|
1.
|
General Land Office is now called Bureau of Land Management of the United States Department of Interior. Some federal land records are here, some in the National Archives and some are in state and university libraries. Public domain land states are largely available on the Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office-Eastern States free website.
|
|
|
2.
|
The Social Security Death index is a master index file of deaths reported to the Social Security Administration. It has been kept since 1962, when operations were computerized.
|
|
|
3.
|
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. has manuscripts, publications and microfilms of a wide range of materials useful to genealogical research. Their website is free and easy to use.
|
|
|
4.
|
National Personnel Records Center, St. Louis, MO., has U.S. military records for World War I or later. World War I draft registration cards are online, along with some of the World War II enlistment records. Some of the records in St. Louis were destroyed by fire, and they ask that you send the request for records back a second time since the first reply is computer-generated.
|
|
|
5.
|
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington, DC and its Regional Branches, is the principal repository for records relating to the US federal government. These include the original paper copies of the federal census, all pre-World War I military records, Native American records, military service and pension records, naturalization records, ship passenger lists, land-entry case files, and homestead and bounty land warrant records. NARA's website is the place to begin research for federal records.
|
|
|
6.
|
USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) was formerly known as INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service). Searching for Immigration and naturalization records is essential in genealogy research. The website which allows patrons to order index searches or record copies is at: CISHistory.Library@dhs.gov. Payment is required for searching the indexes, and then payment again to obtain copies of records located. 20th century records include: Certificate Files (C-Files); Registry Files; Visa Files; Alien Registration and A-Files.
|
|
