For Beginners and others wanting to know: To finding Vital Records in the States. Please take time to read a little of your research areas history. When beginning to "HUNT" in OH, I began by taking time first to read three good history books of OH and then the more localized areas of the families I was hunting. It really helped me when I started the searching process. I thought I "knew" all I needed to know about Kansas, as that was my home state. WRONG again! This summer I was home and read a wonderful book covering the settling of the land around Wichita, my area, and why it was not settled before 1870. Indian Land and broken treaties...played a part in this, as well as very early explorations by the Spanish and others as far back as in 1500s! I think I learned more History of the local area this summer than I had ever learned in school as a child. I was not aware that the land I grew up on 25 miles northeast of Wichita) had been part of the Osage Indians holdings until abt 1870. The very winter my ancestors came and claimed land there, as close to the Indian lands as they dared at that time. No wonder Great-Grandpa had Indians come steal food and do a war dance around his cabin! . The only folks around Wichita until abt 1875, were hunters, and seekers, according to this book. The farmers seemed to be about 25 to 30 miles away, waiting for this very WILD COWTOWN to simmer down. Thousands of Texas cattle and buffalo were "Out There" Could be why the Quakers first settled about 25 to 30 miles north and east of the city. Land already settled on the fringes of the Indian lands. Some of our States are very Young compared to others. Of course we all know Alaska was late, but the Western and some Southern territories were not settled until very late. Example, Arizona 1912. but they did have records as territories. Arizona has from 1909, and in county seats, from as early as 1887, long before Statehood. Others such as Kansas, (my home state) which became a State in 1861, was a territory in 1854, and part of the older 1803 Louisiana Purchase. But it was mainly settled only in the far northern/eastern counties until after the Civil War. KS has sparse official records until after 1911 on State level, but again county levels has older records depending on when the settlement of area really began Hope this helps. Continue reading History, the companion to good Family History Research. SEA "Life is what happens while you are making other plans"