Where can you turn to find information on your ancestors when the vital records from the town or county that you are looking in are simply gone?
Scott_J
A user posted a journal here with this scenario where the records were blown up (!).
I have a similar situation where apparently the records from Barnstable county here in Massachusetts were lost in a fire.
What are some other ways to get to this information?
by Scott_J
Profile | 
Research |
Contact | Subscribe | Block this user on 2016-02-12 13:00:10
Scott Jangro is the owner of FamilyTreeCircles.com and has documented roots back to Mayflower passengers Stephen Hopkins and William Brewster. If you're wondering what he's doing when he's mysteriously absent, here's some links to other stuff he's responsible for: about.me/jangro.
Answers
RuthMary on 2016-02-13 16:31:04I have found much info in land and probate records. Local historical societies are also a goldmine. I visited a member who was connected with an old cemetery where my grandfather's brother is buried to help me find the grave. We spoke about other family on my grandmother's side who had lived in that area. This 75 year old man produced a photo album which belonged to his grandmother. In it was a photo of the house that my greatgreatgrandmother's husband built! Another hint is talk to local undertakers. They often have maps of cemeteries. Another ancester's headstone
was so worn I couldn't find it, but the local undertaker had the map and helped me find it.