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Ancestors expert George Ott discusses looking for other church records.
Besides baptism, marriage, and death records, there are other, lesser known, records that can also be valuable.
For example, confirmation records can sometimes give information on the birth and baptismal dates or solve a mystery
about an alternative name an ancestor occasionally used. Again, the content varies somewhat by religion with
Scandinavian Lutheran, for instance, generally providing more details.
Minutes or
communicant lists can also be helpful in
reconstructing family history. The sudden disappearance of a couple from the list may signify their departure from the
community. The disappearance of one but not the other may indicate death, an important clue if the death records no
longer exist. They may also contain information as to where some moved to or immigrated. Still other records include
minutes of church council or vestry, disciplinary records, and family registers. All of these not only give useful genealogical
information, but they also help you to learn more about what your ancestors were like and how they worshiped.
