Prepare Ahead to Efficiently Retrieve Images at a Family History Center

Okay. When it comes to retrieving Chicago vital records from FamilySearch at a Family History Center, I've discovered the obvious. It's possible to create a list of links to the images from outside a Family History Center. 

And why is this worth sharing? Because, somehow, to me, doing the busy work at home in order to make quick, easy work of downloading the images at a Family History Center makes sense.

Here's my new-found approach for when I'm searching for a number of records:

1) Open FamilySearch and log in.

2) Open a new Google Sheet and label the columns "Citation," "Image," "Folder," and "URL." (You can use also use a word processing document with a table or a local spreadsheet.)

3) To find index entries of interest, use "Search > Records" and narrow the results by "Collection" or navigate directly to the desired collection index and search it. Three of the most frequently-used Chicago/Cook indexes are linked below.

• Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1940

• Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871-1920

• Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1878-1994

4) Once an entry of interest has been found, copy the citation to the table. That way, you can get back to the index entry easily, if you need to. The citation will look something like the one below.

"Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1878-1994," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N7LH-N28 : 8 March 2018), Gill Ackley, 16 Mar 1914; citing , Cook, Illinois, United States, source reference 9835, record number 9, Cook County Courthouse, Chicago; FHL microfilm 1,239,997.

5) Next, type the image number into the spreadsheet and, if you want, make a mental note if it, because you're going to need it again soon.

Next, COPY the folder number and PASTE it into the table. If it begins with zeros, leave them off.

6) Now go to Search > Catalog > Film/Fiche Search, PASTE in the folder number (which should already be in the computer's memory), and search.

7) Click on the record set title that appears to go to the catalog entry.

8) Do Control or Command F (for find), PASTE the folder number (again, it should still be in the computer's memory), and search. (If you accidentally search with zeros in front on this screen, it won't find the match.)

9) Click on the camera/key icon next to the catalog entry. The page will load but there will be a message that says the image isn't available for viewing. Just ignore it.

10) Type the image number into the box at the top left of the screen and hit "Enter." 

11) The page will try to load. It may and it may or may not be successful, but that doesn't matter. The URL it's trying to access will be the one you need to get to the image at a Family History Center. Copy this URL and paste it into the spreadsheet. It will look something like the one below.

https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/004004807?i=1005&cat=42925

This URL, which will be an active link in the Google Sheet, is the magical string that will take you to directly to the record image you're after when you're using a Family History Center computer or when you're connected to wireless network at a Family History Center

Now, for some quick tips.

First, if you're going to locate a number of images in one sitting, try opening two browser windows-— one for the indexes and the other for the catalog. It can save time.

Second, notice the URL. It can be generalized in this way:

https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/FOLDER?i=IMAGE NUMBER MINUS ONE&cat=NUMBER OF CATALOG RECORD SET

If -- and it's a big if -- you are certain which record set an image comes from, you can create the URL for finding it without going through the steps outlined above. This is especially handy for images that were created from the old microfilms--births to 1922 and marriages to 1920, for example. If you happen to discover you've guess the wrong record set when you get to the Family History Center, it's easy enough to go back to the information in the spreadsheet, search the folder number in the catalog, and come up with the correct URL.

So, I realize it's possible many of you will say, "Of course! I've been doing that all along!" But if you're one of the few (like me!) who hasn't, I hope this will be a helpful path to more efficient research.

 Happy New Year!

P.S. Sometimes the index entries will suggest that an image can only be viewed at cookcountygenealogy.com (the link is currently broken because the URL has changed to https://genealogy.cookcountyclerk.com) or that the images aren't available, but often that's not the case. It's always worth making a quick check (as described above) to see if the folder has a camera/key icon which means the image can be viewed at a Family History Center.

Cook County Death Certificates from FamilySearch: Original or Derivative?

