Friday, February 11, 2011

9 February Research Group Summary

There were 14 members at the Chula Vista Genealogical Society Research Group meeting on Wednesday, 9 February at the Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library.

Randy Seaver discussed the basics of Land Records - highlighting State Land state characteristics of metes and bounds;  Federal Land state use of the meridian, baseline, range, township, section and aliquot parts;  finding land records on the BLM GLO website (http://blm.glo.gov/); finding older land records using grantor and grantee indexes and then in the deed book volumes, either at a county office or on Family History Library microfilm. 

Bobbie described an Illinois court case she is investigating from 1912 where a husband sued his wife, who was in a mental hospital, to sell land to his son.

Helen described an experience where she wrote to obtain a deed from a county office, and the clerk provided a contact with a cousin who requested the same deed.

Pam had good luck making phone calls to a Connecticut town.  She received copies of deeds and family information from the clerk.

Dolores asked where people obtain research logs.  Some attendees said they obtain them online or make their own a word processor.  Randy showed some examples of his forms that are in Microsoft word.

Pam asked about obtaining vital records, land records and probate records in Columbia County in New York state.   Shirley described the administrative jurisdictions in New York of hamlets, villages, towns, cities and counties.  Randy mentioned that there are quite a few church record books for Columbia County in the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC), and that land and probate records for most counties are in the FHLC. Others recommended checking the USGenWeb links for New York counties - some are very well done and have lots of user-contributed information.

The next CVGS Research Group will be on Wednesday, 9 March at 12 noon in the Conference Room at the Chula Vista Civic Center Branch Library (365 F Street in downtown Chula Vista).

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