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Archiver > OHGREENE > 2005-03 > 1110654426


From: "" <>
Subject: Re: [OHGREENE-L] Re: Availability of Church Records
Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 19:07:06 GMT


I think you've already found what you want, but there is no way to start with the name of the Conference unless you already know it. The name of the Conference may not even be the same now as it was when your ancestor served there. For instance, my ancestor served in "Great Rivers Conference" in Illinois, and I've never been able to get to it except through www.gcah. And the records themselves are held in the Conferences. www.ghac is just a way to get to the Conferences. I think the main records the Methodist Archives are the national records and missionary records. My ancestory was also a missionary and I got some really good material from the National Archives. But for everything else, you have to go to the area where the minister served. There is additional material you can go there to look up in their library, but for what most of us need, it's in the Annual Conference.

So put http://www.gcah.org/center.htm

in your favorites. That's the URL I can never remember and always have to Google to find. (I'm very self taught and Windows is still a mystery to me.) Then look up whatever Conference you need. Some people will need just one, some more than one, depending on how much their ancestor moved around.

Doris



-- "Debbie Carder" <> wrote:
I googled it & didn't find the conferences but found their archives center &
museum at: http://www.gcah.org/center.htm Wouldn't they have the
information? If it has to be through the annual conferences, could you
google it & put the link on the list? Thanks.
----- Original Message -----
From: <>
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2005 11:09 PM
Subject: Re: [OHGREENE-L] Re: Availability of Church Records


>
> I can never remember the URL. Google "Methodist Archives" One of the top
> two is the British, one the American, and it's easy to tell which. There
> is a place where it says "Annual Conferences" and that's what you click
> on. What you need to know to get help is the geographical area where your
> ancestor ministered--or a good guess. The conferences have changed over
> the years but the records are held in the same geograpic location. For
> instance, my ancestor served in the Illinois Conference. There are now at
> least three Conferences in IL, one around Chicago, one in the southern
> part, and one for the rest. Because I knew the birthplace of one child, I
> could guess that he was in what is now the southern Conference. I was
> right. Once you figure that out, contact the archivist. If you are lucky,
> there will be an email address. At the worst, an address and phone
> number. I don't know how many Methodist ministers moved around a lot from
> one Conference to another. They sure !
> moved them a lot within the Conferences!
>
> Hope this helps.
> Doris
>
> -- "Debbie Carder" <> wrote:
> How do you contact the United Methodist Church Archives?
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 8:31 PM
> Subject: Re: [OHGREENE-L] Re: Availability of Church Records
>
>
>>
>> I would add a few other things I've found in working with church records.
>>
>> Sometimes whether something is there in a local church is random. In the
>> 1970's, on my first genealogical expedition, I went to my grandmother's
>> birthplace and found the oldest Norwegian Lutheran church and the current
>> pastor. He had a single book of records, which happened to include her
>> baptismal record from 1878! Someone had found it in an attic when their
>> parent died, and returned it to the the church. Incidently, it proved
>> we'd
>> always celebrated her birthday on the wrong date!
>>
>> The United Methodist Church Archives holds data for all the predescessor
>> churches, mostly in their Annual Conferences, a geographical designation.
>> My ancestor started out Methodist, and their archives were a gold mine.
>> When I started, they weren't charging for the list of "appointments," or
>> what churches and dates the person served. They may be charging now but
>> it is invaluable information. Later I paid them for more detailed
>> information, which included copies of letters and so on. They were
>> supernice at all levels. I have original material I'll be donating to
>> their archives when I'm done with them.
>>
>> After he left the Methodist church, this ancestor became a Baptist.
>> Don't
>> bother to send your $25/hour to the national archives of the American
>> Baptist Church in Rochester. They admit they have nothing of use to
>> genealogists because they never required their churches or ministers to
>> submit any records. But they say you can your money and they'll look. I
>> wouldn't, even though I have an ancestor who was Baptist. Their site
>> does
>> have a list of ministers, and mine wasn't there. Had he been, it might
>> have been worth a try.
>>
>> Then he left the Baptists for reasons unknown and became a Disciples of
>> Christ minister. My interaction with the Disciples Archives was an
>> email
>> response saying that I could use their Archives for free or pay
>> researchers. While I understand they can't research for free, I'm on
>> social security disabilty and can't afford to get there or pay the
>> research fees. Sigh.
>>
>> Anyway, I hope these suggestions about the denominations I know something
>> about will help somebody out there.
>>
>> Doris Waggoner
>> Seattle
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -- wrote:
>> I was asked if these church records can be a source open to genealogists.
>>
>> Yes and No. These are not public records. Yes, religious records can
>> be a
>> source, BUT...
>>
>> Active congregations make their own decisions about whether they will
>> look
>> or
>> not or let you look for information.
>>
>> Religious archives usually have either volunteer or part time
>> archivists/curators. I do this myself in Berkeley, but I am a volunteer
>> and do it only two
>> days a week. I'm very busy when I work, but I do get inquiries which I
>> try to
>> answer on a limited basis. Here, San Francisco has no county records
>> before
>> 1906 when the great earthquake and fire disaster burned them all. So
>> people
>> are desperate to find information.
>>
>> Usually I can't help them, but may be able to give them the Lutheran
>> church
>> body of the pastor who married or batized them if they have a Bible
>> certificate
>> with a name and church on it and then refer them to the church if it
>> still
>> exists or, if it does not, to the archives which MAY hold them. I say
>> MAY
>> because in the past many records did not get sent to a central
>> repository.
>> Active
>> congregations keep all their own records on site usually.
>>
>> If the congregation which closes does not deposit their records or was
>> not
>> affiliated with a church body (independent), then records could be found
>> in a
>> historical society, a library, an antique store, estate sale, or
>> someone's
>> home
>> or sent to the dump.
>>
>> Church records are kept chronologically, so it is unreasonable to ask a
>> vague
>> query. It needs to be specific within a few years of the occasion with
>> names and dates and places. If you're fortunate, someone will have
>> abstracted
>> the information and alphabetized it! Most active congregations have not
>> had
>> someone do this, but in the east, many have been done and placed with
>> libraries,
>> historical or genealogical societies. Some religious groups gather
>> their
>> own records in specific places.
>>
>> Usually anything important that is wanted (marriages, deaths, etc) can be
>> found in a county office. If it's early in a county's or state's
>> history, it
>> may not have been recorded at all as a matter of negligence,
>> inconvenience
>> and
>> distance to the county seat or lack of incentive to do so.
>>
>> Remember when writing to churches or their archives...
>> 1. Be specific - give names, dates, and places (church name, city or
>> county), and denomination if you know it.
>>
>> 2. Ask if they charge for genealogical service. Most archives do,
>> from
>> $25 first hour and up and some charge for copies made as well. The
>> Lutheran
>> Archives in Columbus charges $30 for the first hour but you can go there
>> as well
>> with an appointment.
>>
>> 3. To go there yourself, call and make an appointment in most cases, as
>> their
>> hours are limited.
>>
>> Carol Schmalenberger, Clark County native of Bethel Lutheran
>> Archives of Region 2 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Berkeley,
>> CA.
>>
>>
>> ==============================
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>
> ==============================
> Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the
> last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more:
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>
>
> ==============================
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>


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