Recently, I made an interesting-to-me discovery that I thought would be worth sharing.
Below are two FamilySearch death index entries for the same person. The one on the left is from a collection (the term FamilySearch uses) titled Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1878-1994. The one on the right is from Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947.
Notice the differences. The index entry on the left has more information--address, cemetery name, and informant name, for example. And the birthplace is spelled "Pisek" on one and "Piseh" on the other.

Next let's look at the record retrieval information.
Notice there is no "GS Film number" for the record on the left. I believe this record set contains the images that were created by digitizing the paper certificates held by the Cook County Clerk's Office. I don't remember the year, but the project was done before I moved from Chicago three years ago. This index entry suggests the corresponding certificate can be purchased through cookcountygenealogy.com. (The link doesn't work because the URL has changed to https://genealogy.cookcountyclerk.com.)

The index entry on the right has a film number and a digital folder number. I believe the corresponding images (they are available, despite the "No image" note above) were created by scanning microfilm that was created years ago.

Now let's look carefully at the record sets that include the digital folder numbers. They can be found by going to Search > Catalog > Film/Fiche, typing in a folder number, hitting "enter," and clicking on the record set title.
It's a little bit hard to see, but the record set on the left was created from certificates held by the Cook County Clerk. This is a link to the genealogy page on their website and to the form needed to request death certificates from their Bureau of Vital Records by mail.
The one on the right was created from records held by "Public Board of Health Archives" (Illinois Department of Public Health) in Springfield. Here's a link to their genealogy page and to the form needed to request a death certificate from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

And finally, let's look at the corresponding records. The one directly below was found using information from the index entry on the left. This would be the record that's held by Cook County.

And the one below this is the one that was found using the index information on the right. This would be the record that's held in Springfield.

It looks to me as though the certificate held by Cook County is a derivative record, probably made by copying information from the original, perhaps by the by the submitter before it was sent to the county or by the county before it was sent to the state. And, it looks to me as though the certificate held by the Public Board of Health Archives is the original. I need to explore other records from other years to see if there is a consistent pattern, but I suspect that might be the case.
So, what does this mean for genealogists doing research in Chicago records? The short answer is -- it's a good reminder to look carefully at our sources and to seek out the best quality records possible.

New Album Will Celebrate Chicago's Musical Heritage

Chicago has a rich musical history and On Big Shoulders, "an Americana album featuring 12 of Chicago's best musicians collaborating on 10 songs linked to The Windy City," [1] will celebrate it. Funded, in part, by a grant from the City of Chicago, the release is scheduled for 2018, and there's a Kickstarter campaign in place to raise funds for the final steps in the production process.

It may not seem like this is related to genealogy, but I think there's a lot to be said about tapping into the culture of the places where our ancestors lived. 

If you love Chicago ... love music ... love supporting projects of long-lasting value ... then, check it out!

I'm acquainted with Matt Brown, the producer (I took banjo and fiddle lessons from him when I lived in Chicago) and I am confident that every aspect of this album, from the recording quality to the liner notes, will be top-notch. He just wouldn't have it any other way.

1. Matt Brown, "Debut 'On Big Shoulders' album celebrates Chicago's music," Kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mattbrownsdream/debut-on-big-shoulders-album-celebrates-chicagos-m : accessed 21 February 2017).

Lucy Theodate Holmes' Christmas Sorrow

Kalamazoo County death register showing entry for Baby Boy Holmes

Some years ago, I spent many hours researching Lucy Theodate Holmes, the daughter of Myrta Z. Belknap and H. H. Holmes, and one of the things I learned was that she gave birth to a son who died on Christmas--a son whose earthly life lasted but 45 minutes.

Baby Boy Hunter died on 25 December 1919. His death was reported to the Kalamazoo County Clerk where he was recorded as the son of "Lucy T. Holmes," born in Illinois, and "James Douglas Hunter," born in Minnesota. [1] The death record for Baby Boy Hunter can be viewed on FamilySearch but you will need to be logged in to access it:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS36-C7P5

The cause of death is difficult to read, but it appears to be "Asphyxia due to prolapsed cord and difficult breech extraction following version."

