Using Records in the National Archives for Genealogical Research TABLE OF CONTENTS Genealogical Research: Before You Come to the National Archives _____________________ Start With Yourself _________________________ Relatives ___________________________________ Non-Federal Records _________________________ Vital Statistics ___________________________ Deeds and Wills ____________________________ Genealogical Records in the National Archives__ Census Schedules _____________________________ Population Censuses ________________________ Other Censuses _____________________________ Microfilm __________________________________ Mortality Schedules ________________________ Records About District of Columbia Residents ___________________________________ Records About Indians ________________________ Land Records _________________________________ Naturalization Records _______________________ Passenger Lists ______________________________ Passport Applications ________________________ Personnel Records ____________________________ Claims for Pensions and Bounty Land __________ Seaman's Protection Certificate Applications__ Service Records--Army ________________________ Service Records--Naval and Marine ____________ Coast Guard Records __________________________ Vital Statistics _______________________________ Citing Records That Contain Genealogical Information in the National Archives ___________ Genealogical Education Programs _________________ National Archives Regional Archives and Areas Served _______________________________ Genealogical Research: Before You Come to the National Archives Unless you are a king, the President, or some other notable, finding your ancestors and making sure a "family tree" is kept for future generations may be up to you. The National Archives staff does not do family research nor collect or preserve family trees. Books on family history and genealogy are compiled and published by individuals or family groups who do so because they are interested in discovering and preserving their family history. Start With Yourself You are the beginning "twig" on your family tree. Start with the known--yourself--and work toward the unknown. Find the vital information about your parents and write it down. Next, look for information about your grandparents, then earlier generations. Begin at home. Look for information in family Bibles, newspaper clippings, military certificates, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, diaries, letters, scrapbooks, the backs of pictures, and babybooks. Be concerned with extracting four items: names, dates, places, and relationships. These are the keys of the family searcher. People can be identified in records by their names, by the dates of events in their lives (birth, marriage, death), by the places where they lived, and by their relationships to others, either stated or impiled. Relatives Visit or write to relatives in your family who may have information, particularly older relatives. Often, others before you have already gathered family data. You should write letters, make personal visits, and conduct telephone surveys to locate such persons and to find out what information is already collected. Advertise your family interests in national, regional, and local genealogical magazines. These magazines are usually available in public libraries. Non-Federal Records Vital Statistics. Some states began to keep records of birth and death earlier, but, for most of the United States, birth and death registration became a requirement around the turn of the century (ca. 1890-1915). Before the turn of the century, births and deaths were recorded, generally, only in church records and family Bibles. Marriage records will be found in most counties, often dating from the establishment of the county. Deeds and Wills. Records of property acquisition and disposition can be good genealogical sources. Such records normally are in county courthouses. Often the earliest county records (or copies of them) are also available in state archives. Visit state, regional, and local insitutions in your area. Libraries, historical and genealogical societies, and archival depositories are all good sources for genealogical and family history data. Be sure to find out what books are available on how to do genealogical research. Genealogical Records in the National Archives The National Archives has custody of millions of records relating to persons who have had dealings with the federal government. These records are deposited in National Archives facilities in the Washington, DC, area and in the eleven National Archives Regional Archives listed on page .... The records most useful for genealogical research are briefly described in this leaflet. These records may contain full information about the person or give little information beyond a name. Searches in the records may be very time consuming as many records lack name indexes. The National Archives staff is unable to make extensive searches but, given enough identifying information, will try to find a record about a specific person. The original records, subject to the restrictions and limitations described below, may be freely consulted in the National Archives facility that has custody of them. In addition, many of the most heavily-used records have been microfilmed, with copies available for research use at more than one facility. Photocopies of most of the records can be supplied for a moderate fee per page. If you are unable to come to the National Archives, you may hire someone to do research for you. Many researchers who work for a fee advertise in genealogical periodicals, which are usually available in public libraries. A more detailed description of records of genealogical interest is contained in Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives and in guides to the records in each regional archives. Census Schedules Population Censuses A census of the population has been taken every 10 years since 1790. The National Archives has the 1790-1870 schedules, a microfilm copy of the 1880 schedules, the surviving fragments of the 1890 schedules, and a microfilm copy of the 1900 and 1910 schedules. (Practically all of the 1890 census schedules were destroyed by fire in 1921. The remaining entries are for small segments of the populations of Perry County, AL, the District of Columbia, Columbus, GA, Mound Township, IL, Rockford, MN, Jersey City, NJ, Eastchester and Brookhaven Township, NY, Cleveland and Gaston Counties, NC, Cincinnati and Wayne Township, OH, Jefferson Township, SD, and Ellis, Hood, Kaufman, Rusk, and Trinity Counties, TX.) The 1790-1840 schedules give the names of the head of household only; other family members are tallied unnamed by age and sex. For the 1850 and 1860 censuses, separate schedules list slaveowners and the age, sex, and color (but not the name) of each slave. The 1850 and 1860 schedules include the name, age, and state, territory, or country of birth of each free person in a household. Additional information is included with each succeeding census. The available schedules for the 1790 census were published by the federal government in the early 1900s and have since been privately reprinted. The published census schedules for 1790 are for Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, and Vermont. Schedules for each state are listed in a separate, indexed volume. The schedules for the remaining states--Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Virginia--were burned during the War of 1812. As a substitute for the Virginia schedules, the federal government published names obtained from state censuses and tax lists, thereby listing about half of the known population of the state in 1790. Over the years additional lists of names have been published privately, and they provide more of the missing information for Virginia and other states whose 1790 schedules were destroyed. The government has not published other census listings, but many privately published lists are available from libraries and other sources. Although the lists vary considerably in format and geographic scope, they frequently save researchers from fruitless searches and help locate a specific entry in the actual records. Also helpful in locating specific census entries are the following unpublished indexes in the National Archives Building: * 1810 Census--a card index for Virginia only. * 1880 Census--a microfilm copy of a card index to entries for each household that included a child aged 10 or under. On the cards are the name, age and birth place of each member of such households, and there is a separate cross-reference card for each child aged 10 or under whose surname is different from that of the head of the household in which he is listed. The cards are arranged by state and thereunder by the Soundex system; that is, alphabetically by the first letter of the surname, thereunder by the sound of the surname, and thereunder alphabetically by given name of the head of the household. * 1890 Census--a card index to the 6,160 names on the surviving 1890 schedules. * 1900 Census--a microfilm copy of a card index to all heads of families. Otherwise, content is similar to the 1880 index. * 1910 Census--a microfilm copy of an index to all heads of families in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Content of the index is similar to the 1880 index. Other Censuses The National Archives has the 1890 special schedules of Union veterans and widows of veterans for Washington, DC, about half of Kentucky, and for states in alphabetical order from Louisiana through Wyoming. Schedules for the other states no longer exist. The schedules give the name and post office address of each living veteran and of each veteran's widow (along with the name of her deceased husband) and information about the service of each veteran named. Microfilm The National Archives has microfilmed all of the available census schedules and the Soundex indexes to them, and positive microfilm copies are available at a moderate cost per roll. These microfilm rolls are arranged alphabetically by state and thereunder alphabetically by country. Usually all of the schedules for one county are on the same roll; some rolls contain records for several counties. The National Archives publications Federal Population Censuses, 1790-1890, 1900 Federal Population Census, and 1910 Federal Population Census contain roll listings. These publications may be purchased for $2 each at the National Archives or may be ordered by sending a check or money order, payable to the National Archives Trust Fund (NEPS), P.O. Box 100793, Atlanta, GA 30384. Microfilm copies of the censuses, 1790-1910, and the Soundex indexes may be examined in the National Archives Building and in all of the regional archives. Photocopies The National Archives can provide copies of specifically identified pages of federal population schedules, ordered by mail. To receive this photocopying service, you must provide (preferably on NATF Form 82, Order for Copies of Census Records) the name of the individual listed, page number, census year, state, and county; and for the 1880 through 1910 censuses, the enumeration district. Frequently it is possible to use a census index to locate this information. In recent years, many private firms have produced statewide indexes to census records for specific years. These are available throughout the country in libraries that have genealogical collections. In addition to the printed indexes, there is a microfilm index to the 1900 census printed and microfilm indexes you can determine the exact page upon which a family was enumerated and then place your order with the General Reference Branch (NNRG), National Archives, Washington, DC 20408. Mortality Schedules Whenever possible, the National Archives acquires microfilm copies of the mortality schedules of the 1850-80 censuses from the various depositories where they are held. For each person who died during the year that preceded the taking of each of the censuses, the schedules show the name, the month and cause of death, and the state, territory, or country of birth. The National Archives has some or all of the available moritality schedules on microfilm for the following states: Arizona, Colorado, District of Columbia, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. Copies of this microfilm are also available in some regional archives. Mortality schedules for other states are available in state archives, libraries, historical societies, and university libraries. Records About District of Columbia Residents Records in the National Archives relating to District of Columbia residents include, in addition to naturalization records (see below), copies of wills, 1801-88; records relating to the administration of estates, 1801-78; and guardianship papers, 1802-78. Although the records relating to the administration of estates are concerned mostly with financial transactions involving the property and debts of a decedent, they show the personal name and sometimes names of family members. Copies of wills contain, besides the name of the decedent, the names of legatees and their relationship to the decedent. Guardianship papers give the name of each ward of the court and, at times, age and the names of parents. A search of these records requires the name of the person in question, the type of record involved, and the approximate date of the transaction. Records About Indians There are in the National Archives many records relating to Indians who maintained their tribal affiliation. The original records of the headquarters of the Bureau of Indian Affairs are in the National Archives in Washington, DC. These records often contain information about specific tribal members. Original records created by the various field offices and Indian schools are among the holdings of the regional archives. Periodic attendance records, 1910-39, for Indian schools are in the National Archives in Washington, DC. Most of the records, arranged by tribe, are dated 1830-1940. They include the following: -- Lists of Indians (chiefly Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Creek) who moved west during the 1830-46 period. Each entry on these lists usually contains the name of the head of the family, the number of persons in the family by age and sex, a description of property owned before removal (including the location of real property), and the dates of departure from the East and arrival in the West. -- Annuity payrolls, 1841-1949. Except for the early ones