If you do not know the actual marriage date for an ancestor, an index to Georgia marriages is available on FamilySearch.org: Georgia Marriages 1808-1967. Click on “Learn More” to understand more about this collection at FamilySearch.org (See image below). It is possible that not all records will show if they either fall within privacy restrictions or if only partial records have been indexed.

“Learn More” will take you to an article on the Research Wiki which will give you more insight about the following:

• Record types which were indexed
• How to use the marriage record
• What the record contains
• Counties included in the collection, and more!

Searching the Collection on FamilySearch:

If your ancestor may have been married between 1808 and 1967, try to locate the index to the record first. Enter the least amount of information as possible at first. Remember that sometimes an ancestor may not be listed by his or her full given name. You may be more successful searching using only the surnames of the couple.

In the following example, we searched using the surname of the spouses (Jones and Jackson)

This helped us to locate the indexed record of Mitcheal Jones and Tilda Jackson when a search for Mitchell Jones and Matilda Jackson proved unsuccessful.

Locating the Original Record:

It is always best to view the original record once you locate the index. Sometimes you may discover more information or discrepancies. The next step would be to order the microfilm which contains the original record.

Since we now know this marriage occurred in Jasper County, Georgia on 29 December 1872, we can search the Family History Library Catalog for vital records. We entered the search terms: Jasper, Georgia:

Next, we selected Georgia, Jasper - Vital Records (6) from the list of results:

From there, we selected Marriage records, 1808-1901, Georgia. Court of Ordinary (Jasper County):

This collection is contained on microfilm. Since the marriage of Mitcheal and Tilda occurred in 1872 in Jasper County, we would need to order film number 158443 which contains marriage records from 1869-1886.

We would next click on film number 158443 and place our order from home. The film would be sent to the nearest family history center or affiliate library for us to view.

Other Marriage Record Collections Online

This is just one way to find a marriage record with very limited details. Other databases exist. The following can be accessed at Ancestry.com:

• Georgia Marriages, 1699-1944
• Georgia Marriages to 1850
• Georgia Marriages, 1851 to 1900

We are continuing to point out free resources that will help you in your quest to learn more about your Georgia ancestors.  FamilySearch Wiki and FamilySearch Forums were first released in 2008, and are great places to find resources and assistance.

The FamilySearch Wiki article for Georgia links to African American resources for Georgia:

There are a few resources linked here. Several are already linked on Lowcountry Africana.  Be sure to watch for new resources. The following FamilySearch Wiki article on African American Research has many more useful resources linked, and is constantly updated by members of the genealogy community:

You can also search topics on the Wiki. For example, “Georgia in the Civil War” is an article about the local history during the Civil War, military units, pension records, cemetery records, and links to access records which are available:

Now let's suppose you do not find the answer to your question on the Wiki.  I suggest you review what you know about your ancestor and post your question at FamilySearch Forums where you can receive free research assistance. Be sure to register for a FamilySearch Account if do not have one.  Then, be sure to validate that account in an email that will be sent after you register.  This will ensure that you will receive a reply by email to the questions you post at FamilySearch Forums.

You will then be able to post your research questions about your Georgia ancestors in the Southern States section.  Click “New Thread” to post your question. Be sure you are logged in. Ask only one question at a time and be sure to provide any of the details that you have such as:

ñ  Name of ancestor

ñ  Name of spouse

ñ  Place of birth

ñ  Birth date

ñ  Parent's names

ñ  Place of death

ñ  Places lived

ñ  Death date

Since 2008, every person except one that I referred to the Forums has been able to receive an answer to the research question they posted as far as I can tell. In the next article we will discuss documenting deaths in Georgia and online resources available.

Happy Hunting!

Robin

You will need to be certain about the county where your ancestor lived and time period he or she lived there.  Creating a timeline of your ancestor's life will be very helpful.

As you can see, there is a list of topics on the left which link to resources, and each each county is listed.  I suggest you check the resources for the county where your ancestor lived to determine which historical documentation exists that was generated during the lifetime of your ancestor.

Let's take a look at DeKalb County:

Notice the sections: History, Parent County, Boundary Changes, and Record Loss.  Comparing your ancestor's timeline to the information in this section will help you save a lot of wasted time. Have you ever searched for an ancestor in a particular county and never found him or her?  Well perhaps there was a boundary change and the county during a certain time period did not exist yet or perhaps it became part of another county.  Your ancestors never moved, but the county name changed. 

