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The most frustrating, hair pulling genealogy research issue is not being able to find records, that “should be there.” But the question to ask is: Has every portal been opened, no matter how small or how far?
The first step of preparing for your research is educating yourself on the area. When was the state/county formed? From which counties or territories was the area created? And, what was going on politically that may have affected records for your time period?
Keep in mind, just because a county changed, or a new one was created, doesn’t mean the records migrated.
County Formation Maps
Let’s take a simple state –Virginia, not so simple when it comes to finding genealogical records. Have you seen the Virginia County Formation Maps? If you don’t research the map changes for the span of years you are researching, you probably have not opened a portal or two. This could explain your missing ancestor’s records. (Note: these county formation maps are available for all the states, and are interactive with notes online).
Chasing Your State and County Records
Boutetourt County in Virginia, for example, is one challenging area. Botetourt was nothing more than a open territory (see image above) created from Augusta in 1769. In 1772, part of Botetourt was given to Fincastle. In 1777, part of Botetourt was given to Greenbrier. Later, Fincastle was split, Greenbrier was divided, and so forth. So where did your ancestor’s records land?
Like counties, boundaries of states were transformed through history. Kansas gave some of its boundaries to Colorado supposedly because they didn’t want the gold found within their boundaries; Missouri extended its already large state by acquiring the Platte Purchase in 1836; and Virginia split in 1863 creating West Virginia.
And let’s not forget the western state of Idaho that was treated like an unwanted burden. First it was part of the Oregon Territory; then divided between the Washington Territory and Oregon Territory. Then when Oregon became a state, what would become Idaho was attached to Washington. With the discovery of gold, a lot of politics and being bounced around, Idaho finally became its own territory in 1863. Whew, and that was the short version.
The goal here is to verify the surrounding states and counties, political reasons that may have influenced the moving of your records and open new portals to find those records that you need.
The Kansas City Public Central Library sponsored the “200 Years On Troost” exhibit from August 14 – October 17, 2010. This exhibit chronicled “the history of Kansas City’s Troost Avenue from its beginning as a 365-acre slave plantation to its emergence as a business hub in the early 1900 to the sense of community that exists there today.”
Sure these sorts of exhibits can often be scant in details, but if you read for the clues you can find a wealth of knowledge or at least questions, that once answered, may lead you a bit closer to your ancestor.
Deciphering This Exhibit
Native Americans Research?
Looking for Osage Nation ancestors? Have you tried the records around Rich Hill, Missouri?
What was the migratory path of the Osage Nation?
African American Research?
Why were your ancestors in Kansas City on the 1870 census? Be sure to check their addresses. This could be the clue to a slave master.
Affluent Research?
Have you wondered how your ancestors owned KC’s prime real estate? The history of an area often reveals information of its affluent citizens.
Newspaper Research
What were the biases and opinions of the local newspaper editors? This clue can lead you to the social history of an area. I suggest researchers delve into the developers’ and editors’ ideas and backgrounds. These community leaders set the tone for a region.
Did the research on your ancestor’s compared to the local social norm of the time, reveal them to be rebels, or operate contrary to the local prescribed standards?
Uprooting Clues
200 Years On Troost
Troost Ave
According to the 200 Years On Troost exhibit, Troost Ave was originally the hunting trail and path to the Missouri River used by the Osage Nation. The Osage Nation was misplaced from their ancestral village “Places of Many Swans” near Rich Hill, MO.
Between 1830 -1839 over 75 thousand eastern Native Americans were relocated to south west of the Mississippi River. So from this exhibit, we know that for a short while, at least, the Osage Nation citizens were in the Kansas City area. Most would assume they migrated from the east directly to the other side of the Mississippi River.
Prominent Citizen Benoit Troost
The extinguished Benoit Troost, a dutch doctor, purchased part of Gabriel Prudhomme’s estate in 1846. The Troost estate stretched from present day Broadway to Troost Ave., and as far north as the Missouri River to Indiana Ave. Although this seems irrelevant, narrowing land plots is very handy with genealogical research. Did your ancestor live on this plot?
The Dr. who also was significant in establishing Kansas City’s first newspaper, the Kansas City Public Ledger in 1850, also assisted in developing the Kansas Hannibal and St. Jo (Joseph) Railroad in 1855 that serviced Kansas City to Cameron, Missouri. He and his wife had eight (8) slaves.
