SUMMIT COUNTY CHAPTER of the Ohio Genealogical Society P O Box 2232 Akron OH 44309-2232 e-mail: SummitOGS@acorn.net

TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

Prepared by National Genealogical Society 4527 17th Street North Arlington, VA 22207-2399 (703) 525-0050

1. Interview Relatives

First, question older family members. Encourage them to talk about their childhoods and relatives, and do not stop listening when they repeat themselves. They will drop further clues, sooner or later, without realizing it. You must recognize clues and follow up on everything that hints of a family connection, no matter how remote. Consider using a tape recorder and saving the tapes for future generations or your own library. After you have heard their stories, you must verify each fact from some other source, to be sure. Do not let family scandal bother you, but remember that it may embarrass others. You are not responsible for your ancestors. We all have some who did unpleasant things.

2. Visit Your Library

Then visit your local library. Inquire of the librarian what heraldic, historical and genealogical publications are available on paper or microfilm, and consult those that relate to the geographic areas of your interest. You must know something about the settlement (when, by whom and from where) and subsequent history of the county or town in order to know what you might expect to find in research for given time periods. Learn how to use the card catalog. Ask the librarian to suggest or recommend genealogy classes that may be offered by a local college or other adult education facility. Ask about any local, regional,and state genealogical and historical societies; then get in touch with their officers. Ask for the name and address of the state Library and Archives in your state capital; then inquire about its holdings and services. Ask about cemeteries, any ethnic or religious libraries or archives that may relate to your search, and any collection or compilation of Bible records. Ask about local chapters of any patriotic, royal or other societies for which there are proven lineage membership requirements, such as the Daughters/Sons of the American Revolution.

3. Visit Your Courthouse

As you proceed through the foregoing steps you will learn how to ask the right questions, i.e., those calculated to elicit the most productive answers. After you have mastered that technique, visit your local courthouse to find out what is there, even if your ancestors lived elsewhere. The one thing all courthouses have in common is clerks who are busy. They can be enormously helpful. Cultivate them by using their time efficiently. Avoid narratives and convoluted questions. Ask, instead, to see such source records as will, deed and marriage books, for example, and inquire as to how they are recorded, arranged and indexed. Read for genealogical clues those that mention the surnames of your interest, including all conceivable spellings. When you encounter conflicting data, ask yourself which variant is more likely to be accurate. Which was recorded nearest the event by the person most likely to know?

4. Write Letters to Others

Learning to ask the right questions will help in the correspondence you should undertake with other individuals or societies concerned with the same families or areas, or with foreign embassies in Washington. Enclose a long self-addressed stamped envelope (an SASE to genealogists and others) in every letter you wish to have answered. The recipients will be more willing to reply. Generally, it is better to confine each letter to one specific question, and to tell the recipient what you already know about the subject and what research you have already done. Provide as many dates and places as you can. Thank those who respond and share what you learn with other researchers. Those who share usually benefit most.

5. Record Your Results Systematically

Record what you learn systematically, indicating the source for each fact. Do not treat separate families on the same piece of paper, since they should be filed in separate groups. It usually is helpful to use printed family group sheets or pedigree charts and a filing system organized so that you can locate what you have in an ever-expanding collection.

6. Additional Information

To learn more about these five steps and to continue your pursuit of genealogy,you may wish to purchase "Instructions for Beginners in Genealogy." This 62-page book will help you get started and develop good record-keeping habits. It is written in a simple, straightforward style and is three-hole punched to carry in a notebook for ready reference. It is available from the Education Division of the National Genealogical Society (see file NGSAIDS.TXT for ordering information).

7. Home Study Course

To continue your learning experience beyond that of a beginner, you should enroll in the Society's home study program, "American Genealogy: A Basic Course." This widely-acclaimed home study course allows you to study at home at your own pace. It includes careful instructions as well as assignments for you to prepare and return for grading. You will learn how to find and use source records, evaluate genealogical evidence, document each item and maintain orderly records. The course materials include several very valuable appendixes. (See file NGSCOURSE.TXT for form to get additional information.)

RECOMMENDED READING

American Society of Genealogists, Genealogical Research: Methods and Sources, 2 vols. rev. ed., Washington, DC. The Society 1980, 1983.

Andereck, Paul A. and Richard A. Pence, Computer Genealogy: A Guide to Research Through High Technology, Salt Lake City, Ancestry, Inc., 1985.

Doane, Gilbert H. and James B. Bell, Searching for Your Ancestors: The How and Why of Genealogy, 5th rev. ed., New York, Bantam Books, 1982.

Everton, George B., The Handy Book for Genealogists, 7th rev. ed., Logan, UT, Everton Publishers, 1981.

Filby, P. William, American and British Genealogy and Heraldry, 3rd ed., Boston, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1983.

Greenwood, Val D., The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy, Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1973.

Jacobs, Donald Lines, Genealogy as Pastime and Profession, 2nd ed. rev., Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1968.

Kurzwell, Arthur, From Generation to Generation: How to Trace Your Jewish Genealogy and Personal History, New York, William Morrow, 1980.

Meyer, Mary K., ed., Meyer's Directory of Genealogical Societies in the USA and Canada, 6th ed., Airy, MD, The Editor, 1986.

Schreiner-Yantis, Netti, ed., Genealogical and Local History Books in Print, 4th ed., Springfield, VA, The Editor, 1985.

Shumway, Gary L. and William G. Hartley, An Oral History Primer, Salt Lake City, Primer Publications, 1973.

Stryker-Rodda, Harriet, How to Climb Your Family Tree: Genealogy for Beginners. Reprint ed., Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Company, 1983.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Where to Write for Vital Records: Births, Deaths, Marriages and Divorces, Publication No. (PHS) 84- 1142, Hyattsville, MD, 1984. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives, Washington, DC. National Archives, 1982.

