GOVERNMENT GENEALOGY RESOURCES
- American Memory Project
This project of the Library of Congress has a collection of over 7 million digitized records including historic pictures, sounds, films, manuscripts, and more.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html
- Bureau of Land Management: General Land Office Records
This site, managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior, allows the public to search land patents and surveys. Patents documented the transfer of land from the federal government to individuals. Surveys document legal boundaries.
http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/default.aspx
- Civil War Soldiers and Sailor System
This site from the National Park Service, part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, features a database to search for your Civil War ancestors.
- Kansas State Historical Society
The Kansas State Historical Society is charged with safeguarding and sharing the state’s history. The society offers a variety of resources on individuals, including databases and newspapers, an online catalog, and reference staff assistance.
http://www.kshs.org/portal_genealogy
The Vital Records page lists common genealogy information and where it can be found in Kansas. http://www.kshs.org/p/genealogy-vital-records-in-kansas/11313
From 1855 to 1930, Kansas conducted a State Census between each Federal Census.
http://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-censuses-1855-1930/10961
- Kansas State Library
The State Library of Kansas offers a free Kansas library card to residents that can be used to access U.S. Federal Census records online through HeritageQuest. The Census’ from 1790-1820 and 1860-1930 can be searched for your ancestors.
Census years not available for viewing through this resource may be accessed through the commercial site www.ancestry.com (some information can be looked at for free; other information requires a subscription to view).
- Library of Congress
The Local History and Genealogy Research Room offers foreign and local history information back to 1815, as well as suggestions on how to use the Library of Congress resources.
- National Archives & Records Administration (NARA)
The National Archives is an independent agency in the Executive Branch of the federal government. This site offers search tips and research guides, articles, tools for genealogists, and popular topics.
www.archives.gov/research/genealogy/index.html
NARA offers an online genealogy magazine, Prologue, with notes and articles. http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/
- Social Security Death Index
Compiled from the U.S. Social Security Administration’s Death Master File, it contains vital information on over 80 million deceased individuals beginning in 1962, with a small number of record from earlier years. Searches can reveal a person’s name, social security number and state where it was issued, birth and death dates, and place of death. The index can be searched through several commercial websites.
Free: http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com
Free: http://www.genealogybank.com/gbnk/ssdi/?kbid=9064&m=9
Subscription: www.ancestry.com
- USA.gov
This is an A-Z state listing of government genealogy information, available from USA.gov, the official government web portal.
http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/History_Family/State_Genealogy.shtml
- U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services.
This branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security offers a genealogy service where they will search for a deceased individual for a cost of $20, with additional fees for providing documents if found.
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis (then find “Genealogy” under the left-side services menu)
- U.S. Geological Survey
The U.S. Geological Survey is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior. They focus on the science of the environment, land, and resources. Several U.S.G.S. resources may be of use to genealogists.
Using Maps in Genealogy
http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/factsheets/fs09902.pdf
Geographic Names Information System (search for place names)
Government Genealogy Resources List PDF
—————————————————————————————————————-
