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 student’s 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
Introduction to Institutional Records
• What Types of Institutions This Course Will Focus Upon
• Sponsors of Institutions
• 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)
• 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
Children's Homes and Orphanages
• Records of Orphanages
Homes for Veterans and Their Families
• Veterans Homes
• Veterans' Orphans' Homes
• Resources
Module 4
Schools
Brief History of Education in America
• Primary and Secondary Schools
• Higher Education
• State Schools
The Records
• Yearbooks
• Alumni Directories
• Class Registers
• Newspapers
• Sunday Schools
• Teacher's 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
Admission Registers
• How Reared (Himself)
• At Home or Elsewhere: At home
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
• Family History Library, Salt Lake City
• Periodical Source Index
• County USGenWeb site
• County Histories
• State Manuals
|
