"German Churches in St. Louis, 1830-1900" appeared in PastPorts Newsletter, March 2015. PastPorts is the Newsletter of History & Genealogy at St. Louis County Library. All back issues are available for free in PDF format.
In the United States, the practices we think of when we think civil registration - that is the keeping of vital records and marriages - vary from locale to locale. Here in Missouri, Birth and Death Certificates were not issued until 1910. Prior to, counties were "responsible" for keeping track of their own vital records. Marriages are more consistent - namely because the legal system adopted in all states (except Louisiana) was based on English Common Law. Under the common law, marriage changed the legal status of women. For legal proceedings, it was necessary to track this change in status.
The following information regarding Civil Registration reposted from the FamilySearch wiki:
New England. (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont) These states have kept good vital records. The town clerks kept register books as early as the 1600's. Most of these states have statewide indexes of the existing records. Most New England states began statewide registration of births, marriages, and deaths between 1841 and 1897. Vermont began centralized registration in 1919, but individual town records go back to the 1700's. Except for New Hampshire (which began recording marriages as early as 1640), many New England marriages in colonial times were not recorded because of the laws and religious customs of the region.
Middle Atlantic (Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland). It is unusual to find any vital records before 1885 for New York and Pennsylvania, except in the larger cities. All of the states began statewide registration of births and deaths between 1878 and 1915. Statewide registration of marriages began between 1847 and 1906. New Jersey and Delaware have marriage records dating from the 1660's (or the creation of the counties), but systematic recording of marriages in New Jersey did not begin until 1795.
South. (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee,Texas, Virginia and West Virginia) In the southern states, laws for civil registration of births and deaths were enacted between 1899 and 1919. Marriages were a legal contract which involved property rights, so the counties recorded them carefully, starting in the early 1700's (except in South Carolina where they began in 1911). Most states initiated statewide marriage files between 1911 and 1962. Virginia counties began recording births, marriages, and deaths in 1853, but stopped between 1896 and 1912. Church vital records often reach back into the 1700's.
Midwest. (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin ) Government officials in the midwestern states began files of births and deaths as early as the 1860's in many counties. Statewide registration of births and deaths was initiated between 1880 and 1920. Officials began recording marriage dates as soon as each county was established and generally began statewide registration between 1880 and 1962.
Great Plains. (Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, North Dakota, and South Dakota)
West. (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) The western states vary greatly in their registration of vital records due to their different settlement patterns. Most areas began statewide registration of births and deaths between 1903 and 1920. While most counties were keeping marriage records by 1890 or the date the county was created, statewide registration generally began between 1905 and 1978. Hawaii's records of births, marriages, and deaths start as early as the 1840's.
Pacific States- Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington)
Depending on the Denomination, Religious records can include records of births, infant baptisms, burials, marriages, family groups, membership, removals, etc. If a genealogist can identify the religious denomination of their ancestors, they can often substitute religious records for civil registration.
There are many resources which can be utilized to identify the religious leanings of our ancestors.
Civil marriages are great place to start. Civil Marriages record by name the Bride, Groom, and the Officiant. In some cases, a Justice of the Peace serves as officiant - but in significantly more cases, a cleric will be named on the record. In some cases, the location of the marriage - including the name of the place of worship - might be recorded. In other cases, you'll ne
ed to work out where the Cleric practiced. The History and Genealogy Department has developed a list of St Louis Clergy to help aid you in identifying the denomination, and in many cases, the parish, church, etc.
Atlases / Maps - proximity is an important factor to take into account when identifying a denomination / place of worship for your ancestors. The further people moved away from home and family, the more likely they were to attend the closest place of worship - settling into their local community. In this way, a German born to a Lutheran family in Ohio might become a Quaker when they arrive in Kansas. Identifying where your ancestor lived and seeking out the closest places of worship can prove a successful venture.
City and County Directories - Researchers can locate their ancestors street address using City or County Directories. When used in conjunction with maps, atlases, or published histories - they should be able to locate the closest places of worship.
US Federal Census - beginning in 1880, the US Federal census began including street address which can be useful in identifying where an ancestor lived.
