If you are looking towards Baptists and/or Methodists, I believe it likely that there will be records maintained in archival holdings at some of the denominational colleges... but that such holdings are pretty hit or miss. I've looked at archival holdings catalogued on the web but have never actually accessed any of the records. Here is a source for Baptist records: http://tarver.mercer.edu/special_collections/GBHD.htm For Methodists, you may have to do some searching or maybe someone else knows... RW

Thanks Richard I was at Tarver this month and they have a great collection. I was at the one in Macon and copied several churches to get online. I placed Putnam County Georgia Crooked Creek Primitive Baptist Church online at http://www.gloverfamily.com/Crooked/crookedputnam.htm I scanned them up for all to read and am trying to get them transcribed as time allows. My work has kept me pretty busy for several months. Hope someone finds their brick wall here. Good luck, Margie ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard White" <rw@pone.com> To: <GEORGIA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, August 22, 2003 8:57 PM Subject: Re: [GEORGIA] Searching for church clergy listing > > If you are looking towards Baptists and/or Methodists, I believe it > likely that there will be records maintained in archival holdings at > some of the denominational colleges... but that such holdings are pretty > hit or miss. I've looked at archival holdings catalogued on the web but > have never actually accessed any of the records. Here is a source for > Baptist records: http://tarver.mercer.edu/special_collections/GBHD.htm > For Methodists, you may have to do some searching or maybe someone else > knows... > > RW > > > > ==== GEORGIA Mailing List ==== > NOTICE: Posting of virus warnings, test messages, chain letters, political > announcements, current events, items for sale, personal messages, flames, > etc. (in other words - spam) is NOT ALLOWED and will be grounds for removal. > Consideration for exceptions, contact Kathleen Burnett kathleenburnett@earthlink.net > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.512 / Virus Database: 309 - Release Date: 8/19/2003

Finding parish records depends on the denomination. I have found that the Baptists and liturgical denominations generally maintain good parish records - the parish book has to be maintained and brought up to date before the priest or pastor can move to another congregation. One can check the website of the denomination and be directed to archives. For instance, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is archiving all congregational parish records for online access. The parish records for the ELCA consist of the records of Lutheran denominations that have merged into the ELCA such as the ALC, LCA, etc. Lutheran church parish records are available back centuries (to 1500 AD) in Northern European countries like Scandinavia, etc. The Digitalarkivet from the U of Bergen has the parish records online. Bombing in Germany destroyed many parish registers. The Methodist Church Archives in Nashville, TN has been exceptionally kind and helpful in tracking down parish records locations. They do maintain records of clergy and will search those files when asked to do so. I have found that the colleges that archive the parish records have not filed, categorized and maintained the early records very good in many locations. In the US, The Roman Catholic Church has exceptional records in the places I have inquired. It was a challenge for me to find someone who wouldl assist in providing the information I needed to get access to the data. But when they did assist, it was fruitful. The Anglican denomination has some good early records - but so much depended on the priest's carefulness or carelessness. I believe that today keeping the parish register is mandatory. I haven't tried to track down Presybyterian Church records -