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Legacy Tree Onsite: Exploring the Archives of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers around the world to access records for our clients. We recently asked one of our onsite researchers to share valuable information on the resources available for family history research at various archives in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Word Map Featuring Bosnia and Herzegovina

Although the country had many names over the years, in 1995, the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (located on the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe) officially changed its name to Bosnia and Herzegovina. One of the most significant challenges facing those pursuing genealogy research in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the lack of digitized records and a lack of centralized records storage.

The country’s archival holdings suffered from war during the 90s and from more recent events as well. In 2012, approximately 80% of the National and University Library collections, housed by Sarajevo’s City Hall, were destroyed by fire in a bombing.

The websites of many regional Bosnia-Herzegovina archives offer little digital resources for genealogists. Records such as birth, marriage, or death records, regardless of religion, are not online. Only the History Museum and the National Library of BiH (Sarajevo) offer the option of online searching through their archival collections. Researchers must request historical information by submission in writing to the respective archive.

Research Guides

In 1981, the first complete review of archival material in Bosnia and Herzegovina was published as part of the edition Archival Funds and Collections in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Today, the 462-page guide “Vodič Arhiva Bosne i Hercegovine,” published in 1987, and its subsequent supplements, printed in 1993, remain the premier resource for researchers. Researchers can find copies at fourteen libraries around the world.

Birth, Marriage, and Death Records

Key records for genealogical research are birth, marriage, and death records. Before 1946, the responsibility of recording these life events in the territory of today’s Bosnia and Herzegovina rested with religious entities like the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and the Islamic Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The metrical registers maintained the recording of births, marriage, and deaths by religious officials. After 1946, the recording of these records became the responsibility of the local Register Offices, and this practice continues today.

Political Divisions and Their Impact on Bosnia-Herzegovina Records

Bosnia and Herzegovina are comprised of two political entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), with mostly Bosniaks and Croats, and The Republika Srpska (RS) with mostly Serbs – each entity governing roughly one half of the nation’s territory. Bosnia and Herzegovina has a solid regional or localized political system. Its archival system reflects this structure, with local or regional archives housing the records.

The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national structure consists of 10 autonomous units called cantons:

  1. The Una-Sana Canton – The center of the cantonal government is Bihać (Bosniak majority).
  2. The Posavina Canton – Its capital is Orasje (Croat majority)
  3. The Tuzla Canton – The cantonal seat is the city of Tuzla (Bosniak majority)
  4. The Zenica-Doboj Canton – The cantonal seat is the city of Zenica (Bosniak majority).
  5. The Bosnian-Podrinje Canton Goražde – The cantonal seat is in Goražde (Bosniak majority).
  6. The Central Bosnia Canton – The center of the canton government is Travnik and is classified as ‘ethnically mixed.’
  7. The Herzegovina-Neretva Canton – Mostar is its administrative center and is classified as ‘ethnically mixed.’
  8. The West Herzegovina Canton – Its seat of government is in Široki Brijeg (98% are ethnic Croats).
  9. The Sarajevo Canton, officially the Canton (and capital city) of Sarajevo. (Bosniak majority).
  10. Canton 10 – The local government seat is in Livno (Croat majority).

The Archival System of Bosnia-Herzegovina

The oldest record collections originate from Austria-Hungary’s rule over Bosnia and Herzegovina, while other records (1918–1941) are from the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and most records cover the period of Socialist Yugoslavia (1945–1991)

  • The Archives of Bosnia-Herzegovina
    (http://www.arhivfbih.gov.ba/index.php/about-archives/internal-organisation-of-archives)
    Located in Sarajevo and a major repository for Holocaust-relevant material.
    Email: [email protected]
    Address: Reisa Džemaludina Čauševića 6, Sarajevo
  • Federation Archive in Sarajevo
    The central administration unit of the archival system and does not currently hold Holocaust-related material.
    Address: Marka Marulica 2, Sarajevo

(Less important)

  • Historical Archive of Sarajevo
    http://www.arhivsa.ba/wordpress/
    This location offers a unique digital library for historians and genealogists and holds approximately 15,000 items, most of which have not been digitized or microfilmed. The Jewish Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a branch of this Archive.
    Email: [email protected]
    Address: Alipašina 19, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Archives of Republic of Srpska
    The Archives of Republic of Srpska is an administrative organization within the Ministry of Education and Culture of Republika Srpska, one of two constituent entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Archives’ headquarters is in Banja Luka, and it has five regional offices:
  1. Regional unit in Doboj (Vukosavlje, Derventa, Doboj, Modrica, Pelagicevo, Petrovo, Srpsko Orasje, Srpski Brod, Teslic and Samac)
  2. Regional unit in Zvornik (Bijeljina, Vlasenica, Zvornik, Lopare, Milici, Osmaci, Srebrenica, Ugljevik and Sekovici)
  3. Regional unit in Foca (Visegrad, Kalinovik, Rudo, Srbinje, Serbian part of Gorazde and Cajnice)
  4. Regional unit in Istocno Sarajevo (Bratunac, Pale, Rogatica, Sokolac, Serbian Ilidza, Old Town of serbian Sarajevo, Serbian New Sarajevo, Trnovo, and Han Pijesak)
  5. Regional unit in Trebinje (Berkovici, Bileca, Gacko, Ljubinje, Nevesinje, Serbian part of Mostar and Trebinje)

The remaining archival locations have a limited if any, web presence.

  • Archive of Unsko-Sanki region (Bihac)
  • Archive of Herzegovina-Neretva region (Mostar)
  • County Archive of Siroki Brijeg (Siroki Brijeg)
  • Archive of Bosansko-Podrinjski Canton (Gorazde)
  • Archive of Central Bosnian Canton (Travnik)
  • Archive of Brcko Canton (Brcko)
  • Archive of Tuzla Canton (Tuzla)

Bosnia-Herzegovina Genealogical Research in Museums

Museums and libraries are also excellent repositories for genealogical research in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A selection of museums which may hold information about your ancestors originating from Bosnia-Herzegovina:

Additional Resources Specific to Holocaust Research

The Archives of Jewish communities (Sarajevo, Doboj, Mostar, and others). This archive has relevant documents for Holocaust research.

Outside Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Jewish Historical Museum in Belgrade (Serbia) holds a significant amount of material about the Holocaust in Bosnia. Also, resources may be available in select Croatian archives, such as the Croatian State Archive in Zagreb and Osijek, which have significant Holocaust record collections.

