Researching in the Lost State of Franklin, 1785 - 1788

Smithsonian

Western North Carolina, Eastern Tennessee
We tease in the a3Genealogy researchers world, that dealing with records between 1785 - 1791, those four - five dreadful years of indecision, independence and defeat, in the "lost state of Franklin" will lead you down a never-ending rabbit hole.  It was not until recently that I realized that we have never posted about this research conundrum that has few answers, but with a bit of digging, you may ferret out your State of Franklin ensconced ancestors. (In Spanish the word is literally "escondido" - hidden).

But, regardless of how you describe it, many researches just caste out this western North Carolina & eastern Tennessee regional area's research challenges as the "Appalachian" puzzlement." (Say that fast five times - "Appalachian puzzlement)." What researchers fail to realize is that due to the independence of what now would be considered an eight county region in northeastern Tennessee historically 1) was part of North Carolina 2) operated independently for four years, 1785 - 1788 as its own "quasi-state" which was presented but denied statehood by the Continental Congress.

If all would have gone well, our 14th state "would have been" the State of Franklin.

Yes, this denied state, the state of Franklin, never made it to realization, but operated independently for about 4 years.  And, its citizens, our ancestors, left a papertrail.  An unorganized, uncompiled, incomplete, illogically placed papertrail, but somewhat of a papertrail nonetheless.  So let's go hunting for our ancestors in the state of Franklin - let's say between 1785 - 1791 (see the First Family Papers below).

Where to Begin
1)  History.  The not-quite -formed State of Franklin must be understood.   Be sure to understand the issues, formations, and fall of what would have been the state of Franklin. Even though it was never ratified, it surely left our proud ancestors' paperwork.

• State of Franklin Chronology
• State of Franklin Genealogy, Familysearch wiki
• Washington County NC, vs Washington County, TN.  Read here: FAQ
• Tiptonites vs Franklinites.  Read about the 1788 Battle. 

2) Land Grants. Partial Census of 1787 to 1791 of Tennessee as taken from the North Carolina Land Grants is a great source for reconstructing a census, and the inhabitants.

• Family Search digitized film #1728882, item 4, or 
  Family search digitized film #1683130 item 3.

3) Proven First Families.

Add caption

Sometimes, we just want to see our ancestors in the right place at the right time.  Just a glimpse of their whereabouts. If you are wishing to get an alphabetically compiled list of surnames for First Families of Franklin Ancestors (updated 1993) visit the a3Genealogy First Families of Franklin Ancestors page.  This list was provided by Tipton - Haynes State Historic Site.

4) County Records & Archives. Of course records were created in North Carolina, especially land records. The counties of Sullivan, and Washington  Tennessee, (originally in North Carolina) have scattered records, some digitized. Marriages, deeds, wills and other court records can still be located within the counties of Washington County and Sullivan County, now Tennessee. Be sure to scour the records of the eight counties as well as both states.

• Washington County Archives. 



Justices of Peace

• Tennessee State Library & Archives, TN Historical Society Collection. The original spelling was State of Frankland."  

Tennessee Historical Society, TN. State Library & Archives

Well, we are currently straddling the New Year. We wanted to start with something old, yet new for many.  Keep digging and if you uncover your own State of Franklin lost ancestor, be sure to let us know (with proven docs of course).

Happy New Year 2020
Kathleen Brandt
a3Genealogy@gmail.com 

Chancery Court Records

Sally Grimes, daughter of Gabriel Winston

Why Do We Forget Chancery Court Records?
Chancery Court records can be brickwall busters. Yet they are often overlooked.  Case in point, trying to sort common surnames and their family units. Let's take "Johnson" in 1700 Virginia.  Using the Chancery Court records we were able to distinguish Silas Johnson's family unit of VA. We were also  able to prove kinship of his Johnson descendants who settled in Howard County, Missouri. All the children were named in grandpa's record since their dad had died. 

Kinships Named: Parents and Maiden Names
As family researchers and genealogists, one of our common brick-walls is a result of the lack of resources to confirm kinships. Familiar relationships, parents’ names,  maiden names are all needed to complete family units, but what happens when we’ve exhausted all the normal resources - census, wills/probates, deeds, vital records, church records…etc.? Well, hopefully the researcher has not overlooked Chancery Records when they are available.

What are Chancery Court Records?

