Genealogy - Doing Research

Land records can hold an inordinate amount of family information. Names of siblings. Names and ages of children. The wife will almost always have to give permission for any sale. The greatest ones say something to the effect: "I convey to Jesse Ross for one dollar and the love of a mother for her son, the property that my deceased husband William Ross and I inherited from my father George Lampkin "

Death Certificates are nice if you can't figure out which funeral home might have buried them. The funeral home submitted the information for the death certificate and almost always has further information in their files. Besides, death certificates are expensive.⁽²⁾

Funeral Home Records are better. Besides the cost factor you don't have to wait fifty years to get your hands on the records. Once you find the funeral home there is usually no fee or a small fee for copies of their records.⁽³⁾

County History Books are great. There were a lot published around the turn of the century. (No, not this one, the last one.) The people included in the early histories paid to have their information included, so take it with a grain of salt. At least it gives you something to either verify or disprove. George Herron appears in "The History of North Washington", published in 1904. This one is a case of getting pointers of where to look for records. Much of the early information is pure fabrication.

Naturalization Records can give a lot of information, including date and place of birth. The records are usually with the courts. Now all you have to do is find out which court. This will vary by state, by county and by date.

Immigration Records also give good information. Who paid passage, where are they going in the United States, where they came from. Both the place they lived last and the port from which they sailed.⁽⁴⁾

Church Records not only give you dates and events but tell you a lot about families. Many of the earlier records have been copied, translated and published. The church will also still have the record.⁽⁵⁾ When you find where the records are you may wish to do your own translation.⁽⁶⁾

Federal Census Records give varying amounts of information. The more recent the census the more information is available. The United States takes a census every ten years. They started in 1790 and the latest that is available is the 1930. [Census information that could possibly identify an individual is not released until 72 years after the date of the census.] 1850 was the first year that listed any but the head of household by name. It gave ages and place of birth (state or country) of everyone in the household. It did NOT tell how or if they were related to each other. The 1880 told not only where the person was born but where their parents were born. The 1890 was destroyed by fire.⁽⁷⁾

State Census Records were taken at the option of the state usually on the year that ended with a 5. They sometimes give more information than the federal. Sometimes if the person was born within the state it will tell which county. They also can include how long the person has lived within the state or county.

Hudson Bay Company Records are available. There are enlistment records, pay records and journals from the different establishments. A study of their web site will allow you to find what is available for which fort.⁽⁸⁾

Military Pension Files are invaluable. The person applying for a pension had to answer an inordinate number of questions. Then each time a new act was passed they were sent another form to fill out. Expect to discover where they lived before the war, every place they have lived since they were discharged, what ailment has disabled them, the names and birth dates of any minor children, the date and place of marriage, date of death etc.⁽⁹⁾

Now that you know who you are looking for and where they were, you have to find out where that was. In Oregon many records are kept by the county, usually the county clerk. Therefore, you have to find out which county that was. When counties split, county records are kept by the original county. The homestead does not move but the records may be in a different courthouse depending on the date of the record.

Bishop A.M.A. Blanchet of Nisqually (l.), Archbishop Francis Norbert Blanchet of Oregon City, and Bishop Modeste Demers, ca. 1850 Courtesy Archdiocese of Seattle Home Genealogy Home Where to Start Doing Research Finding Records Budget Genealogy Genealogy On The Web Getting Help Finding A Class Software Scanning Pictures Label All Pictures Handwriting Translating Records Storage


		Where to start⁽¹⁾ Now that you have interviewed all of the relatives and looked in the attic, you need to go a little further afield. Remember all those notes you took? Get out the forms or loosen up your typing fingers and get started entering data. Don't forget to write down where the information came from. *Genealogy is documented!!* There is no question that you will remember where you got it. However, write it down. Thirty years from now, when you go to write the family history, you will want to know. The Next Step Now is when the planning comes in. Grab a family group record. The one with you on it is the best. Fill in the boxes for sources. And add anything else in notes. If you are using paper forms the record is printed on only one side for a reason. Add anything else you find out about this family on the back. Where they were and when they were there. If you are keeping records on the computer, enter which family file folder contains the notes for that person. What records are you looking for? Land records can hold an inordinate amount of family information. Names of siblings. Names and ages of children. The wife will almost always have to give permission for any sale. The greatest ones say something to the effect: "I convey to Jesse Ross for one dollar and the love of a mother for her son, the property that my deceased husband William Ross and I inherited from my father George Lampkin " Death Certificates are nice if you can't figure out which funeral home might have buried them. The funeral home submitted the information for the death certificate and almost always has further information in their files. Besides, death certificates are expensive.⁽²⁾ Funeral Home Records are better. Besides the cost factor you don't have to wait fifty years to get your hands on the records. Once you find the funeral home there is usually no fee or a small fee for copies of their records.⁽³⁾ County History Books are great. There were a lot published around the turn of the century. (No, not this one, the last one.) The people included in the early histories paid to have their information included, so take it with a grain of salt. At least it gives you something to either verify or disprove. George Herron appears in "The History of North Washington", published in 1904. This one is a case of getting pointers of where to look for records. Much of the early information is pure fabrication. Naturalization Records can give a lot of information, including date and place of birth. The records are usually with the courts. Now all you have to do is find out which court. This will vary by state, by county and by date. Immigration Records also give good information. Who paid passage, where are they going in the United States, where they came from. Both the place they lived last and the port from which they sailed.⁽⁴⁾ Church Records not only give you dates and events but tell you a lot about families. Many of the earlier records have been copied, translated and published. The church will also still have the record.⁽⁵⁾ When you find where the records are you may wish to do your own translation.⁽⁶⁾ Federal Census Records give varying amounts of information. The more recent the census the more information is available. The United States takes a census every ten years. They started in 1790 and the latest that is available is the 1930. [Census information that could possibly identify an individual is not released until 72 years after the date of the census.] 1850 was the first year that listed any but the head of household by name. It gave ages and place of birth (state or country) of everyone in the household. It did NOT tell how or if they were related to each other. The 1880 told not only where the person was born but where their parents were born. The 1890 was destroyed by fire.⁽⁷⁾ State Census Records were taken at the option of the state usually on the year that ended with a 5. They sometimes give more information than the federal. Sometimes if the person was born within the state it will tell which county. They also can include how long the person has lived within the state or county. Hudson Bay Company Records are available. There are enlistment records, pay records and journals from the different establishments. A study of their web site will allow you to find what is available for which fort.⁽⁸⁾ Military Pension Files are invaluable. The person applying for a pension had to answer an inordinate number of questions. Then each time a new act was passed they were sent another form to fill out. Expect to discover where they lived before the war, every place they have lived since they were discharged, what ailment has disabled them, the names and birth dates of any minor children, the date and place of marriage, date of death etc.⁽⁹⁾ Now that you know who you are looking for and where they were, you have to find out where that was. In Oregon many records are kept by the county, usually the county clerk. Therefore, you have to find out which county that was. When counties split, county records are kept by the original county. The homestead does not move but the records may be in a different courthouse depending on the date of the record. Road Atlas. Historic Maps are great. The Linn Genealogical Society of Linn County Oregon has a great set of historic maps for Oregon.⁽¹⁰⁾ Oregon Geographic Names, Sixth Edition by Lewis A McArthur, revised and enlarged by Lewis L. McArthur, is available from the Oregon Historical Society Press⁽¹¹⁾. It is a great resource for anyone working in Oregon. Mapping Web sites are a great option.⁽¹²⁾ GenWeb Sites are a great place to start. Check for anything that says map.⁽¹³⁾⁽¹⁴⁾ Where To Find Records Go to Finding Records.