This file is as complete and accurate as possible, however if you should find errors, have additions or deletions, send them to me and I will update the file. Bill Green bgreen@milo.nodak.edu bill90@Delphi.Com Date of last update: 4 November 1993 ************************************************************************* GENEALOGICAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETIES OF THE UNITED STATES NATION WIDE SOCIETIES 24 July 1990 (C) Copyright 1990 Robert McLaren 7810 Kincardine Ct. Alexandria, VA 22310-4025 The following file contains a listing of nation-wide genealogical and historical societies in the U.S. Included in the listing, where known, are telephone numbers and yearly dues. This listing is donated to the public domain and may be freely copied. Under no conditions can this listing be sold or used in any other commercial fashion. If you think this list has any value, then donate that value in helping your local genealogical society (or the National Genealogical Society). If you write to any of the societies on this list for information, remember to include a self addressed stamped envelop (SASE). Many of these societies work with a limited budget, supplemented by volunteers, and can not afford to respond unless a SASE is included in your letter. National Genealogical Society 4527 17th Street, North Arlington, VA 22207-2399 (703) 525-0050 Dues: $30.00 per year (individuals); $25.00 per year (organizations) Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society P.O. Box 73086 Washington, DC 20056-3086 Dues: $25.00 per year (single); $30.00 per year (family) African-American Family History Association P.O. Box 115268 Atlanta, GA 30310 Dues: $15.00 per year Armenian Genealogical Society P.O. Box 1383 Provo, UT 84603 Armenian Family Heritage Society 1950 Third Street La Verne, CA 91750 (714) 593-0432; FAX (714) 593-0879 International Society for British Genealogy and Family History P.O. Box 20425 Cleveland, OH 44120-0425 Dues: $10.00 per year American-Canadian Genealogical Society P.O. Box 668 Manchester, NH 03105 (603) 622-1554 Dues: $20.00 per year Czechoslovak Genealogical Society P.O. Box 16225 St. Paul, MN 55116 Dues: $10.00 per year (single); $15.00 per year (family) Czech Society of America 2701 South Harlem Berwyn, IL 60402 Dues: Dutch Family Heritage Society 2463 Ledgewood Drive West Jordan, UT 84084 Dues: $30.00 per year Dutch American Historical Association 8 East 12th Street Holland, MI 49423 Dues: Holland Society of America 122 East 58th Street New York, NY 10022 Dues: Finnish American Historical Society 19885 Melrose Southfield, MI 48075 Dues: Finnish American Historical Society P.O. Box 3575 Portland, OR 97208 Dues: Genealogical Society of Flemish Americans 18740 Thirteen Mile Road Roseville, MI 48066 Dues: American-French Genealogical Society P.O. Box 2113GH Pawtucket, RI 02861-0113 Dues: German Genealogical Society of America P.O. Box 291818 Los Angeles, CA 90029 Dues: $18.00 per year (single); $28.00 per year (contributing) $50.00 per year (supporting); $8.00 per year (associate) Immigrant (German) Genealogical Society P.O. Box 7369 Burbank, CA 91510-7369 (818) 848-3122 Dues: $15.00 per year American Historical Society of Genmans From Russia 631 D Street Lincoln, NE 68502-1199 (402) 474-3363 Dues: $25 per year Germans From Russia Heritage Society 1008 East Central Avenue Bismarck, ND 58501 Dues: Palatines to America Capital University Box 101 Columbus, OH 43209 Dues: The American/Schleswig-Holstein Heritage Society P.O. Box 21 LeClaire, IA 52753 Dues: $5.00 per year Orangeburg German-Swiss Genealogical Society P.O. Box 20266 Charleston, SC 29413 Dues: Hispanic Genealogical Society P.O. Box 810561 Houston, TX 77281-0561 Dues: Genealogical Society of Hispanic America P.O. Box K Denver, CO 80209-0420 Dues: $15.00 per year (single); $20.00 per year (family); $12.00 per year (student and senior citizen) Hispanic Society of America 613 West 155th Street New York, NY 10032 Dues: The Huguenot Society of America New York Genealogical and Biographical Society's Building 122 East 58th Street New York, NY 10022 Dues: Huguenot Historical Society P.O. Box 339 New Paltz, NY 12561 (914) 255-8445. Dues: The National Huguenot Society c/o Miss Vera Reeve, National Registar General 1118 Broadway Vicennes, IN 47591 Dues: American Hungarian Society 177 Somerset New Brunswick, NJ 08903 Dues: Irish American Genealogical Society P.O. Box 26507 Prescott Valley, AZ 86312 Dues: $30.00 per year Irish Genealogical Society P.O. Box 16585 St. Paul, MN 55116 Dues: Irish Genealogical Society 99 Ash Street New Bedford, MA 02740 Dues: Irish Family Names Society P.O. Box 2095 La Mesa, CA 92044-0600 Dues: $12.00 per year American Italian Historical Society 29 Roxbury Place Glen Notch, NJ 07952 Dues: Japanese American Society 1302 18th Street NW Washington, DC 20036 Dues: Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies 332 Harrison Avenue Elkins Park, PA 19117-2662 Dues: American Jewish Historical Society 2 Thornton Road Waltham, MA 02154 Dues: Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture Genealogy Department 6500 South Pulaski Road Chicago, IL 60629 Dues: Norwegian-American Historical Association St. Olaf College Northfield, MN 55057 Dues: American Oriental Society Sterling Library New Haven, CT 06520 Dues: Polish Genealogical Society 984 North Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, IL 60622 Dues: $15.00 per year American-Portuguese Genealogical Society, Inc. P.O. Box 644 Taunton, MA 02780 Dues: Presbyterian Historical Society 425 Lombard Street Philadelphia, PA 19147 Dues: Swedish Pioneer Historical