If you need help researching your ancestors from Bosnia-Herzegovina, the experienced team at Legacy Tree Genealogists will exhaust all possible resources to extend your family tree. Our network of onsite researchers has access to the archives you need to make serious progress on your family history. Contact us today to discuss your research goals and request a free quote!

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Legacy Tree Onsite: Navigating Italy’s Archives for Family Research

Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked one of our on-site researchers in Italy to explain how to navigate the complex maze of archives in Italian Research.

The Vatican - Navigating Italy ArchivesIt is incredible to me that America, as a country, is older than Italy!

Between 1859 and 1870, the various territories in the peninsula came together to unify the country, but it would be another 76 years before a constitution was written and Italy declared a Republic.

All of the above dramatically affects the organization and archiving of documents. In Italy, this comes under the direction of the Ministro per i beni e le attività culturali e per il turismo (Minister for Cultural Heritage and Activities and for Tourism) except the Vatican Archives, as this is technically a different country.

Vatican Archives

The Vatican Archives includes documents from the former Papal States and the current Vatican government archives. It has 50 miles of shelving that stores state papers, correspondence, account books, and many other documents that the church has accumulated back to the 8th century.

To access these archives you need to have a university degree, be a member of a prestigious historical society and have your application approved by the Vatican.

Of interest to Family History researchers:

  • After World War II the Vatican asked each parish to inventory their parochial registers and report back to the Vatican. The Vatican published the findings in a book. The website http://italianparishrecords.org holds a copy of this rare book, and they will do lookups to help you determine if the parish records you need survived World War II.
  • Certificates for Weddings and Baptismals held at the Vatican can be obtained from the parish priest. (Parish Priest Tel. +39 06 69883653
    Ufficio Parrocchiale Tel. +39 06 69885435 Fax : +39 06 69885793)

Navigating the Maze

There is a maze of websites and organizations involved in the various subcategories of archives in Italy. These include SIUSA, which is the access point for public and private documents not conserved at the State Archives. These include important families, the inquisition, and the Historical Archives of six Venetian Churches, etc.

By far, the most critical advance in facilitating access to the anagraphical documents essential for genealogical research in Italy was the cooperative efforts between Family Search and the Direzione Generale Archivi to facilitate the creation of the ANTENATI website: http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it/en.

Archivio di Stato Centrale mainly stores government and political papers. If your ancestor was involved in politics, subversive activities, or the government, this might provide some information to flesh out your family history but not increase your family tree. Also conserved are the Military Tribunal records from 1834–1999 and officer books from 1920. It is unlikely that the documents from the Archivo di Stato Centrale will be digitized and uploaded to the Antenati site.

Archivio di Stato

Archivio di Stato

Archivio di Stato

There are 0ne or more archives located in each Italian province responsible for archiving civil records, notary archives, taxation records, court proceedings, and military records. The civil records held at the State Archives of Italy have been or will be uploaded to the Antenati site. You can check the upload progress at the ‘Land and the Sources’ tab. Some pages are available in English. Each State Archive has a list of its ‘patrimonio’ (heritage documents), not all of which will be uploaded to the site. Military records, or Foglio Matricolare, are included, and one can obtain copies by email for those ancestors who served in the military. The Lista di Leva lists who were eligible for service, not necessarily those who served.

tax document created between 1742 and 1753

Tax document created between 1742 and 1753

Of particular interest to genealogists researching southern Italy is the State Archives in Naples. Founded by Napoleon in 1808, its 31,000 miles of shelving conserve many antique documents that existed before 1808 including the Catasto Onciaro for various towns in the former ‘Regno.’ This tax document created between 1742 and 1753 can be a valuable source of information of family members, property, and animal holdings. The Catasto Onciaro will not be uploaded to the Antenati site.

Tribunal Archives

The Tribunal Archives hold court proceedings and also archive the second copy of civil records after 1865 produced by each Comune. Genealogical researchers should note that war and other natural disasters can affect the availability of records. For example, the Tribunal of Cassino was badly damaged during WWII, and most of its civil records were destroyed. Salvaged documents were digitized by Family Search and will eventually be available on the Antenati site. The Tribunal of Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi was destroyed in a major earthquake in 1980. Fortunately, their civil records were digitized by Family Search before this major disaster and are available on the Antenati site. The surviving documents were transferred to the State Archives in the above two instances and are therefore available on the Antenati site. Tribunal documents, as a rule, are not held at the State Archives and are therefore not covered by the agreement between Family Search and can therefore be viewed at a Family History Center or online at their website, familysearch.org.

Comune Archives

The Comune Archives may or may not be inventoried and organized or available for research purposes, but should be able to provide you with documentation for civil records from 1866 or 1870 to the present day. The town offices may also have conserved the Lista di Leva and other military documents, but they are not obliged to search for or provide copies of these documents. Depending on the town, you may find such gems as a register of the population, “state of the family” records, census records, registers of those who contracted cholera, payments made to ‘wet nurses,’ and various tax records available to on-site researchers.

Records from the Comune Archives

Record from the Comune Archives

Diocesan Archives

Record of King James III in Exile

During a search in the Diocese of Rome, one gem I found was the Stato d’anime for King James 3rd of Scotland, his Queen, and servants when they were in exile.

Diocesan Archives vary in archival content and concentrate more on Diocese activities than parochial ones. You may find “stato delle anime” for their parishes and marriage ‘processetti’ when the couple was from different parishes. Many Dioceses have begun collecting parish registers from the 1800s and archiving them in the Diocese offices. They may also hold records of criminal and civil cases, ‘freedom to marry’ certificates issued by the Diocese, and in some cases duplicate copies of parish registers. Be sure to check their websites for their ‘archivio storico.’ Some are publishing their inventory; others are not.

Brefotrofio Archives

Brefotrofio Archives are in the major population centers like Rome, Naples, Torino, Messina, and some smaller centers. They will usually have ‘intake’ records of abandoned babies and records of the families that fostered the babies.

With all of these archives and resources available for research in Italy, learning more about your ancestors can be a very rewarding experience. It may take time and effort to determine where the records of your ancestors are kept and obtain copies of them, but our genealogists have a lot of experience in this area and can help you get the information you need. Our on-site researchers are especially helpful in retrieving records that must be obtained in person.

At Legacy Tree, our genealogists are skilled at finding hard-to-obtain records. With researchers all over the globe, there are few places beyond our reach. Contact us today for a free quote!

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Legacy Tree Onsite: Tips for Maximizing Leads in Chilean Genealogy Research

Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. In this article, one of our researchers discusses ways to maximize leads and get around brick walls in Chilean Research.