Walker, James D., Black Genealogy: How to Begin, Athens, GA, University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education, 1977.

Williams, Ethel W., Know Your Ancestors: A Guide to Genealogical Research, rev. ed., Rutland, VT, Charles E. Tuttle Co, 1980.

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Record Sources

Ohio vital statistics are found as follows:

Dec. 20, 1908 to present in the Ohio Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics or the Local Registrar of Vital statistics where birth occurred (usually the County Health Department).

Dec. 20, 1908 to present in the Local Registrar of Vital Statistics where death occured (usually the County Health Department).

Dec. 20, 1908 - Dec. 31, 1944 in the Ohio Historical Society Archives Library Division 1985 Velma Ave. Columbus, OH 43211-2497

Jan. 1945 to present Ohio Department of Health Divison of Vital Statistics 35 E. Chestnut St. P.O. Box 15098 Columbus, OH 43215-0098

OHIO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH BY MAIL: Copies of death certificates ordered from the Ohio Department of Health are $7.00 for certified; $.50 and a SASE for non-certified. There is a form required, which is available from the above address. Please keep it to 3 or less per envelope/request.

OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY: You must submit a form (see below) and only one name and one spelling variation will be searched and you must list indexes you want searched. If the search yields no positive match, OHS will provide copies of the index pages searched.

For an UNCERTIFIED copy, Ohio residents should send check or money order payable to the Ohio Historical Society for $3.18 which includes tax. Non-Ohio residents should send a check for $3.00.

For a CERTIFIED copy, send TWO checks or money orders. One check should be made payable to the Ohio Historical Society for $3.18 (or $3 for non-Ohio residents). The other check should be made payable to Treasury, State of Ohio for $7 to pay for the certification fee. The Historical Society will forward this check to the Ohio Division of Vital Statistics which will forward the certified copy to you. Marriages, wills, estates and so forth are generally found at the county probate courts.

Please complete a separate form for each certificate requests, and include a separate check and a self-addressed, stamped envelope with each form. Return the form to Research Services Department, Archives/Library, Ohio Historical Society, 1982 Velma Ave., Columbus, OH 43211-2497

ONLY TWO INDEXES WILL BE SEARCHED PER REQUEST PLEASE CHECK ONE OR TWO:
 
 

1908-12

1913-17

1918-22

1923-27

1928-32

1933-38

PRINT OR TYPE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

Name to be searched (first middle last)________________________________Female___Male___

One variant spelling:_____________________________________________

Maiden name (if a married woman):_________________________________

Parents' names:___________________________________________________

Date/year of birth:_______________Date/year of death:____________

Place of death:________________________________________ city, township or village county

TYPE OF COPY REQUESTED:

Uncertified ________________________              Certified ________________________

YOUR ADDRESS:
 
 
 

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII OHS Staff Notes:
County_______________Name________________vol.#__cert#___date of death

______________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________ __1908__1909__1910__1911__1912__1913-7__1918-22__1923-7__1928-32_1933-7

___Matched; certificate copies __Not matched; indexes copies

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VITAL RECORDS IN ALL STATES

This site provides information on how to obtain vital records in all states.
 

WHERE TO WRITE FOR MILITARY RECORDS

Military records of all servicemen who enlisted from Ohio since World War I and all National Guardsmen since 1903 are held by the Soldiers Claim Division, Office of the Adjutant General, State House, Columbus, OH 43215. Ohio did not grant state pensions. Revolutionary War records are held by the National Archives. Pension records and regular Army and Navy records are maintained by the National Archives and the National Personnel Records Center.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES

    The National Archives has records for U.S. Regular Army officers (1789-1916) and enlisted men (1789-1912) during both peacetime and wartime as well as those of persons serving during wartime in volunteer units raised by the states and mustered into Federal Service (1775-1903).
    Write to General Reference Branch (NNRG-P, National Archives and Records Administration,  7th and Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20408.
    Ask for copies of NATF Form 80 that is used to order copies of veterans records You can obtain both pension and military records, but you need one form for each, so specify how many copies of the form you want.  The search usually takes
several weeks. You usually get about 10 pages of records for $10 unless you ask for all records available then the cost will be given to you.

You can also can order the forms by E-mail: inquire@arch2.nara.gov

Be sure to leave your name and postal address and number of forms you want.
NATF Form 80 for military service and pension files
NATF Form 81 for ship passenger lists
NATF Form82  for census
NATF Form 180 for military records after World War I.

For records of  World War I and later write to National'l Personnel Records Center (Military Records), NARA, 9700 Page Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63132-5100 and ask for Standard Form 180. or download the form 180 at:
http://www.nara.gov/regional/mprsf180.html

(Note: NATF Form 80 also is used to order pension and bounty land records. You need a form for each one requested. Pension records contain the most information.)

The National Archives has records of American naval and marine service in the Revolutionary War (1775-83), in the U.S. Navy for officers (1798-1902) and enlisted men (1798- 1885), and in the U.S. Marine Corps (1798-1895) There are also some records for some who served in the Confederate Navy and Marine Corps (1861-65). Requests for these records should be made on GSA Form 6751.

The National Archives has Coast Guard records books of Revenue-Cutter Service officers (1791-1919) indexed by name for each state. There are also record copies of officer commissions (1791-1909) and muster rolls after 1871.

Personnel and card records (some dating back to 1864) for civilians are available at the National Personnel Records Center, Civilian Personnel Records (GSA), 111 Winnebago St., St. Louis, MO 63318.

