Church records rank
among the most promising of genealogical
records available. Indeed, for periods before
the advent of civil registration of vital
statistics (a very late development in many
American states), church records rank
as the best available sources for information
on specific vital events: birth, marriage, and
death.
They are also among the most under-used major
records in American genealogy. Part of the
reason lies in the number of
denominations-there are hundreds of them.
Identifying and locating the records of these
various churches makes even professional
genealogists hesitate. Yet the task is not
impossible. Microfilming, photocopying, and
indexing techniques make church records
more accessible now than ever before.
Church records vary a great deal in
content and emphasis according to the basic
theology and social role of each denomination.
However, a useful distinction is the
difference between "state" churches and
so-called "free" churches. State, or
"established," churches in Europe considered
every Christian in the state or kingdom to be
a member. Free, or "gathered," churches
emphatically rejected this inclusive view of
belonging from birth. Rather, only those who
had been "born again" in Christ could be
considered true members of his church. The
sign of this rebirth in Christ was another
baptism (adult baptism) that took precedence
over the person's baptism as an infant. For
this practice they were called
Anabaptists-from the Latin for "rebaptizers."
The descendants of the Anabaptists include
Mennonites, Hutterites, many smaller groups
associated with the Pennsylvania Germans, and
their British cousins, the Baptists, who form
the dominant religion in much of America
today.
Source:
Szucs and Luebking, The Source: A Guidebook of
American Genealogy
Purchase:
The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy
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Church Records Help Guide
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The Blessing of Church Records
Church records of our ancestors are so valuable they should be sought to document vital events in our ancestors' lives. They can also be invaluable in providing relevant information about an ancestor's family and community. -
Locating Church Records
Most Americans families have been affiliated with at least one religious group, even if they were not consistently practicing. Religious records usually play an important role in providing the information you seek. -
Locating "Lost" Churches
Some of the best evidence of our ancestors' vital dates and locations can be church records. This is especially true of the time periods before state, county, and local governments began complying with legislation to issue birth and death certificates. -
National Church Repositories
This is a 1994 listing of addresses for national church repositories in the United States and Canada. -
Tips for Reading Early American Handwriting
Not being able to read old handwriting can be an obstacle for even experienced researchers. Following these tips can give you a head start.
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