Chilean Flag in Front of Church

Overview of  Chilean Research

Records in Chile can be very informative. For the most part, the municipal and civil records are full of information and leads – if everything you are looking for is after the year 1887. The Chilean government started keeping more valuable and more detailed records around that year.

Before 1887, the Chilean government did not offer much to a hungry genealogist searching for answers that could break a case wide open. A researcher had a few census records he could sift through or some passenger lists to look at from all the ships relocating new European settlers to South America.

So, for the most part, a researcher had to rely on the records provided by the Catholic Church. These happen to include census records kept by the church to keep track of the members of their congregation. Not all Parishes did this, but some did. Most of the documents the church provided were Baptismal records, marriage records, confirmation records, and burial records.

Most of the records the church provided were Baptismal records, marriage records, confirmation records, and burial records.

These church records are a toss-up as to if they will provide a researcher with some solid leads to build a foundation of specific people. As a researcher, one tries to paint a picture and take people into the past to visualize their ancestors. Researchers give people a story they can read to feel like they know individuals from their past.

As an investigator, one has to use every detail available to paint this picture and bring these people back to life through words and images.

The Catholic Church and local municipal records provided all the information available to us to do this. One must look a little closer at the records available to make this image accurate.

Looking Forward Instead of Backward

Let’s take the case of Maria del Rosario Soto Jimenez, for example. I exhausted all leads trying to find the names of her parents. I could not find one record providing proof of her parents’ names. I hit the brick wall that every researcher dreads. So, I took a closer look at what I did have. I soon realized that I had struck gold without even knowing it.

I took a closer look at a record, looking forward. Instead of going back a generation, I went forward a generation. I looked closely at Jimenez’s son’s birth record Juan Esteban Ordenes Soto, born in 1894.

 

Chilean Birth Record

Juan Esteban Ordenes Soto Birth Record, with names of the witnesses  – Courtesy of Moneda, Santiago, Chile, Registros Civiles, Book 11, Page 82, Inscription 163, FHL Film#1149851

It stated that Jose Alberto Soto and Maria Jimenez witnessed his birth. I knew the two last names I was looking for were Soto Jimenez, which in South America is crucial to tracking down individuals. The double last name in Chile is important. So, I started investigating these two individuals. Jose Alberto Soto and Maria Jimenez. Knowing that Maria del Rosario’s Surname is Soto Jimenez, I knew I had to focus on these two individuals.

After finding information on Jose Alberto first, I found his family and his marriage record. He was married in 1897. His marriage record is very tough to read. Still, it states his parents’ names, Manuel Antonio Soto and Maria Marcelina Jimenez, which allowed me to connect him to his sister Maria del Rosario.

Chilean Record Revealing Parents

Jose Alberto Soto Jimenez Marriage Record, Revealing his parents’ names – Courtesy of Moneda, Santiago, Chile, Registros Civiles, Book 1, Page 31, Inscription 61, FHL Film#1152044

In his marriage record, I extracted his parents’ names, which led me to find out that he and Maria del Rosario were siblings and that Maria Jimenez was their mother!

I later found that Maria del Rosario Soto Jimenez was married in 1890, and her brother Jose Alberto was a witness at her marriage ceremony.

Chilean Church Record

Maria del Rosario Soto Jimenez Marriage Record, Corroborating her parent’s name, with her brother Jose Alberto as a witness – Courtesy of La Asuncion Catholic Church in Santiago, Chile. Book 2, Page 264, Inscription 2000, FHLFilm#1090911

This broke it all wide open for me to be able to go back another generation and free me of the dreaded brick wall. I changed my focus from finding older and moved forward on records with more recent information.

Important Takeaways

The god parents and witnesses are very important when researching Chilean records. South American families have a very tight bond. You will almost always find someone worth taking a closer look at who was present during the baptisms, marriages, or burial records. Not only that, but more than likely, you’ll find these same individuals in more than one record for that family.

Here are some essential factors in Chilean research:

  • Always pay attention to the double last name, especially the last names of the people you find in your families’ records; there may be connections.
  • Do not overlook the details of the documents you already found.
  • Sometimes you’ll need to move forward to move backward when it comes to your genealogical investigation.

At Legacy Tree, our genealogists are skilled at finding hard-to-obtain records. With researchers all over the globe, there are few places beyond our reach. Contact us today for a free quote!

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Legacy Tree Onsite: Hiroshima, Hometown of Japanese Emigrants

Legacy Tree Genealogists work with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked one of our onsite researchers located in Japan to give some insight into researching Japanese emigration in the city of Hiroshima.

Another Face of Hiroshima

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial or Bomb Dome, originally the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall

When you hear the name “Hiroshima,” what image comes to mind? The Atomic-bomb Dome, the Peace Ceremony on August 6, or maybe the legend of the thousand paper cranes? The building called the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall was located in the city’s central area – ground zero for the atomic bomb that landed on August 6, 1945. The ruined building has been carefully preserved, and is now commonly known as the A-Bomb Dome, and is a symbol of peace in Hiroshima City.

After World War II, the residents were successfully able to renovate and develop Hiroshima City into what it is today. Now Hiroshima has a population of 1,300,000 and welcomes visitors from around the world (note: currently, the city has fewer visitors because of the pandemic. The A-Bomb Dome is also under repair and looks different from the photo above).

Hiroshima, commonly known as Peace City, also has another face. This one might be unfamiliar not only to you but also to most Japanese, including Hiroshima residents. Hiroshima is a hometown of Japanese emigrants. Japan has 47 governmental divisions and among them, Hiroshima Prefecture has sent out the largest number of emigrants into the world. Hiroshima (広島) was at the top during the years 1885-1923. During the years 1924-1932, Okinawa (沖縄) was 1st and Hiroshima was 3rd.

The Start of Japanese Emigration

Japan started its emigration program in 1868 during the Meiji Era and after the samurai government (known as the Tokugawa Shogunate) had collapsed. Before the Meiji Era, ordinary Japanese citizens had been prevented from leaving Japan for over 214 years. This state of affairs was called sakoku (鎖国).