Requests for information about Army officers separated after 1916 and Army enlisted personnel separated after 1912 should be also be made on Standard Form 180 to the National Personnel Records Center. Requests for information about Navy officers separated since 1902 and Navy enlisted men separated since 1885, and Marine Corps officers and enlisted men separated after 1895 also should be made on Standard Form 180 to the center. The address is:

National Personnel Records Center (GSA) 9700 Page Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63132

NATIONAL PERSONNEL RECORDS CENTER

When requesting military service or medical records, you should make the request on a Standard Form 180. This form can be obtained from the VA and from various veterans' organizations. Complete as much information as possible, and be sure to sign your name. The Privacy Act prohibits the release of information without an authorized signature.

The address for sending the form is:

National Personnel Records Center Military Personnel Records 9700 Page Blvd. St. Louis, Missouri 63132

If you request records by means of a letter, be sure to include the following information:

Full name (name served under) Date of birth Service number Social Security number Branch of service Dates of service Place of enlistment Place of discharge State specifically what documents you are requesting

If you served in a National Guard unit and want records from that period of service, you should request them from the State Adjutant General of the state where your unit was located. In Ohio, write: Soldiers Claim Division, Office of the Adjutant General, State House, Columbus, OH 43215.

Most veterans were issued two documents when discharged - a DD-214 and a discharge certificate. Many veterans will ask for a copy of their discharge when they really want their DD- 214, so be sure to request the proper document. The DD-214 (or its earlier equivalent such as a 553) is the document needed for benefits purposes.

Records of deceased veterans are issued only to immediate next-of-kin. If you are a next-of-kin, you need to also submit proof of the veteran's death, such as photocopy of the death certificate, as well as stating your relationship to the veteran.

If you want dependent medical records, you should send a request to:

National Personnel Records Center Civilian Personnel Records 111 Winnebago Street St. Louis, Missouri 63118

Requests for records of a dependent who is now over 21 years old requires that person's signature in addition to the signature of the person making the request. X-rays are only released to qualified physicians.

You may request your medals and other awards from the center. NPRC issues USN/USMC/USCG/UASF medals. The Army Personnel Center, also at 9700 Page, issues Army medals. The Army paperwork is handled by NPRC, but the actual ARMY medals are issued from the supply center in Philadelphia. It could take a few months to receive the medals, especially since the Center receives several thousand requests each month for them. If you only request medals, that is all you will get. Therefore, if you also want copies of citations, meritorious masts (usually not kept as part of the record), ship awards such as the "E" award, you should specifically state that you want any and all medals and other awards.

The 1973 fire destroyed 80% of Army records prior to and including the Korean War. Also, Air Force records of vets whose last names begin with A - H also were destroyed. If you are among those veterans who served in this period (WWI, WWII, Korea), you should provide as much information as possible when requesting records such as units served with, any hospitalization, places of enlistment and discharge and copies of your DD-214 and discharge papers.

The center does NOT take telephone requests from individuals due to the Privacy Act.

MISSING IN ACTION:

For aircrew members lost in combat during World War II, request Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) under the individual's name from: Modern Military Field Branch (NNMF) Military Archives Division National Archives Washington National Records Center Washington, DC 20409

Booklets, including Genealogical Records in the National Archives, are available from:

National Archives and Records Service General Services Administration Washington, DC 20408

LAND RECORDS

Land records are found in the county recorders' offices in most counties. There is usually a grantor-grantee index. Deeds are listed by grantor (person disposing of land) and grantee (person acquiring the land). Sometimes both indexes are in the same volume, sometimes they are separate.

Land records of the Ohio State Land Office, including a card index, have been transferred to the Ohio Genealogical Socidety, 713 S. Main St., Mansfield, OH  44907-1644

Records for Ohio and other eastern states are kept by:

U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management Eastern States Office 350 S. Pickett Ave. Alexandria, VA 22304

The Eastern States Office covers Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Most titles to public lands were transferred to private citizens, companies or local governments by patents (deeds). Record of these patents and other statements of title, such as railroad grants, school grants, Indian allotments and private land claims are contained in tract books. Tract books, first developed around 1800 and maintained in the local land offices, still serve as the essential reference source for all transactions involving public lands. They tell who obtained what land from the federal government and when. The Eastern States Office maintains tract books for the 13 public land states under its jurisdiction: Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio and Wisconsin. Copies of Federal land patents (title) are available from Bureau of Land Management for Federal Public Domain lands in all states except the original thirteen colonies plus Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas and Hawaii. The BLM, as successor to the General Land Office, issues patents for all Federal Public Domain Lands, and maintains patent records from the beginning of public land disposal by the United States. The bureau furnishes certified photostat copies of hundreds of patents every month. The bureau offices may be able to run searches for patents by name. A search by name only, however, may be inconclusive for common names--Jones, Smith, etc.--without additional identifying information. The name of the landowner alone is usually not sufficient since the land records of most states are not indexed by name. It is best to present all the known title information including the patentee's full name, the patent or certificate number, state, patent date and legal description. The legal description should include the such as township, range, section, subdivision, and survey meridian and state. Legal descriptions may also appear as Special Surveys, such as a Homestead Survey (HES), a Mineral Survey (MS), Townsite and so forth. A patent may be located with only the legal description or the certificate/patent number. You need to know the date of entry and survey and warrant number or section, township and range. Write for current information and fees.