that give little but the names of heads of families, these show name, age, and sex of each person who received payment. -- Annual census rolls, 1885-1940. These records (available on microfilm) normally show for each person in a family the Indian or English name (or both names), age, sex, and relationship to the head of the family and sometimes to another enrolled Indian. The records occasionally include supplementary information, such as names of persons who died or were born during the year. The National Archives staff in Washington, DC, will search the records if given the Indian's name (preferably both English and Indian Names), the tribe, and the approximate date of association with the tribe. -- Application for enrollment and subsequent allotment of land to individual tribal members of the Five Civilized Tribes. The original applications for enrollment of Cherokees, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks, and Seminoles by the Dawes Commission, 1898-1907, are deposited in the National Archives Southwest Region (Ft. Worth, TX). Microfilm copies are available in the National Archives in Washington, DC. -- Eastern Cherokee claim files, 1902-10. These usually contain for each applicant the name, residence, date and place of birth, name and age of spouse, names of father and mother and children, and other genealogical information. The National Archives staff in Washington, DC, will search these files if you can supply (preferably on NATF Form 83, Order for Copies of Eastern Cherokee Applications) the full name, both English and Indian, of the applicant. The identifying information should be sent to the General Reference Branch (NNRG), National Archives, Washington, DC 20408. Land Records Land records (dated chiefly 1800-1974) in the National Archives include bounty-land-warrant files, donation land entry files, homestead application files, and private land claim files relating to the entry of individual settlers on land in the public land states. There are no land records for the original 13 states and Maine, Vermont, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, and Hawaii. Records for these states are maintained by state officials, usually in the state capital. The donation land entry files and homestead application files show, in addition to the name of the applicant, the location of the land and the date it was acquired, residence or post office address, age or date and place of birth, marital status, and, if applicable, the given name of spouse or the size of family. If any applicant for homestead land was of foreign birth, the application file contains evidence of naturalization or of intention to become a citizen. Supporting documents show the immigrant's country of birth and sometimes the date and port of arrival. Genealogical information in records relating to private land claims varies from the mention of the claimant's name and location of the land to such additional information as the claimant's place of residence when the claim was made and the names of relatives, both living and dead. There is a name index to land entries in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Nevada, and Utah for the period 1800-July 1, 1908, and for land entries after 1908 in the public land states. The staff will search the index if the full name of the applicant and the name of the state or territory in which the land was located are given. A search of the records for all other public land states or territories, 1800-1908, requires, in addition to the applicant's name, (1) a description of the land by township, range, section, and fraction of section or (2) the name of the land office, type of entry, and certificate number. An inquirer may be able to obtain the legal description of land by writing to the county recorder of deeds in the county seat of the county in which the land was located. The several western regional archives hold at least some of the following: original tract books, abstract books, land entry case files, survey plats, and correspondence relating to land entries for their regions. Naturalization Records Naturalization records generally show, for each person who petitioned for naturalization, name, age, date of birth, nationality, and whether citizenship was granted. The eleven regional archives hold original records of naturalizations filed in most of the federal courts (and, in some cases, non-federal courts) located in their respective regions. The available records span the period from 1790 to 1950, but coverage varies from region to region. Because of the variability in records and finding aids available in each region, researchers should contact the appropriate regional archives for specific information. Naturalization proceedings of the District of Columbia courts, 1802-1926, are available in the National Archives in Washington, DC. The staff will search these records for information about naturalizations that occurred before September 27, 1906, if given the full name of the petitioner and the approximate date of naturalization. Many pre-1906 naturalizations were handled by non-federal courts. To obtain information about pre-1906 naturalization records that are not in the custody of the National Archives, researchers should contact the appropriate court official - usually the clerk of the court that issued the certificate of naturalization. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), Washington, DC, 20536, has duplicate records of all naturalizations that occurred after September 26, 1906. When records relating to citizenship granted after that date are not available in the National Archives, inquiries should be sent to the INS on a form that can be obtained from any of the service's district offices. Local postmasters will give the address of the nearest INS district office. Passenger Lists The National Archives has several incomplete series of customs passenger lists and immigration passenger lists of ships arriving from abroad at many Atlantic, Pacific, and gulf coast ports. There are also arrival records for immigration via Canada. Customs passenger lists begin in 1820 and extend to the late 19th century (1890s) for most ports. The immigration passenger lists begin at that time, usually when the customs lists leave off. Passenger Port Arrival Lists Indexes Baltimore 1820-1948 1820-1952 Boston 1820-74, 1848-91, 1883-1943 1902-20 Galveston 1896-1948 1896-1951 New Orleans 1820-1945 1853-1952 New York 1820-1954 1820-46, 1897-1948 Philadelphia 1800-1945 1800-1948 San Francisco 1893-1953 1893-1934 Seattle 1890-1957 Arrivals via Canada 1895-1954 1895-1952 Certain minor ports 1820-73, 1890-1924 1893-1954 Supplementing the indexes listed above is a general index to quarterly reports of arrivals at most ports except New York, 1820-74. Passenger lists before 1820 are not in the National Archives except for a small, incomplete collection for the port of Philadelphia. They may be on file at the port of entry or in the state archives where the port is located. Passenger and Immigration List Index: A Guide to Published Arrival Records..., by P. William Filby, and A Bibliography of Ship Passenger Lists, 1583-1825, by Harold Lancour, are guides to published lists of early immigrants to North America. Your local library may