Whether your ancestors lived along the U.S./Mexican border or the southernmost tip of Argentina, all Latin American genealogical research is heavily dependent on two main record sets—Catholic Church records and civil registration records. Grasping at least a basic understanding of these record types—including their history, the information provided in them, and where to find them—is imperative to discovering your Latin American roots. Catholic Church Records As the Spanish Crown colonized … [Read more...]
Using England Quarter Session Records for Genealogy
Genealogical research in England often relies only on census records, parish register entries, and civil registration. But there is so much more information to be found! We’ve previously discussed records of the parish chest and apprenticeship records, but genealogists should also look to lesser-known English records such as court records. The English court system was complicated, but the quarter session records are generally the most useful for most genealogists. What are the Quarter … [Read more...]
More Than Just Wills: The Parts of Probate
No genealogical research in America prior to the 20th century is complete without a search for probate records. Most of us are at least a little familiar with these sorts of documents, although perhaps only through words and documents which affect us even in the 21st century such as “wills” and “estates.” In short, probate is the broad term for the process by which a deceased individual’s worldly possessions are legally divided and debts are paid upon his or her death. How this has functioned … [Read more...]
Don’t Leave the Courthouse Just Yet!
The Court of Common Pleas may hold the info you need to break down your genealogical brick wall--don't leave the courthouse without checking! You’ve taken that long-awaited trip to the courthouse. You’ve happily dug through vital records, probate, and deeds. You start to leave the courthouse when you pass by a series of indexes for the Court of Common Pleas. Stop and take the time to include this valuable resource in your research plan! The Court of Common Pleas had jurisdiction over a wide … [Read more...]
How a 200-Year-Old Family Feud Solved a Brick Wall Problem
In a recent case we worked on, a dispute over land led to identifying the parents of an individual and solving a family brick wall problem. We share this story with permission to illustrate the importance of thorough searches - not just in vital records, newspapers, and censuses - but in land, probate, and court records. Our client asked us to trace the ancestry of his Boykin family, and research had stalled with a direct-line ancestor named William T. Boykin of Southampton County, Virginia, … [Read more...]
Get to the Courthouse: Three Southern Records You Should Be Searching
If you've hit a brick wall in extending your Southern family history, try searching these three types of Southern genealogy records. Doing research in the United States pre-1850 can be challenging anywhere, since the colonial and early federal period across the nation generally affords genealogists fewer record types with much less biographical information and variety than later eras, but the South is notoriously even harder to research than other parts of the country. Common Obstacles with … [Read more...]
Spotlight: The FamilySearch Learning Center – Onsite U.S. Courthouse Research
If you're looking to expand your access to free resources and records, look no further than the FamilySearch Learning Center! This is a great interactive tool to help you learn more about onsite courthouse research. FamilySearch boasts an impressive collection of free tools to help anyone learn more about doing family history research. Today we thought we'd highlight a fun interactive video about onsite courthouse research, found HERE. As a professional and published genealogist, Christine … [Read more...]