How Far Back Can I Trace My Genealogy For Free?
Mormons Genealogy Records
When you start to trace your family, the records you find will be obtained without cost. Look through your own home for all records that are considered vital, such as birth, baptism, confirmation, marriage and death certificates on any family member.
Look in the family Bible, all closets, drawers and cedar chests. Grandparents and great grandparents did a beautiful job of documenting the entire family in a page in the Bible.
Collect all records, old dishes, old pictures, old linen, religious relics and whatever and put them in one place. Visit the public buildings in town which house treasures such as land records, birth certificates and those for marriage and death. If you write relatives out-of-town, you will have to pay postage and since you will no doubt send family record sheets, that will cost a bit. Visit the churches where your family worshiped. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormon Church, has done extensive genealogy research and has millions of records available online on computer. A computer will cost you about $500 to $1000. If the records you need are not available at the family history library, the staff there will help you send for them from the library in Salt Lake. Visit estate and garage sales and you may find many genealogy books or even records. If you know how to use a computer, they are free in the library and you can Google for free genealogy sites. I Googled free genealogy records before 1790 and found several. Records can be found free for Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin and Texas before 1870 with more going online all the time.
The first United States Federal Census was taken in 1790 and you may find that census and the following ones online in your library if the library buys the paid genealogy site, Ancestry. Or the library may have Heritage Quest which offers the census records free for patrons of subscribing libraries. Census records are wonderful because they show the whole family at one address with names, ages, immigration dates and occupations.
If you do not want to pay for genealogy, don’t send for books, collections of records, sign up for paid genealogy sites, hire an official genealogists or pay for any research. It is very possible to compile an accurate genealogy for free with records found back before 1870 for very little cost.
Mormon’s Family History Centers – Keep Track Of Your Genealogy Here
For years, the Family History Library created by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, more popularly known as the Mormons, have provided genealogical information to the public. Being aware of that dilemma, the Mormon’s generously created 3,400 Family History Centers in 64 countries as branches of the larger Library. Today, there are almost 40 Family History Centers with traveling distance of our friend from Sydney.
Every month, the Family History Centers circulate hundreds of thousands of rolls of microfilmed records, together with books and other genealogical resources, so that genealogists no longer have to take the costly risk of traveling to the Library in Salt Lake City. The Centers are located in most major cities and in smaller communities worldwide.
Collectively, the Family History Centers maintain massive amounts of data of genealogical value including records on census, churches, vital statistics, probate, land, and immigration.
The volunteers eagerly provide help and answer questions to Center visitors. Because the Family History Centers are funded largely by Mormon congregations in the community, they are located in the Church buildings.
Known also as satellite libraries, the Family Health Centers provide genealogy-related documents and books, databases for family trees, maps, and specific family histories to their users. Most Family Health Centers contain large collections of books and series of microfilm and microfiche that can be reviewed anytime.
Frequently, the Family Health Center can not release the records that visitors ask for, since the records may still be of value to the Family History Library and other researchers.
If you’re concerned that the Family Health Centers may be a pulpit or trap to convert people to the Mormon faith, don’t be. The Church has made the Library and its services available to the general public for years because they believe that ancestry and family history are vitally important to today’s families.
Rather, they are committed to encouraging and supporting family history genealogy as a important part of self-identity and family unity.