What was the condition of the slaves? Did he breed them? Did they work on his railroad? Did Troost use his newspaper to further any local causes? Did his ideas affect your ancestors?
Kansas City Father Gabriel Prudhomme
As mentioned before, Benoit Troost purchased part of Gabriel Prudhomme’s estate. The fact that Prudhomme was even mentione in this exhibit sparked interest to his importance. A bit of research, led me to more of KC’s history.
Kansas City, Mo emerged from the farmland of Gabriel Prudhomme. This farmland was the original KC. However, seven years after Prudhomme’s death in 1838, fourteen investors purchased his estate. The Prudhomme farm was 257 acres, and also had a rock ledge from which he operated a ferry. In November of 1831, within a few months of owning this farm, Prudhomme was killed in a barroom fight.
Editor Notes: Father David Paisius Altschul began researching Troost Avenue more than 25 years ago and ultimately decided to document its history in the exhibit 200 Years on Troost. Know that one hour exhibits can lead to hours of research, and an abundance of knowledge.
Sherri, a genealogist and friend from Topeka, inspired me today to repost this. One of her African American ancestors, who lived during the civil war era, has a military headstone but yet no records have been located to support his military participation.
Now there are many reasons for this, and it is impossible to list or address all of them. But three of the top ones are listed below:
The headstone was placed in error, or by descendants based on family stories. This is a common. Even in Lyons Kansas my grandfather has a permanent WWI placard placed on his "resting place." Yet, he didn't serve one day in the military due to a physical deformity.
Records are harder to obtain for African American soldiers who served with Confederate troops, and for ex-slaves prior to the Civil War. But might I add, not impossible.
Many African Americans served under alias names (or changed their names) after serving, making tracing them more difficult.
During the Civil War
Alias surnames and new given names were actually adopted, especially for slaves during the Civil War. The common belief is that the "surname" of slaves changed with new slave masters, but this actually should be taken as a possibility, but not a rule. During the Civil War, slaves were often substituted to serve for their master or an arrangement was made for them to serve for another. This was common practice for southerners to meet a requirement of military service and they could do it with as little as the promise of freedom upon return. If an agreement was made by the slave-master to "rent" out a slave to do military service for another often the slave used the surname for whom they were fighting during their military service of the Civil War. Sometimes, this was a temporary name change. As in the case of Nelson Strader, discussed below, many returned to their former master's name after the war. This was all possible because after the Civil War ex-slaves could choose whatever name they wanted.
After the Civil War
Willis Mills became Willis Cox, Nelson Mason became Nelson Strader and Minor Wair (Weir) became Minor Underwood.What do they all have in common?They were ex-slaves.And, besides legal marriages, legitimacy of children, and access to land titles, after the Civil War ex-slaves were allowed to choose their own surnames.
It is thought that slaves held on to their slave master names, but actually only about fifteen percent did so.The others chose surnames of a previous slave master or the surname of a famous person.Often slave children separated from their parents may have, after emancipation, taken the surname of a parent’s master, as did Wills (Mills) Cox.
(Written in lead: "...I used to belong to Mills as a slave and after I was discharged my father belong to Cox. I drop the name of Mills and taken Cox after my father name. I use Mills only in pension affairs because Mills is on the record and Cox is now my Citizen name...")
Even other’s were purchased for the purpose to fight in the Civil War and were promised freedom after their service.Many of them adopted the surname of their emancipator, or as did Nelson (Mason) Strader who returned to the surname of his former master upon completion of his Civil War duties.
Nelson Strader fought for Mr. Mason, arranged by his master. (last para: "I was never married to the soldier only by slavery custom. I belonged to Fielding Vaughn of Green Co. Ky and my husband Nelson Strader belonged to Lewis Strader also of Gren Co. Ky. Both of our masters are now dead.") And, others just chose a surname that they liked, as did Minor (Wair/Weir) Underwood. Minor was purchased by William Weir to take fight in his stead, and upon completion of the agreement and the end of the civil war, he embraced the name Underwood once he arrived in Kansas with the Exodusters. His original slave master was not Underwood, nor was he ever owned by an Underwood.
The details of an ex-slave's name change are most often found in Civil War pension records.
Our ancestors did not always live in marital bliss. Legal separations and divorces, although not common, were available. Since legal separations and divorces were Court ordered they give us extensive genealogical data.
Genealogy Data from Records
Besides the names of the couple and date of marriage and divorce, you may also find the couple’s birth dates as well as names and births of children. These records may also provide detailed reasons for divorce and property owned, revealing the life-style of your ancestors.
