Overcoming Genealogical Dead-Ends

If your research has hit a continuous snag, here are some possible sources which can break your deadlock:

AGE: Census, Cemetery Records, Family Bibles, Military Records, Obituaries, Pension Applications, Tax Records, & Vital Records.

BIRTH DATES: Cemetery Records, Census, Church Records, Family Bibles, Military Records, Newspapers, Obituaries, & Vital Records.

BIRTHPLACE: Census, Church Records, Family Bibles, Newspapers, Military Records, & Obituaries.

CITY OR PARISH OF FOREIGN BIRTH: Census, Church Records, Family Bibles, Family History, Immigration Records, Naturalization & Citizenship Papers, Obituaries, & Vital Records.

COUNTY ORIGINS, BOUNDARIES, & PLACE-FINDING AIDS: Atlases, City Directories or Criss-Cross Directories, County or Family History, Gazetteers, Land/Property Records, Taxation Maps & Records.

DEATH: Cemeteries, Church Records, Court Records, Family Bibles, Land/Property Records, Military Records, Newspapers, Obituaries, Probate Records, Vital Records.

DIVORCE: Court Records, Divorce Records, Newspapers, Vital Records.

ETHNICITY: Census, Church Records, Family Bibles, Immigration Records, Membership in Minority Associations or Societies, Naturalization & Citizenship Papers.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: Church History & Records, County or Family History, Minority History Book or Periodical.

IMMIGRATION OR EMIGRATION DATE: Census, Church History or Records, Family Bibles, Family History Book or Periodical, Immigration Record, Naturalization and Citizenship Papers, Newspapers, & Obituaries.

MAIDEN NAME: Cemeteries, Church Records, Family Bibles, Military Records, Obituaries, Personal Correspondence, Probate Records, & Vital Records.

MARRIAGE: Biography, Census, Church Records, Family Bibles, Family History, Land/Property Records, Newspapers, Nobility Listing, & Vital Records.

OCCUPATION: Business Directory Listing Company Officials & Employees, Census, City Directory or Criss-Cross, Civil Registration, Court Records, Immigration Records, Military Records, Newspapers, Obituaries, & Probate Records.

PARENTS, CHILDREN, & OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS: Biography, Census, Church Records, Family Bibles, Family History, Immigration Records, Immigration Records, Land/Property Records, Naturalization & Citizenship Papers, Obituaries, Probate Records, School Census, & Vital Records.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Biography, Church Records, Civil Registration, Court Records, Family History, Immigration Records, Military Records, Naturalization & Citizenship Papers, & Newspapers.

PLACE (TOWN) OF RESIDENCE WHEN YOU KNOW ONLY THE STATE: Census, City Directories or Criss-Cross Directories, Family Bibles, Family History, Land/Property Records, Military Records, Probate Records, School Census, Tax Records, & Vital Records.

PLACES FAMILY HAS LIVED: Census, Church Records, Family Bibles, Land /Property Records, Military Records, Obituaries, & Taxation Records.

PREVIOUS COMPILED GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH: Biographical Bibliographies, County or Family Histories, Family Search, Genealogical Periodicals, Genealogical or Lineage Societies, & LDS Sources.

RECORD-FINDING SOURCES: Archives & Libraries, Indexes, Lineage Society Depositories, Periodicals, & Subject Bibliographies.

RELIGION: Biographies, Cemeteries, Church Records, Civil Registration, Family Bibles, Family Histories, & Obituaries.

Compiled by Bryan L. Mulcahy, Reference Librarian, Ft. Myers-Lee County Library, 4/24/98.