Sakoku, which means “closed country,” was a policy of the Tokugawa Shogunate. It was established to remove the colonial and religious influence of (primarily) Spain and Portugal. It started in the 1630s and ended after 1853 when four American steamships arrived and forced Japan to open its borders. During sakoku, Japan was able to develop its own culture. It was the time of the sword-carrying samurai who walked through Edo (now called Tokyo), and of the ninja, who spied on the lords of Japan. At the same time, Japan lost its opportunity to get involved in the Industrial Revolution. A brief timeline is listed here:

  • 1517 – The Protestant Reformation started.
  • 1543 – Guns were first introduced to Tanegashima (an island in the southern tip of Japan) by the Portuguese.
  • 1549 – Christianity was first introduced to Japan by Spanish missionaries.
  • 1637 – Shimabara-Amakusa Ikki (the Shimabara War), a riot by the Christian farmers in the Shimabara area, occurred.
  • 1639 – The Tokugawa government started Sakoku, a policy of national isolation.

Why did American steamships come to Japan and demand that the ports be opened? Well, it was not to meet the ninjas. At the time, America was busy catching whales to fuel their oil lamps. They needed ports where they could get water and food supplies on their way to the South Pacific Ocean and Japan was the best location for them. Japan, which had been left behind during the Industrial Revolution, had no choice but to accede to their demands and open the ports. This change became one of the leading causes behind the demise of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The samurai with their swords were gone, along with the ninjas (now you can only see ninjas at some tourist places).

The Meiji government, which was put in place after the Tokugawa Shogunate, was busy catching up to the Western world. As a small agricultural country in Asia, Japan had to work twice as hard to catch up, causing the Meiji government to create many new development projects. One of them was to send local Japanese abroad as emigrants which first started off as a government program, and eventually shifted to a privatized project.

Emigrants were sent out into the world until World War II. After the war, some emigration still continued, but in keeping with the economic growth of Japan, the emigration projects became fewer and eventually disappeared.

The Hiroshima Prefecture Archive

Hiroshima Prefecture Information Plaza

The Hiroshima Prefecture was the most active when it came to emigration. That’s why the Hiroshima Prefectural Archive is the only archive in Japan to have a complete record of their kaigai-ryoken-kafu hyo ( 海外旅券下付表): “overseas visas issued.” The “overseas visas issued” is a sort of passport register of the emigrants at that time. Most of the prefectures in Japan have their own archives, but having such detailed records is uncommon. Any visitors to the Hiroshima Prefectural Archive can dig into the records and find information on any person that emigrated from the country at the time.

kaigai-ryoken-kafu hyo ( 海外旅券下付表) or “overseas visas issued”

Unfortunately, these records are not digitized. To check the records, one must go in person and comb through the thousands of papers stored there. If you don’t read Japanese, it’s recommended to bring someone who can help you, as the records are written in old-style Japanese and are not easy to read, even for a native speaker. However, the archive staff are always happy to help guests with translating the old-style handwriting.

A document from the Hiroshima Prefectural Archive

Mr. Akira Nishimura, a researcher at Hiroshima Prefectural Archive, says “sometimes we have visitors from abroad. They come here to find something about their roots. We are always happy to help them.”

Hiroshima Prefectural Archive (広島県立文書館）
Address: Senda-cho 3-7-47, Naka-ku, Hiroshima, Japan 730-0052
Phone number: +81 82 245 8444
Fax: +81 82 245 4541
Email address: [email protected]
Note: English is not available.

Who will find it useful to come to the Hiroshima Prefectural Archive and view the Kaigai Ryoken Kafu-hyo?

Japan uses the koseki system and everyone can access direct ancestral line information through it. For example, if you have the correct full name and the birthplace of your great-grandmother, and have an official document proving that you are her direct descendant, you can access her koseki. There, you’ll find the following information: her parents’ names, her siblings’ names, her birth address, her death address, who she married, and her children’s names.

Inside the Hiroshima Prefectural Archive

It sounds wonderful, but you may face a challenging barrier. Japan has a strong privacy policy and koseki information is strictly protected. To access a koseki, you must meet certain criteria. Archival researcher, Mr. Akira Nishimukai, says “people who are looking for their roots but can’t satisfy the koseki register requirements come to the Kaigai Ryoken Kafu-hyo to try and get some information about their ancestors.”

What information will Kaigai Ryoken Kafu-hyo give you?

Kaigai Ryoken Kafu-hyo are open to the public. One can access the archive with the information below:

  1. Your ancestor’s name
  2. The approximate year he or she left Japan
  3. Their approximate age

Kaigai Ryoken Kafu-hyo has a section for each prefecture. Each prefecture’s records have the names of emigrants with the information below:

  1. Passport number
  2. Full name
  3. Address in Japan
  4. The date (year, month) when he or she left Japan
  5. Purpose of going abroad, ex. agriculture, language student, railroad worker, mason
  6. Destination

You may be able to find the answers to these questions at the Hiroshima Prefectural Archive using the address of your ancestor:

  1. What kind of village did he or she live in?
  2. What was the history of the community he or she lived in?
  3. What kind of lifestyle did he or she have?

The staff there will advise you on how to find the answers to your questions.

The other archive: Museum of Japanese Emigrants to Hawaii

If you are Hawaiian and looking for information on your Japanese ancestors, please access this museum. They have information solely on emigrants from Japan to Hawaii. Currently, they have digitized records of about 106,000 Japanese emigrants to Hawaii.

Inside the Museum of Japanese Emigrants

Museum of Japanese Emigrants to Hawaii Address:
2144 Nishiyashiro, Suooshima-cho, Oshima-gun,
Yamaguchi prefecture, Japan 742-2103
Phone number: +81 820 74 4082
Email:  [email protected]

Resources

広島県移住史　通史編
Hiroshima Prefecture, October 20, 1993

Special thanks to
Mr. Akira Nishimura (researcher at Hiroshima Prefecture Archive)
Ms. Yuko Shimomukai (staff member at Hiroshima Prefecture Archive)

At Legacy Tree, our genealogists are skilled at finding hard-to-obtain records. With researchers all over the globe, there are few places beyond our reach. Contact us today for a free quote!

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Using Facebook to Research Family History

One of our researchers explains how Facebook can be used to find hidden gems in the form of videos, photos, and information for your family research. 

Your family history can be found in the most unlikely places. I’d like to share a few success stories I’ve found locating my family and also learning about the lives, times, and locations they come from. A great place to start is Facebook. It is the perfect place for the local historian who is looking to share their work or for those who are feeling nostalgic.   

Here are a few of my personal favorites to give you an idea of what you may find.  

Historical Videos and Photographs

My mother’s family came from the Pacific Northwest, and I called that area home for many years. The South Whidbey Historical Museum had a presence at the Island County Fair held in August that we went to several times as an extended family. Through the years, the museum has grown and taken on a larger online presence.  

