This document is from Jean Church’s research.

Genealogical Research Class

By Wilma Jean Reynolds

Getting Started

The first step in getting started on your genealogy is getting what you know on to paper, with corresponding notes stating your sources for this information. Examples, birth, marriage, death certificate, personal contact with this person, or Aunt Martha told you this information, (include the date she told you). Start with yourself and work backwards, first with father’s side then your mother’s side. Then you are ready to analyze what you know. Begin by taking notes on what you need to find out. Do you have proof of each person’s birth, death, marriage?

Start with your father, perhaps you know when he was born, do you know where? When and where were your parents married? Do you know the brothers and sisters of your father, try to find their births deaths and marriage records. Once you get back on your father’s side to the great-grandparents, then start with your mother’s side. If you form a habit of working with this system you will make more progress, than jumping from one person to another.

When the point is reached where vital records and family materials do not yield the names of the preceding generation, STOP. Be sure you have the last known ancestor’s research completed, before attempting to look for their parents. If the records you have acquired on the last ancestor do not yield his parent’s names, go to all the census records ancestor might appear on. Check for Wills, Deeds or any real estate papers that ancestor and spouse may have had. Examples- Deeds, first deeds in an area may reveal the former location of their residence. Or the deed is a gift deed where his father or grandfather deeded the land to him.

There are some basic materials you will need in order to do your research. I recommend the following:

“North Carolina Research Genealogy and Local History” Edited by Helen F. M. Leary and Maurice R. Stirewalt. Published by NC Genealogical Society, Inc. P.O. Box 1492, Raleigh, NC. 27602.

“The Handy Book For Genealogist” published by The Everton Publishers, Inc. P. O. Box 368, Logan, UT 84321.

“Ancestry’s Red Book American State and County & Town Sources” Edited by Alice Eichholtz, Ph.D., C. G. Ancestry, P. O. Box 476, Salt Lake City, UT 84110.

“North Carolina Gazetteer” by Wm. S. Powell, Published by UNC Press, Chapel Hill, NC. You may have a need for Gazetteers for other states.

Family Tree Maker Computer Program. Basic Ancestry Lineage charts, family sheets.

Membership in Ancestry. Com, or use it for free in Wilkes Library.

Wilkes Genealogical Society Materials, Wills, Deeds, Marriages, Census, and many other sources. See Attached List.

Births

Where might you find a record of Birth? Family Histories, Family Bibles, Birth Certificate, Death Certificate, Delayed Birth Certificate, Military compiled records, Draft Registration Cards, Military Enlistment, Military Discharge Papers, Church Records, newspapers.

Family Histories- a written history, usually telling a history of the family. This may or may not give birth dates. If you are lucky enough to have one in your family, you may get a great roadmap for your family research. Remember this type of history may be in the hands of a distant relative.

Family Bibles- maybe in your family, or in the hands of a sibling of your ancestor, or a distant cousin. Always copy the front pages of the Bible to get publication date. Try for a copy, not an abstract or hand copy. Always note the owner’s name and address.

Birth Certificates- found in the Register of Deeds Office in in Wilkes Co. NC Courthouse. Wilkes Co. NC began birth certificates in 1913. Other counties in other states, may house them in another place, this is where the “Handy Book For Genealogist” helps you, this book will tell you where to find them for each county and state, when that state began keeping birth certificates, how and where to obtain a copy.

Delayed Birth Certificates- are usually found in the same place as regular birth certificates. They can tell much more than a regular birth certificate. See attached page on Delayed Birth Certificates.

Death Certificates- began in 1913, in Wilkes Co. NC. If your ancestor was born before then, their death certificate may be the only source of a birth date. Always note the informant on the certificate as this may indicate how accurate the information may be. Always note place of burial, however this is not always the place you will find them buried. Remember death certificates were usually filled out in time of stress.

Cemetery Records- this may be the only place you will find a birth date. Always check for local cemeteries. If none exist for the area, did you find one listed on the death certificate? Check cemeteries near where your ancestor lived. Is there an indication from family records of a church they or other family members attended?

Military Compiled Records-most compiled records, will give a birth date, or a year of birth. These can be ordered from several sources, or you may have some military papers within your family papers.

Military Draft Cards- for both WW1 and WW2 are on Ancestry. Com, give date of birth and place. Also, you may have the name of a parent or spouse on the card. Some WW1 cards give a description such as hgt. lbs. and color of eyes and hair.

Military Enlistment- may contain date of birth, or age, place born. Place enlisted. Military Enlistments are on Ancestry. Com and other sites. Rev War- present.

Military Discharge Papers- usually housed in the Register of Deeds office, no longer on public display. However, they may give you a birth date from them if you are a child. They might even let you see them. Copies of them may be found in family papers.