Chancery Court records hold a wealth of genealogical information. Although not necessarily a part of every states’ historical legal system, when available it will behoove the researcher to take more than a cursory glance at these genealogical-rich documents. Researchers will find personal testimonies that include family relationships. In some states (i.e. Virginia, Tennessee, etc) chancery court records are available from the early 18th century through early 1900’s. In Virginia alone there are over 233,000 multi-paged cases. More on Virginia Chancery Courts can be found at this informative piece. 

What is "Next Friend?"

Of course the key to understanding any court record relies on period vocabulary. In the Chancery Court record of Sally Grimes of Hanover County, VA vs. Joseph Grimes, Sally’s father Gabriel Winston is identified as both “father” and “next friend.”

A "next friend" can be considered the person who represents and speaks on behalf of the plaintiff. The next friend may be a parent, a guardian, an older sibling , etc.  By no means should the researcher assume it is a parent or even a relationship. We have uncovered many next friends proven not to be of blood relation.  In many cases the next friend is identified, removing the tempting guessing game and solidly identifying kinships. This is most useful, when also looking for a maiden name.  

Unlike many states, Delaware's "Court of Chancery" has survived since 1792.  Of course its roles, jurisdictions and litigation realms have been consistently updated to meet the needs of the court to include corporate litigation. Visit Delaware Courts for a quick history of the English Origins of the "Court of Chancery." 

As the times have changed, so has the role of the Chancery Court. In current day Mississippi Chancery Courts are the repository for land records.  Researchers will also find divorces, guardianships and wills in the Mississippi Chancery Courts.

Other states like Missouri, may boast of early records of the Chancery Court.  For St. Louis MO. Chancery Court Records may be found as early as 1811 to about the Civil War.  These records can be found at the Missouri State Archives. Like other states, Missouri researchers may find other counties with salvaged Chancery Court Records.  

Be sure to check FamilySearch Wiki for your state / county. 

(Updated from Chancery Court Records for Genealogy Brickwalls posted 3 May 2016).

Kathleen Brandt

a3Genealogy@gmail.com

accurate, accessible answers

Researching War of 1812 Seamen

Impressed Seamen Records 1796-1868

After the revolutionary war, the British, under the motto “once a British subject, always a British subject”, took liberties on the sea and captured US flagged vessels.  The result: “Impressed” American mariners into British service, and of course, the War of 1812. For this reason, many will tell you the Revolutionary War did not end until the War of 1812. Yet, impressed seaman protection certificates were available to seaman until after the civil war. And actually they have been used at different times in U.S. history.

In order to track American sailors and their ships, a plethora of detailed paperwork and records were generated on merchant seamen.  These salvaged papers can be a treasure chest for the family historian. 

Quick Primer

A quick primer on the Seamen’s Protection Center can be found on the the Ancestry.com Learning Center. 

Search for Seamen's Protection Certificate Learning Center

As you can see in the photo above the seaman came from all states. The collection holds certificates for seamen between 11-77 years of age.  Above, John Finn, was 14 year old and was from Hermann, Mo.  He worked out of the Port of Philadelphia. So, don’t limit your research.

It is possible your seaman was captured and his original (or second or third) certificate was confiscated. So it is not uncommon to find several applications for one seaman. 

Begin Your Search

Ancestry.com has a digitized collection of U.S. Seamen’s Protection Certificates.  

African American Seamen

Historical Trivia

Question: What African American slave ran away with the assistance of a U.S. Seamen’s Protection Certificate.
Answer: Frederick Douglass who borrowed a Seamen’s Certificate to aid in his runaway. He was also donning a sailor suit. 

African Americans seamen were in abundance.  The records identify them as “black”, “negro”, “colored”, “sambo”, “ethiopian” and “mulatto”.  

Four Bonus Finds

 

1) Physical Descriptions. As you can see, physical description to include scars and marks are noted.  Statement of “native” hometown and stated is also noted.

2) Emancipation Information. In the above example of Samuel Ridley, an ex-slave, informs the intaker that he “was manumitted in the year 1792 by Stephen... Samuel’s application goes on to tell us that he had to serve nine years for a man (name given) in Philadelphia for his freedom. 

3) Naturalization Information. Of course to have protection of the United States, you had to prove citizenship as Bernard Tobin did below on his application. 