Society 5125 North Spaulding Avenue Chicago, IL 60625 Dues: Swedish American Historical Society 1900 Pattison Philadelphia PA 19145 Dues Crotian/Slovene/Serbian Genealogical Society 2527 San Carlos Avenue San Carlos, CA 94070 Dues: Slovenian Genealogical Society 6625 Jeffrey Lane Lafayette, IN 47905 Dues: Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War c/o Frank Miller Heacock 200 Washington Street, Suite 614 Wilmington, DE 19801 *************************************************************************** VITAL RECORDS Civil governments have created records of births, marriages, and deaths. Records containing this information are commonly called "vital records," because they refer to critical events in a person's life. These are the most important documents for genealogical research, but the births, marriages, and deaths of many people have never been recorded by civil authorities. To find a civil vital record, you will need at least the approximate year and place in which the birth, marriage, divorce, or death occurred. You may need to search other records first to find clues about these events, such as family Bibles, genealogies, local histories, biographies, cemetery records, censuses, citizenship applications, pension files, newspaper notices, and probate files. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries these sources must often be used as substitutes for civil vital records. These other records may not be as accurate, however, as the vital records kept by church authorities and civil governments. General Historical Background The practice of recording civil vital statistics developed slowly in the United States. Early vital information was sometimes recorded in brief entries in register books until the twentieth century, when it became more common to create certificates. Some town clerks in colonial America (especially New England) recorded vital information, but these records are incomplete. The federal government has not registered vital records, except for some Americans born outside the country. Records of marriages were generally the first vital records kept in a locality. In most states, the counties or towns began recording marriages as soon as they were established. Whether the marriage ceremony was performed by a civil or a church authority, local laws required the marriage to be recorded in civil records. The local health departments of a few large cities began recording births and deaths by the mid-1800s. For example, records exist for Baltimore (from 1875), Boston (from 1639), New Orleans (from 1790), New York (from 1847), and Philadelphia (from 1860). The early records are usually incomplete. Many counties in the East and Midwest were recording births and deaths by the late 1800s. Each state eventually developed its own laws and created a statewide registration system. Unfortunately, these records do not exist until the early 1900s in most states. Local offices did not always comply immediately with the registration laws. Within 20 years after registration laws were enacted, most states were recording at least 90 percent of the births, marriages, and deaths. (See the state research outlines for more information.) Regional Differences New England. These states have kept good vital records. The town clerks kept register books as early as the 1600s (see the "Town Records" section for details). Most of these states have statewide indexes of the existing records. The New England states began statewide registration of births, marriages, and deaths between 1841 and 1897. Except for New Hampshire (which began recording marriages as early as 1640), many New England marriages in colonial times were not recorded because of the laws and religious customs of the region. Middle-Atlantic. It is unusual to find any vital records before 1885 for New York and Pennsylvania, except in the larger cities. All of the states began statewide registration of births and deaths between 1878 and 1915. Statewide registration of marriages began between 1847 and 1906. New Jersey and Delaware have marriage records dating from the 1660s (or the creation of the counties). South. In the southern states, laws for civil registration of births and deaths were enacted between 1899 and 1919. Marriages were a legal contract which involved property rights, so the counties recorded them carefully, starting in the early 1700s (except in South Carolina). Most states initiated statewide marriage files between 1911 and 1962. Virginia began recording births, marriages, and deaths in 1853. Midwest. Government officials in the midwestern states began files of births and deaths as early as the 1860s in many counties. Statewide registration of births and deaths was initiated between 1880 and 1920. Officials began recording marriage dates as soon as each county was established and generally began statewide registration between 1880 and 1962. West. The western states vary greatly in their registration of vital records due to their different settlement patterns. Most areas began statewide registration of births and deaths between 1903 and 1920. While most counties were keeping marriage records by 1890, or the date the county was created, statewide registration generally began between 1905 and 1978. Hawaii's records of births, marriages, and deaths date from the 1840s. Birth Records Birth records generally give the child's name, sex, date and place of birth, and the names of the parents. Records of the twentieth century provide additional details, such as the name of the hospital, birthplace of parents, occupation of the parents, marital status of the mother, and