In addition, college and university libraries in the area will have manuscript collections, newspapers, local histories, biographies, periodicals, census records, city directories, maps and atlases, college and alumni records, and much more. Some libraries also have compiled genealogies, cemetery records, and other genealogical records in a variety of formats, including microfilm, microfiche, and compact disc. Church records may also be available. Check county and local histories to determine what churches were in the county at the time when your ancestors lived there. Church records begin early and may include baptisms, marriages, burials, lists of members, and minutes of meetings.
Many churches even have histories with detailed sketches of early settlers.
Your county of interest probably has a county historical or genealogical society. Most of these societies have a library with printed and manuscript local histories, biographies, Bible records, cemetery records, newspapers, compiled genealogies, and more. Most societies also publish a newsletter or a quarterly journal that contains genealogies, biographies, queries, and local history. The local sexton should maintain cemetery and burial records that show the person's name, date of death, age, next of kin, and other details, so checking the sexton s records can be helpful. Also, gravestones may have been copied by members of the Daughters of the American Revolution, local genealogical society members, or by other organizations.