County Histories are another great starting point. Often county histories provide detailed information about the establishment of religion in the individual townships, cities, or across the county. Often these church or denominational surveys will talk about leaders and early members of congregations, will provide dates of formation, construction of facilities, and schisms - aiding researchers in tracking down the records of a particular place of worship.
Place of Worship / Religious Organization Histories and Abstracts - Many places of worship and organizations publish histories of their organization. Many Catholic Diocese publish comprehensive histories which talk about all the parishes. In other cases, Congregations may publish a History of their parish. In other cases, encyclopedias or biographies of a denomination can aid in identifying clergy in a particular region. All though they won't be available for every place of worship, many records have been abstracted over the years and published in print for researchers to access.
Excerpt from PastPorts Newsletter, Vol. 4, No.1, January 2011
High-church denominations originated in the established (that is, officially statesanctioned) churches in Europe. Denominations included in this category are the Roman Catholic Church and first generation Protestant denominations that sought to purify rather than completely overturn Roman Catholic doctrine and worship. These include the Episcopal Church (originating in the Church of England), Lutheran churches and the Swiss, German, Dutch and other Reformed churches. Records of high-church congregations emphasize rites and sacraments of the Church, including baptisms, first communions (in Roman Catholic churches), confirmations, marriages, and deaths. Other records can include membership lists, communion attendance records, and lists of financial contributors.
Records are usually found in ledgers organized by record type and date, making data about an individual easy to find, providing one has a name and an approximate date of an event. Until the mid-19th century, records were handwritten in paragraph or tabular formats. Pre-printed forms bound in ledgers and produced by church publishing houses came into general use by the late-19th century. Because the researcher does not have to interpret as much handwriting, the preprinted forms can make researching them easier. The downside is that forms discouraged recorders from adding any additional information beyond what was required on the form.
Record detail varies depending on the time, location, and the record-keeping requirements of the congregation or denomination. A record will at a minimum include the name of the individual, the name of the rite or sacrament, and the date the act was performed. Children are commonly baptized as infants, and baptismal records often include birth data, names of parents, and baptismal sponsors.
Although records in this category are similar from one religious tradition to another, some reflect special denominational practices. American Roman Catholic congregations often did not record deaths until the late 19th century, because such recordkeeping was not required by church law. Because the church required verification of baptism before permission was granted to marry, baptismal records often include marriage data as well. American German Protestant records are often quite detailed and can include such information as place of nativity, profession, and women’s maiden names. A special feature of some German Protestant record books are family registers that list birth / baptismal, confirmation, marriage and death information for each family member.
Low-church denominations usually originated as “free” churches that dissented from state churches in Europe or began as independent religious movements. They include the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Baptist, and Pentecostal churches, and congregations resulting from the American Restorationist Movement, such as the Christian Church—Disciples of Christ, Churches of Christ and independent Christian Churches.
Low-church congregations place less emphasis on rites and sacraments (which are sometimes referred to as “ordinances”) and focus more on records identifying and tracking members. Records commonly include alphabetical membership lists with notations of when individuals entered and left the congregation and by what means (baptism, profession of faith, letter of transfer, disciplinary removal, death, etc.). Although baptisms, marriages and deaths may be noted within these lists or separately, they can often be buried in narrative records, such as minutes or reports. The introduction of pre-printed forms can make searching later records easier.
When it comes to specific rites, such as baptism, low church records usually include at least the name of the person and the date of the event. Membership lists can provide information about where an individual lived and when he or she arrived or left the community. Records sometimes include the reasons individuals were removed from membership for disciplinary reasons.
Many Low-Churches practice "Believer's Baptism" - as opposed to Infant Baptism. The Liberal and Orthodox wings of the Religious Society of Friends do not practice Baptism and their minutes will often include Register's of Births.
Within the continuum are denominations that can exhibit both high– and low-church characteristics. These churches resulted from more radical or further reforming movements within the state churches in Europe. Congregationalists, for example, separated themselves from the Church of England in the 17th century and Methodists in the 18th.
The characteristics and accessibility of these records usually depends on how closely related they are to the high church end of the spectrum, which can sometimes vary from congregation to congregation within a denomination. Methodist Church records, for example, tend to focus on detailed membership lists but also often list baptisms and marriages in separate ledgers. Nineteenth-century Congregational Church records tend to focus on membership lists and narrative records.