Patents $12 each State grants, swamp & rail deeds $12

Tract Book pages $4 each Survey plats $4 each

Field notes $4 first page and $1 for each additional one

Case file records 25 cents per page

Patents for lands in the western states are maintained by BLM's eleven western offices. Address inquiries for those states to the Bureau of Land Management for the particular state:

Arizona State Office, 3707 N. Seventh St., P.O. Box 16563, Phoenix, AZ 85011

Alaska State Office, 701 C Street, Box 13, Anchorage, AK 99513

California State Office, Federal Office Building, Room E-2841, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825

Colorado State Office, 2020 Arapahoe St., Denver, CO 80205

Idaho State Office, 3380 Americana Terrace, Boise, ID 83706

Montana State Office (includes North and South Dakota), Granite Tower, P.O. Box 36800, 222 N. 32nd St., Billings, MT 59107

Nevada State Office, Federal Building, Room 3008, 300 Booth St., P.O. Box 12000, Reno, NV 89520

New Mexico State Office (includes Oklahoma), Joseph M. Montoya Federal Bldg., South Federal Place, P.O. Box 1449, Santa Fe, NM 87504

Oregon State Office (includes Washington), 825 N.E. Multonomah St., P.O. Box 2965, Portland, OR 97208

Utah State Office, 324 S. State St., Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Wyoming State Office (includes Kansas and Nebraska), 2515 Warren Ave., P.O. Box 1828, Cheyenne, WY 82003

For any other information, write to the Bureau of Land Management, U. S. Department of Interior, 18th and C Streets NW, Washington DC 20240. Tel: 202-343-9435.

For information on Ohio lands, write to the Auditor of State, State Land Office, P.O. Box 1140, Columbus, OH 43266-0040.

The office has a card index of land grants which is a good source of information, but does not have actual patents. The office does have deeds for state-owned school lands which were sold. It is usually best to check first with the county recorder's office.

For a free 54-page booklet that describes the Ohio land grants, write: Thomas E. Ferguson Auditor of State P.O. Box 1140 Columbus, Ohio 43266-0040 Ask for the booklet, "Ohio Lands - A Short History,"

DON'T FORGET: Most land records for Ohio can be found in the county recorder's office of the county where the land is located.

For lands in Pennsylvania, write to the Division of Land Records, Bureau of Archives and History, Historical and Museum Commission, Box 1026, Harrisburg, PA 17120

The office will do a surname search. Write for current fees. Copies of warrants, patents and surveys.

WILLS AND ESTATES

Summit County Probate Court Records available at Akron-Summit County Public Library:

Index: indexes for old records all on one microfilm roll. Estate Index 1840-1949 Death Index 1869-1908 Birth Index 1869-1908

Summit County Will Books & Index on microfilm1869-1949.

Other records are at the Summit County Courthouse.

This is from a handout given at The Genealogical Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, entitled GUIDE TO GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA

PROBATE RECORDS

DEFINITION

Probate: the act or process by which the will of a person is proved, or the estate of a deceased person is dispersed.

GENEALOGICAL VALUE

Probate records vary somewhat in content and format from district to district and state to state. Probate records often give specific relationship of the heirs to the deceased. They may also give information on the present or former residence(s) of the heirs and of the deceased. Gifts of personal property mentioned in a will may provide clues to religious affiliation, military service, social status, occupation, etc. Wills may also provide the date of death, or a close approximation of it. Caution must be exercised in assuming relationships of people mentioned in the will. The wife may not be the mother of the children mentioned. Not all the children may be mentioned in it. Deceased children and those who had already received their inheritance were often excluded from the will.

Listed below are some of the records generated in the probate process and a description of their contents:

MAJOR RECORDS

ADOPTION AND GUARDIANSHIP: name of the child(ren), parents, guardian(s) or foster parents; age and sex of child(ren); residences of the parties involved; inheritance(s); and guardians' bond.

BOND: name of the administrator or executor(s), bondsmen, the deceased; amount and date of bond.

CASE FILE: copy of will; inventory of estate; copies of the court order; miscellaneous letters and papers pertaining to the probate action.

DOCKET, CALENDAR or INDEX: date of court action; name(s) of executor(s) or administrator(s), and of the deceased; reference to the order book and case files.

ORDER BOOK: court order; date of order; name(s) of executor(s) or administrator(s); identification of the estate.

WILL: date of will; name of testator; name(s) and relationship(s) of heir(s) (if any); description of property and its deposition; name(s) of executor(s) and witnesses; date of probate.

ADDITIONAL TERMINOLOGY

ADMINISTRATOR (ADMINISTRATRIX): individual appointed by the court to dispose of the estate of a person who died intestate.

CODICIL: document created by the testator to amend his/her will.

ET UXER (ER. UX.): and wife.

EXECUTOR (EXECUTRIX): person appointed by the testator and approved by the court to execute the terms of the will.

HOLOGRAPHIC WILL: will which is written, dated, and signed entirely in the testator's own hand. This type of will requires no witnesses to its signing.

INTESTATE: one who died without leaving a will.

NOTORIAL or AUTHENTIC WILL: will made by the testator before a Notary. It is retained in the Notary's file until the testator's death.

NUNCUPATIVE WILL: will given orally in the presence of witnesses.

TESTATE: one who died leaving a will.

AVAILABILITY

Probate records are usually in the custody of the Probate Clerk in the county where the estate was probated. The Genealogical Department Library has microfilmed probate records for many counties, but seldom has the complete probate packets or case file. The complete probate packets may be available through personal research at the county courthouse by hiring a local researcher, or sometimes by correspondence with the probate clerk.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

THE AMERICAN GENEALOGIST, "Probate Laws and Customs" by Donald Lines Jacobus.

BLACK'S LAW DICTIONARY, by Henry Campbell Black (St. Paul, Minn: West Publishing Co., 1968).

THE RESEARCHER'S GUIDE TO AMERICAN GENEALOGY by Val D. Greenwood (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1973) Chapters 12-14

A TREATISE ON THE LAW OF WILLS, by John R. Rood (Chicago: Callaghan & Co., 1926).

