Beginning Lesson #6 Government Sources As we progress beyond collecting family history documents found at home or with relatives, we look to other sources for original documents that were created at the time our ancestors lived. The next logical place to look is government sources. Here are some examples of the types of <A HREF="http://ww w.itsnet.com/home/gfa/chap8.html">records</A> you are likely to run into. STATE & COUNTY : vital recors of birth, marriage & death wills & probate records pre-1906 naturalization records land transactions tax lists state/territorial census records FEDERAL: military muster rolls, service records & pension files land grants/homesteads census 1790-1920 naturalizations after 1906 passports EXAMPLE: If you are missing a marriage record for your grandparents, you'll need to contact the goverment agency that holds the old records for the place where they lived. For instance, if your grandparents were married in Erie County, Pennsylvania, you could check either the <A HREF="aol://4344:167.my961114.1399 205.532385881">Handybook for Genealogists (Everton)</A> or <A HREF="http://www .ancestry.com">The Redbook (Ancestry)</A> and discover that the county clerk has marriage records from 1820 to 1935. Since your grandparents were married in 1891, you will need to contact that county clerk. The address, city, state and zip are listed in the books as follows: Erie County Clerk 140 West 6th Street Erie, PA 16501 These books do not list the prices for marriage records, but I would forward a check for $5 with my request. You could elect to call directory information and speak with someone at the clerk's office on the phone about the charge for a photocopy of the marriage record. When preparing your letter of request for the marriage record, be sure to include: both ancestor's full names date of marriage your return address Since you are writing to a governmental agency, it is NOT necessary to include a self-addressed stamped envelope. You can also check the International Vital Records Handbook by Thomas Kemp for the addresses to order vital records from a state or foreign county. ASSIGNMENT: Determine which governmental agencies have the birth, marriage & death records you seek, by first checking the three reference books listed above. Then compose 7 mail your letters of request. When the documents arrive place them in protective top-loading sheet protectors. Remember to enter the information in your computer genealogy program. For instance, a marriage record may list the parents for each of your grandparents. If this information is new to you, add the parents, and reference the original documents which gave you the clues to their identity. References to a marriage record would then be listed in notes/sources (in your genealogy program) under each of the following individuals: groom bride parents of bride (2 more people) if mentioned parents of groom (2 more people) if mentioned So a total of 6 people could be entered into your genealogy program database and documented in notes/sources just from the one marriage record example we have used today!