researching has mounted vital records online.Come to next week’s presentation to learn
about commercial subscriptions, important free sites, social networking and more!THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24th at 7:00 PM
Doing Genealogy on the Web
Time for Questions & Comments
Thanks for attending tonight!