United Church of Christ congregations can fall almost anywhere in the spectrum, because the denomination was formed through the merger of several very different Protestant traditions: German Evangelical Synod of North America, German Reformed Church, Congregational Church, and Christian Church (Christian Connection). The records of the first two of these denominations tend to reflect the high-church type. Congregational Church records tend to fall in the middle. Christian Church records tend to exhibit low-church characteristics.
Church records often contain facts about our ancestors that cannot easily be found elsewhere. Church Records tend to start much earlier in time than civil records [Figure 1] including birth and death records. In many parts of Europe these records have been digitized, transcribed, microfilmed, or otherwise made available to researchers. They are a fabulous resource that you, as a dedicated genealogist, should mine for information about your family.
For most people, determining the church your ancestors attended is the first hurdle. This requires uncovering the name of the town(s) they came from and determining if they are Protestant or Catholic. Of these, learning the name of the town presents the greatest challenge.
Once you know the location, you can check the Family History Library to see if they have made the records available by digitizing, indexing, microfilming, or some other method. This can be done by searching on Familysearch.org. Be aware that not all towns have churches. Sometimes the community is part of a larger parish. Regional resources exist to help you determine the name of the parish.
Three factors will determine what records you will find available:
1. What Was Recorded
As a bare minimum, a pastor or priest might have kept a register. Some Protestants recorded meeting minutes. Others chose not to record anything to avoid persecution. The amount of detail and the style of the record keeping will vary from place to place and through time.
2. Survival of Records
Over the centuries, Europe has experienced quite a lot of warfare. Churches and their records were often casualties of these conflicts. Most German church records, for example, suffered destruction during the Thirty-Years War (1618-1648). Additionally, fire, water, or even ill-conceived efforts at preservation may have destroyed the records.
3. Reluctance to Release Information
Some churches, meetings, or denominational archives have for various reasons been reluctant to allow microfilming or digitization.
Start with an individual. Determine their place of origin.
Determine their denomination. It’s important to factor in denominational differences. While all Catholics practice infant baptism, some Protestant groups such as Anabaptists and General Baptists practice Believer’s Baptism. Other groups may not practice Baptism - such is the case with some members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). These differences will directly affect what records you might find for your ancestors.
If you determine that the individual is of a denomination which practices infant baptism, look for a baptismal record. The baptism record will list the name the individuals’ parents. Then look for the marriage of the parents. Then look for the individual’s death record.
If you are lucky, the information will be written clearly on an easy to understand form [Figure 2] or will be written in a clear and easy to read paragraph. Most entries are formulaic, containing the same verbiage for each entry [See Figure 3 and Figure 4].
For Anglican Church Records – there are two copies of the register. Each parish kept a copy of baptisms, marriages, and deaths. By 1598 law, priests were required to submit a copy of their register to the Bishop – the Bishop’s Transcripts. Often time information is different from one to the other. You must look at both!
If the individual is of a denomination that practices Believer’s Baptism, there will still be Baptisms recorded. Prior to 1662, all Presbyterian and many independent clergy recorded Baptisms in the Anglican Church Registers. Similarly, Anabaptist Baptisms were often recorded in Lutheran Church registers. Remember: these are not children. Otherwise, approach the search in the same manner you would if they were infants.
There are three major barriers to church record research: non-conformity, language, and handwriting.
Non-Conformity presents a number of challenges9. Firstly, what does it mean? It is a term adopted by the 1662 Act of Uniformity to define Non-Anglican Protestant English denominations. Prior to 1662, terms including reformer, separatist, or dissenter were commonly used to describe Baptists, Presbyterians, Quakers, Moravians, Anabaptists, Congregationalists, and all Foreign churches (except Catholic). Non-Conformist would also be used to define Methodists and Plymouth Brethren. What about Catholics? Catholicism was outlawed as seditious by the Act of Supremacy of 1534 – after this date, all Catholics are recorded as recusants or papists. There are very few English Catholic Parish registers available prior to 1790 – look for Anglicans.
