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My family and I (especially "I") are trying to research our roots. Nearly all the information we have regards my mother's father's line. That we actually have all the way back to about 1500, and we know that through that bloodline, we're primarily English and were among the first settlers of Virginia Colony.
Of my mother's mother's side we know nothing. Of my father's side we know almost as little. We've tried asking other family members to give us everything they know, but unfortunately, all the ones that would have known anything useful died before the genealogy bug bit us, as it were.
I've been told, numerous times, that the LDS Church keeps excellent genealogical records, even (for some reason) for people whose families have never belonged to said Church.
So what would be the best way to find out if they have information on my family? I know the location of two Mormon meetinghouses. (I also have a vague idea where the local temple is, but I'm pretty sure that as a Gentile, I wouldn't be allowed in anyway.) Can I just go into one at some time when services aren't taking place and ask somebody? Or is there some kind of central archive that I'd have to write to? What's the best way to go about this? Any (serious) suggestions are desperately welcomed.
Posts: 1814 | Registered: Jul 2004
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Call one of the meetinghouses (preferably the stake center) and ask if there's a family history center in your area. The family history center will be thrilled to help you in your research; they have people who volunteer there for just that. Also, familysearch.org, run by the Church, is an excellent free online resource.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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And just so you know, the volunteers at the family history centers will probably not try to get you to be a Mormon if you go that route But really, as nice as the online stuff is, there are a lot of resources available through the actual libraries that aren't available through that web-site. More specifically, they have numerous census records on file in pretty much every library. I don't know about the smaller FHC's, but the one here at the BYU-Idaho has access to an online census database that is really handy (I found out the my Great-Grandfather lived with his in-laws right after marrying my great-grandmother. No-one knew this until I saw it in the census records )
Posts: 3003 | Registered: Oct 2004
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that's true, but the website has the FHL catalogue on it, so you can track down original documents before you get there. Trust me, this saves a lot of time that could be spent looking at microfilms. I think Family History Centers in stake centers have some sort of direct link to the FHL in salt lake -- you can order the films from them.
Posts: 4089 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Going to a Family History Centre is your best first bet simply because the volunteers there - and they may be LDS or not - can help you get started and will teach you the basics of how to research your own roots. That, and they have a lot of microfilms & microfiches that they will either have in the library or can order in. But mainly, they'll help you learn.
I used to work in one. Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Our local public library has one whole area devoted to geneaology research. And people who staff it to guide you through how to search - not only local microfilm, but the geneaology sites (like the LDS site) and others. You might check with your local major public library.
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But really, as nice as the online stuff is, there are a lot of resources available through the actual libraries that aren't available through that web-site. More specifically, they have numerous census records on file in pretty much every library. I don't know about the smaller FHC's, but the one here at the BYU-Idaho has access to an online census database that is really handy (I found out the my Great-Grandfather lived with his in-laws right after marrying my great-grandmother. No-one knew this until I saw it in the census records ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
