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Vital records should be obtained for everyone in your pedigree. Most of your ancestors will have birth, marriage and death records, especially in the 20th century. These are the building blocks of your genealogy. Don't fail to get each and every one you can. They are primary sources of documentation that were written at the time the event occurred. Secondary sources such as, census records recap names, dates and places but are often not as accurate. Before requesting a copy of a birth, marriage or death record be sure and find out when the records for the locale you're researching begin. If a county's records don't begin until 1872 there is no point in asking for an 1865 record. A good source for finding out when a county's records begin is Everton's Handy Book For Genealogists. Prior to 1900, the majority of the records held by local county and city clerk's offices will be marriage records. Although most have birth and death records before 1900, many were not registered. This is because the registration of births and deaths did not become mandatory until about 1900. The primary source of information in the United States for vital records prior to 1920 is the L.D.S. Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are particularly strong in marriage records. You can also contact the county or city clerk's office in the locale you are researching. Their records should go back to the creation of the city or county. In the New England area, local town records often go back to the 1600s. A good source for locating county clerk's addresses and phone numbers is Everton's Handybook for Genealogists. For city clerk's offices you can call: 1-(that city's area code)-555-1212. Another source for these records are Vital Record Offices maintained by the state. Most states started keeping these records around the year 1900; because of this, the records kept by the county or city office will almost always predate the state office records. NOTE: The state Vital Record Office is almost always located in the same city as the capitol. |