 

Do hereby declare that I am a Seaman and an affiliated Citizen of the United States, having been born in the Town of St. Johns Newfoundland and have declared my Intention of becoming a citizen of the United States in the Circuit Court holden in Philadelphia on the 27th of December 1856 a certificate whereof I herewith present . . .

4) Family Information. As in the example above all the certificates are sworn by a witness. This witness is often a family member.  Sometimes, we find wife’s or mother’s names on these applications.  

1930 Census, Merchant Seaman

Know that the War of 1812 is not the only time merchants were enumerated. In 1930 census Merchant Seamen were enumerated if serving on a US flagged vessel. There was a special Merchant Seamen schedule.  This schedule provided genealogical data and can be searched on the 1930 Census of Merchant Seamen on ancestry.com or with in the NARA (microfilm). View the  Family Search.org website for more information.

For More Information
Be sure to read the following articles:

• Researching War of 1812 Veterans
• Researching Your 1812 Impressed Seamen 

National Archive Resources

• M2025: Registers of Applications for the Release of Impressed Seamen (microfilm)

• M1839: Miscellaneous Lists and Papers Regarding Impressed Seamen, 1796-1814  (microfilm) 

Kathleen Brandt
Website: a3genealogy.com

a3genealogy@gmail.com

Accurate, accessible answers



(Original post 1 Jun 2013)

Kansas City Irish Fest

Will I be seeing you at the Kansas City Irish Fest?

Kathleen Brandt of a3Genealogy will be presenting four fun filled Irish research topics this Saturday, 31 Sat. She will share how the professionals solve cases, and best tips and hints to Irish brickwalls. a3Genealogy is an international genealogical and historical research firm. 

Surname changes? No problem! Did you know DNA - can help with that brickwall? Where did your Irish ancestor settle? Tracing your MIssouri Irish? (Wink wink, this does span further than Kansas City). 

Just getting started, or hitting a brick wall, this is a great place to start. Be sure to get your ticket! 

Click Kansas City Irish Fest for more information.

Let's hope the Irish good luck will bring us perfect weather.

Missouri Ex-Slave Resource

Colored Marriages of Saline County, MO, 1865-1870
Three hundred and forty-one African-American couples registered their marriages with the Saline County, MO. courthouse between 1865 and 1870. The Colored Marriages of Saline County, 1865 - 1870 is indexed by both groom and bride, and holds a complete copy of the original 111 page Court Recorder Colored Marriage Record book. The marriage records include the names of enslaved children born of each union. It also provides the researcher with names of black settlements, names of active church leaders that performed the marriages, and twenty historical black cemeteries of Saline County, MO.

Published in 2014, this reference book may be available through your local library or Interlibrary Loan (ILL).

Kathleen Brandt, the founder of a3Genealogy, Kansas City, Mo,- was researching in Saline County, MO when she eyed a registry: Colored Marriages of Saline County, 1865-1870. One of the first rights granted to freed-slaves was to legalize their slave marriages. Information from these records will link the African American researcher to slave ancestors. It will also encourage descendants of Slave Masters to reference one more resource in their research.  

 Get your copy now!  

Colored Marriages 1865-1870

Book $13.50 USD

 

Colored Marriages 1865-1870

E-book $5.00 USD

 

Kathleen Brandt
a3genealogy.com
a3genealogy@gmail.com

Irish Research, Canadian Immigration 1847-1848

Joliet (IL) Signal, 17 Aug 1847

We often need to be reminded to streatch our research.  Irish research is an a3Genealogy favorite.  Here are some tips to locating that elusive ancestor. 

Grosse Île - Immigration and Quarantines
Immigrating has always had high risk crossing the seas, and for those who survived the travel faced  a full documentation and most often medical review. Newly arrived immigrants to North America – specifically Canada and the USA – were documented at processing stations and quarantine locations at their entry ports. So as the Irish arrived in every port in North America to escape wars, mistreatment, and famine, genealogists and family researchers must expand their research past New York.  Have you checked for your Irish ancestors in the Gross Île, Port of Québec records? Although the death rate was high, researchers may locate those who survived; and with a keen eye toward analysis, hints and names of other family members may be revealed.

Parks Canada Map

Gross Île Quarantine Station

Gross Île “was a quarantine station for the Port of Québec from 1832 – 1937. This quarantine station, located in the middle of the St. Lawrence River just south-east of Quebec, was originally established to contain the cholera epidemic in 1832.