either have these publications or be able to assist you in locating copies. A customs passenger list normally contains the following information for each passenger: name, age, sex, and occupation; the country of embarkation; and the country of destination. For one who died in passage, the date and circumstances of death are given. Immigration passenger lists vary in informational content but usually show the place of birth and last place of residence in addition to the information found in the customs passenger lists. Some of the immigration passenger lists include the name and address of a relative in the country from which the passenger came. National Archives staff in Washington, DC, will search the customs passenger lists if in addition to the names of the passenger and the port of entry an inquirer can supply the following information: the name of the vessel and the month and year of its arrival or the name of the port of embarkation and the exact date of arrival. It will also search the immigration passenger lists up to 1954 when the lists are held by the National Archives if an inquirer can give the full names and ages of the passenger and of accompanying passengers, the port of entry, the vessel, and exact date of arrival. The staff will also consult existing indexes to the names on the customs and immigration passenger lists provided an inquirer can supply the name of the port of entry and month and year of arrival. Requests for searches should be made on NATF Form 81, Order for Copies of Ship Passenger Arrival Records. Microfilm copies of available passenger lists earlier than 1955 can be used in the National Archives in Washington, DC. Some microfilm copies of lists are also available in the regional archives. Researchers should contact the nearest regional archives for information about microfilm available there. The Morton Allen Directory of European Passenger Steamship Arrivals (New York, 1931) lists by year, steamship company, and exact date the names of vessels arriving at the ports of New York, 1890-1930, and Baltimore, Boston, and Philadelphia, 1904-26. This publication is available in some large public and research libraries. Passport Applications The National Archives in Washington, DC, has passport applications and related papers, 1791-1926, of U.S. citizens who intended to travel abroad. The staff will make limited searches for age and citizenship information in these records that are at least 75 years old. The name of the person who applied for a passport and the place and approximate date of application should be supplied. Requests for information from passport records after 1926 should be addressed to the Passport Office, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520. Personnel Records There are a few records in the National Archives in Washington, DC, relating to civilian employees of the federal government whose service ended before 1910. These records may contain information about the date and place of birth of an employee. The National Archives staff will search for records about employees if given the full name and address of the employing agency and the approximate dates of employment. The personnel records for most civilian employees whose service terminated after 1909 are in Civilian Personnel Records, 111 Winnebago Street, St. Louis, MO 63118. Claims for Pensions and Bounty Land Under numerous laws passed since the Revolutionary War period, money and land have been awarded to U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine veterans and their widows and other dependents. Each claim--whether for bounty land or pensions, whether submitted by the veteran or a relative, or whether or not approved--is filed under the name of the veteran on whose service the claim is based. The National Archives in Washington, DC, has original bounty-land-warrant application files based on service in wartime between 1775 and 1855 and pension application files based on service between 1775 and 1916. The regional archives hold microfilm copies of Revolutionary War bounty-land-warrant application files and pension files. Pensions based on military service for the Confederate States of America were authorized by some southern states but not by the federal government until 1959. Inquiries about state pensions should be addressed to the state archives or equivalent agency at the capital of the veteran's state of residence after the war. Because the form and contents of papers submitted in support of claims have varied over the years, the information in the files is not uniform. A veteran's claim will probably show his place and date of birth, place of residence after service, and a summary of military service. A dependent's claim normally includes the dependent's age and residence, relationship to the veteran, and information about the veteran's death. A widow's application usually includes her maiden name, the date of her marriage to the veteran, and the names of their children. Inquiries about pension and bounty-land claims should be submitted to the General Reference Branch (NNRG), National Archives, Washington, DC 20408, on NATF Form 80, Order for Copies of Veterans Records. Printed on the form are instructions for its use and an explanation of how orders are processed. When a claim file is found, documents that normally contain information of a personal nature about the veteran and his family will be selected and photocopied. The inquirer is notified of costs and copies are sent after payment is received. The selected documents furnished generally contain the basic information in the pension file, as the remaining documents rarely contain any additional genealogical data. If an inquirer wishes to have photocopies of all the reproducible papers in the claim file, they can be furnished for a moderate cost per page. The National Archives staff cannot undertake to read all the documents in the claim file or to answer questions about them. Some of the information requested on the form will be found in Index of Revolutionary War Pension Applications, revised and published in 1966 by the National Genealogical Society; in Report From the Secretary of War ... in Relation to Pension Establishment of the United States, published in three volumes in 1835 as Senate Executive Document 514, 23d Congress, 1st session; and in List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883, published in five volumes in 1883 as 84, 47th Congress, 2d session. These publications are available in some large public and research libraries. Seaman's Protection Certificate Applications The National Archives has applications or abstracts of applications of seamen on U.S. vessels for "protection certificates," or certificates of U.S. citizenship, 1808-1866 and 1916-1940. Such applications are usually supported by evidence of the date and place of birth and of the citizenship of the seaman. The National Archives staff will search the applications files if given the following information: the full name of the seaman, the port from which the certificate was issued, and, if available, the number or date of the certificate. Service Records--Army Among records in the National Archives are those relating to service in the U.S. Regular Army of officers (1789-1916) and enlisted men (1789-1912) during both peacetime and wartime, as well as those of persons serving during wartime in volunteer units raised by states and mustered into federal service (1775-1903). Records of officers serving in the Regular Army vary in content so much that it is not feasible to describe here their form or content. Records of enlisted men serving in the Regular Army are contained in registers of enlistments, which show for each recruit his name, age, place of birth, date and place of enlistment, regiment or company, and date and cause of discharge, or, where applicable, date of death or date of desertion and sometimes of apprehension or return after desertion. There are also compiled military service records for soldiers of the Confederate Army. The compiled military service records of both volunteer officers and enlisted men serving in wartime and of Confederate soldiers normally show the soldier's rank, military organization, and term of service and occasionally his age, place of enlistment, and place of birth. The records do not contain information about the soldier's family. All the regional archives have microfilm copies of compiled military service records of Revolutionary War soldiers and Revolutionary War muster rolls. Other microfilmed military service records are available in each regional archives, but collections vary from region to region. The National Archives staff in Washington, DC, will search the registers of enlistments or the compiled military service records in response to an inquiry on NATF Form 80, Order for Copies of Veterans Records. For an effective search it is necessary that the form be as complete as possible. Whenever information is desired about military service in the Union Army in the Civil War, the name of the state from which the soldier served must be given. If a compiled military service record or an entry in an enlistment register is found, photocopies of the records will be supplied if the service was rendered more than 75 years ago records of more recent service are subject to restrictions imposed by the Department of Defense). If the records in the National Archives relate to service within the past 75 years, a written statement of the service of the soldier will be sent free of charge. Requests for information about army officers separated after 1916 and army enlisted personnel separated after 1912 should be made on Standard Form 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records, and sent to Military Personnel Records, 9700 Page Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63132. Service Records--Naval and Marine The National Archives in Washington, DC, has records relating to U.S. naval and marine service in the Revolutionary War (1775-83), in the U.S. Navy (for officers, 1798-1902, and enlisted men, 1798-1885), and in the U.S. Marine Corps (1798-1895). There are also records for some persons who served in the Confederate Navy and Marine Corps (1861-65). The regional archives have microfilm copies of compiled service records of naval personnel who served during the Revolutionary War. Naval and marine service records of the Revolutionary War period are fragmentary, including only such information as a serviceman's name and rank, the name of the vessel on which he served, and the dates of his service or the dates when he was paid. Confederate naval and marine service records give the serviceman's name and rank and sometimes his station. If he was imprisoned, a record may give such information as the date of his capture, the place of his imprisonment, and the date of his parole. Only those requests for information about naval and marine service during the Revolutionary War and about service in the Confederate Navy and Marine Corps should be sent to the General Reference Branch (NNRG), National Archives, Washington, DC 20408, on NATF Form 80, Order for Copies of Veterans Records. All other requests regarding naval and marine service records in the National Archives should be by letter, as the National Archives does not have compiled service records for naval and marine personnel. Records relating to the service of commissioned officers in the U.S. Navy after the Revolution and before 1846 give for each officer such information as his name, rank, state of birth, state of residence, dates of service, and sometimes, age or date of birth. Records for 1846 and later occasionally give the date and place of the officer's death in service or the date of his retirement. Records relating to a navy enlisted man's service before 1846 usually give only his name and rating, the names of the vessels on which he served, and the dates of his service. Later records give also the enlisted man's age, place of birth, and, occasionally, place of enlistment. Records of commissioned officers in the U.S. Marine Corps usually show each officer's name and rank and the date of appointment or of acceptance of a commission. They may also give age and information about residence. Service records for enlisted marines usually show name, age, and the date, place, and term of enlistment. The National Archives staff will make a limited search in its naval and marine service records in response to letters of inquiry. If a request concerns a navy or marine officer or enlisted person, his name and the name of the war in which he served or the dates of service should be given. If the request concerns a navy enlisted man, the name of at least one vessel on which he served (with approximate dates) must also be given and, if possible, the place of enlistment. Requests for information about navy officers separated since 1902, navy enlisted men separated since 1885, and marine officers and enlisted men separated after 1895 should be made on Standard Form 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records. Send these requests to Military Personnel Records, 9700 Page Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63132. Coast Guard Records The U.S. Coast Guard was created by an act of January 28, 1915, which consolidated the former Revenue-Cutter and Lifesaving Services of the Department of the Treasury. The Bureau of Lighthouses of the Department of Commerce became a part of the Coast Guard on July 1, 1939. Revenue-Cutter Service vessels were manned by military personnel. The National Archives has record books of Revenue Cutter Service officer personnel, 1791-1919, which are indexed by name of officer and give for each the state from which appointed, dates of birth and death (if death occurred while in service), successive promotions, and the names of vessels upon which service was performed. There are also record copies of officers commissions, 1791-1909; applications for cadet appointments and officers commissions, ca. 1833-90; and muster rolls and payrolls (after 1871 muster rolls) of revenue cutters, 1832-1914. The muster rolls and payrolls show for each crewmember the name, rating, date and place of enlistment, place of birth, age, occupation, and personal description; the number of days served during the reported month; and the manner of separation--detachment, transferral, discharge, desertion, or death. The officer personnel records, 1890-1929, in the National Archives include records of former Revenue-Cutter Service officers whose terms of