In the current Independent Study class I am taking, I came across this list of "nonfamily" Sources which I thought would be a good thing to save for future reference.
Community Records
- Published histories of the community, county, and state
- Published biographies of people living when our people lived
- School yearbooks and newspapers
- Photographs of community events, places, and people
- Old phone books
- Old city directories
- Maps for the time period
- Unpublished life stories, diaries, letter collections
Local Government Records
- Special censuses
- Annual property tax records
- Deed books for land sales and purchases
- School records
- City and county council or commission minutes
- City and county courts (wills, citizenship, lawsuits, divorces, adoptions)
- Official birth, marriage, and death records
- Cemetery sexton’s records
- Wills, probates of estates
State and Federal Government Records
- Federal censuses every ten years
- State censuses
- Elections and voting
- Maps
- Land purchases, such as homesteading
- Citizenship and naturalization
- Ship arrival passenger lists
- Passports, visas
- Military service, pension applications
- National Guard
- Law and statute books for the period
- Business licenses
- Records of government employees
- Social welfare agencies for deaf, blind, mentally ill
- Prisons
- Federal and state courts
- Native American reservations
- Natural resource usage (mining, road building, irrigation projects, land zoning)
Organizational Records
- Private schools, colleges
- Hospitals, medical
- Employers, companies, businesses
- Labor unions
- Business organizations and associations: chambers of commerce, rotary, Kiwanis, cattlemen or livestock, farmers, transportation, water users, builders, medical
- Fraternity orders and women’s auxiliaries (Masonic Order, Elks, Eagles, IOOF, Knights of Pythias, etc.)
Special Interest Groups
- PTA, Grange, 4-H clubs, Ladies Literary Clubs, dancing or recreational clubs, history and genealogy
- Societies, boat owners’ associations, pilots’ associations, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Demolays
Church and Religious Organizations
- Published histories of nations, state, local units
- Lists of members
- Employee files (including ministers)
- Vital records—birth, baptism, confirmation, marriage, death
- Newsletters, printed programs
- Minister’s diaries
- Missionary service
- Photographs of local people, buildings, and events
- Teachings and doctrinal positions at various points in time
- Minute books, donation records, conduct hearings
- Religious orders
Personal Unpublished Records of Our People’s Contemporaries and Associates
- (These are usually in the hands of descendants, but some records are in local libraries and historical societies.)
- Autobiographical accounts
- Biographies written by relatives
- Diaries, journals
- Old letters
- Photographs
- Business records, property transactions
What to Look For
When researching in these nonfamily records, we are looking for two kinds of information:
- Mention of specific members of our family—birth, wedding, death notices, obituaries, anniversaries, properties, community involvements, etc.
- Time-and-place details about their current events, local customs, personalities, amusements, economics, and beliefs—even if your people are never mentioned
