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July 1, 1999
See Rhonda's Previous
Columns
Understanding
IGI Entries
Q:
I have a question about information I recieved from the International
Genealogical Index. I found an ancestor and it gave the birth, etc.,
but there was a number after that and I don't know what it is. The information
in the IGI was: Johanna SULLIVAN, born 26 July 1868, Killorglin, 0317,
Kerry, Ireland. Below that was a Batch Number (C701366). What do I do
with this information? -- Jodi
A:
The International Genealogical Index is an index designed by the Family
History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
This index was designed to help LDS individuals keep track of what temple
ordinances had already been completed on behalf of their deceased ancestors.
Without going into a lot of detail on LDS beliefs, I want to stress
that LDS believe they are offering deceased individuals necessary ordinances
that must be performed on earth. However, those deceased individuals
still have the right to say "Thanks, but no thanks." If you find your
ancestor in the IGI, it does not mean that they have been forced to
become LDS (or Mormon). They have been given the opportunity.
With that said, there are two ways that an individual can be included
in the IGI:
- Patron Submission
- Extraction
The key to determining what type of entry you are looking at is to
look at the Batch Number. The batch number your entry has is C701366.
The C lets me know that this came from a Christening/Birth record
and is part of the extraction program. Entries that begin with an M
are also part of the extraction program and allude to marriage records.
Patron submissions can begin with all number or certain other letters.
Details on the different beginning letters can be found at your local
Family History Center on the IGI Instructions fiche.
Armed with this information you now have a clue as to where the entry
came from, a birth record. A search of the Family History Library Catalog
(FHLC) shows that there are 1,031 microfilm reels of birth records for
the years 1864 to 1955 from the General Registry Office in Ireland.
Many of these are indexes. There is an index of births for the year
1868, which is found on FHL film #101045.
I would encourage you to order this microfilm at your local FHC. You
will no doubt find Johanna SULLIVANS entry with the place name as you
found it in the IGI. Also important to your research is the fact that
the Family History Library has the actual birth records on microfilm
from 1864 to March 1881. Therefore you can also locate the actual entry
in the birth register for your ancestor, which will supply additional
information including:
- Registry line number
- Date and place of birth
- Name
- Gender
- Name, surname and dwelling place of father
- Name, surname and maiden surname of mother
- Profession of father
- Signature, qualification and residence of the informant
Can I Research an Adoption Line?
Q:
While doing research, I came across my great grandmother and her parents
and others, discovering a whole new family. In doing a census in 1870
I discovered that my grandmother on my father's side was adopted. Does
our bloodline end with my grandmother along with my genealogy or do
I include them as family? -- Sonja
A:
While the term genealogy refers to the researching of a bloodline, most
people today are researching their family history. What this means,
is that you can include the lineage of the adopted parents. I would
suggest that you qualify it in some way in any published accounts you
may share. This includes web pages. Otherwise there is always the chance
that misinformation can be shared and multiplied, making research all
the more difficult in years to come where this line is concerned..
While there may not be adoption records as we know them today, it is
likely that someone was appointed as the guardian for your grandmother.
It would be a good idea to search for guardianship records. These are
sometimes located with the probate records, though they are considered
court records in general.
Germans in St. Petersburg
Q:
Where can I find out more about my wife's ancestor who moved from Germany
to St. Petersburg, Russia before finally immigrating to America? Specifically,
records in St. Petersburg area. My understanding is that the German
immigrants to Russia data is housed in St. Petersburg but contains info
on emigrants to the Ukraine, not St. Petersburg itself. -- Peter
A:
When we refer to the Germans from Russia, we are very often referring
to a specific ethnic group. This unique group was enticed to Russia
by Catherine II, former German princess and then Empress of Russia.
Catherine's manifesto offered these enticements:
- Free transportation to Russia
- Settlement in segregated colonies
- Free land and tax-free loans
- Religious freedom
- Local self-government
- Exemption from military and civil service
- The right to leave Russia when they wanted
- All of these rights were guaranteed to those immigrating and their
descendants as well
The first Germans to take her up on this immigrated to the Volga River
in the years 1764 to 1767. The next group would be those that immigrated
to the Ukraine. Still others would be sent to the Crimea and Bessarabia.
An important point about these immigrants is that they all had migrated
and established their colonies long before your ancestor arrived. In
fact there were so many coming that in 1804, a decree was issued that
did require all newly arriving immigrants:
- To have money and goods totaling 300 guilders
- To be skilled in farming or some other handicraft
- To be a family
You may want to turn your attention to Germany for records on your
wife's ancestor. You already know where he was born. However, finding
out why he went to Russia may prove interesting.
For additional information you may want to visit one of these links:
A Murder in 1838
Q:
I've found that my 3rd great grandmother was indicted for murder in
1838. I know he was acquitted of those charges in 1842. I would like
to know more about the charges, but the courthouse containing the records
(Fayette, Jefferson County, Miss.) burned in 1988 and the officials
say those records were destroyed. I read the indictment from a fire-scorched,
water-logged book. I plan a trip to the State Archives this summer.
Is there any place where I can search there for those old records? --
A. Ross
A:
The records that you would most likely be dealing with would be those
found in the circuit courts. It was the responsibility of the circuit
court to handle such matters as:
- Marriage licenses
- Voter registration
- Declarations and naturalizations
- Criminal court minutes
- Coroner's books - for some counties
While these records would normally be available at the county courthouse,
you may also find them at the Mississippi Department of Archives and
History and some through the Family History Library.
Another resource that you will not want to overlook at the State Archives
would be the newspapers. If there was indeed a murder, it most likely
made the local papers at the time. In fact, the entire trial process
may be found in the newspapers.
Finding My Indian
Q:
My grandmother was born in Oklahoma in 1907. She was born on or near
an Indian reservation in Ada. Her name was Ninnie Irene WILLIAMS. I
have found absolutely nothing for her. She hated the name Ninnie, which
was supposed to be an Indian name, so she always signed everything as
Irene Williams. How do I find any information on her and her family?
I know that her mother's name was Ethel EDWARDS and her father was from
somewhere in Arkansas and his name was William Smith WILLIAMS. I have
no idea who was Indian or if they were. -- Deanna
A:
Based on your message, I am assuming that your grandmother has passed
away. If you haven't done so already, you will want to get a copy of
her death certificate. This may support your currently known information
or may give you additional information.
You will also want to search the 1910 census for this family. Oklahoma
is one of the states that were soundexed, so you have an index for the
entire state. The 1910 census will include information about where Ethel
and William were born, as well as where their parents were born. It
will also list their race. Of course, there is always the chance that
the information in the census is not completely accurate, but it is
one more record to give you clues to your ancestry.
Rhonda R. McClure is a professional genealogist specializing in celebrity trees
and computerized genealogy. She has been involved in online genealogy for fifteen
years. She is the author of the award-winning The
Complete Idiot's Guide to Online Genealogy, now in its second edition.
She is the author of four how-to guides on Family
Tree Maker. In late 2001, she wrote The
Genealogist's Computer Companion. She is a contributing editor to Biography
Magazine with her "Celebrity Roots" column and a contributing writer
to The History Channel Magazine. Her latest book is Finding
Your Famous and Infamous Ancestors. She may be contacted at rhondagen@thegenealogist.com.
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