| Many government
records of genealogical value are kept by county governments, so knowing
which county an ancestor lived in, and also which counties are nearby,
is an important tool of genealogical research in the United States. Among
the county records of importance are:
Marriage
Records
These may be either actual records,
licenses, or bonds, with the names of the bride and groom, the date of
the marriage (or license or bond), and often the names of the parents,
marrying official, and witnesses.
Probate
Records
Wills and other papers relating to
the deceased will usually show the names of family members and give their
relationships to the deceased
.
Land
and Property Records
Deeds and other records of the transfer,
or lease of property, with the names of the seller and buyer, a description
of the property, the price of the transaction, and the date.
Court
Records
These can range from civil to criminal
cases, as well as county business, granting business licenses, and other
activities.
Census
Schedules
Although not compiled by county governments,
the federal censuses (taken every ten years since 1790) were organized
by counties. Censuses taken previous to the 1850 census only showed the
name of the Head of Household, but beginning in 1850, federal censuses
showed every member of the family with his or her age and birthplace. |