Some reasons for not being able to find documentation could be:

ñ  Record loss

ñ  Boundary changes

ñ  Records are held in parent county

Some Wiki articles are still being developed.  Let's work together to add the information you find to the Wiki.  I invite you to become a contributor, or share your findings with me in the comments section of any Georgia article.  Be sure to check the link for the Family History Library Catalog at the bottom of each Georgia County article.  You may find resources on microfilm which are not available online yet.  Then you can contact your local FamilySearch Center to order and view the film.

 In the next article, we will discuss the topic, African Americans, in the topics section.

New Name, More Fun at the 2011 Georgia History Festival

Savannah, GA, September 20, 2010--The Georgia Historical Society is pleased to announce that the popular and exciting events it presents every February--formerly known as "Georgia Days"--shall henceforth be known as the Georgia History Festival. 

Only the name has changed: The Georgia History Festival continues GHS's long-standing tradition of commemorating the state's rich history with two weeks of lively educational programming and signature social events, including:

• The Georgia Day Parade on February 11, 2011, starring thousands of elementary school students in period costume and led by General Oglethorpe himself
• The two-day Colonial Faire and Muster at Wormsloe State Historic Site featuring cannon firings, period dancing and other demonstrations of early American life
• Free admission to dozens of cultural institutions on Super Museum Sunday
• In-school programming and hands-on craft workshops

The Georgia History Festival will culminate on February 12 with the Trustees Gala, an elegant evening highlighted by the Governor of Georgia's induction of this year's Georgia Trustees, legendary University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley and former U.S. Senator and global policy maker Sam Nunn...

Click here to read the full press release.

I am so stoked the day for our first Georgia/Alabama Root Diggers Genealogy {GARDG} Meetup is almost here!

Tomorrow at 2PM GARDG members will meet at the East Point Library for intros and some good genea-chatting!:-)

I look forward to the GARDG group expanding {we're off to a GREAT start with 10 members!} and to rolling-up our sleeves with some good ole fashioned Georgia Root Diggin'!

So if you're in Georgia and/or Alabama {c'mon, it's just a short drive!:-} bring your SURNAMES, brick walls, research tips and questions and join us every month!

Want more good news? The February Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society {AAHGS} meeting will immediately follow tomorrow's Meetup at the same East Point Library location so feel free to join us for an afternoon of extended genealogy fun!

Looking forward to seeing you! We have roots to dig and a host of Ancestors to find!:-)

Luckie.

It goes without saying that I am thrilled that the Georgia Records Collection at LowCountry Africana is now live!

Genealogy is truly my life's passion and if you find yourself here -- it's most likely yours too!:-)

Over the coming months, I look forward to meeting and researching with you -- as we work together to break down your most stubborn, genealogy *brick walls*!

While all Genealogists are welcome, our collective research efforts will center on the 159 counties in the state of Georgia.

One of my personal goals (being a techie at heart) is to make sure researchers are optimizing their efforts by utilizing the genealogy tools available that make connecting with other researchers a breeze!

Simply put -- if you plan to connect all your "genea-dots", being involved with the online and offline research community must be a KEY part of your strategy.

Not to worry -- we are right here to help you!:-)

So how do we begin? With two GREAT upcoming genealogy events right in our own backyard!:-)
 

• Sunday, January 24th: The Metro Atlanta Chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society will gather for their monthly Chapter meeting - 3PM at the Auburn Avenue Research Library.
• Saturday, February 6th: The Smithsonian Save Our African-American Treasures program heads to Atlanta! Receive a FREE consultation from a Smithsonian expert on to preserve your family's most valued keepsakes! Reservations required and availability limited - call 877.733.9599.

Both events offer an opportunity to meet n' greet local researchers and will get you rolling on your 2010 family research goals!

So join me friends and stay tuned -- there's MUCH more to come!:-)

Shaking the tree at the root!

Luckie.

Special thanks to Michael Hait of the African-American Genealogy Examiner for content provided in our Featured Links section! Michael's Examiner articles are a MUST read for researchers with African-American Ancestry. In addition to his role as the African American Genealogy Examiner, Michael also serves as LowCountry Africana's Resource Library Coordinator.