Here is just a small sample of videos they made available on their page: 

south whidbey historical videos

Courtesy of the South Whidbey Historical Museum

One day I was digging a bit further and went to their website. Under Collections is a link to a new organization, washingtonruralheritage.org, headquartered at the Washington State Library, which has collected digital photos from around the state. 

Washington Rural Heritage Photos

Courtesy of washingtonruralheritage.org

With a little poking around, I found class photos from the 1930s of my great aunts and uncles.  I’d know these sweet little faces anywhere!

Washington Rural Heritage School Photo

Courtesy of washingtonruralheritage.org

 Other sites I’ve found of interest on Facebook for Washington State include: 

Interesting Information

My father’s side of the family is primarily from the Southern United States. The family moved from Alabama to Illinois to Arkansas – a path that I see repeated with many of our clients’ families, as well.  

My absolute favorite site is the Arkansas and Missouri History page, which has amazing information. The page’s owner has written up histories and collected pictures for towns large, small, and very small. You are able to do a search in this group so that you can narrow down areas of interest to you, or when you have some time to spare, just start looking through all that is here. 

Arkansas & Missouri History  (8340 members), https://www.facebook.com/groups/234039950342068/ 

Arkansas and Missouri History Images

Courtesy of Arkansas & Missouri History 

 Others of personal interest that may spark ideas for you on what to look for, especially if you have family here too: 

Photos from Around the World

Just to give you an international feel: 

One line of my family came from Sumianen, Finland. I have been there twice and visited both the church and the store that was there dating back to at least my great-great-grandparents, and both are still operational. 

Sumiaisten Aiitatori (671 members) has information about the store, https://www.facebook.com/aittatori/. 

Half of the building has been turned into a makeshift museum with a collection of items that would have been sold there back in the day. The other half is a fabulous handcrafted store. 

Hand Crafted Store

Courtesy of Brenda Johnson 

Information about the church:  https://www.facebook.com/SumiaistenKirkko/. 

The Church

 Courtesy of Brenda Johnson

As you search for your family story, search Facebook for the town, county, state, and country. Include the words museum, historical society, genealogical society, genealogy to find the best sources. Be sure to read the about section for each Facebook group, which may include the organization’s website, and check out their links to other pages. And, don’t forget to search for pages and groups and to look under posts and photos for possible connections. You just might find your family member looking back at you!

There is a limit to what you can find on Facebook and other social media and often the information you find leads to more questions. Legacy Tree Genealogists has experienced researchers who can take your family history research to the next level. Contact us today for a free quote!

Sources:

https://washingtonruralheritage.org/digital/collection/whidbey/search/searchterm/school*%20student*%20teacher*/field/all/mode/any/conn/and  

https://www.facebook.com/SouthWhidbeyHistory/?eid=ARCeSxP3RU-z33K-2QKbiw14Y-oCMlwPS5LPwlt8vj49sz3VXMaWWPMkcSai4fOG_OKJJ6ZCi-YD_L9N 

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Meet Tani, Project Manager for Legacy Tree Genealogists

Meet Tani, one of Legacy Tree Genealogists talented project managers!

Tani began her love affair with genealogy as a young girl at sleep-overs with her maternal grandmother when together they would compile family history books. Later visiting the Family History Library with her mother and grandmother simply fanned the genealogy flame in her young heart. Both of these amazing women spent many of their final days and hours fully engaged in compiling records with sources and stories to pass on to their family. It wasn’t until they were gone that Tani really began to treasure the books they had worked on together. She had heard the stories, and learned of the brick walls, but now wanted to learn more! What happened to her great grandfather that served in the war and was injured and sent home to recover? Did he return to battle? Did he go AWOL? What started as a curiosity for her, with no genealogy experience, bloomed into a passion and a drive to learn how to discover more and to pass these treasures on to her own posterity! The circle of life continues!

Tani went on to share her excitement with others, who also had a desire to learn more but didn’t know how nor where to begin! Tani has worked with hundreds of people instructing and teaching Family History skills, providing encouragement, creating interest and enthusiasm as they pursued their own family story. Everyone has a story!

Earning a degree in Humanities, then a Bachelor’s degree in Travel & Tourism from Brigham Young University initiated her interest and love of people which has flourished ever since. Her favorite thing about touring is to observe, meet and speak with people of different countries, cultures, religions to discover their traditions, passions and their family stories!

Tani brings decades of customer relations experience to Legacy Tree, including compassion and empathy for people dealing with difficult circumstances. Tani knows our family trees are not always perfect little packages nor what we may expect them to be. But that’s what makes it so exciting! One of Tani’s strengths is allowing herself and others to be human, and believes our family members and our ancestors deserve that same privilege.

Tani enjoys being in nature either skiing, scuba diving, biking, hiking in the mountains or strolling on the beaches! Touring, photography, good food and time spent with friends and family bring her joy! Tani loves her three amazing daughters, their awesome husbands and simply adores her grandchildren! Family is her life and greatest blessing!

Tani is very excited and grateful for the opportunity to join Legacy Tree and turn her love for genealogy into a career! She looks forward to helping you as your Project Manager have an excellent experience with Legacy Tree Genealogists as you discover more of your own unique story!

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Meet Jill, Project Manager for Legacy Tree Genealogists

Meet Jill, one of Legacy Tree Genealogists talented project managers!

 

Jill Balmuth got the genealogy bug in 2005 when a stranger showed up to her grandmother’s funeral.  That stranger turned out to be her grandmother’s first cousin, who shared family stories and information about relatives close and distant. She wanted to know more, and a love for genealogy was born.

Prior to joining Legacy Tree Genealogists, Jill had a genealogy consulting business, Jewel Genealogy, named to honor her immigrant great-grandparents who owned The Jewel Candy Company, a South Philadelphia wholesale candy business that was lost during the great depression.

Jill is active in volunteer work for various non-profits including the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston (JGSGB) where she serves as publicity chair. She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS), and the Massachusetts Genealogical Council.

Jill received a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.  After college, she worked in public relations in the high-tech and healthcare industries in New York City and Boston.  She holds a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University.

We’d love to help you with your family history, whether we’re breaking down brick wall mysteries, finding your biological parents, or just starting from scratch finding the stories about your ancestors. Contact us today for a free quote.

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A Guide to Pre-1850 US Federal Censuses

This guide will discuss what kinds of information you can expect to find in pre-1850 US Federal Censuses and how to use those documents in your own research. 

