The International Genealogical Index (IGI)
The Mormon Church of Latter Day Saints maintains a compilation of
names. Baptisms and marriages are included to approximately 1875,
usually broken down into counties, and then into surnames and
Christian names. IGI statistics are available on the Internet as well as
at a computer base located in Utah in the United States, a veritable
shrine for genealogists. There is a link to this index in the resources
section of this book.
Military and Professional Records
Records of those in the armed forces were maintained from 1660
onwards, though not always to the quality or accuracy that
researchers of today might have hoped for. Standards incidentally
improved shortly into the nineteenth century.
Those seeking out details regarding soldier ancestors might find official
discharge papers more than a little useful, particularly where ranks
below officer are concerned.
Close to home one might find military museums and military societies
maintain fairly extensive records on their colleagues of years gone by.
Many links to these records are also included in the resources section
of this book.
For those ancestors engaged in other employment and professional
sectors, a number of guilds and museums have emerged over the
years, both to protect the interests of living members as well as to
preserve the memory and traditions of those who aren't. Most of the
early guilds and professional associations now have their photographs
and other documents preserved in special museums dedicated entirely
to the trade itself.
Among other useful sources of data are town directories and town
books, more prevalent perhaps in the middle of last century than is
the case today. Primary among these directories were such as 'Kelly's',
in which each parish and its inhabitants were listed according to name,
occupation, address and much other personal and employment detail.
The Percival Boyd Index held at the Society of Genealogists, lists some
seven million names and-appropriate English marriages and London
burials between the period 1538 to 1837.
Various other departments regarding immigration and emigration,
poor law, and so on, can also increase the store of information you
gain on any particular family or specific individual.
Finally, a wealth of information is available in the various genealogy
libraries operating throughout the world, many of which maintain their
own records alongside copies of official documentation.
Contacting Other Resources
Although there are many resources on the Internet for genealogical
research, the information is still limited. The farther you go back, the
more difficult it will become to locate information on your ancestors
online. This is where some letter writing skills will prove useful.
Whether you use email or snail mail, be polite. Please and Thank you
can go a long way in helping you get the information you are seeking.
When using the mail always include a self-addresses, stamped
envelope. When writing your letter, be as to the point as possible
about the information you are looking for. Be patient-Many of the
libraries and societies that you contact have limited staffing and it may
take several weeks to get to your request.