the number of other children born to the mother. If no record was filed at the time of an individual's birth, he may have arranged for a delayed registration of birth by showing proof of his birth as recorded in a Bible, school, census, or church record, or by testimony from a person who witnessed the birth. These registrations generally date from 1937, yet the birth may have occurred many years earlier. The registration is usually in the state where the birth occurred. A corrected record of a birth may be filed if a name was changed or added. Most corrections require affidavits of eyewitnesses or evidence from other official records. Marriage Records Marriages were usually recorded by the clerk of the town or county where the bonds or licenses were issued (generally where the bride resided). You may find records that show a couple's intent to marry and records of the actual marriage. Records of Intention to Marry Various records may have been created that show a couple's intent to marry. Banns and intentions were made a few weeks before a couple planned to marry. Thecouple may have been required to announce their intentions in order to give other community members the opportunity to raise any objections to the marriage. This was a rather common custom in the southern and New England states through the mid-1800s. Banns were a religious custom in which the couple announced to their local congregation that they planned to marry. They may have also posted a written notice at the church. Intentions were written notices presented to the local civil authority and posted in a public place for a given period of time. The minister or town clerk recorded these announcements in a register, or you may find them interfiled with other town or church records. Marriage bonds are written guarantees or promises of payment made by the groom or another person (often a relative of the bride) to ensure that a forthcoming marriage would be legal. The person who posted the bond was known as the surety or bondsman. The bond was presented to the minister or official who would perform the ceremony. The bond was then returned to the town or county clerk. These documents were frequently used in the southern and middle-Atlantic states up to the mid-1800s. Applications and licenses are the most common types of records showing intent to marry. These gradually replaced the use of banns, intentions, and bonds. A bride and groom obtained a license to be married by applying to the proper civil authorities, usually a town or county clerk. These records have the most information of genealogical value, including the couple's names, ages, and residence. Later records also provide their race, birth dates, occupations, and usually the names of the parents. The license was presented to the person who performed the marriage and was later returned to the town or county clerk. Applications for a license are primarily a twentieth-century record. These often contain more detailed information than the license. Consent papers may be available if the consent of a parent or guardian was required, often when the bride or groom was underage. The consent may have been verbal, or written on the license or bond. Contracts or settlements are documents created for the protection of legal rights and property. These are occasionally a part of a marriage application, especially in regions that were colonized by France or Spain. Records of Marriages In most cases it can be assumed that the couple married a short time after announcing their intent, even though you may not find proof of the actual marriage. A minister, justice of the peace, military officer, ship officer, or state official could legally marry a couple. You may find the following records that document the actual marriage: Certificates. The individual who performed the ceremony or the civil office where it was recorded may have given the couple a certificate of marriage. This may be in the possession of the family. The clerk of the court may have a copy. Returns and Registers. Town and county clerks generally recorded the marriages they performed in a register or book. If the marriage was performed by someone else, such as a minister or justice of the peace, that person was required to report, or "return" the marriage information to the town or county clerk. This information may have been reported in writing or verbally, or, more frequently, the official recorded the event on the license or bond and returned this document to the clerk. For this purpose, many licenses and bonds were printed with a separate section of the document designated as the "return." The information on the return usually included the names of the couple, the date and place of the marriage, and the name of the person who performed the marriage. Twentieth-century returns often add the residence of the couple, the names of the parents or witnesses, and the certificate number. The town or county clerk recorded ("registered") the marriage returns in a separate register or book, although you may find some early returns in court or town minutes and deed books. He may also have written on the license or the bond the date he registered the marriage. Twentieth-century marriages are still registered by the county or town, but most states now require the counties to report the marriages to the state office of vital records. Many counties keep duplicates of the records they send to the state. Personal Records of the Individual Who Performed the Ceremony. Before the twentieth century, the information on many marriages was not returned. If evidence of a marriage was not presented