Before 1644, no English Nonconformist congregation kept its own registers. The first denomination to keep record was the Society of Friends (Quakers), which began documenting their “sufferings” in the 1650s in the form of Meeting Minutes. Their minutes quickly transitioned to a record of all occurrences within the meeting. Quaker records are not formulaic but they do use consistent terminology [Figure 5]. Children are often recorded as being “brought into meeting”. While registers are the most common form of church records, Meeting Minutes are not an uncommon practice and while Quakers are the most common denomination associated with minutes, there are many examples of Presbyterian and Baptist minutes. Likewise, some Quaker meetings kept registers. Always look for both!
Early Catholic Church records are usually written in Latin. Protestant records might be in Latin or the local language. The Family Search Wiki has word lists for a number of languages. They can be accessed at https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/[Language]_Word_List. Note: Replace [Language] with the Language – German, French, Latin, Etc.
Handwriting presents its own problems. Records from the Germanic areas of Europe will often be written in a gothic script. Even if the more contemporary script is used, the writing will be small (to preserve expensive paper) and the ink will be faint (because it was diluted with water to make it last longer). As you move backward in time, the records will likely become more difficult to read. Take your time and work with the records. You should be able to get back to the parish’s earliest records.
Using European Church records can be challenging, but the rewards are worth the effort. With a little time, anyone can develop the skills necessary to do the research.
Notes:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stavechurch-heddal.jpg 3 January 2017.
Many church records are now digitized and made available to researchers. This means they are easier than ever to access!
The question is, where online do we find these records? Watch our course on how to access Church Records Online.
Church records are an important source for learning about ancestors, and online sources, such as FamilySearch, Ancestry, and FindMyPast offer unprecedented access. This class will cover the uses of church records and how to find them online. Download the presentation handout as a PDF.
St. Louis County Library subscribes to a number of Databases through which you can access digitized Church Records:
A growing number of Church Records are available online through free genealogical databases or through organizations who are developing online collections. Here are a number of databases that are worth investigating for your research:
Once we find the records for our ancestors, we need to understand how to research in them. To begin your search, start with an individual. Look for their baptism record. The baptism record will list the name of their parents. Then look for the marriage of the parents. Then look for his or her death record Then look for the parent’s baptisms and repeat this process over and over again until you reach the earliest records available in the record set. The biggest challenge to using church records is often finding them. As digitization proceeds across many websites, they are becoming easier and easier to find online, which makes accessing them increasingly simple.
For many of the genealogists we encounter at St. Louis County Library, identifying the European Village of Origin for their ancestors is a primary goal. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to answering this question.
Many researchers seek our assistance with locating the Passenger List for the boat their ancestors arrived upon. These researchers believe this is the one-size record which will resolve their questions - and sometimes the passenger list does say the name of the town or village - but more often than not, it provides only the name of the country or the point of departure. In some cases, a boat may have left Bremen, Germany and stopped in London, Liverpool, Dublin, and New York before reaching New Orleans where an ancestor got off the boat. In these cases, the point of departure recorded on the record could any be locations along the way.
For this reason, we've created a couple of courses to aid you in your research.
In order to research your ancestors in European records, you first need to know their town or village of origin. This video will discuss eighteen possibilities for discovering the information.
1. Ask family members.
2. Old family papers or artifacts.
3. Passenger lists.
4. Naturalization records.
5. Church records (marriage, death, or baptisms of the immigrant’s children).
6. Birth records.
7. Civil marriage records.
8. Death certificates.
9. Obituaries and death notices.
10. European Tax, Land, Poll, and Census Records.
11. Wills and probate records.
12. Headstone inscriptions.
13. World War I draft registrations.
14. U.S. Census records.
15. U.S. Army Register of Enlistments 1798-1914
16. Geographical Surname Sites.
17. Contemporary telephone books (online).
18. Location specific resources. (Such as Men of Bern2, The Alsace Emigration Book3, The Wuerttemberg Emigration Index4, or others.)
19. Published family histories and internet family trees.
This is not an exhaustive list. You might find the town name in any of these, or none. You must, however, have a specific location to begin researching in Europe.
For those seeking German Ancestors, we've produced a course specific to locating the German Place of Origin
Finding your ancestor's place of origin is essential to research progress. Learn about sources and get tips for discovering this sometimes-elusive information. Download the class handout as a PDF: https://www.slcl.org/sites/default/fi....