service extended beyond 1915. The inspectors of the Lifesaving Service were also military personnel, but the superintendents, keepers, and other employees at the lifesaving stations were civilian employees. The inspectors and engineers of the lighthouse districts were officers detailed from the navy and army. All other employees of the Lighthouse Service were civilians. Personnel and card records, some dating back to 1864, for civilians formerly employed by the Revenue-Cutter Service, Lifesaving Service, and Lighthouse Service are on file at the National Personnel Records Center (Civilian Personnel Records). There are no separate lists by area or activity. Information can only be furnished on an individual name basis if sufficient identifying data is furnished. Civilian employment records are subject to Office of Personnel Management regulations governing the release of information from federal employees' personnel records under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act of 1967 (5 USC 552). Information furnished is limited to names, position titles, grades, salaries, and duty stations. Inquiries, with as much identification as possible, should be submitted to Civilian Personnel Records, 111 Winnebago Street, St. Louis, MO 63118. Vital Statistics The National Archives has records of births, marriages, and deaths at U.S. Army facilities, 1884-1912, with some records dated as late as 1928. The staff will search these records if provided with the following: birth records--name of child, names of parents, place of birth, and month and year of birth; marriage records--names of contracting parties; death records--name, date, place, and rank of deceased. The National Archives also has some records of births and marriages of U.S. citizens abroad registered at Foreign Service posts. Birth and marriage records extend through 1941, and reports of some deaths extend through 1949. Requests for information about registrations made less than 75 years ago should be addressed to the Department of State, Washington, DC 20520. Requests for information about earlier registrations should be addressed to the Civil Reference Branch (NNRC), National Archives, Washington, DC 20408. For information about other original records of birth, marriage, and death, an inquirer should address the bureau of vital statistics, the church, or other appropriate local depository in the appropriate state, county, or city. To obtain a birth certificate, address the bureau of vital statistics in the capital city of the state in which the birth occurred, giving the date and place of birth. If there is no record of birth on file, the bureau will explain the procedure for filing a delayed birth certificate. The Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, can supply the leaflet Where to Write for Vital Records: Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Divorces. Citing Records That Contain Genealogical Information in the National Archives For records accessioned by the National Archives, the concept of moving from the smallest to the largest citation element (from the record item to the repository) is recommended. Citations may differ because internal record group arrangement is based on the organizational structures of the bureaus, departments, and agencies that created the records; some agencies were organized in more complex structures than others. Citations to records should reflect the hierarchical arrangement of the records as closely as possible. The citation elements to be used (going from the smallest element to the largest) are: RECORD: At the National Archives, a record is a piece of information or an item in any physical form (e.g., paper, photographic or motion piture film, audio tape, computer tape, etc.) that gives information created or received by a government agency in carrying out its duties and functions. Example: a letter in a pension application file. FILE UNIT: A file unit holds the records concerning a transaction, person, case, date, or subject. Example: a pension application file based on the military service of one veteran. A pension file often contains record items of various types in addition to the actual application, or claim, such as supporting depositions, affidavits, correspondence, etc. SERIES: A series consists of file units that deal with a particular subject, function, or activity and that are related by arrangement, source, use, physical form, or action taken. Example: within pension application files for widows and dependents of sailors for the period 1861-1910, pension applications that were not approved constitute one series while pension applications that were approved constitute another series. SUBGROUP: A subgroup contains two or more series that are related by subject, activity, and source. Example: the two previously mentioned series for approved and unapproved pension applications based on sailors' military service for the period 1861-1910 (plus other series of pension applications based on military service in the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps for roughly the same time period) form the subgroup known as Civil War and Later Pension Files. RECORD GROUP: Subgroups are combined into record groups according to the origin of the subgroup material. Most often, a record group exists for the records of a bureau or other administrative body of an excutive department, or for an independent government agency that is equivalent to a bureau in size. Example: the subgroup Civil War and Later Pension Files plus other subgroups constitute Records of the Veterans Administration, Record Group 15. REPOSITORY: The repository is the institution in which the cited record is kept. Give the name of the institution and the city in which it is located. National Archives repositories in Washington, DC; Suitland, MD; Alexandria, VA; and other locations in the Washington, DC, area should be cited as "National Archives, Washington, DC." A regional archives should be cited as "National Archives-[name of region]." If the material being cited has been microfilmed as a National Archives publication, information about the publication should be given after the series title, as shown in five of the following examples. The information should include the publication number, roll or fiche number, and frame number(s) on microfilm rolls (if available). Consult with an archivist, if necessary, to determine what is a series title and what is a subgroup title. Use semicolons between citation elements because commas often appear within an element; the use of semicolons will result in clear separation between citation elements. Publishers may suggest footnote styles of their own that are slight variations of the following examples. However, if in each citation the applicable citation elements have been written in the recommended uniform sequence while using the records, researchers should have no difficulty in rearranging the elements for the inhouse style of any particular publisher. Examples When citing an individual in census population schedules on microfilm, citation elements should be given in the following order: the record, shown as the entry for the name of the enumerated person; the file unit, which identifies the schedule; the series title; information