MILITARY AND CENSUS RECORDS- EPISODE SIX

Military and census records are two of the most interesting and helpful records you will encounter during your family history search. Military records contain large amounts of biographical information, from the color of a person’s eyes to the day-by-day muster rolls that track your ancestor’s footsteps through history. Census records can place entire families at a specific point in time and are one of the best sources for beginning genealogists to explore.

Tips

• Note that each war in American history has generated military records that are valuable in genealogical research.
• Regardless of the rank, from private to general, all servicemen have records.
• Use census records to find information about individuals and families.
• Remember that there is a 72 year privacy cap on military and census records so the census records that are now available for research span the years from 1790-1920.
• Look for additional census records that may have been generated on a local or state level.

Suggested Activities

Look at your pedigree chart and determine if you have any ancestors who may have served in the following wars: French and Indian War; 1754-1763 Revolutionary War, 1775-1783; Indian Wars, late 18th and 19th centuries; War of 1812, 1812-1815; Mexican-American War, 1846-1848; Civil War, 1861-1865; Spanish-American War, 1898; Philippine Insurrection, 1899-1902; World War I, 1917-1918; World War II, 1941-1945; Korean War, 1950-1953; Vietnam War, 1965-1973. Also determine which ancestors might be found on the 1920 census. With a specific research goal in mind, plan a trip to your local library, archive, or family history center to search military and census records.

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