Grow your family tree with vital records. They're a great place to begin!
What exactly are vital records and why are they so important? To answer this question let me use my great great uncle Jesse as an example. In 1979 I interviewed an elderly cousin about Jesse and his life in England. His full name she recalled was "Jesse James". The wild west outlaw of the same name suddenly popped into my head. How odd! She then proceeded to show me a copy of his passenger record to Canada. Jesse was listed as a "spinster". Was he really a she? Perplexed, I thanked my cousin, and returned home scratching my head. I wrote to the registrar in England and few weeks later three of his vital records solved the mystery of his real identity. It turns out that Jesse was indeed a guy. His full name wasn't "Jesse James". James was his brother. And that odd fact about him being a "spinster"? That turned out to be his occupation! He worked in a small factory weaving plush fabric. Vital Records defined Vital records are defined as birth, death and marriage certificates that the local government is required by law to keep on file about your ancestor. These are known as primary sources because the information was recorded as close to the time of the event as was possible. These documents are great for any genealogist because it means you can usually trace your your family back three or four generations without the need to track down other sources. What you'll find in vital records Birth certificates will provide you with your ancestor's full name, exact date of birth and location, full names of parents and sometimes the doctor's name.Marriage certificates provide the bride's maiden name, spouse's name, date and place of marriage and the minister or priest's name. Birthplaces, ages and residences of the bride and groom are also stated. The names of parents and witnesses also appear on the certificate. Witnesses are often family members like an aunt, uncle, brother or sister. This information alone can provide important clues about your family history.Death certificates provide the name of the deceased, age, date and place of death as well as the cause. Sometimes they also list the deceased parent's name as well as the person who reported the death.If you're confused by some of the strange terms found on your ancestor's death certificates check out this link:
Death Records dictionary
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