Governmental Resources ~ Federal [U.S.]

    When we are trying to find our ancestors where would we be without records from government sources! Unfortunately, many of the sites that have the most information are also the hardest to navigate. Some of these links have guides to explain how to use their sites. It is always good to check out a site's tutorial to find out how to search on their site. There are some links you will find here that you may not have realized are of use to a genealogy researcher, such as the National Register of Historical Places, the National Institutes of Health, and the US Railroad Retirement Board. Here are some direct links to the much needed information from our government.

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    link button   Access to Archival Database [AAD] Main Page
    Resources arranged alphabetically by category [e.g., Genealogy/Personal History, Wars/International Relations, and Time Frames.
    link button   African-American Research Guide
    Guide to researching, and links to, Freedmen's Bureau records, slavery records, military records, and other resources pertaining to African-Americans.
    link button   Checklist ~ Places to Look For Documents
    link button   Descriptive Pamphlets
    These browseable pamphlets [in PDF format] provide helpful information about a microfilm set, and include a roll-by-roll list of individual names.
    link button   Electronic Records Available Online
    link button   Ethnic Heritage Links
    Links to ethnic heritage resources web sitez
    link button   Guide to Federal Records ~ Alphabetical Index
    link button   Land Records
    Introduction and links to resources on Land Entry Case Files and related records.
    link button   Links
    Links and web sites of genealogical interest.
    link button   List of New Publications
    Links to microfilm publications issued from 2000 to date
    link button   National Archives
    The National Archives offers free access to census, immigration, naturalization, military, and other historical records. The records at the National Archives come from every branch of the Federal government.
    link button   Online Exhibits
    Eyewitness accounts of moments in history, the original Emancipation Proclamation, work and workplace changes viewed through photographs, and much, much more.
    link button   Prologue ~ National Archives Magazine
    Published quarterly by the National Archives and Records Administration [NARA], Prologue magazine brings readers stories based on the holdings and programs of NARA, the regional archives, and the Presidential libraries from across the nation.
    link button   Research Guide
    Guide for researching records at ARC [The Archival Research Catalog], the online catalog of NARA's nationwide holdings in the Washington, DC area, Regional Archives and Presidential Libraries.
    link button   Search Hints
    Search hints for selected topics [such as African American History, Court Records, Genealogy, and Native American History.
    link button   Bureau of Indian Affairs
    The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) administers and manages land held in trust by the United States for American Indians, Indian tribes, and Alaska Natives.
    link button   Bureau of Indian Affairs ~ FAQ's
    Synopsis of answers to frequently asked questions [FAQ's], contact information for various agency offices, and more.
    link button   Bureau of Land Management [BLM] ~ General Land Office [GLO]
    This site offers researchers a source of information on the initial transfer of land titles from the Federal government to individuals.
    link button   Bureau of Land Management ~ Land Patent Search
    Searchable database of land patents from the Bureau of Land Management.
    link button   Civil War Soldiers & Sailors System
    Searchable databases of Civil War soldiers, sailors, regiments, cemeteries, etc.
    link button   Freedmen's Bureau Online
    Searchable database of The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands (The Freedmen's Bureau) records.
    link button   Freedmen's Bureau ~ Labor Contracts
    Records relating to Freedmen's labor contracts, which state terms of employment, such as pay, clothing, and medical care due the freedman; the part of the crop to be retained by him; and whether a plot for growing subsistence crops was to be provided.
    link button   Government Printing Office [GPO]
    Access official, published versions of information [e.g., The Federal Register] produced by the Federal Government.
    link button   National Center for Health Statistics [NCHS] ~ CDC
    As the Nation’s principal health statistics agency, the Center compiles statistical information to guide actions and policies to improve health. Through the National Vital Statistics System, data on vital events are now published in electronic form.
    link button   National Institutes of Health [NIH]
    The NIH, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research.
    link button   National Park Service, The
    Homepage of The National Park Service, overseer of places like the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, and Gettysburg, as well as hundreds of lesser known sites like Rosie the Riveter in California, Boston Harbor Islands in Massachusetts, and Russell Cave in Alabama.
    link button   National Register of Historic Places
    The official list of Historic Places [which includes districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture] that are administered by the U.S. Department of Interior's National Park Service.
    link button   U.S. Board on Geographic Names [USGS]
    The U.S. Board on Geographic Names maintains uniform geographic name usage throughout the Federal Government.
    link button   U.S. Census Bureau ~ Age Search
    The Census Bureau provides an "age search" service to the public, wherein the bureau will search the confidential records from the Federal population censuses of 1910 to 2000 and issue an official transcript of the results [for a congressionally mandated fee]. NOTE: Information can be released only to the named person, his/her heirs, or legal representatives.
    link button   U.S. Census Bureau ~ Historical Forms
    Information about the different census forms used during the period 1790 - 1970, including the 1940 housing schedule.
    link button   U.S. Congress ~ Biographical Directory
    Searchable biographical directory of members of Congress from 1774 to the present.
    link button   U.S. House of Representatives ~ Office of the Law Revision Counsel
    This Office prepares and publishes the United States Code, which is a consolidation and codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States.
    link button   United States Railroad Retirement Board
    The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board administers a Federal retirement benefit program covering the nation's railroad workers. The Board will provide information from its records on deceased persons for the purpose of genealogical research, but not on persons who are still living without the written consent of that person
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