Where to Find Early Divorce Records
In Colonial America these records may be found in the early books of Judgments and Decrees. Know however due to the legal difficulties and restrictions of obtaining a divorce, it is possible that your ancestor’s remained married, but legally lived separately by posting newspaper advertisements. Newspaper announcements to dissolve a marriage were also accepted as a form of legal separation in Colonial America.
Divorces from Medieval Europe to Colonial America
If we consider the social norms for women during Medieval Europe we first understand that, in general, married woman did not have a separate legal existence from her husband. And although a bit more liberal, this basic accepted social norm was carried to Colonial America.
Divorces were not easily obtained through the Court systems due to the many restrictions; and, Church declarations of your eternal demise discouraged the practice. Filing for divorce wasn’t even available in all of the Colonial states prior to the Revolutionary War.
Prior to 1747, adultery was the only official reason for a separation or divorce, in those states that allowed it. And, it was really only available for the privileged. Even then, the couple was often still legally married and could not remarry, since they were granted a “divorce a mensa et thoro.”
What is “Divorce a Mensa et Thoro?”
“Divorce a mensa et thoro” actually means “divorce from bed and board.” Today we would call it a legal separation, but we have lost the historical advantages of it. The “divorce a mensa et thoro” legally allowed the couple to live separately but their marriage was still in tack in the eyes of the church. Surely community rumors said otherwise, but by law they were still legally married.
The “divorce a mensa et thoro” allowed the couple to meet all the church requirements and therefore they could be blessed and buried with the “Saints.” The divorce ( a sinner) was not allowed to be interred in the Church cemetery, since they “couldn’t inherit the kingdom of God” anyway.
There was also a stigma for children if their parents were divorced, so this too was avoided if you just lived separately under a separate maintenance agreement. If a child was born after the separation, a Church baptism was still possible, since the child was “legitimate.” Avoiding the wife’s embarrassment of being destitute, the husband was still responsible for the life style of his wife and children, albeit across town.
“Divorce a mensa et thoro” or marital separation, existed in Rhode Island as early as the mid-seventeenth century.
After the Revolutionary War
If adultery cruelty, abuse, or abandonment could be proven a couple could dissolve their marriage more readily after the American Revolution, even though grounds for divorce remained limited until 1798.
By the early nineteenth century, divorces were granted in almost every state. However, legal divorces still carried restrictions. Generally, in the case of adultery or cruelty, only the innocent party was legally freed to remarry. This is equal to the divorces we have today.
These early divorces ("divorce a vinculo") did not necessarily allow the guilty party to remarry, except upon the death of the innocent party. To avoid this, many of the guilty (mostly men) left the community and left their past behind them, remarrying freely.
Built in 1198, the original 'foundling wheel' was a rotating platform that allowed women to leave their babies without being seen. It was installed outside Santo Spirito Hospital near the Vatican on orders from Pope Innocent III.
We all can remember unwed mother records, orphan train and orphan home records, and adoption records, but did you remember to check the local Foundling Hospital Records?
What Is A Foundling Hospital?
Foundling hospitals were welcoming institutions for abandoned infants and children. In the USA, the Civil War conflicts catapulted the need for Foundling Homes.
More recently foundling asylums gave shelter to orphans, but originally the activity of foundling hospitals was confined almost exclusively to rescuing and caring for infants who had been deliberately abandoned by their living parents (usually a mother). Today we often call them “safe houses” where mother’s can legally abandon their children anonymously.
Foundling Hospital Records
Records of Foundling Hospitals can have a wealth of knowledge for the genealogist. Foundling records may reveal a mother’s name; however, it is not uncommon for a father to admit a child (especially if illegitimate) to a Foundling institution, keeping the mother anonymous.
Foundling hospitals often baptized their charges, as did the New York Foundling Hospital which baptized their children as Catholics. They would then put then in Catholic homes, even if they entered the Foundling institution as Jewish or non-Catholic.
By knowing a Foundling institution’s practices, further information may be located in associated records. For example, knowing the NY Foundling Hospital, which opened 11 October 1969 as the Foundling Asylum of the Sisters of Charity baptized their children as Catholics. Further information may be found by researching the area or parishes baptism records.