I cannot imagine the pain that Lucy must have endured on that day--and on the many Christmases that followed.

There's a gravestone in the Wildey Cemetery in Paw Paw, Van Buren County, Michigan near the stone for Lucy's mother that reads "Ronald Douglas Hunter." [2] There are no dates on the stone, but he is almost certainly the infant that died in 1919, perhaps named for his paternal grandfather, Ronald Hunter, and his father. [3]

I visited the cemetery once, to take photographs and pay my respects. It's out in the country on a quiet road, not too far from a farm that has ties to the family (but that's a story for another day). The thing I remember very clearly is how parched and brown the grass was the time that I was there.

I've misplaced my images of the stones, but there are pictures available on Find A Grave which can be easily found by following these links: Myrta Belknap Holmes | Ronald Douglas Hunter.

I think of Lucy when the holiday season comes around. And I think of her husband and her mother and her infant son. And I think about how this was just one of the many sorrows that she endured.

As far as research stories go, it isn't a happy one to tell, but maybe it's an important one to share.

__________

     1. "[Kalamazoo County, Michigan] Death records, 1867-1933; index to deaths, 1867-1997," FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHSL-JHJ : accessed 16 December 2017) > “Deaths, 1918 (Townships Oshtemo p. 21-end; Villages; Cities) Deaths, 1919 Deaths, 1920 (Townships; Villages; Cities A-Kalamazoo, p. 134),” film 2074997 > image 682, entry for Baby Boy Hunter.

     2. Find A Grave, database and images (http://findagrave.com : accessed 16 December 2017), memorial page for Ronald Douglas Hunter, Find A Grave Memorial no. 133906544, citing Wildey Cemetery, Paw Paw, Van Buren County, Michigan; accompanying photograph added by Linda Chowns (Johnson). Also Find A Grave, database and images (http://findagrave.com : accessed 16 December 2017), memorial page for Myrta Belknap Holmes, Find A Grave Memorial no. 133906380 citing Wildey Cemetery, Paw Paw, Van Buren County, Michigan; accompanying photograph added by Linda Chowns (Johnson).

     3. For James Douglas Hunter's parents, see, for example, 1905 Minnesota State Census, St. Louis County, population schedule, Duluth, Hunters Park, ED 2, sheet 7 (penned), "Consecutive Number of Enumeration" entry 266 for Ronald M. Hunter and entry 269 for Douglas J. Hunter; digital image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9Q97-YSBQ-FSR : accessed 16 December 2017), citing

Asking for Films to be Added to FamilySearch's Digital Collection

I've been working on some Ohio research lately and yesterday's finds led me to Knox County deed book films that haven't been made available online yet.

I recalled reading something about asking FamilySearch to add films to a wish list and a bit of online searching took me to a FamilySearch article titled "UPDATE: FamilySearch Digital Records Access Replacing Microfilm." It says "if customers need access to a particular film yet to be digitized, they can express interest to have it added to the priority digitization by contacting FamilySearch Support." [1]

So, I called the number (1-866-406-1830) and inquired.

The short of it is, I was allowed to ask for up to five films and so I did.

This morning I received an email telling me three things:

• My request was submitted.

• They might not be able to put a film online; it depends on permission from the record owner.

• They can't tell me when the films might be available and can't notify me if/when it happens, so I should just keep checking back. [2] 

Fair enough! I'm not in a hurry and I appreciate having a chance to make the suggestions.

Some of the other films in the same catalog entry are available online, so I'm hopeful this will work out. If you want to follow the progress with me, here are the films I requested:

"Deeds (Knox County, Ohio), 1808-1901"

https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/200861

Films: 314030, 314031, 314032, 314056, 314059

Have you had experience requesting access this way? If so, please share your experience in a comment.

________

     1. "UPDATE: FamilySearch Digital Records Access Replacing Microfilm," FamilySearch Newsroom, 30 August 2017 (https://media.familysearch.org/update-familysearch-digital-records-access-replacing-microfilm/ : accessed 5 December 2017).