CANADA

Wills and probate records are registered with the various Surrogate or Probate Courts in each of the provinces. All provinces are divided into surrogate court districts, each of which is responsible for the adminstration of its own records. Most provinces have a central registrar for surrogate records. Local courts submit a brief notice to the central agency regarding each application for probate being processed by their offices. These notices generally contain the name, residence, occupation, date of death, some information regarding the nature of the probate, and the local surrogate court where the application for probate was made.

SUMMIT COUNTY RECORDS Vital Statistics & Research Facilities

The Summit County Chapter, OGS has prepared the following information in an attempt to help you. This is not meant to be a complete list but a list of records most often sought. All offices, except a few, are open to public search during regular business hours and are within walking distance of each other in downtown Akron. These offices are NOT equipped to do research. However, many will send copies through the mail if you can provide the exact information required to locate the record, and the proper copy fee. Please include a long, self- addressed stamped envelope (S.A.S.E.) with your request.

NOTICE! The Summit County Chapter, OGS is not responsible for any changes in the information listed below. Changes can be made, without notice, by the offices in charge. It is always best to call or write for current policies & copy fees.

SUMMIT COUNTY COURTHOUSE: 209 S High Street; Akron OH 44308 (Everyone entering courthouse must pass through a metal detector) PROBATE COURT: 1st floor - (216) 643-2352 Birth and Death Records from 1868 to 20 Dec 1908 when they were made a division of the County Health Department (see ** below). Photocopies of these two records cannot be made. However, for a $3.00 fee the information will be taken from the book, typed onto the proper form, and stamped with the embossed seal of Summit County, Ohio to state it is a true copy. Marriage Records from 1840 to present. Two sets of index books under the male's name and the female's name. Copies are 5¢ uncertified or $2.00 certified. Wills and Estates indexes from 1840 to present. Guardianships indexes from 1840 to present. (Complete records of Wills, Estates, & Guardianships are on microfilm. Copies for all three records are 5¢ per page. Certification is $1.00 extra.)

SUMMIT COUNTY SAFETY BUILDING: 53 University Ave; Akron OH 44308 (next to courthouse) COUNTY CLERK OF COURTS OFFICE: 2nd floor - (216) 643-2211 Civil & Criminal records from 1840 to present. Divorce records. Scattered naturalization records starting in 1840's. Many are missing; and early records that exist contain only name, date of filing, and date of final certification . Copies are 5¢ per page uncertified. Certification is $1.00 extra.)

SUMMIT COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS: Birth & Death Certificates for Summit County from 20 Dec 1908 to present may be found at one of the three (3) following locations. Requests can be made in person or through the mail by providing name and date of event. (These records are not open for public search!) For Births or Deaths occurring: within Akron city limits - John D Morley Health Center, 177 S Broadway; Akron OH 44308 (216) 375-2976. Located behind, and across the street, from Courthouse. Copies are 10¢ uncertified, $7.00 certified. within Barberton city limits - Barberton Health Department, 571 W. Tuscarawas Ave, Barberton OH 44203; (216) 745-6067. Copies are $3.00 uncertified, $7.00 certified. all other areas of Summit County - Summit County Health Department; 1100 Graham Road Circle, Cuyahoga Falls OH 44224; (216) 923- 4891. Copies are 10¢ uncertified, $7.00 certified.

SUMMIT COUNTY RECORDER'S OFFICE: The Ohio Building, 175 S Main Street; Akron OH 44308; (216) 643-2719. (Rear entrance is across the street from the front of the Courthouse.) Located on the 4th floor, this office has Land Records from 1840 to the present. Deeds are indexed, by years, for both the Grantor (seller) and Grantee (buyer). Also on file are indexes, and duplicate Deeds, recorded in our parent counties between 1795 and the formation of Summit County in 1840. (Medina, Portage, and Stark Counties are Summit's parent counties.) Copies are $1.00 per page uncertified. Certification is 50¢ extra. This office also has Soldier's Discharge Papers dating back to the Civil War. There is no charge for copies of Soldier's Discharge papers.

SUMMIT COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE: 31 N Summit St, Akron OH 44308; (216) 643-2101 This office is not open to public search. Requests for Coroner's Reports from the late 1800's to the present can be made in person or through the mail. Name, and Year of death is required for a search. Reports filed within the last 10 yrs are at the office. Reports filed before then require a 3-4 day wait for copies to be made. Copies are $3 by mail or $2 walk in. Certification is included in cost.

AKRON-SUMMIT COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, LLH DIVISION: 55 South Main Street, Akron OH 44326-0001; (216) 643-9000 The first floor of the library has a vast amount of historical and genealogical material in its Language, Literature, and History Division. Marian Davies is in charge of these materials; which are far too numerous to list. LLH Division Tel. # (216) 643-9040 Some of the materials pertaining to Summit County, Ohio are: * County and Family Histories * Most Obituaries are Indexed for 1840-Present * Most Akron City Directories from 1868 to present; * Akron Beacon Journal newspaper, under various names, on microfilm starting 1841; * Summit County Wills and Estates Index, 1840-1949, on microfilm; * Summit County Birth and Death Index, 1868-1908, on microfilm * Summit County Marriage Records, with index, 1865-1922, on microfilm; * Ohio Census microfilm - the library now has the entire collection of film for Ohio from 1820 thru 1920, including the 1890 special Veterans Census. Copies by mail - The library is not able to make extensive searches. However, for the cost of 5¢ per page, and a long S.A.S.E., Mrs Davies can send copies of obituaries, census records, or pages from books. You must be able to provide her with exact info such as complete date of death, or book title and page number. They will bill you.