US Federal Censuses are critical to genealogical research in the United States. The later censuses—those after 1850 and especially those after 1880—offered more genealogical information than earlier ones and are frequently used by hobbyists and professional genealogists alike. Censuses before 1850 are more difficult to use because they contained fewer obvious genealogically useful details; however, those censuses from 1790 to 1840 can be vital to solving genealogical problems. Families can be tracked from one residence to the next through the early censuses which can lead to looking for other records in the correct jurisdictions (or in previously unknown residences). Details in the early censuses can reveal whether the correct family has been located and when probable children were no longer in the home. These censuses can also provide estimated birth year ranges for those in a household.

Pre-1850 US Federal Censuses: Age Categories

While censuses in and after 1850 recorded names of household members and their ages (not always correct!), only the head of household’s name (in most cases) was recorded in pre-1850 censuses. One notable exception was the 1840 census which asked for the names and ages of pensioners for “revolutionary or military service.” Household members, including heads and pensioners, were counted in statistical categories based on age, sex, race, and civil rights status (whether free or enslaved). The following charts use the racial and civil rights terms employed at the time to avoid applying an anachronistic view of how the census enumerators understood the categories, which is necessary so we do not misinterpret the data.

A few notes help us understand these categories. First, there were no age categories for any females in the 1790 census; however, that census did ask for the number of “free white females.” Similarly, there were no age categories for enslaved or “free colored” individuals until the 1820 census, but earlier censuses did request the numbers of enslaved individuals and “all other free persons” (1790) or “all other free persons, except Indians, not taxed” (1800 and 1810). The age categories in the 1820 census allowed some “free white” males to be counted twice because it asked for both those who were “of 16 & upwards” and for those who were “between 16 & 18.” Thus, if a “free white” male was 16, 17, or 18 years old he would have been counted in both categories. Lastly, notice that the age categories use the word “under” meaning one year should be subtracted from the upper age limit to determine the correct age range. In other words, if someone in the household was “of 26 & under 45” that person was at least 26 years old and no older than 44.

pre-1850 US Federal Censuses - age categories for "free white" malespre-1850 US Federal Censuses - age categories for "free white" femalespre-1850 US Federal Censuses - age categories for "free colored" malespre-1850 US Federal Censuses - age categories for "free colored" femalespre-1850 US Federal Censuses - age categories for male "slaves"pre-1850 US Federal Censuses - age categories for female "slaves"

Pre-1850 US Federal Censuses: Additional Questions

The 1790 to 1840 censuses requested information about each household not included in the age categories. These questions can provide biographical insight into the family and may offer important genealogical clues depending on the circumstances. The additional questions and categories are as follows:

1790 Census

  • “Free white Females.”
  • “All other free Persons.”
  • “Slaves.”

1800 Census

  • “All other free persons, except Indians, not taxed.”
  • “Slaves.”

1810 Census

  • “All other free persons, except Indians, not taxed.”
  • “Slaves.”

1820 Census

  • “Foreigners not naturalized.”
  • “Number of persons engaged in Agriculture.”
  • “Number of persons engaged in Commerce.”
  • “Number of persons engaged in Manufactures.”
  • “All other persons except Indians not taxed.”

1830 Census

  • “White Persons”
    • “Who are Deaf and Dumb, under fourteen years of age.”
    • “Who are Deaf and Dumb, of the age of fourteen and under twenty-five.”
    • “Who are Deaf and Dumb, of twenty-five and upwards.”
    • “Who are blind.”
    • “Aliens – Foreigners not naturalized.”
  • “Slaves and Colored Persons”
    • “Who are Deaf and Dumb, under fourteen years of age.”
    • “Who are Deaf and Dumb, of the age of fourteen and under twenty-five.”
    • “Who are Deaf and Dumb, of twenty-five and upwards.”
    • “Who are blind.”

1840 Census

  • “Number of persons in each family employed in:”
    • “Mining.”
    • “Agriculture.”
    • “Commerce.”
    • “Manufacture and trade.”
    • “Navigation of the ocean.”
    • “Navigation of canals, lakes and rivers.”
    • “Learned Professional engineers.”
  • “Pensioners for Revolutionary or military service”
    • “Names.”
    • “Ages.”
  • “White Persons” who were “Deaf and Dumb”
    • Under 14
    • 14 & under 25
    • 25 & upwards
  • “White Persons” who were:
    • “Blind”
    • “Insane and idiots at public charge.”
    • “Insane and idiots at private charge.”
  • “Colored Persons”
    • “Deaf & Dumb”
    • “Blind.”
    • “Insane and idiots at private charge.”
    • “Insane and idiots at public charge.”
  • Questions for “Schools & c.”
    • “Universities or college”
    • “Number of students”
    • “Academies & Grammar Schools”
    • “No. of Scholars”
    • “Primary and Common Schools”
    • “No of Scholars at Public charge”
    • “No. of white persons over 20 years of age in each family who cannot read and write.”

States with Missing Censuses

Over time, many census returns have been lost for the period between 1790 and 1840. Some of the states are missing just a few pages while others are missing an entire year’s census for the entire state. The following list summarizes which states have some lost census returns for the 1790 to 1840 enumerations. An excellent resource to gain more details about the censuses is the FamilySearch Research Wiki which has been cited for each state below. We highly recommend checking out the cited Wiki article as it will provide more details on exactly what part of the census was lost for each state.

If you see a state on here where you do a lot of research do not panic just yet. Many of these states are only missing parts of their census returns and some states have census substitutes (such as tax records) which can be used to help fill in the gaps.

Research Tips for Pre-1850 US Federal Censuses

One of the most important research strategies for using pre-1850 censuses is to compare the birth year ranges with known information about the family. If the age categories are not matching up at all with your family, then it is probable that the wrong family has been identified in the census. Of course, ages sometimes fluctuate in the censuses so there might be some wiggle room and there may have been additional children in the home than previously known, but if there are significant differences you will need to find good information to resolve the conflict or you will need to conclude that the wrong family was found.

Work on identifying the ancestral family in multiple census years and compare the ages of household members to ensure that everyone’s ages were progressing as they should. If the ages are not progressing at a normal rate (meaning that there should be about a ten-year difference between a person’s age category as reported in two censuses) or if sexes are not lining up, then you have likely identified different families who happened to share a head of household’s name.

Comparing ages across multiple censuses can also help narrow down a birth year range. For example, you may find a man in the 1790 census and all that tells you about his age was that he was born sometime in or before 1774. You then identify him in the 1800 census which indicates he was “of 26 & under 45” which meant he was born between 1756 and 1774. The 1810 census for the same head of household puts him in the same “of 26 & under 45” category which dated his birth to between 1766 and 1784. Using these three censuses, you can estimate that the head of household was born between 1766 and 1774.