Over 8000 immigrants, mostly Irish died of “Ship Fever” from 1847 - 1848, some referred to these ships as “coffin ships,” due to the typhus epidemic.  It has been estimated that over five thousand Irish were buried at sea. Many were interred in mass graves.

Visit Irish Central, The Ghosts of Grosse Ile. A monument was even erected in 1850 to honor those lost during the transport.

Montreal Star, 22 Dec 1900, p.19

Yet, in the 1847-1848 timeframe over 38 thousand Irish did arrive in Toronto. Toronto also had a high death rate, about 1100 Irish immigrants died of starvation and the harsh Canadian winters. For more information research Toronto’s Ireland Park, a memorial for the Famine Irish.

Know that quarantine stations were not uncommon.  One had been established as early as 1785 in Partridge Island, New Brunswick, near Saint John.  Another quarantine station was at Windmill Point, where over six thousand, mostly Irish, were buried.

Where to Begin?

• Passenger Lists, 1865-1922, Library and Archives of Canada. The searchable database provides information on ship, ports and passengers.
• Immigrants at Grosse Île Quarantine Station,: Library and Archives of Canada.  It is here that the researcher may find names indexed of ancestors that died at sea, hospital registers, burials at Grosse Île as well as births, baptisms and marriages that occurred at the Quarantine Station. There is  also a comprehensive list of “names recorded on the memorial with ages and ship noted.
• Newspapers often named passengers and deaths. 

• 1847, Grosse Ile: A Record of Daily Events, Andre Charbonneau and Andre Sevigny.  A digital version may be located at the Family History Library.
• Irish Memorial, National Historic Site of Canada. 

Kathleen Brandt

a3Genealogy.com

Accurate, accessible answers
(reprint from Dec 2015)

Exhausting Irish Resources

Prepping for the 2019 Irish Fest 
The 2019 Kansas City Irish Fest (KCIF) will be held 30 Aug - 1 Sep.  This year the Irish Fest will be hosting a four session genealogy workshop.  Tickets will go on sale 1 Jun.  So in preparation, I will be posting interesting tidbits on researching your Irish ancestors. For information on the workshop, contact kcirishfest.com.

Was Your Irish Ancestor in a Benevolent Society?

On 19 Sept 1872 the KC times reported on the first St. Patrick's Day parade in Kansas City.  "At 10:00 am, the procession formed at the hall of the Irish Benevolent Society. The order of  march was as follows: Grand Marshal and aids, Band of Music, Irish Benevolent Society, St. Vitus Benevolent Association (German), The St. Joseph Benevolent Association." [1]

Who, What, When, Where? My Irish Ancestors!

There are more than 250,000 in the Kansas City region who claim Irish heritage and as many ancestors who have participated in the Irish Day Parades beginning in 1872.

Any Irish ancestry researcher would be remiss if they chose to ignore the information this small blurb gives us. A few questions to consider: 1) Where were my ancestor's on that day? 2) Did they participate in the parade? 3) Did they belong to these organizations/societies? 4) Were they involved in the Irish community, church, politics or other labor unions? 5) What was their "pecking" order in the parade? 6) Were there other Irish organizations/societies?

Was He a Miner or a Musician?

"Members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians followed behind the priest and "marched like soldiers, justly proud of their appearance," observed the Times.  Behind the Hibernians were members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Children of Mary and the St. Aloysius Band, marching with a huge portrait of their favored saint, the Patron of Youth, followed by the Irish benevolent societies.  The McGee Hook & Ladder Company rolled along behind department co-founder and Irish immigrant, Joe McArdle, with firemen pluming and strutting for the admiring crowds gathered on porches and sidewalks along the winding route." (Displayed at Kansas City Irish Fest; August 2011).

Just by knowing the origin of each group, you may be guided in the right direction. This is enough information to keep an Irish family researcher busy. Contemporary local books may give your research a jump start.  Newspaper articles, obituaries, journals, diaries, church records and court cases may also give the researcher a bit more information about the members of these organizations. 

Irish Parade Line Up, Kansas City Times

From the Missouri Irish: Kansas City, St. Louis & Trails West

Extract: pg. 141-142 O'Laughlin,  Michael C.

