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  1. #1
    shewhoseeks
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    Default Help for those who went across the pond - USA

    I am a total newbie to English genealogy, but not to genealogy in general, so I thought, I would help with some information that is different here in the states, since so many have been willing to help me on the boards.

    The availability of marriage records and land records will be dependent on a very critical factor that affects research here in the states, were the records destroyed by fire. Tennessee and Virginia are among the states most affected in the earliest records, this can be records from the days of the colonies, up to and including the civil war time frame. Many of the courthouses were burned during the American revolution, War of 1812 and the Civil War. In some states, such as Alabama, about 80 percent of the counties have burned at some point, not always as a result of war. I have one county I research where the courthouse burned three times. Needless to say, it makes research difficult.

    Birth and death certificates
    Almost all of states do not have birth or death certificates until after 1900. Each state controls the laws that apply to the certificates, who can order them, etc. In most states, it is like in England, a father cannot be named without his signature, but not in all. In some states copies can be obtained from the county (for example New York and Florida) and others (like Arkansas) only in the state office. Most states archives do not have this information. Due to identity theft, many of the states changed the laws in the late 1980's and early 1990's on who can order a copy of certificates. In some states this applies only to birth certificates, and in other's it applies to both birth and death certificates. A photo id is usually required to purchase a copy. Vital Chek is a service that provides a link to ordering copies online, it does not charge more than the usual fee I dont believe.

    Marriage Records
    The availability of marriage records varies from state to state greatly. At one time the records were kept on a county level, but now in just about all states the records are kept in the state records office. Early records will often also be available on microfilm from the LDS and from the state and local archives. The national archives will not likely have information from each state on marriages, it has different types of records. You can order copies of available marriage certificates (generally post 1900) from Vital chek as well.

    Land Records
    Early land grants for the original colonies are in the archives in the states, and in many land records are in the national archives. For land patents, homestead, and purchases outside the 13 colonies, the office of the Bureau of Land management has a site that can be searched.

    Tax Records are generally searchable, as are most court records on microfilm from the LDS and at a state archive.

    Divorce laws in the East coast I don't really know about, but in the south, it was at one time a requirement to get an act of assembly from the state assembly, an actual law. Eventually this moved to the courts, but when varies a great deal.

    Church records are not like in England at all. The methodist, Episcopalian and Presbyterian churches, don't have any centralized record system. Maryland has several old parish registers, and the parish's will still look them up for you, but most of the records are in the archives. I haven't yet found a good resource for the same kind of records in Virginia, so I don't think they churches there and elsewhere were as organized. The Catholic Diocese's do have records, but the only one I have dealt with was the one in Mobile, which dates back to the 1700's. Often the archives, or local historical societies will have copies of whatever church records are available.

    Our censuses began in 1790, but many of the originals were destroyed during the war of 1812. The censuses of 1790 have been rebuilt in some states from tax lists. The census of 1790 has the least information. It has heads of households only, and very limited information on ages. The number of slaves is also on all records for each census until 1860 as applicable by state (some states it was illegal to own a slave).
    The 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830 and 1840 censuses are all heads of household only. A chart for the age bracket categories for each one is available for free online. The 1850 on is an inclusive census, where all individuals are named.
    The 1890 census was destroyed by fire, and very little of it remains.
    Census takers were looked on with suspicion by many folks, and so they aren't always accurate. Sometimes the census taker was driven off at gunpoint, neighbors gave information, etc. Expect age and birth location variances, even on the 1900 and 1910. The 1900 and 1910 include the amt of children a woman has had, they are the only ones that do so.

    The relationship of the individual to the household isn't listed until 1880, and from 1880 on the birth location of mother and father of the individual is also on each census.

    Not all immigrants became naturalized citizens before 1900, so you won't always find a record.

    I hope this helps!

  2. #2
    Colin Rowledge
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    Thank you for posting the above. I am having problems tracing births/marriages/divorces in the 1920's and 30's. Can you help?

    Colin

  3. #3
    shewhoseeks
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    What's the location? Most states aren't online, or if they are it's limited...

  4. #4
    Procat
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    Hi Shewhoseeks,

    I have made this a sticky and moved it to the USA section of the forum.

  5. #5
    Brick wall demolition expert! ChristineR's Avatar
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    Oct 2004
    Location
    Victoria, Australia
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    3,251

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    I have moved Colin's thread and your helpful relies to a new thread as he requested - in one of the said posts.
    I have decided to lock this sticky, any one wishing for help please begin a new thread.
    ChristineR

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