10 Unusual & Overlooked Genealogy Records

Summary

In this video, genealogy expert Lisa discusses 10 unusual and lesser-known record collections that can significantly enhance your research. These records go beyond traditional birth, marriage, and death certificates, offering valuable insights into family history. Lisa covers unique resources like coroner's inquests, Freedman’s Bureau records, the Civilian Conservation Corps, tax records, and more. She explains how these records can help uncover details about your ancestors’ lives, locations, and even physical appearances. The video is a must-watch for anyone looking to expand their genealogy toolkit with lesser-used resources to break through research brick walls.

Takeaways

• 😀 Coroner’s inquests can provide valuable insights into unexpected deaths and family connections, but they may not be available online and often need to be requested from local archives or courthouses.
• 😀 Freedmen’s Bureau records are essential for researching African American ancestors post-Civil War, offering details on family relationships and living conditions.
• 😀 Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) records from the Great Depression era can offer in-depth information on an ancestor's work assignments, physical description, health, and family ties.
• 😀 Homestead Act records can help trace land ownership and migration patterns, especially for ancestors who settled in the American West after 1862.
• 😀 Tax records are a valuable resource for tracking an ancestor’s economic status and movements over time, acting as a supplement to missing census data.
• 😀 Newspaper social columns provide personal details such as family visits, social events, and community happenings that are often overlooked in official records.
• 😀 Voter registration records list eligible voters in a community and can help pinpoint where an ancestor lived during specific years.
• 😀 World War I and II draft records contain unique personal information, including physical descriptions and details about next of kin, useful for identifying ancestors.
• 😀 City directories list residents and businesses in a city or region, which helps trace an ancestor’s movements and occupation year by year.
• 😀 Sanborn fire insurance maps are detailed, historical maps that show structures, businesses, and neighborhoods, helping locate where ancestors lived or worked.

Q & A

What are some common genealogy records that genealogists often use?

Genealogists commonly use records like birth, marriage, death certificates, and census records to trace family history. These records are often the first sources researchers turn to.

Why might genealogists need to move beyond the common records when researching ancestors?

Genealogists might need to explore lesser-known records when they encounter 'troublesome ancestors' who are difficult to find using traditional records. These unusual records can provide more detailed or missing information.

What are Coroner's Inquests, and how can they help in genealogical research?

Coroner's Inquests are official investigations into unexpected deaths, often revealing the cause of death, family connections, and other personal details. They can provide valuable insights, especially when a death was unusual or unexpected.

Where can Coroner's Inquest records typically be found?

Coroner's Inquests are often not available online, but they can be found at local county courthouses, state archives, or through specific online indices, like those from the Missouri Digital Heritage Center.

How do Freedmen's Bureau records help researchers tracing African-American ancestry?

Freedmen's Bureau records are post-Civil War documents that provide information about newly freed individuals, their families, and their living conditions. They are invaluable for African-American genealogy research.

What specific information can be found in Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) records?

CCC records include detailed information such as work assignments, physical descriptions, character references, family connections, and even health histories of participants. These records offer an in-depth look into the lives of those involved in the Depression-era work programs.

What are Homestead Act records, and how are they useful for genealogical research?

Homestead Act records document land claims under the 1862 Homestead Act. They are useful for tracking land ownership and migration patterns, providing insight into where ancestors settled and how they moved.

How can tax records be used as an alternative to census records?

Tax records can act as partial substitutes for missing census records, especially in years where census data is unavailable. They provide information on an ancestor's economic status and movements year by year.

What kind of information can be found in newspaper social columns?

Newspaper social columns often provide personal details such as visits, illnesses, social gatherings, family events, and even obituaries. They are a rich source of local, community-based information.

Why are voter registration records important in genealogical research?

Voter registration records are useful for confirming an ancestor's presence in a particular community. They can provide details about occupation, family relationships, and the community makeup during a given time period.

What are Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, and how can they help genealogists?

Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps are detailed maps of U.S. cities used by insurance companies to assess fire risks. They show building locations, business names, and neighborhood layouts, offering valuable information about where ancestors lived and worked.

Where can Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps be accessed?

Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps can be accessed online through the Library of Congress, where they provide detailed, historical views of cities and towns where ancestors may have lived.