The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH)

America’s oldest Irish Catholic Fraternal Organization founded concurrently in the coal-mining region of Pennsylvania and New York City in May, 1836.  Early Hibernians are linked to mining for gold (Yreka, CA), copper and silver (Butte & Anaconda, MT), iron ore in Escanaba, MI (St Patrick’s) and Mt Pleasant, PA (St Joseph’s), hard rock mining (St Peter’s, Rutland, VT) and coal in Schuylkill CO, PA. (where the infamous Molly Maguire trials were held.)

   

Molly Maguires
Members of an Irish-American secret society.  Members, mainly coal miners were associated with Pennsylvania anthracite coal fields in the Civil War era. The trials and arrests were from 1876−1878.

St. Aloysius Band
Formed from the St. John's society 75-100 'juveniles" of West Kansas City.

St. Vincent de Paul Society

Founded in 1833 by six university students in Paris under the patronage of St. Vincent de Paul. This primarily Irish society was introduced in Chicago during the economic depression of 1857. The Society's purpose was to provide direct aid to the suffering parishioners.

For more information
Missouri Irish, Kansas City, St.Louis & Trails West 

From the Bottom Up: The Story of the Irish in Kansas City, O'Neill, Pat

Reprinted from 16 Sep 2011

Kathleen Brandt
a3Genealogy@gmail.com

French and Spanish Settlers in Pre-Statehood Missouri

Early American Survey using Arpents (Fr)

Missouri - The Midwest Gateway

Before Missouri became a state (1821), before the Anglo-Americans moved West, and before the railroads, steamboats and wagon trains traversed Missouri, there were the French and Spanish Settlers.

Missouri was initially part of the Louisiana Territory.  Known as “Upper Louisiana,” the territory was settled first by the French Canadians as they moved west from Illinois about 1750, establishing St. Genevieve.  Then St. Louis was founded by the French migrating up the Mississippi River from New Orleans in 1767. Although the French had first settled this area, Spain had control from 1762 to 1800, when Spain ceded control to France in a treaty.

With the Louisiana Purchase (1803) from France, America agreed to honor all previous land purchases and claims from the French and Spanish by the settlers.  While noble in theory, it was rather difficult to execute in practice for several reasons.

• Very few (about 1%) of the original patents (title/deed) of the early settlers were perfected (the paperwork complete)
• The lots were typically organized in long strips emanating from the town or river and not the standard grid (rectangular survey system) now in place for all Public Lands.
• The land was measured in French “arpents” not acres as we’re accustomed.  A square arpent is about .84 acre.
• Often lands not occupied or abandoned by the settler often reverted back to government (French or Spanish) ownership.

Nonetheless, Congress decided to let the settlers complete the patent process, register them with the United States, and retain ownership of their claims. A Board of Commissioners was established in 1808 to sit and hear claims of the settlers as to the proper ownership of their land.  The Board remained in operation through 1812 and gave certificates confirming 1,342 land claims.  New statutes, new boards, and more certificates were granted in 1816 and 1834 certifying 1,754 and 90 more claims respectively.

The Records

[Yes, when Louisiana became a State in 1812, the documents and records were housed in the Missouri Territory until abt. 1821.]

The good news for genealogists is that the records of the Board of Commissioners have been published in several books, segmented by Congressional Session, which fall along a chronological timeline.  Generally these read like court hearings with the land described then witness testimony supplied.

Here we go!

• 1813: Land claims in the Missouri Territory : records of the 12th Congress, second session, Mountain Press
• 1834: Private land claims in Missouri, 1834 : United States: House of Representatives document 1178, Twenty-third Congress – First session (full text on Hathi Trust)  by Elijah Hayward, Mountain Press
• 1835:  Missouri Land Claims published by Polyanthos (1976). The portion selected are the 90 claims approved in the 1834 Commission meeting and the 152 claims rejected by the 1834 Commission . Every name index. [The last claim rejected, #152, says the claimant requested 500,000 arpents.  That’s a lot of land!!  I can see why he was rejected.]
• 1835: Land claims in Missouri : House of Representatives 24th Congress, First session – document numbered 1538
• 1835: Final adjustments of private land claims in Missouri, 1832 : House of Representatives document 1340, 24th Congress – First session, 1835 by Ethan Allen Brown, Mountain Press

As an alternative to the original documents, you can try checking out a three volume series by Frances Terry Ingmire, Citizens of Missouri Territory, Mountain Press, 1984.  He has abstracted the Congressional Record and included an every name index.