to a civil clerk, this information might be found only in the personal journal or other records of the official who performed the marriage. Divorce Records Divorces before the twentieth century were uncommon and in some places illegal. Records of divorces contain data on family members, their marital history, their property, residences, and dates of other important events such as the children's births. County officials began keeping divorce records as soon as a court was established in the area. Most divorce actions are found in dockets, minutes, and case files of the county, circuit, or district court. In some areas of the United States, divorces have been under the jurisdiction of a chancery, common pleas, domestic, probate, superior, or supreme judicial court. Divorce records are often open to the public and can be obtained by contacting the clerk of the court. You will also find clues to separations and divorces in local newspapers. Death Records Death records are especially helpful because they may provide important information on a person's birth, spouse, and parents. Death records often exist for individuals for whom there are no birth or marriage records. Early death records, like cemetery records, generally give the name, date, and place of death. Twentieth-century certificates usually include the age or date of birth (and sometimes the place), race, length of residence in the county or state, cause of death, name of hospital and funeral home, burial information, and the informant's name (often a relative). They often provide the name of a spouse or parents. Since 1950, social security numbers are given on most death certificates. Birth and other information in a death record may not be accurate since the informant may not have had complete information. Death certificates may be filed in the state where an individual died and the state where he is buried. Locating Vital Records Records at the Family History Library The Family History Library has copies of many vital records, primarily those before 1920. However, if a record was never kept, was not available in the courthouse at the time of microfilming, was not microfilmed, or is restricted from public access by the laws of the state, the Family History Library does not have a copy. You may use the records at the library for your family research, but the library does not issue or certify certificates for living or deceased individuals. The Family History Library has statewide collections and special indexes of vital records for California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. The library has good collections of county vital records for several states. Locating Records Not at the Family History Library Birth, marriage, divorce, and death records may be obtained by contacting or visiting state offices of vital records or the appropriate clerk's office in a town or county courthouse. Genealogical societies, historical societies, and state archives may also have copies or transcripts. To protect the rights of privacy of living persons, most modern records have restrictions on their use and access. Current addresses and fees for obtaining vital records are given in Where to Write for Vital Records: Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Divorces (Hyattsville, Md.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, August 1987). This booklet can be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. Another helpful source of current fee information is Thomas J. Kemp, Vital Records Handbook (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988; FHL book 973 V24k). This includes samples of application forms that can be sent to state offices to request copies of vital records. It also provides telephone ordering numbers for most offices. Payment by bank card is generally accepted. You will also find WPA inventories (see the "Archives and Libraries" section) that describe the record-keeping systems and available vital records of 39 states. After deciding who has jurisdiction over the records for the time period you need, write a brief request to the proper office. Some offices will require that you submit a standard search application form. Send the following: -Check or money order for the search fee ($1 to $15) -Full name and the sex of the person sought -Names of the parents, if known -Approximate date and place of the event -Your relationship to the person -Reason for the request (family history, medical, etc.) -Request for a photocopy of the complete original record If your request is unsuccessful, search for duplicate records that may have been filed in a city, county, or state office. (Source: FHC Research Guide) *************************************************************************** STATE ARCHIVES Before you visit an archive or a library, contact the organization and ask for information on the collection, hours, services, and fees. National Archives Pennsylvania Avenue at 8th Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20408 The National Archives has a vast collection of documents created by the federal government. The records most often used by genealogists are census, military, land, and immigration records. There are many helpful guides to the collection. The most comprehensive is Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives, 1982, Revised (Washington, D.C.: National Archives Trust Fund Board, 1985). Microfilm copies of many of the records at the National Archives are available at the Family History Library, other major archives and libraries, and at field branches of the National Archives. You may purchase microfilms