Church Records- obituaries from church minutes, and associational minutes. Some churches kept records of their members, including births, deaths, marriages and list of children and sometimes who they married. Example Quakers. A lot of these records are now in print. If your ancestor was a Quaker, you may be able to trace your ancestry back to the early 1600’s.

Newspapers- You may find the birth of a person mentioned in the local paper where he was born. Or the newspaper may be reporting on the birth of a grandchild born in another place where the grandparents reside. Other sources of birth dates in newspapers is in the obituaries.

Final Analysis of records found- There may be discrepancies in dates, names, and other data found in vital records and other sources. The order of evaluating conflicting information is:

Date of birth and names of parents from birth certificate, over information on death certificate, tombstone or Bible.

Date of death from death certificate over tombstone or Bible.

Bible date and name over tombstone, when Bible date was made at the time of the event.

Name differences, could indicate a legal name change, use of middle name or a nickname. Be sure to search for records under all names.

Census Records

There are two types of census records, state and federal. State census records were taken by some states at different times in the early years of their formation. Federal census records were taken beginning in 1790, and every ten years through 2010. The 1890 census was destroyed by fire only small portions of it exist. One part of it that is remaining is the 1890 Veterans Schedule. The census report for each 10 years was different, and contained great hints for the genealogist. You will need to study each census year blank forms, so you will know what information you will find for each specific census year.

1790 census- You will find nine columns for State, County, city, page number, name of head of families, free white males of 16 years & upwards, including heads of families, free white males under 16 years, free white females, including heads of families, all other free persons, slaves.

1800 census- You will find 16 columns. The main list head of family, under sub heading of males, under 10, 10-15, 16-25, 26-44, 45 and over, under sub heading females under 10, 10-15, 16-25, 26-44 45 and older. All other free persons, slaves.

1810- Same as 1800.

1820- You will find 34 columns with only the name of head of families, sub headings for males and females for listing number in age brackets. Additional columns for Foreigners not naturalized, number of person engaged in Agriculture, number of persons engaged in commerce, number of persons engaged in manufactures, under sub heading of slaves, males under 14, males 14-26, males 26-45,males 45 and upwards, femalesunder 14 , females 14-26, females 26-45 females 45and upwards, under sub heading free colored persons, males under 14, males 14-26, males 26-45, males 45 and upwards, females under 14, females 14-26, females 26-45, females 45 and upwards, Al other persons except Indians not taxed.

1830 and 1840 census have numerous columns, but with about the same information as 1820 only listing the name of the head of family by name, everyone else only by age.

1850 census you have each person listed by name, age sex, color, Profession, occupation or trade of each male over 15, Value of Real Estate, Place of birth naming state, territory or county. Married within year attended school within year, persons over 20 who cannot read & write, deaf & dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper or convict.

1860 census is about the same as 1850. With the number of the house and number of family listed in order of visitation.

1870 census includes some new columns, under sub heading parents, Father of foreign born, mother of foreign born. If born within year state month. If married within year state month. Attended School with in year. Cannot read. Cannot write. Male citizens of U. S. 21 years and up. Male Citizens 21 years and upwards where rights to vote is denied on other grounds than rebellion or crime.

1880 census includes new columns, name of street house number, number in order of visitation, under civil condition, married, single, widowed, divorced. If person is sick or disabled on visitation day, list sickness or disability. Maimed, cripples, bedridden, or otherwise disabled. Place of birth of father. Place of birth of mother.

1900 census includes many more columns of information for the genealogist, one being relationship of each person to head of household. Date of month and year born age last birthday, single married widowed or divorced. Number of years of present marriage. Mother of how many children, how many children living. Place of birth of person, place of birth of father, place of birth of mother, year of immigration, number of years in U. C, Naturalization , occupation, month employed, attended school, can speak English, home owned or rented, owned free or Mortgaged, farm or house, number on farm schedule.

1910 census has almost the same with another column for number of times married. Age when first married. Whether a survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy.

1920 and 1930 census almost the same without anything new of value to the genealogist.

1940 census list more about education, and a new column to list where you were living in 1935.

Some important things to look for is gaps in ages of children, age of wife changing too much from census to census, may indicate another marriage. Dec. spouse, check mortality schedule for that year. Grandparents in household, only one grandparent may be a widower, check mortality schedules for missing grandparent, migration patterns, missing children on following census, check for their marriages. Check neighboring families, for other relatives, watch for families migrating from the same place as yours, there may prove to be a connection. You will find that some families did not keep up with their ages. It was not a custom to celebrate birthdays in the 1800’s. Remember most people could not read and write. If they had a record of birth, someone may have recorded it for them. Often this was on a piece of paper kept in the family Bible.