Finally, if you’re still feeling a little overwhelmed now and are wondering how to navigate a fist full of Congressional hearing records, don’t worry. There’s help. Several finding aids have been published to aid in your research.

Finding Aids

• Index to Minutes of the First and Second Board of Land Commission Meetings 1805-1812, 1832-1835. by the St. Louis Genealogical Society
• Early settlers of Missouri as taken from land claims in the Missouri Territory by Walter Lowrie, Southern Historical Press, 1986
• Index of purchasers : United States land sales in Missouri by Ozarks Genealogical Society, 1985
• Index to French and Spanish land grants recorded in registers of land titles in Missouri: Books A, B, C, D, E by Betty Harvey Williams, self-published, 1977

If your ancestor staked a claim in Pre-Statehood Missouri, you have an impressive story to tell. It’s well worth your time to find the documents to shape the story to share with the next generation.

Article reprint from "Genealogy Decoded" with permission by:

Beth Foulk

Why We Pull Wills?

Brickwalls and Unscrambling Common Names
I know I pound this in absolutely EVERY genealogy presentation, post and speaking engaging I have given.  But let's remember to pull a copy of the WILL and PROBATE. We can't always get the original, but don't depend on the abstracts and (hit me over the head, even!!!) please don't just glance at an index.

What was here?
The four sons were named. Believe me, when working with Dodd's of New Jersey, unscrambling family units is not an easy task.  In addition, father Stephen H. Dodd named his own father.  In honoring his father, Stephen generously proffered his father's name, Samuel T. Dodd, and his wife. So now I know Stephen, son of Samuel T Dodd, was married to Letitia and had these four sons. and a daughter who was mentioned by the date of this will.

It was all just laid out for the descendants.

Great Monday!

Polish Research - Where Do You Start?

Getting Started

The a3Genealogy International Team has been tackling large Polish ancestry project the past year. We have bragging rights for breaking brickwalls if given enough time.  These projects are not easy, most of the in-country documents are not indexed.  There are different research techniques needed for Jewish ancestry in Poland, than that of Catholic research.  Let’s further break this down.  Catholic genealogical research is even divided between Roman Catholicism and the Greek Catholic Church.  Have you heard of Ruthenian? I’ll explain that later.  By the way…Polish genealogical research is not really in Poland. It includes the full eastern bloc to include Ukraine, Austria, Russia, Hungary, and Czech.  No…it’s not easy! So where do you start.

As with all genealogical research start with yourself.  Exhaust the American or Canadian or European, or Australian records.  Those are just some of our projects.  You should be ferreting out all you can, on you surname (and remember that surname can be spelled in a half dozen ways.)  But start with the most recent spelling and be flexible. What to look for in the online collections?  Yes, start online.  It’s one of the few times I will say, spend lots of time, just pulling online records. 

• Census records -will give you family units.  Not a big hint since the same names may be in the household three doors down, but pay attention to occupation, military service, education level, age, and place/date of birth.  These small details will become life-safer later.
• Death records of your immigrant may hold family secrets.  Plus you will want to pull the birth records of all of their children.  This will narrow down the emigration, and help to tie family units in Europe.
• Military records -these records give us contact persons’ names, and date and place of birth. May mention if your ancestor was an alien or naturalization.  You may find that the next of kin is a wife back in Galicia Poland (let’s say), or family that did not travel, or maybe state where in Galicia, or Tarnapol or one of the powiat, or voivodeship, gmina.  

Collecting more is best.  The reason is when we “jump the pond”, we get to match these people like a Rubik's cube.

1. Immigration / Passenger List records – Here you are looking for birth information, “home” contact, and arrival contract.  Don’t get discouraged if it names an in-law or acquaintance, as these may be your key to the correct ancestor.  You will want to use all of your tools for this to include but not limited to:
2. Ellis Island Passenger Search
3. Familysearch.org, NY Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924
4. The National Archives, AAD is a great resource for Russian and German (index files).
5. Naturalization Records – just start online, but you need copies of the originals (the indices gives us minimal details, and really, is more for confusion than untangling family units. Don’t forget Declaration of Intent records (1^st Papers).  By the way this is where you will find change of names too.  My Wasyl changed his legally to Walter. 
6. Special Boards of Inquiry, Immigration Records,  – a common overlooked one.  There aren’t a lot that have been digitized, but exhaust there first, the find out where your Special Boards of Immigration Inquiry are located (if salvaged).  What will you learn? LOTS!