about the microfilm publication in parentheses; the subgroup title; the record group title and number; and the repository and its location. Record___________________ ___File Unit Entry for Leon C. Stanford; p. 22, line 1, ___________________________________________________ Enumeration District 1056, Chicago, Cook County, ________ ___Series Title_______ _Microfilm__________ Illinois; Census of Population; (National Archives Information__________________________ _Subgroup____ Microfilm Publication T624, roll 268); Thirteenth Title____________________________ ______Record Group_ Census of the United States, 1910; Records of the Title & Number_______________________________________ Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; ______________Repository & Location__________ National Archives--Great Lakes Region When citing an entry for an individual's name in passenger lists on micofilm, citation elements should be given in the following order: the record, shown as the entry for the name of the passenger; the file unit, which identifies the ship manifest; the series title; information about the microfilm publication in parentheses; the subgroup title; the record group title and number; and the repository and its location. ____Record_____________ _____File Unit_________ Entry for Gustov Kleine; SS Imperator Passen- __________________________________________ ______ ger Manifest, Sept. 17, 1913, p. 5, line 2; Passen- __________________Series Title_____________________ ger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, ___________________________ ____________Microfilm__ June 16, 1897-Dec. 31, 1942; (National Information________________________________________ Archives Microfilm Publication T715, roll 2179); Subgroup Title_______________ ______Record Group Records of the Central Office; Records of the Title & Number__________________________________ Immigration and Naturalization Service, Record ________ ___________Repository & Location__________ Group 85; National Archives, Washington, DC. When citing a military land-grant-warrant register (or any register listing names of registrants), citation elements should appear in the following order: the record, shown as the entry for the name of the registrant and any other register information pertaining directly to him or her; the file unit, which might include page numbers as well as the unit title; the series title; information about the microfilm publication, if applicable, place in parentheses; subgroup title; record group title and number; and the repository and its location. ________________Record_____________________________ Entry for Charles Calver, Land-Grant Warrant ________ ___________________File Unit_____________ No. 13871; p. 11 of Register of Army Land Warrants ___________________________________________________ Issued Under the Act of 1788, for Service in the _____________________________________________ Revolutionary War, Military District of Ohio; ___________________Series Title______________________ Lists of Federal Revolutionary Bounty-Land Warrants ______________________ ________________Microfilm Presented for Registry; (National Archives Information_________________________ ___Subgroup____ Microfilm Publication T1008, 1 roll); Military Title_______________________________________________ Bounty-Land Warrants and Related Papers, Land ________________________________________ Entry Papers of the General Land Office; ___________Record Group Title & Number______________ Records of the Bureau of Land Management, _______________ _____Repository & Location__________ Record Group 49; National Archives, Washington, DC. When citing an entire bounty land-warrant file (instead of a record within the file), citation elements should be given in the following order: the file unit, shown as the name of the veteran whose military service is the basis for the claim, and other information on the file envelope; the series title; the subgroup title; the record group title and number; and the repository and its location. _____________________File Unit____________________ Jacob Ambriester, Private, 2d Pennsylvania _________________________ __Series Title__ Volunteers, Warrant 50768; Case Files of __________________________________________________ Bounty-Land Applications Based on Service __________________________________________________ Between 1812 and 1855 and Disapproved Applications __________________________________________________ Based on Revolutionary War Service, ________ _______________________Subgroup Title____ 1800-1900; Pension and Bounty-Land-Warrant ____________________________ ____Record Group Application Files, 1800-1960; Records of the Title & Number___________________________ Veterans Administration, Record Group 15; ____________Repository & Location___ National Archives, Washington, DC. When citing a record within a bounty-land-warrant file, citation elements should be given in the following order: the record, shown in the example as one of the claims found within the file; the file unit, which identifies the file by giving the name of the veteran whose military service is the basis for the claim, and other information found on the file envelope; the series title; the subgroup title; the record group title and number; and the repository and its location. __________________Record____________________________ Oirginal claim for land warrant filed under the act _______________ ________________File Unit___________ of Mar. 3, 1855; Jessee Austin, Private, North __________________________________________________ Carolina Volunteers, Cherokee War, 1838, Warrant No. _____ __________________________Series Title_________ 31750; Case Files of Bounty-Land Applications _____________________________________________________ Based on Service Between 1812 and 1855 and Dis- _____________________________________________ approved Applications Based on Revolutionary ______________________ _____________________Sub- War Service, 1800-1900; Pension and Bounty-Land group Title___________________________ -Warrant Application Files, 1800-1960; _____________________Record Group Title & Number____ Records of the Veterans Administration, Record Group __ __Repository & Location____________ 15; National Archives, Washington, DC. When citing an entire military pension file (instead of a record within the file), citation elements should be given in the following order: the file unit, shown as the name of the veteran whose military service is the basis for the pension claim, and other information found on the file envelope; the series title; the sub-group title; the record group title and number; and the repository and its location. _____________________File Unit_____________________ William H. Brotherton, Sergeant, Soldier's ___________________________________________________ Certificate No. 198,214, Company G, 85th Indiana ________ ___________________Series Title____________ Infantry; Case Files of Approved Pension Appli- __________________________________________________ cations of Veterans Who Served in the Army and ___________________________________________________ Navy Mainly in the Civil War and the War with ____________________________________________________ Spain ("Civil War and Later Survivors' Certifi- __________________ _______________Subgroup Title_____ cates"), 1861-1934; Civil War and Later Pension __________________Record Group Title & Number_______ Files; Records of the Veterans Administration, _______________ __Repository & Location_____________ Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, DC. When citing a record within a pension file on microfiche, citation elements should be given in the following order: the record, shown in the example as one of the letters in the file; the file unit, which identifies the file by giving the name of the veteran whose military service is the basis for the pension claim, and the claim number; the series title; information about the microfiche publication in parentheses; the subgroup title; the record group title and number, and the repository and its location. _________________________Record__________________ P.M. Rity, Surgeon General, U.S. Navy, to Com- ____________________________________ _____File___ missioner of Pensions, Apr. 29, 1980; Charles H. Unit_____________________________ _____Series Ringgold, Application No. WO 7830; Case Files Title_____________________________________________ of Disapproved Pension Applications of Widows ______________________________________________ and Other Dependents of Civil War and Later ___________________________________________________ Navy Veterans ("Navy Widows' Originals"), 1861- ___________________________Microfiche Information__ 1910; (National Archives Microfiche Publication _____________________ ____Subgroup Title___ M1274, fiche 0002026); Civil War and Later _____________ __________________Record Group Title & Pension Files; Records of the Veterans Administration, Number_________ ______Repository & Record Group 15; National Archives, Location__________________ Washington, DC. When citing an entire compiled military serivce file that is on microfilm, citation elements should be given in the following order: the file unit, shown as the name of the serviceman and other information found on the envelope; the series title; information about the microfilm publication in parentheses; the subgroup title; the record group title and number; and the repository and its location. File Unit___________________________________________ James P. Drew, Private, Company C, Purnell _______________________ ______Series Title____________ Legion, Cavalry, Dr.-Mc; Compiled Service Records ______________________________________________________ of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in _________________________________________ Organizations from the State of Maryland; _________________Microfilm Information________________ (National Archives Microfilm Publication M384, ________ Subgroup Title ______Record Group_________ roll 40); Muster Rolls; Records of the Adjutant Title & Number________________________________ General's Office, 1780s-1917, Record Group 94; Repository & Location_____________ National Archives, Washington, DC. Genealogical Education Programs Periodically, educational programs including courses and lectures are given at the National Archives. Some of these programs may be of interest to genealogists. For further information please write, stating your interests, to the Education Branch (NEEE), National Archives, Washington, DC 20408. The regional archives also conduct educational programs of interest to genealogists. Write to the regional archives nearest you for further information about such programs as well as regional volunteer programs. National Archives Regional Archives and Areas Covered* For each of the following, address inquiries to: Director, National Archives - (Name of Region) NEW ENGLAND REGION 380 Trapelo Road Waltham, MA 02154 Telephone 617-647-8100; Research Room Hours 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday; 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 1st Saturday of each month. Covers Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. NORTHEAST REGION Building 22 - MOT Bayonne Bayonne, NJ 07002-5388 Telephone 201-823-7252; Research Room Hours 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., 3rd Saturday of each month. Covers New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. MID ATLANTIC REGION 9th and Market Streets, Room 1350 Philadelphia, PA 19107 Telephone 215-597-3000; Research Room Hours 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday; 8 a.m. to noon, 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month. Covers Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. SOUTHEAST REGION 1557 St. Joseph Avenue East Point, GA 30344 Telephone 404-763-7477; Research Room Hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday; 7:30 a.m. to 10p.m., Tuesday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 2nd Saturday of each month. Covers Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. GREAT LAKES REGION 7358 South Pulaski Road Chicago, IL 60629 Telephone 312-581-7816; Research Room Hours 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday-Friday. Covers Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. CENTRAL PLAINS REGION 2312 East Bannister Road Kansas City, MO 64131 Telephone 816-926-6272; Research Room Hours 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 3rd Thursday of each month; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 3rd Saturday of each month. Covers Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. SOUTHWEST REGION 501 West Felix Street [building address] P.O. Box 6216 [mailing address] Fort Worth, TX 76115 Telephone 817-334-5525; Research Room Hours 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday. Covers Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION Building 48, Denver Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 Telephone 303-236-0818; Research Room Hours 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday. Covers Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. PACIFIC SOUTHWEST REGION 24000 Avila Road [building address] P. O. box 6719 [mailing address] Laguna Niguel, CA 92677-6719 Telephone 714-643-4241; Research Room Hours 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday; 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 1st Saturday of each month. Covers Arizona; the southern California counties of Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernadino, San Diego, San Louis Obisbo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura; and Nevada's Clark County. PACIFIC SIERRA REGION 1000 Commodore Drive San Bruno, CA 94066 Telephone 415-876-9009; Research Room Hours 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 Seattle, WA 98115 Telephone 206-526-6507; Research Room Hours 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday; 7:45 a.m. to 9 p.m., one Tuesday each month; noon to 4 p.m., one Saturday each month. Covers Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. -------------------------- * The regional archives accession records from the U. S. District Courts, the U. S. Courts of Appeal, and field offices of U.S. government agencies located in the areas covered. Guides to the holdings of the regional archives, both original records and microfilm publications, are available upon request. National Archives and Records Administration General Information Leaflet Number 5 Revised 1990