Religious Records

The Religious beliefs of our ancestors influenced, not only their daily lives, it often impacted the direction of their life journey. It caused some to pull up roots and leave friends and family members behind in their country of origin in order to pursue emigration, and perhaps religious freedom as well. Many relocated their own families to new areas with others of similar beliefs. Wherever they were, they have left records behind that tell that part of their stories. Every country-specific certificate program includes research into this vital part of their family story. In addition to Birth, Marriage and Death records, we need to look for Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, along with other religious ceremonies, according to their beliefs and customs. Here are many of the religious records courses: American: Religious Records – Part 1 American: Religious Records – Part 2 Australian: Church Records  Canadian: Religious Records  Eastern European: Church Records English: Parish Records  English: Poor Law & Parish Chest Records  English: Non-Anglican Church Records  German: Church Records  Irish: Conformist and Non-Conformist Church Records Italian: Catholic Church Records – Part 1  Italian: Catholic Church Records – Part 2  Research: Jewish Records  Scottish: Old Parish Records  Scottish: Beyond the OPRs  Religious Records provide an intimate glimpse into the personal lives of its members. Three additional courses that will assist you in expanding this aspect of your ancestors’ research are listed below. Each will inspire you to dig deeper and learn what motivated the decisions they made – sometimes altering the futures…

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Our Primary Cultures

When Demystifying Culture and Folklore, we see that who we are is a compilation of many influences. Some of these can be traced to ancestral traditions, behavior, historical events, etc. and lead to insights about our progenitors as well as ourselves. In Module 1, we look at The Value of Folklore within a Culture. This involves identifying and understanding our root cultures and the various factors contributing to its structure. Time is spent exploring several aspects, which is a good exercise to recognize the origins of our family traditions and beliefs. Within this analysis are the three primary cultures of race, ethnicity, and nationality. These are the core elements of who we are that we inherited directly from our ancestors. There will likely be overlaps as very few of us can claim a single origin. Sub-cultures are where we personally connect and are revealed by our involvement and degree of participation. Folkways bring these elements together and keep the folklore of the group alive into future generations. As you uncover the surviving fragments, many will experience “aha” moments and declare “That’s why they do what they do!” As you work through the course material, you will discover which cultures have influenced your family and identify the elements that have survived and are being perpetuated to the next generations. You may be surprised by what is revealed. Demystifying Culture and Folklore takes you on a journey, one that you didn’t realize you were already on. Pieces begin to fit together to reveal…

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Demystifying Culture and Folklore: Intro

Every family historian begins their search with a few simple questions: Who were my ancestors? and… Where did they come from? Most of our first and second-generation answers are easily obtained from close family members – usually. However, our true story is far deeper than the basic facts of names, dates and locations. The complexity of our families cannot be defined in simple terms; we need to explore the inner dynamics and subtleties in the undercurrents of the inter-woven fabric of our family. Culture and its accompanying behaviours, traditions, stories, etc. (Folklore) are an interesting and integral part of who we are as human beings. As we explore our roots, we are encouraged to begin to determine: how has our primary cultures (race, ethnicity, nationality) influenced our ancestors over the generations; and, how has our subcultures (religion, family, occupations, etc.) been formed and influenced by the intergenerational folklore passed down from our ancestors. Looking more intently into our own lives and the lives of our forebears, we will discover unique family experiences, and uncover what has been hidden in plain sight. Unlike other research projects where official documents are accessed, and the basic facts are extracted and analyzed, examining the inner workings of our families – the things that have not been written down and perhaps never previously investigated, will stimulate the “why” questions for further study. These cause us to dig deeper in order to gain an understanding of the origins of our own folkways. In the course Demystifying…

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Timelines for the Ladies in our Tree

One of the most useful tools in our Research Toolbox is the creation of Timelines. There are various types or styles, but essentially, a Timeline is a chronological list of the life events experienced by our ancestors. Use the method that works for you, one that records the information in an organized sequence. Major events to include are the births, marriages and deaths (BMDs) of their family members. Be sure to include the locations and dates, and most importantly, the source citations for the origins of your information. This can be as simple as stories from an oral interview with Aunt Gladys, or information extracted from a letter or diary, or transcribed entries from the Family Bible. Historical and local events should be included in your timelines as these influenced our ancestors, impacting them both directly and indirectly, and effecting their daily lives. Exploring the Timelines of our ancestors brings their lives into focus. Events at specific times had a great impact on these families, such as wars, conflicts, natural disasters and epidemics. Seeing them as a whole, rather than as separate, isolated events, helps us to understand the situations our ancestors faced and perhaps, what led to life-changing decisions. Timelines also reveal any gaps in our research. We can then easily identify where we need to focus our research skills next. Filling in these gaps may break down a brick wall, or provide the clue needed to direct our next research steps. Further information on researching your female ancestors…

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Digging Deeper into HER Story

Social History invites you to take a peek into the everyday life of your ancestors and reveals their interactions with their friends and their families. No one lives in a vacuum. We take on many, many roles during our lifetime. It was no different for your female ancestors. They fulfilled many roles, especially as Grandmothers, Mothers and Daughters within their family units. They were also cooks, teachers, housewives, event planners and chauffeurs – and that’s only in the home! Occupations will vary depending on their residence and the time period they lived in. Some common occupations include: seamstress, servant, domestic, bookkeeper, teacher, nurse, and so many more. They belonged to organizations, such as church guilds and charities. The potential list is endless. They participated in community life and they made contributions that may or may not be recorded. Resources may not be in the usual places. We need to think outside of the usual documents and search for clues related to their interests and local commitments within their communities. They may be behind the scenes, but don’t let their involvement be forgotten. Create a list of possible sources to include in your Research Plan. Do you know what her interests were? Do you have an occupation for her on her marriage record or a census record? Have you searched community newspaper articles to find activities she participated in? These are just a few suggestions to get you thinking. Where will you look? Further information on researching your female ancestors can…

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