** Address your inquires to : Attention, MARIAN DAVIES, LLH DIVISION, Akron-Summit County Public Library, 55 S. Main St., Akron, OH 44326

THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON - ARCHIVAL SERVICES Old Polsky Building. Archival Services - Akron OH. 44325-1702. 216) 972-7670 Archives for materials - many in their original form - for Ashland, Coshocton, Holmes, Portage, Richland, Stark, Summit, Tuscarawas, and Wayne Counties. These records are far too numerous to mention here. This facility is for public research only! Hours are Monday - Friday 8am to 5p.m. Because of the size of this collection many records are kept in storage. It is sugged that you call first to insure that the records you want will be on hand when you arrive. Copies are 10¢ per page.The Polsky Building is in Downtown Akron; Between S. Main Street and High Street at University Avenue. [ Walking distance from Courthouse & Recorder's Office.]

LDS FAMILY HISTORY CENTER 106 E Howe Road, Tallmadge OH 44278 (216) 630-3365 This facility is for public research only! Hours: Mondays & Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Tuesdays & Wednesdays 6 to 9 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The center is closed holidays. Inquiries by mail are not answered.

PLEASE REMEMBER: When writing to any facility for information keep requests limited to 1 or 2 items, and provide exact dates. Keep request specific and to the point. Lengthy letters on your family history may be overlooked or discarded. Due to the rising cost of postage many facilities require a long, self-addressed stamped envelope (S.A.S.E.) for a reply. Once again, it is best to write first to inquire about current copy fees.

--- Compiled by Marlene Diefendorf, Jan 1995. revised Feb 2000
 
 

The Great 88: Ohio Counties and County Seats

FAQ on Ship Passenger Lists

May be distributed and/or reprinted so long as (1) original credits and this notice are not removed, (2) any revisions, deletions, or additions are clearly identified, and (3) no charge is made, except possibly a nominal charge to cover copy costs. The authors offer this information freely to the community and make no warrantee as to its accuracy.

PASSENGER LIST FAQ By Dennis Nicklaus nicklaus@wishep.physics.wisc.edu

Are you interested in finding out which ship your ancestor came to the US in? For many immigrants (esp. second half of 19th century, early 20th), records do exist. Some are indexed, even.

(I should note that I'm not trying to be a complete bibliography here. Just to give you an idea. There are whole books written on how to do this passenger finding, as well as bibliographies.)

WHAT YOU CAN FIND

If you happen find your ancestor in the passenger list, you can expect to find, of course, the exact arrival date and ship name, and where the ship left from. The passenger lists will almost always include names, where the people are from, and destination. "Where from" is often just a country, e.g. England, but on some of the german ships, the region (e.g. Baden-Wurtenburg, Bavaria) is common, and even the town name is given on some lists. Age, occupation, & amount of baggage are common to many lists. Often, when a whole family is in the list, the relationships are stated (e.g. daughter, wife). The destination is usually just "US", but sometimes names a specific state.

If you find the arrival, and want to know exactly when the ship left, try the newspaper. The 19th century NY Times, at least, has an "Arrivals" column, which will list details such as date & port departed. I imagine most other newspapers would have something similar. I find it interesting to look at the newspaper for the day anyway, just to see what was going on when they arrived.

WHERE TO START

Your first step should be to find out when your ancestor arrived. The main ways to do this are: census records (1900- lists the year of arrival), naturalization records, family lore, whatever else you might find.

WHERE TO LOOK

After that, start digging through microfilm and books. With luck, your ancestor arrived in one of the indexed years/places. If you've checked the indexes and can't find them (or there is no index for you), there is no reason you can't go look at the original film yourself. For instance, NY 1847-1897 isn't indexed (that I know of). If you only know your ancestor arrived in 1870, you just have to start through the rolls of film for that year. For NY circa 1870, figure about 1 month worth of arrivals will fill one roll of microfilm. It will take you 1-2 hours to scan through that roll of film with some practice. You can use some speed tactics. For instance if you have a british immigrant, then you can *probably* safely skip the german ships.

On microfilm from National Archives, there are passenger lists of arrivals as follows. These are on 100's of rolls of film, and index rolls are separate from the actual listings.

New York from 1820 on, (indexed 1820-1846, and post 1897) ****** Can someone else please explain the post 1897 lists & indexes & how they are arranged. I've never used 'em. There is a separate publication which may be hard to find. It is only 118 pages, so I am not sure how complete it can be, but it is useful for its index: New York passenger arrivals, 1849-1868 : passenger lists / transcribed by Michael Cassady ; Sylvia Nimmo, editor. -- Papillion, Neb. : S. Nimmo, c1983. Lists were transcribed from microfilm copies at the National Archives, of the original lists at the National Immigration Archives at Temple University, Philadelphia. !!! Includes index.!!!!

Atlantic & Gulf Coast Ports 1820-1873 Philadelphia 1800-1882 (indexed 1800-1906) Baltimore (1820-1891) (indexed 1833-1866) Boston (1820-1891) (indexed 1848-1891) New Orleans (1820-1902) Portland, ME 1820-1868, 1893-1943

Some other published immigrants to specific ports: San Francisco (1850-1875) Galveston (1846-1871) Mobile (1838-1860)

One multi-volume work worth mentioning separately is: Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries / edited by P. William Filby, with Mary K. Meyer. -- Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., c1981 --

This is an alphabetized (within each volume) list of immigrants which Filby et al have extracted from previously published lists NOT including the official Customs and/or INS lists. Filby's major value is in locating obscure lists which were published in the "Podunk Times" or the "West b'Gawd G&HS Quarterly", which is how he intend(ed)(s) it to be used. It is not complete nor does it refer the user to the original passenger lists.

