1. Family History & Government Documents Women 490, Politics of Genealogy April 7, 2008 Cass Hartnett cass@u.washington.edu Marika Pineda marikap@u.washington.edu

2. What We’ll Cover Part I Government Documents & You! Part II Getting Started with Genealogy/ Family History Census, Census, Census! Vital records General Land Office (GLO) U.S. Congressional Serial Set Military records Land records Resources for further exploration

6. Government Documents Assignment for WOMEN490 Select two: –Three primary documents of your own life –Locate two government document from local, state, or federal levels – be prepared to answer lots of questions! –Locate one page from a 19 th -century U.S. census report, and compare it to a similar page from a 20 th -century census report

7. Some examples Driver’s license (state-issued) Bus map (local/regional transit authority) Property Valuation statement –Pierce County property valuation –Territorial tax record Consumer Health brochures –She Looked Clean, But … –http://www.cdc.gov/std/http://www.cdc.gov/std/ Military benefits brochures

8. Part II: Genealogy & Family History

9. To construct a family tree you need many resources. Your family history Census records Vital records Congressional records Land records Military records Archival resources County histories News articles Tax records Court records Family lore

10. Beginning the Search for Family Start with the here-and-now –COLLECT mementos (pictures, diaries, letters, scrapbooks, records, certificates) –ASK family members what they know (make recordings) “Let’s see, I believe we’re supposed to be related to the Kearneys of Mississippi, but I don’t know how. Belle Kearney was the first female state senator.” --Uncle Jack State Archives search

11. U.S. Census Manuscripts Bohme, Frederick G. 1989. 200 years of U.S. census taking: population and housing questions, 1790- 1990. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.

12. Why Search Census Records? To locate ancestors in place and time To find extended family members To view a community Depending on the census year, you might find: birth years, dates state of birth, and birthplaces of parents country of origin whether your ancestors could read/write occupation value of personal possessions/real estate Never intended as a genealogy resource

13. What Census Records Are Available? Decennial census taken every 10 years since 1790. Released 72 years later Most recent census available: 1930 (released in 2002). 1890 census mostly burned Many paper copies destroyed after microfilming (quality isn’t always good) Mortality census Agricultural census Slave Census States may have taken their own census between decennial years (varies) Source: Bohme, Frederick G. 1989. 200 years of U.S. census taking: population and housing questions, 1790- 1990. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.

14. Female Occupations Listed in Census Keeping House None At home Attending school Teacher Domestic servant Waitress, seamstress, lady “du pav”

15. Definitions To understand some of the terms on census manuscripts, find out what census takers were instructed to report. Measuring America http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/ ma.html http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/ ma.html Page 16

16. Using Statistics to Get the Big Picture As you build a picture of your family, use census reports to compare personal circumstances to regional or national trends. Example: How many women worked as telegraph operators in Atlanta in 1920? Hill, Joseph A. Women in Gainful Occupations, 1870 to 1920. A Study of the Trend of Recent Changes in the Numbers, Occupational Distribution, and Family Relationship of Women Reported in the Census As Following a Gainful Occupation. Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off, 1929. GovPub Stacks HA201 1920.A2 no.9

17. Access to Census Manuscripts Ancestry.com –personal subscription for home access –Library Edition—available only inside the library (SPL and KCLS) HeritageQuest online –Available through SPL and KCLS. –Can access from home using your library card number. Microfilm at NARA regional facility (Sand Point)

18. Search Tips Look for your head of family as a child in earlier census Electronic indexing varies by provider –Difficult handwriting deciphered by humans –Transcription errors –Varying coverage Print indexes may provide other entries Search for alternative spellings. –Soundex (sounds like) spelling for last names & wildcards with first and last names ('*' replaces 0 to 6 characters; '?' replaces a single character) Search by last name and limit results by adding location or date information. Families with the same last name that are living in the same area are often related Search by first name and limit results by adding location information. Sometimes first names are more common (and less likely to be misspelled) than a last name “Read” the whole neighborhood

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20. More Government Records

21. Finding Maiden Names Using Census Records 1.Look for elders living with the family. –Is there an aged parent in the household with a different last name? –In some census years kinship relationships are clearly identified. In others, you have to take these names as clues. 2.Look for families with that older person’s last name in earlier census records. –Can you find a young daughter with the same name as the mother in the first family group? –Do the ages match up? (may be inexact) 3.Confirm your findings through other corroborating records

22. Other Sources for Maiden Names Vital Records –Birth certificates –Death certificates many name the parents of the deceased –Marriage records Wills and probate records Court records –published transcriptions may be the easiest to find and use Cemetery records/tombstone transcriptions Military pension applications

23. A maiden name in military records 1.Locate entry in index (Ancestry.com, for example) 2.For copy of actual record, order from NARA Civil War Pension Application example https://eservices.archives.gov/orderonline/start.swe?SWECmd=Start&SWEHo=eservices.archives.gov Shows widow’s maiden name, marriage date, copy of marriage certificate, soldier’s birthplace and birthdate, location at time of enlistment, whether there were previous marriages, names and birthdates of children, soldier’s appearance Rewarding Expensive Time-consuming Free in 5 years

24. A Quick Online Search for Land Records General Land Office Records http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/ Particularly handy for homestead records To order full records, go to National Archives Records Administration http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/land/index.html

25. Social Security Death Index Quick & easy Connected with filing for death benefits Birth years can extend back to 1875 Available through Ancestry.com (and some other sources) Provides birth and death year Provides last place of residence Provides actual social security number Can use this info to find obituary and other vital records The Social Security application form can provide further information: Parents’ names Maiden name Employer’s name

26. U.S. Congressional Serial Set Material on immigration records Military records –Lists might include widows and orphan children of officers –Registers of personnel Land records –Occasional land ownership maps –Indian agency personnel –Employees of government agencies Private Relief Actions of Congress

27. How to Use the Serial Set Index: 1789 – 1969 Online: U.S. Congressional Serial Set, Digital Edition (full text, but through 1941 only)U.S. Congressional Serial Set, Digital Edition Lexis-Nexis Congressional Lexis-Nexis Congressional (no full text, useful as an index to 1942 - present) Print: GovPub Ref Z1223.Z9 C65 Print & microfiche editions 1789 – 1969 GovPub microfiche (with CIS fiche) 1970 – present Print: GovPub Stacks U.S. Y 1.1/2: No. 12881-1 – (91st Congress, 2nd session, 1970 --. Library use only)

28. For Further Exploration “Mug books” – county histories America, History and Life (UW library database) Newspapers Genealogists at Seattle Public Library, ninth floor Volunteers, databases, microfilm at NARA regional facilityNARA regional facility NARA Web site (excellent finding aids and guides, some indexed resources)NARA Web site State archives State vital records offices Family History Library online UW Genealogy pageGenealogy Guide to UW Libraries genealogy sources Cyndi’s List

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