Focusing on vital records and the census can yield a rather incomplete picture of our ancestors'' lives. Many researchers may avoid examining institutional records because they believe it is demeaning to the ancestor, or they believe the records will not shed any new information. Institutional records often contain a wealth of information. This course will introduce the student to records of institutions such as orphanages, prisons, poor houses, asylums, and schools. Students will learn how to determine the correct institution, how to find the records, and how to use the records to lead to new sources. The course also covers possible difficulties in records access.
One students experience:
To hear a student discussion regarding their experience with this course, please click here. (This is a large file and may take a minute or two to download.)
Course Content
Module 1
Institutional Records
Introduction
Types of Institutions We Will Focus Upon
Sponsors of Institutions
What Information May Be Found
Access to the Records
Terminology
Module 2
Clues to Institutionalization
Records at Home
Obituaries
Death Records
Court Records
Clues in the Census
1830 and 1840 Censuses
1850, 1860, and 1870 Censuses
1880 Census - Population Schedule
1880 Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Schedules
Finding 1880 DDD Schedules
1890-1930
State and Local Censuses
Module 3
The Sick, The Poor, And Orphans
Brief History of Almshouses and Poor Farms
Terminology
Records of County Homes, Asylums, and Other Institutions for the Poor and Sick
Admission Registers
Death Records
Annual Reports
Trustees Minutes
Clothing Allowances
Day Books
Published Histories
Institution Cemeteries
Childrens Homes and Orphanages
Records of Orphanages
Homes for Veterans and Their Families
Veterans Homes
Veterans Orphans Homes
Resources
Suggested Reading
Module 4
Schools
Brief History of Education in America
Primary and Secondary Schools
Higher Education
State Schools
The Records
Yearbooks
Alumni Directories
Class Registers
Admission Registers
Annual Reports
Newspapers
Sunday Schools
Teachers Records
School Censuses
Module 5
Prisons and Jails
Brief History of Prisons and Jails
Local and County Jails
Jail Registers
State and Federal State Penitentiaries
Prisoner Registers
List of Escapees
Bertillon Records
Pardon and Parole Records
Execution Lists
Juvenile Offenders
Admission Records
Placement Records
Military Prisons and Prisoner of War Camps
Roster of Prisoners
Hospital, Death, and Cemetery Records
Module 6
Finding the Records
Determining the Correct Institution
City and County Directories
State Manuals
County Histories
Local Societies and Libraries
Finding the Records
The Institution
State Archives
State Libraries
State Historical Societies
Public Libraries
FamilySearch
Ancestry
ArchiveGrid
Periodical Source Index
County USGenWeb Website
County Histories
State Manuals
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