European Foundling Hospitals
These “hospitals” are well documented in Europe prior to the 12th century. During the 13th century foundling hospitals were established in Rome, and at Eimbeck in Germany. The magnificent foundling hospital in Florence, called at present spe-dale degli innocenti, was founded about 1310. Similarly institutions were established in Paris as early as 1302, and in Venice in 1380. The hospital at Nuremberg was founded in 1331 and made it obligatory on the children to refund the expense of their education. The hospital of the Holy Ghost at Marseilles in France was the first to adopt the revolving box where the children could be conveyed into the building without any possibility of those who brought them being seen.[1]
In France in the 1700’s it is said that one third of all children were abandoned. Foundling Hospitals were one product of the great wave of England philanthropic activity of the eighteenth century. According to the Foundling Museum in England, the first home purposely for abandoned children in Britain was established by Royal Charter in 1739.
African-American Foundlings
Added to the tension of the Civil War, The Colored Foundling Home of New York City was burned down in the 1863 race riot of NY.
As an aftermath of WWI, African American soldiers and German Fraeuleins (women) and Hausfrauen (wives) created over 800 mulatto illegitimate off-springs (mischlinge or bastard). As the soldiers were relocated, these German mothers often abandoned the children leaving them at Foundling Homes to follow their lovers. As German citizens, these children were often sterilized or not being of pure race were put into labor camps during WWII.
Other Popular Foundling Hospitals
Pennsylvania: Roselia Foundling Asylum and Maternity Hospital was established June 16, 1891 and closed 1971. Records may be located at the Sisters of Charity, DePaul Center, Mt. Thor Road, Greensburg, PA 15601 ; 412-836-0406
Missouri: Bethesda’s Foundling Home in St. Louis originally admitted foundlings in 1892 at their Soulard Mansion building. Record information may be found at the 1920 St. Louis Census – Bethesda Foundling Home Transcription Project:
Happy Researching!
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[1] ] European Founding Hospital History: Chest of Books website; http://chestofbooks.com/reference/American-Cyclopaedia-V7/Foundling-Hospital.html; accessed 23 August 2010
Biloxi Bay is home to many of our rich histories even as early as the late 1600s. There’s Biloxi, of course, and a couple miles east sits Ocean Springs, “The City of Discovery,” and Pascagoula and west there’s Gulfport. Although a relatively small area, it holds a plethora of records; probably more records than a researcher has time to scour in one visit, especially sine they are scattered throughout the region.
Preparing for a Visit
When taking genealogy trips, I usually do all the legwork at home. Why waste precious time? Here are a few pointers: Let’s say we want to concentrate on deeds and wills in Jackson County, Mississippi, the home of Ocean Springs and Pascagoula. We need to know the record keeping history of Jackson County, Mississippi. We learn immediately that the courthouse was plagued with fires, four of them, the latest being 1875. That is not good news, but let’s not despair!
1)First check theFamily History Library (FHL) Catalog, to learn what is on “loan-able” microfilm. Never waste time on a genealogy trip staring into a microfilm screen when you can do that for a month at a time at your neighborhood Family History Center, an approved genealogy library or a State Archive for only $5.50. The only catch is that it may take a couple of weeks to receive the microfilms. Remember, you can only borrow microfilms not books, so take note of the Format entry in the catalog.
For our region, the FHL has land and property records, between 1854-1924. But, it also has indexes between 1888-1893, and 1895-1896. So if you are looking for records prior to 1854, an onsite visit to the Biloxi Bay area may be your best bet. As far as indexes are concern, no need in ordering those if you are already going to visit. The court ledgers should have an alphabetical index in the front of the book, or some form of cross-reference.
If you are doing slave research, be sure to research the slave master’s records. You may find your ancestor listed in inventory lists, wills, deeds, etc. Slaves were not only sold, but hired and shared between settlers. They were also considered inherited property, so don’t forget the records of the offspring’s of the slave master. Slaves may also have named their previous slave master in a law suit, usually after the civil war and only for character building, but not so common in Mississippi.
JACKSON COUNTY MISSISSIPPI WPA SOURCES Wills -- 1876-1925 Records of Administration -- 1874-1890 Marriages -- 1837-1919 Marriages-White- Vol 1&2-1875-1883 Deeds (Vol 5-8) 1879-1888 Tax Rolls --1819-1846
2)My next stop is always to the local Genealogical Society website. Why? Sometimes, they guide me directly to the repositories I need. Keeping the theme of Jackson County, Mississippi why not try the Ocean Springs Genealogical Society website.