from the National Archives or request photocopies of the records by using forms obtained from the Archives. -National Archives Field Branches Field branches of the National Archives collect records of federal government offices and courts within the area they serve. These branches are located in or near Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Fort Worth, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle. See the state research outlines for addresses. Library of Congress 1st-2nd Streets, S.E. Washington, D.C. 20504 The Genealogical and Local History Section of the Library of Congress has a very large collection of published genealogies, manuscripts, histories, directories, maps, and newspapers. National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution 1776 "D" Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20006 New England Historic Genealogical Society 101 Newbury Street Boston, MA 02116 (Dues: 1993 $40 for an individual) The society's collections of New England family and local histories and manuscripts are especially helpful. Members can borrow printed resources from their lending library. New York Public Library Local History and Genealogy Division Fifth Avenue & 42nd Street New York, NY 10018 The New York Public Library has collected many published sources, such as local histories, city directories, maps, newspapers, and genealogies. Newberry Library 60 West Walton Street Chicago, IL 60610 The Local History and Genealogy Collection of the Newberry Library has an extensive collection of manuscripts and published sources. Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street Fort Wayne, IN 46802 The Allen County Public Library has a very large collection of sources for all states, including U.S. census records, periodicals, and local histories. Other Libraries The following libraries also have exceptional genealogical collections. These libraries collect major national sources as well as records of the states they serve. American Antiquarian Society (in Worcester, Mass.) Lee Library (Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah) Dallas Public Library Detroit Public Library Historical Society of Pennsylvania Los Angeles Public Library State Historical Society of Wisconsin Sutro Library (San Francisco State University) Western Reserve Historical Society (in Cleveland) Your local public library can help you locate these and other archives and libraries. A directory of many repositories and manuscript collections is the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, Directory of Archives and Manuscript Repositories in the United States 2nd ed. (Phoenix: Oryx Press, 1988.). State Archives and State Libraries Each state has a state archive or a state library. Many states have both. These serve as the repositories for state and county government records. They often have some federal records as well, such as the U.S. census schedules for the state. Addresses are available in the state research outlines and at your public library. County and Town Courthouses Many of the key records essential for genealogical research were created by local county or town governments. These include court, land and property, naturalization and citizenship, probate, taxation, and vital records. The county and town courthouses are the primary repositories of these valuable records. (However, some courthouse records have been destroyed or transferred to state archives.) The individual counties have organized their records and offices in many different ways. The state research outlines provide further information on how to obtain these records. A letter to a county courthouse can be addressed as follows: Format: Example County official: County Clerk County courthouse: Missoula County Courthouse County seat, state, zip: Missoula, MT 59801 Historical and Genealogical Societies Historical and genealogical societies have been organized in each state, most counties, and some towns. These societies collect many valuable records and offer various helpful services to researchers. Federal Repository Libraries The federal government has designated at least one library in each state (generally a major university library) to receive a copy of published federal records. These include a wide variety of information, such as pension lists, private land claims, veterans' burial lists, and individuals' petitions to Congress. Inventories, Registers, Catalogs Most archives have catalogs, inventories, guides, or periodicals that describe their records and how to use them. If possible, study these guides before you visit an archive so that you can use your time more effectively. The WPA inventories of county and state records can also be very helpful. These were produced between 1936 and 1943 through the Historical Records Survey programs of the Works Projects Administration (WPA). They provide historical background and descriptions of records at government and church archives"although some records have since been transferred to other archives. Most were published in small quantities and are only available at a few libraries. The unpublished inventories are usually at the state archives or the local archives they describe. (Source: FHC Research Guide) *************************************************************************** NEWSPAPER GENEALOGICAL COLUMNS -- **************************************************************************** * Bill Green Minot, North Dakota 58701 * Home of the * * bgreen@milo.NoDak.Edu * NORSK H0STFEST * * Bill90@Delphi.Com * Velkommen! * ****************************************************************************