Another tip is to watch out for multiple households which match the ancestral family. It is entirely possible that there were two heads of households with the same name and whose households are a close match to the ancestral family. For this reason, it is important to identify all the possible household candidates and conduct additional research to determine which one was most likely correct.

It is often tempting to skip looking at the second page of the 1830 or 1840 censuses, but don’t do it! The second page can contain important information about the family that can help you make conclusions.

Sometimes it can be helpful to search for all households with the surname you are researching, regardless of the head of household’s given name, in a region or state to take stock of possible candidates. If the surname was not very common and the households were near each other, it is very possible that they were related. This surname survey can also identify candidates for an ancestor’s parent (father as the head of household was usually the man) because it could reveal which households contained a child which matched your ancestor. You can then research each of the parental candidates to make further conclusions.

Lastly, pay attention to neighbors as they were often family members or friends. The presence of these people near the suspected ancestral household can help confirm the right family was identified. Or you can track a family as they migrate because you may notice that several families lived near each other in a previous location in an earlier census.

The researchers at Legacy Tree Genealogists are skilled at knowing the most efficient and cost-effective ways of obtaining records so that our clients get the fullest possible insight into the lives of their ancestors. Contact us today for a free quote!

[1] “Alabama Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Alabama_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[2] “Arkansas Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Arkansas_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[3] “Delaware Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Delaware_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[4] “Florida Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Florida_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[5] “Georgia Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Georgia_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[6] “Illinois Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Illinois_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[7] “Indiana Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Indiana_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[8] “Kentucky Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Kentucky_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[9] “Maine Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Maine_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[10] “Maryland Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Maryland_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[11] “Massachusetts Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Massachusetts_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[12] “Michigan Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Michigan_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[13] “Minnesota Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Minnesota_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[14] “Mississippi Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Mississippi_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[15] “Missouri Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Missouri_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[16] “New Hampshire Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/New_Hampshire_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[17] “New Jersey Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/New_Jersey_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[18] “New York Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/New_York_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[19] “North Carolina Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/North_Carolina_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[20] “Ohio Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Ohio_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[21] “Oklahoma Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Oklahoma_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[22] “Texas Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Texas_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[23] “Virginia Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Virginia_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[24] “West Virginia Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/West_Virginia_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

[25] “Wisconsin Censuses Existing and Lost,” FamilySearch Research Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Wisconsin_Censuses_Existing_and_Lost, accessed February 2021.

This guide will discuss what kind of information you can expect to find in pre-1850 US Federal Censuses and how to use those documents in your own research.

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Ancestors and Their Pets: All Creatures Great and Small

The Legacy Tree team loves animals, and recently some of them shared stories of ancestors who had pets, or worked with animals, and even had close encounters with dangerous beasts!

A cousin’s pet calf

Many of our ancestors lived on farms, or in rural areas, and grew up around livestock. This photograph from Washington state in the 1930s clearly demonstrates a family member’s attachment to one of the calves. Unfortunately, this friendship had to end when times became tough (or perhaps simply when it was “time”). This ancestor sadly wrote, “They ended up butchering her and eating her.”

ancestor with their pet calf

 

Deer friends

One researcher shared this tender photograph of her relatives and their pet deer in the late 1940s. “This was in Oklahoma. I believe [the deer] did have a name although nobody remembers it now. They kept it on their property, but after a few years they moved. They were allowed to keep it in a nearby state park after that.”

ancestor with their pet deer

Loyal animals, dangerous jobs

In the Ozarks in 1938, “Grandpa Bob” worked on a hog farm. His faithful canine, Rex, helped with a dangerous job there. Some of the hogs could grow to five or six hundred pounds. Bob had to climb inside the pens from time to time to remove dead piglets:

“This chore of removing dead pigs was a perilous one, because the sows would attack and eat anyone who entered their pen. Luckily Bob had the aid of a faithful and intelligent dog; a big gray mutt (mostly a mix of German shepherd and Husky) named Rex, who saved his bacon several times in this particular chore. Bob and Rex would work as a team. When Bob climbed into the pen, the sow would start to go after him. Then Rex would grab the sow by her legs and knock her on her rear. The sow would go around in circles on her behind trying to get Rex. Rex would hold the sow off while Bob quickly threw the dead pigs out. He would then jump the fence and Rex would jump out after him.”

ancestor with his pet dog, the brave Rex

“Grandpa Bob” in his younger days on the right,  with the dog believed to be the famous Rex.

Ancestors and wild animals making the news

An ancestral encounter with a wildcat was reported in the newspaper in Utah in 1862 –

“A few days since a young lad, son of Mr. Charles Lambert, of this city, while riding over the prairie west of Jordan, came in contact with a large wild cat, or California tiger, as they are frequently called in this country, which immediately showed ‘fight,’ and attacked a large dog which was with the boy, and was in a fair way to use him up, when the lad, who is an adept with a lariat, and had one with him, but was not armed with gun, pistol, or knife, succeeded in taking a ‘hitch’ on the ferocious beast, but not around his neck, the top at the same time passing through a sage brush, so that in drawing it up in the usual way the animal, which still held fast to the dog, became fastened somewhat to the bush. The boy then got down from his horse, and applied the heel of one of his heavy boots to the wild cat’s head, until it released its hold upon the dog, but subsequently got disentangled from the bush and made fight with the lad, who sprang into the saddle and started off under whip and spur, the wild beast making efforts to seize him, jumping higher than the horse several times, just missing him, as they were moving swiftly over the prairie, the horse gradually gaining ground, and the wild cat falling behind, till the lariat brought him up and he was dragged by it for about a quarter of a mile, when the boy, supposing him dead, held up his horse. On dismounting, however, he found that the animal was yet alive, and having no other means of dispatching him took off one of the stirrups from his saddle, and beat him therewith till life became extinct.[1]

 Mourning a pet

My own great-grandfather followed a popular Victorian tradition of memorializing a pet. He wrote an entire eulogy for the beloved family dog. I found it one day, tucked between two pages of his journals. His emotions were evident as he described watching the faithful wee dog, Peter, slip away:

“Our wee dog Peter died on the morning of Thursday, 2nd of June 1921. He had not been well for a day or two before, but we thought it was just a touch of sickness. On the Thursday morning however we saw he was worse, and before breakfast Margaret carried him to W. Storey a veterinary surgeon who said he was suffering from acute gastritis. His only hope for him was that being a young dog he might be able to pull through.”