It also uses sources other than passenger lists, such as naturalization or loyalty oath lists which were previously published. This is probably a very good place to start if your ancestor immigrated pre-1800 or so.

In addition, there are special nationality passenger lists, published in book form. Below is a small sample of some of the more popular. There are many others, however, most more specific. There are also other books which can help for pre-1800 arrivals in some specific places.

The Famine immigrants : lists of Irish immigrants arriving at the port of New York, 1846-1851 (indexed) Germans to America : lists of passengers arriving at U.S. ports (1850-1883) (many volumes, each covers a few months and is indexed) Irish passenger lists, 1847-1871 : lists of passengers sailing from Londonderry to America on ships of the J & J Cooke Line and the McCorkell Line Index to Mennonite immigrants on United States passenger lists, 1872-1904 Italians to America : lists of passengers arriving at U.S. ports, 1880-1899 Mayflower passengers 1620 Greek immigrant passengers, 1885-1910 Emigrants to Pennsylvania, 1641-1819 : a consolidation of ship passenger lists from the Pennsylvania magazine of history Swedish passenger arrivals in U.S. ports 1820-1850

Lloyds of London Registers of Shipping (a.k.a. port books) From 1786 on. Check with Mystic Seaport Museum or the LDS

Lists Of Inhabitants Of Colonial New York by Edmund Bailey O'Callaghan Chapter Entitled Early Immigrants to New Netherland 1657-1664 (Passenger lists from this were posted to one of the soc.genealogy groups July 31 1995 if you can find those posts archived somewhere).

I found this next one pretty cool in that it has the actual signatures on the lists, not just a compilation of the names:

Pennsylvania German pioneers : a publication of the original lists of arrivals in the port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808 / by Ralph Beaver Strassburger ; edited by William John Hinke. -- Baltimore : Genealogical Pub. Co., 1992. Includes index. Originally published: Norristown, Pa. : Pennsylvania German Society, 1934.

McManus, J. "Comal Co., TX and New Braunfels, TX German Immigration Ships 1845-1846", c1985. Copy in the San Antonio, TX library appears typewritten, mentions no reference sources and gives no address or publisher for McManus. The actual port of entry for these people was almost certainly Galveston, Texas.

For the other side of the Atlantic, The Antwerp emigration index [Logan, Utah : Everton Publishers, 1986?]

Hamburg Passenger Emigration lists These, and indexes to these, are available on microfilm through the LDS. (There is also a genealogical society in Hamburg which will look through them for you for a fee.) They will be called something like Hamburg Direct (or Indirect) Emigration lists (Register zu den Listen der direkten Auswanderer). "Direct" means the ship went straight to America. "Indirect" means it stopped on the way, for instance to pick up more passengers in Britain.

The passenger list index (or Register) gives

Surname Firstname Page-number

Surnames are grouped by first letter.

This is how it appears these registers were made - the clerk simply started on page 1, wrote all the A people down , went on to page 2 etc. So what you have is the A people in the order they emigrated, (and so not fully alphebetised), then the B people,... In most of the registers you can also find the ship and sailing date.

So once you get the page number from these indexes, order the actual passenger lists for the year in question (also available from the LDS - a different reel from the index) zip through to page 1267 (or whatever) and you should find age, profession, *last residence* (this is the prize!) for your person. The arrangement is:- _________________________________________________________________----

Ship Name , Captain's name Date sailed, Destination

A-Surnames, page numbers (typically about 20 pages per ship) .. .. ..

Next ship name , Captain Date , Destination

More Surnames , pages _______________________________________________________________

It's best to look through the whole register, in case there were several people with the same name who came in the same year, and to check the passenger list age to be sure you have the correct person.

HOW DO I FIND THESE MICROFILMS OR BOOKS

(Easy shortcut for the lucky few: Come to the State Historical Society Library in Madison, WI. That's where I've found many of the above books, unless otherwise noted.)

Stop and think, "Where do I live? What libraries are there in town?" If you live in/near Capitol City, and maybe even if you don't, it could be that the state historical society has a big library near you. Otherwise, maybe you are very near a big library, such as a Big Ten school, Harvard,... Some large city public libraries can help.

There are also several branch offices of the National Archives in major cities.

If you find that there is a major library near, then go to that library and ask if they have ship passenger lists, or can order them through Inter Library Loan or from the National Archives (you may have to pay)

Otherwise, if you are out in the stix somewhere, you can go to an LDS FHC and order copies of the microfilms for many of the above. You can't just order: "NY Passenger lists 1820-1897" because that's about 500 rolls of microfilm, so you'll order for a specific roll/date. In the early years (pre 1846ish), a whole year fits on one roll, but by 1870, only about 3 weeks are on a roll, depending on the season (many more people crossed in summer).

At my FHC, at least, whenever anyone orders such a "passenger list index" film, they add it to their permanent local collection because they are a popular item. So you might check what they have on hand.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Personally, I've had good luck and bad. Some ancestors, I knew the immigration month & year and found them in the unindexed films right away. Another, I just knew they year & found them. Another, the immigration year was stated in several references, and I looked through the entire year, and the German immigrant indexes, and never did find the guy. So YMMV. Good luck!

HOW TO FIND MORE ABOUT THE SHIP

Once you know the ship's name, you may be able to find out more about it, find a photo of it, or read what conditions were like for the passengers (in a word: bad).