     2. FamilySearch Support, Salt Lake City,  to Cynthia Richardson, e-mail, 6 December 2017, "Digitization Acknowledgement," privately held.

Update: How to Find Cook County Marriage Licenses

Access to Chicago and Cook County records has changed a number of times in the 10+ years I've been doing research in the city and sometimes it's hard to keep up.

This is the first in a series of three posts aimed at answering the question, "Where should I look for vital records?"

For marriages, in short, (no matter what an index search may tell you about availability), you can get licenses from 1871 to 1941 online through FamilySearch by visiting a Family History Center or an affiliate library. After that, you'll need to contact the Cook County Clerk's Office for the records.

Unlike birth and death records, marriage licenses were numbered consecutively without starting over. So, if you have a license number, you can easily pick a "film" from the record groups linked below and play the high/low number game to zero in on the right image. If you have a film number and an image number, you can go right to the document. And, if you have neither, all is not lost. If you have a marriage date, browse to find the licenses issued on that day and then work backwards from there. Generally, couples married the same day or a few days after getting the license.

Record Groups Accessible from the FamilySearch Catalog	Indexes to these Records
Marriage licenses, 1871-1920; index, 1871-1916 https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/43803 All images, 1871-1920, available online at FamilySearch by visiting at FHC or an affiliate library.	Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 http://www.ilsos.gov/isavital/marriagesrch.jsp Results provide license number Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871-1920 (FamilySearch) https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1463145 Results provide film number and image number Cook County, Illinois, Marriages Index, 1871-1920 (Ancestry) Results provide film number
Illinois, Cook County, marriage records, 1920-1950 https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2620697 Images, 1920-1941, available online at FamilySearch by visiting at FHC or an affiliate library.  Obtain licenses from 1942-1950 from the Cook County Clerk’s Office. See https://chicagogenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/11/cook-county-marriage-licenses-creative.html for information on how record groups are arranged in the Family History Library catalog entry.	Cook County, Illinois Marriage Indexes, 1912-1942 https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2273 Results provide license number; index is not complete (no “Smith” entries beyond 1933 in search results, for example)
Illinois, Cook County, marriage records, 1950-1964 https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2820233 Obtain licenses from 1950-1964 from the Cook County Clerk’s Office.	Cook County, Illinois Marriage Index, 1930-1960 https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1500 Results provide “file” number (license number)

Cook County Marriage Licenses: Creative Sorting in Family Search Catalog

One of the things on my to-do list is to wrap my mind around which Chicago and Cook County vital records are available online at FamilySearch and which are only available on film at the Wilmette Family History Center and at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and which are only available from the Cook County Clerk's Office.

So, this morning I took a good look at the catalog entry for Illinois, Cook County, Marriage Records, 1920-1950.

Scrolling down quickly, looking for camera icons, it looked like all the licenses from 1920 to 1941 were accessible and that a few after that date had also been put online. But, taking a closer look, I realized that the available "later" records are actually from 1941.

Here's what's up:

The "film" notes begin with descriptions that include series, license numbers, and years, and--really important--the entries are sorted by that information. (See images example below.)

It works great for series 1 which covers 1920 to part of 1923. 

Then the fun begins. 

Series 2-1, 2-10, and 2-100 sort before 2-1000 which means they're out of place. Then the order is consistent until it reaches 2-1009 where it jumps to 2-101, putting a 1924 group in the middle of 1936. Then the pattern resumes.

So, why is this a big deal? 

Well, actually, it's not a big deal. But, if you're searching for a license and it looks like there's a gap where it should be, it doesn't mean it wasn't digitized. It just means that you need to look for it in another place. One easy way to do that is to use Ctrl-F or Command-F ("F" is for "find") to quickly search for a year.

Knowing what's up, I can feel confident in making a mental note that Cook County marriage licenses, 1920-1941, are available on FamilySearch and can be accessed from a Family History Center or an affiliate library.

Onward!