Things took a turn for the worse, and while my great-grandfather had to go off to work, he said he did not stop thinking about the wee chap, who died the next morning.

“Rest in peace, dear Peter! I think you were conscious in life that we all loved you, and if there be an after-life for animals, you must know that you are mourned as a true companion and a faithful servant, and that your death is felt deeply as a great loss by all the members of this sorrowful family.”[2]

Funeral card for Peter the Dog

Funeral card for Peter the Dog

Thanks to all our team members who agreed to share these stories and photographs!

 

[1] “A Combat With and Capture of a Wild Cat,” Deseret News (Salt Lake, Utah), 30 April 1862, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/, accessed November 2020.

[2] David Stephen, “Diaries”, privately held by author.

Some of our researchers share stories of ancestors who had pets, or worked with animals, and even had close encounters with dangerous beasts!

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Top 3 Resources to Trace Your Ancestry in Guatemala

Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers from across the globe to access records for our clients. We asked one of our onsite researchers located in Guatemala to share an overview of the top 3 resources for tracing your Guatemalan ancestry.

A journey through Guatemala history is essential to understand the nature of Guatemala genealogy records. Guatemala, like the rest of the Central America countries, was colonized by the Spaniards, who arrived in 1524 and conquered the native inhabitants, a remnant of the Mayans. 

The Spaniards brought with them their culture and religion. As a result of the evangelization of Guatemala by Roman Catholic priests, genealogy research relies heavily on Catholic church records, one of the oldest collections available in the country for genealogical research. 

1. Catholic Church Records Collection

Parish records in Guatemala were for a long time the only records in which the events of the life of each person were recorded, in such a way that it is the direct antecedent of the Civil Registry in Guatemala. These records, dating from 1581, were created by priests and include separate registers of christening, marriage, and burials of the people within the jurisdiction of each parish.   

Parish records contain valuable information for genealogical research. In addition to the name and baptismal date of the child in question, some also include the child’s age and race, as well as names of relatives such as parents, godparents, and even grandparents. 

After the conquest, several “capitals” of the kingdom were established in Guatemala by the Spanish. The most important was Santiago de Guatemala. In Santiago de Guatemala the parish records created for natives, Spaniards, and “ordinary” people (including those of African descent, people of mixed race, and indigenous servants) were kept separately. 

By keeping a registry of baptisms and deaths, it was possible to estimate the population living in a specific place, similar to a census. Therefore, these records are the primary source of information about the population, both individually and statistically, before the implementation of government civil registration in 1877. 

 FamilySearch has digitized many of these parish records and they are available on its site. 

2. Civil Registration Records

The next historical stage of recordkeeping in Guatemala began in September 1877, when the civil registry was established and regulated by law as part of the government. A decentralized system was chosen, with function delegated to the municipalities. The municipalities recorded the principal events in the life of people, including births, adoptions, marriages and deaths. With passage of Decree 921 in 1926, the municipalities also had to begin keeping other records such as divorces and documentation of recognition of illegitimate children (those born out of wedlock).  

Records used for tracing Guatemalan ancestry.

As of January 1932, the “Cédula de Vecindad” was established as an identification document for citizens. The document was created through Legislative Decree number 1735, which made the cédula mandatory for all citizens over 18 years of age.  

The “Cédula de Vecindad” identification document for Guatemalan citizens.

In the civil war that the country experienced from 1960 to 1996, several municipalities were burned and valuable records were lost. Fortunately, FamilySearch had microfilmed many of these records before the conflict, and they are now available digitally even though the originals are lost. 

In 2005, through Decree 90-2005 of the Congress of the Republic, RENAP, or Registro Nacional de las Personas (National Registry of Persons), was created, to organize and improve the registry of acts—births, marriages, divorces, deaths, etc. This organization replaced the civil registry function of municipalities and centralized all the records at the federal level. 

Among its main functions are: 

  • To centralize, plan, organize, direct, and regulate registrations. 
  • To register births, marriages, divorces, deaths and other events and acts that modify the civil status and civil capacity of individuals. 
  • To issue the personal identification document to Guatemalan citizens and domiciled foreigners. 
  • To issue certifications of the respective registrations. 

RENAP also has the records of the National Statistics Institute (Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas, or INE), which includes population censuses as well as birth, marriage, and death records. 

3. Central American General Archive (Archivo General de Centroamérica)  

The General Archive of Central America, founded in 1846, constitutes the state body designated by Decree 1768 for the protection, conservation, and organization of the documentary heritage of Guatemala. It has dual functions as both the national historical archive and central archive of the Government of Guatemala. 

As a national historical archive, its holdings consist of documents from 1544 to 1997, including historical records spanning the period of Spanish rule in America. The documents cover cultural, legislative, judicial, fiscal, economic, religious, military, agricultural, and commercial matters pertaining to the Kingdom of Guatemala. In that period, the Kingdom of Guatemala—also known as the Captaincy General of Guatemala—included the modern-day countries of Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and the Mexican state of Chiapas. 

Map of Kingdom of Guatemala

Historical map of the Yucatan and Guatemala published in Amsterdam by Arnold Montanus, 1671. 

Among the records in this group that can be helpful for genealogical research are: 

  • Ship manifests 
  • Population records of indigenous and colonial towns and villages. 
  • Notarial records (encompassing legal actions relating to marriage, death, and wealth, such as wills, marriage contracts, and sales or transfers of goods) 

As the central archive of the Government of Guatemala, it holds records of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including indexes of foreign citizens—records which indicate nationality, file number, and which became Guatemalan citizens and where in the country these immigrants settled. 

There are also records of the Department of German Affairs, dating from 1939, and the expropriations of citizens of that country, who lived in Guatemala during World War II. 

Researching your ancestry in Guatemala is possible, though it may require a mixture of digital and onsite research in Guatemala. Contact Legacy Tree Genealogists for a free quote. 

 

James T. Simon, “Documenting Colonial and Indigenous History: the Central American Archives, 1544–1821,” Center for Research Libraries, https://www.crl.edu/focus/article/8564. 

“Guatemala Civil Registration,” FamilySearch Wiki, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Guatemala_Civil_Registration. 

Ralf Santino Coello, “Análisis de la Evolución Histórica del Registro Civil en Guatemala,” Tesis de grado, 2013, Rafael Landívar University. 

Legacy Tree works with researchers around the globe to access records for our clients. Today on the blog we share the top resources for tracing your Guatemalan ancestry.

 

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