• Character of the immigrant
• Family situation
• Family members
• Occupation
• Migratory path

His Story

Her Story

OH....and 

• Lots of lies, but more truths.  Luckily these sworn statements help us wade through the obvious issues here.

Immigration Records, Boards of Special Inquiry (BSI)

Today I worked in the Philadelphia, PA Immigration Records, Special Boards of Inquiry, between 1893-1909 digitized on ancestry.com.  I have also worked with this record collection in the regional National Archives - NY. 

Other Sources: 
This is the time for super passenger/manifests list knowledge.  Matter fact, if you have been waiting for an excuse to understand the markings, locations, how to use them,  the time has arrived to be the best friend of passenger and manifests lists.

• Records of Aliens Held for Special Inquiry 
• A guide to Interpreting Passenger List Annotations -this is not to be weak on passenger/manifests lists.  Matter fact, if you have been waiting for an excuse to understand the markings, you have now arrived at the time to learn 
• Ellis Island's Board of Special Inquiry: Case Study of Katelin Pilljar
• Jewish Manifests List - great place to start

Kathleen Brandt
a3Genealogy@gmail.com
Accurate, accessible answer

Research Tips to Tracing American Ancestors Overseas

Ancestor Disappeared?

Consular Records

Did your ancestor travel overseas for work, missionary work, U.S. government work? Was a child of an American citizen born overseas? This occurred frequently with customary long overseas visits. The Department of State records, various records of death notices of US citizens abroad should be scoured for your elusive ancestor.  Don’t dismiss these records as only for those who were naturalized USA citizens and returned to their native land to visit family. Vacationers fell sick, were victims of violence, automobile accidents, or were imprisoned, etc. These records also included deaths that occurred in Canada and the Americas.

What to Expect

In addition to providing genealogical data of family members and kinship, often a passport number is provided. In the case of Spyrus Kansas, Greek born, but naturalized citizen of the USA, the names and addresses of his wife and siblings are provided, along with his passport number and his burial (and re-interment) information with the cause of death.  It even gives information on the family home being attacked by guerilla forces while in Greece. 

Married in Europe

Women were often naturalized by marriage; and travelled on a joint passport. See Passports Applications for Genealogy.  In doing so, American citizens (by marriage) like that of Germaine Jackson’s death states she was a [USA] native by marriage, but born in Paris.  The good news for the researcher is that for clarification, her marriage date, and address of her French family and origin are provided.

Death at Sea

It’s no surprise that many died at sea. There are 333 records of Titanic casualties; limited to the bodies found. Obviously sea voyage continued to the destination, and the deaths were reported to the Dept. of State, upon arrival as was William Morris’s death. Morris of New York was  traveling to Brussels in 1903.

Foreign Death Certificates

Often research leads us to locating a foreign death certificate. Know that foreign death certificates are most often written in the foreign language where the death occurred. For forensic genealogical searches of heir, estates, and dual citizenships, these foreign death certificates are a place to begin your search, but are usually not accepted for USA insurance or estates and may be denied for Dual Citizenship records. (This is only applicable for foreign consulates that still require ancestor death certificates.)   

Foreign Service Post Records

If your ancestor served the USA on an assigned foreign diplomatic or other government post, records can be located in Record Group (RG) 84: Foreign Service Post Records of the US Department of State.  Textural records of the death (plus births and marriages) from 1788-1962 of US citizens may be found in the Records of Diplomatic Posts (RG 84.2) and Records of Consular Posts, RG84.3.

Locating the Records

Although ancestry.com has digitized the Reports of Deaths of American Citizens Abroad, 1835 -1974, researchers must know that the original National Archive death records are archived in four reference collections: 

• Record of Death Notices of United States Citizens Abroad, 1835 – 1855 
• Death Notices of United States Citizens Abroad, 1857 – 1922  
• Death Reports in the State Department Central Decimal File, 1910-1963 
• Reports of the Deaths of American Citizens, 1963-1974

For More Information

Deaths of US Citizens in Foreign Countries. NARA

Kathleen Brandt

a3Genealogy.com

a3genealogy.blogspot.com

(Original posted 16 Feb 2013)