Here are some references which may help: Ships of our ancestors / Michael J. Anuta. -- Menominee, Mich. : Ships of Our Ancestors, inc., c1983. (lots of pictures, mostly 1850-1900)

PASSENGER SHIPS OF THE WORLD, PAST AND PRESENT by Eugene W. Smith, published by George H. Dean Company, 1963 (mostly textual descriptions) There were two earlier books which were combined to make this edition. The earlier ones were called something like "Trans-Atlantic Passenger Ships, past and present" and "Trans-Pacific Passenger Ships". by the same author.

The below book with pictures of steamships built by Swan Hunter All in all, 42 ships are presented. Passenger ships include Mauretania, Carpathia, Sobieski, Giulio Cesare, and several other Atlantic and Pacific liners bringing immigrants to North and South America, South Africa, Australia, etc. during second half of the 19th and first half of the 20th Century. AUTHORS: Ken Smith and Ian Rae TITLE: Swans of the Tyne: a pictorial tribute to the achievements of Tyne shipbuilders Swan Hunter PUBLISHED: Newcastle upon Tyne City Libraries & Arts and North Tyneside Libraries, c1994. SUBJECTS: Shipbuilding--Newcastle upon Tyne--History. NATIONAL BIB NO.: GB94-93192 ISBN: 1-85795-021-6 (pbk) If you are interested in getting a copy of the book send fax to: Ms Anna Flowers Publications Assistant Newcastle City Libraries & Arts FAX: 44-191-2611435 She will promptly send the book and bill you. (the person who told me about this book) paid 12.51 sterling pounds (about 20 U$S) for two books, including postage. You cannot pay by check unless you have a bank account in the UK. No credit cards are accepted. You will have to purchase an International Money Order at the post office.

ADDRESSES

Here are some addresses of helpful people:

The Steamship Historical Society of America, Inc. University of Baltimore Library S.S.H.S.A. Collection 1420 Maryland Avenue Baltimore, MD 21201-5779 (410) 837-4334

The Mariner's Museum 100 Museum Drive Newport News VA 23606-3798 (804) 596-2222

Mystic Seaport Museum G.W. Blunt White Library Mystic, CT 06355 (202) 572-0711 I have bought photos from them. Price: from $3 for "contact proof" to $20 8x10.

Peabody Essex Museum 161 Essex Street Salem, MA 01970 (617) 745-1876 I have bought photos from them. Price: $20 8x10 or 5x7.

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park Hyde Street Pier San Francisco, CA 94123

The below addresses are found in a pamphlet "A Key to your North European Roots" pub. in 1992. The brief descriptions are a very short summary of what the pamphlet says. In general, each of the libraries listed here has a lot more than what I state below.

Denmark The Danes Worldwide Archives Ved Vor Frue Kirke P.O. Box 1731 DK - 9100 Aalborg Denmark Contains: Bunches of photos, letters, books Emigration lists compiled by Copenhagen police 1860-1940 microfilms of church records for most Danish parishes 1992 US $25 charge for requests rec. by post of phone.

Finland Institue of Migration Piispankatu 3 20500 Turku Finland the usual lots of stuff info on 250,000 emigrants from pass. lists 1892-1910 passport lists 1890-1950 1992 fee: $US 25 (100 FmK) Germany Historic Emigration Office c/o Tourist Information am Unten Bei den St. Pauli Landungsbroecken 3 P.O. Box 10 22 49 D 2000 Hamburg 36 (old style zip there!) Has the old hamburg emigration lists. Charges (1992) $30/each name & year to be searched

Great Britain Merseyside Martime Museum Albert Dock Liverpool L3 4AA Great Britain (They emphasize: "It does NOT hold ANY original passenger lists") "For at least 80 years, Liverpool was the busiest emigrant port in the whole of Europe" It does contain A library of emigration literature Original & coies emigrant letters, diaries,. etc. (& computer database of same) copies of Some US archives passenger lists films The study of Shackamaxon, a vessel which sailed from Liverpool to both USA and Australia in the 1850s.

Norway The Norwegian Emigration Center Bergjelandsgt. 30 N-4012 Stavanger Norway Has church records pass. lists of all Norw. ports & of Norw-american line censuses. library of family histories Charges unspecified fee.

Sweden The House of Emigrants Box 201 S-351 04 Vaxjo 1 (umlauts on 'a' and 'o' of Vaxjo) Sweden 25000 title library, exhibits, Cafe Charges unspecified fee. CANADA

And don't forget Canada! Many people came to the US via Canada because of less restrictive immigration requirements and other reasons. Some people even stayed there!

For the Maritime Provinces, (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI), there exist only _very_ _scattered_ passenger lists before the 1880's. Usually the only time a list would exist is when the group of immigrants were sponsered by the government (eg. German/Swiss settlement in Lunenburg N.S.)

To the best of my knowledge, there never was any large scale immigration to Newfoundland; a steady trickle over time, usually from the West Country (U.K.) fishermen and the like and some famine Irish.

Starting in the mid-1880's, immigration became a Federal responsiblity and the passenger lists are perserved at the National Archives of Canada (and are consequently available on microfilm). For Nova Scotia, at least, there are NO INDICIES. The lists are organised chronologically and by ship. Thet cover the period until the beginning of WW I (when large-scale immigration from Europe obviously ceased).

Lists exist for Halifax (Nova Scotia), Saint John (New Brunswick), and probably some smaller Maritime centers. There are also post -1880's lists for the Ontario Great Lakes ports and, I assume, Montreal, Quebec.

The National Archives of Canada has produced various catalogs of material available via ILL and that will give more specific coverage of dates and ports for which the records exist.

Charlotte, NY which was on Lake Ontario near Rochester, was also an international port servicing the trade with Canada. Some people came here by boat from Toronto.

IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME

The National Archives microfilm catalog "Immigrant and Passenger Arrivals" ($2.00 + S&H) lists available indexes and passenger lists for various ports.