Here you can go to “Research Links” and identify microfilms that the FHL does not have; such as the Wills for 1876-1925; and Deeds from 1879-1888. Although I’m still not impressed, since Ocean Springs was settled around 1699 and incorporated in 1892, I take note.
The most thrilling of all of this is the tax rolls of 1819-1846. By analyzing tax rolls, I can often find out quite a bit about my ancestor: who were the neighbors, did they own land, etc. However, if you are doing slave research, these records are usually of no value to you. But be sure to become familiar with the tax rolls.
A curious point - the Jackson County marriages are divided as Marriages 1837-1919 and Marriages-White 1875-1883. Perhaps free-coloreds and ex slaves after 1864 are listed here. Worth looking in the index for a name.
3)As I mentioned before, I’m still not impressed, so where else to spend those few days while in Jackson County, Mississippi? Why not visit the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH). website. I’m an advocate that you become familiar with the website catalog reviewing County and District digital holdings, as well as online collections, prior to your local visit.
Keeping our example of Jackson County, Mississippi, I tested the Online Catalog, “County Records on Microfilm.” and found once again that most everything – deed books, estate records, etc. - has only been preserved from 1872. This is not unusual, as the state archives’ holdings are only copies of what is held in the local jurisdictions, but in this case it does not appear that there have been any efforts to reconstruct records.
So What Now? More Places to Research
A Bit of Local Geography - Based on a quick reading, it appears Mississippi became a state in 1817, and the major mode of transportation was via water. There are groupings of holdings at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History cataloged as the Biloxi District and the Gulfport District. Although the Biloxi District Court and Will records begin in 1868 (pretty late), the Gulfport District dates back to 1841.
Yes, I know the Gulfport District is in Harrison County, but it is adjacent to Jackson County. So, now the questions are how and when did the county lines historically change? A little more research is needed here, so why not check a State Formation Map? Jackson County was established in 1812, but in 1841 the western part became Harrison County.
Historical Newspapers - Although I wouldn’t spend too much time searching old newspapers on microfilms, especially if they can be ordered from the state archives or through the FHL and reviewed at your home location, I would recommend you become aware of the politics and newspapers of the time. The MDAH has a comprehensive holding of Historical Newspapers.
Note to African American researchers, you may wish to go through church newspapers such as the Star of Zion, AME Zion. Check for a local African American History Museum.
Special Collections –
Public Libraries - Remember to go to the public library in town, which may have a collection of local historical papers or books. Usually you can get assistance by calling the research librarians in advance. For African American researchers check for any Republican biased papers before 1900, they were more sympathetic to African American news.
University Collections - One last pointer: don’t forget the local university holdings. They are unused goldmines. Again, in this region, I would suggest African American researchers to be mindful of the local Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), even if they are located a few hours away. Call in advance and become familiar with their holdings for your specific interest.
I received a message today from a reader who had a problem that all researchers of slaves would love to have. She ran into a brick wall on her slave ancestor from the 1600s! The 1600s? That means, I suspect, she got through the Civil War, and backed up past the Revolutionary War, and was able to trace an ancestor to the 1600s! She even knew the slave master’s name. What? How?
This ancestor was from the Northeast. Of course, like all of us, she wanted to continue her search using a comprehensive slave database. Well, there are several slave databases scattered about, but none are comprehensive. So what is a researcher of slaves to do?
You start researching and delving into the slave master’s records, and you begin to hone your analytical skills. Yes, you should have paid attention in school. For starters, pull the slave master’s will, deeds, and other relevant property records (that may include land records). Why? These records most often named the slave by name (usually by first name, but may have a second name/surname if previously owned). Slaves were valuable property and to be inherited in many cases. There were even serious court fights over the ownership of a slave and the off-springs of slaves.
Don’t forget to peek around the New England Historical Society in Boston for slave master records, even if your person wasn’t from Massachusetts. This repository holds a surprising amount of resources.
Now the analytical part! 1600 New England slave trafficking had a different flavor than that in the south. Just look at the chart above. Sure it too was part of the Atlantic Slave Trade, but practices and customs were different. Many slaves during this time were brought over with the masters, or purchased right off the ship, even though some did come from the south. So be sure to become familiar with where the slave master originated and lived (England, Portugal, etc). Be familiar with customary practices of transporting and selling slaves for that area.
By the Revolutionary War, slavery was practically wiped out in the US north east.
