JOPLIN, Mo. —
Church records provide unique details about ancestors and their lives. But how does one learn the names of the churches that ancestors attended?
That type of info can often be found in obituaries, death certificates, diaries, interviews with relatives, cemetery records, local books and newspaper articles.
After the name of an ancestor’s church is known, the next step is to learn about it. Do an Internet search. If that approach is not helpful, contact local mortuaries and ask for advice. Call area churches that are of the same faith. Those ministers might know about the old church or know the name of a person who would. Contact the local genealogy society or historical society. Learn the names of historians in the area. If possible, plan a trip to the site.
A few years ago, Jim and I took a research trip to the Eastern states. One of the places we visited was Mansfield, Conn. Prior to the trip, I read numerous books about the history of the town. Some of those books were on the Internet, while others were at genealogy society libraries and public libraries. Some resources were ordered on microfilm from the local LDS Family History Center. Some books were obtained by interlibrary loan.
At the entrance of the Mansfield Congregational Church, an old document was proudly displayed. It was signed by the founding families in the 1700s. I will never forget the thrill of seeing the primary documentation of my ancestors’ faith.
Another place to find details are religious archives. Check your phone book for a church that is of the same faith. Ask the minister about the location of records for churches of that faith.
Since several of my ancestors in Missouri were Baptists, I traveled to Liberty and used the records in the Partee Collection at William Jewell College. That library has records of thousands of Baptist churches in Missouri and other states
I found details about Quaker churches through an online search. I also read books that have records of the early monthly meetings. One set was at the Miami Public Library and another was at the Grove Public Library. Most of those Quaker books are also available online at libraries that subscribe to Heritage Quest.
Some churches publish books about their history. I was fortunate that the Lyona Lutheran Church in Kansas (which my great-grandparents attended) compiled a large book. Since several of my cousins still attend the church, I also obtained details from interviews.
Researchers who have ancestors of the Catholic faith will want to read an exceptional article in the Sept. 3 issue of The Mirror, which is published by the diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau. The title of the article is “Missouri Catholic Roots in Kentucky.” According to the article, the first American diocese was formed at Baltimore. In 1808, Pope Pius VII created dioceses at Bardstown, Boston, New York and Philadelphia.
The frontier diocese at Bardstown, Ky., was the largest. It had “spiritual jurisdiction” over the area west of the Allegheny Mountains. That area included the present states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri and about half of Arkansas.
Although a few French settlers of the Catholic faith lived along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers in the late 1700s and early 1800s, a diocese was not formed at St. Louis until 1826. If your ancestors were descendants of those French trappers, you will want to read books that have been written about LaCharette and similar trading posts. The homes of the French settlers were clustered close together around a church. You may be fortunate to discover that some of the church records still exist.
Suggestions or queries? Send to Frankie Meyer, P.O. Box 731, Joplin, MO 64802, or contact frankiemeyer@yahoo.com.
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