Like many people, I rely primarily on documents I find by searching the internet. When do I library or cemetery research trip, I find information not available online, but when I’m in my office, I search online and if I don’t find what I’m looking for I typically move on.
I know it’s possible to contact courthouses or state archives for documents but over the years I’ve done little of that. In the last couple of weeks, however, I hit the jackpot when I took that extra step.
I’ve been working on transcribing the Civil War pension file of George Washington Adams, my 2nd great grandfather. In it was a divorce decree for his 1920 divorce from his second wife, Della. (I’m descended from his first wife, Henrietta.) That piqued my curiosity because it gave George custody of their “infant son” and the only son I knew about was 12 at the time of the divorce. I wondered if there was another son and also why the 75-year-old father was given custody over the 50-year-old mother. The decree referred to pleadings and depositions in the case and I wanted to get my hands on those. It was Christmas, so I couldn’t pick up the phone (and I don’t like picking up the phone), so I wrote a letter to the Circuit Court Clerk of McLean county, Kentucky.
To my delight, just a few days letter, she got back to me telling me that the documents I sought were in the State Archives and giving me a little extra information to make easier for the archivist to find them. She also gave me a phone number for the Archives. So I called and talked to a lovely young man and gave him a credit card number. That very same day he emailed me photos of the entire file. I think it cost me $8. If I’d wanted, he would have mailed a certified copy but I didn’t want to wait that long. (And get this: He added another divorce petition that I didn’t even know about! Six years into their 14-year marriage, Della filed for divorce from George, but she must have dropped it.)
The 30-page divorce file he sent had numerous depositions and probably sparked as many questions as it answered, but it’s another treasure trove. Turns out there was only one son from this marriage, Horace, who was indeed 12 at the time of the divorce. I don’t know why he was called an infant in the decree. But George went into the Old Soldier’s Home just two years later, so now I need to find out what happened to teenage Horace!
Neither the pension file nor this divorce file are available online, though I did order the pension file online. Both are outstanding sources of information about this ancestor. I’m processing the divorce file like I’m processing the pension file, by transcribing the documents and properly sourcing every fact I glean from them.
I encourage you to look beyond those documents available online, even if you’re not in a position to travel. There’s a whole world of documents that haven’t yet been digitized!
I believe that any children that are not of legal adult age are referred to as infants in the legalese.
That explains it! Thanks so much Judyth.
Congratulations on your find
Thanks, Jerry!
Reaching out to the repository and talking to a human, finding out if they have a staff member who may be well versed in your area is always helpful. However, to tell a story about another professional genealogist, who wen to Ireland in search of documents. He arrived to find that the library was only open 3 days a week, and the library hours were 10-12 and 2-4. Not a lot of time for researching and a very long way to go. Don’t let this happen to you! Fortunately he was able to find what he was after.
Oh my gosh, Maria, I can’t even imagine. Planning a genealogy research trip is part of the fun for me. It’s inconceivable to think of not checking out the destination library’s hours in advance! Thanks for the cautionary tale!
That is awesome! I visited the Archives in Frankfort, KY in September. They were very helpful. An employee offered to look for a folder from the Pendleton County library and there was a piece of paper that was the intention to become a citizen signed by my GG Grandfather. I would have never known to ask for it and it is not digitized. I was so grateful!
What a find. Very cool! They have great customer service at the State Archives in Kentucky! Your note is reminding me that I visited there in person in 2014, while my husband was at a distillery tour. I didn’t know enough about my Kentucky family then to have a hugely rewarding experience (though I did track down some marriage and death certificates). But I remember that it was very nice facility.
I have a story about being unplanned in Ceske Budweis, Czech Republic where there was a neat little archive. I did have the foresight to have a list of all the Czech genealogy related words. They hauled down these huge ledgers. The ledgers had all kinds of comments written in the margin, One problem: they were written in German! And I do not read German and had no German word list!
You must have been so disappointed to open those huge ledgers and find words you couldn’t understand! Thanks for commenting, Judyth.
Glad you had a positive outcome. I’ve had similar good luck. I agree that archives and courthouses are the genealogist’s best friend. Whether you write or call, get in touch!
I was so glad to get the human connection with the archivist. That’s one thing online resources can’t offer!
I am glad your letter to the county clerk got a response. I get frustrated when county clerk offices have no email address and only a mail address or phone number. I don’t like calling cold either.
Typing a letter felt so old-fashioned, but it got results! I was delighted that the county clerk called (but I missed the call) and then emailed me rather than leaving a message, which is what my voicemail greeting requests. Such service!
Over 10 years ago twice I sent money & application for my great great grandfather’s death certificate in the state of Kansas. I had everything, obit, funeral home record, church records where the funeral was held. I KNEW & had proof he died in Kansas. Each time they could not find it. I had read before to call, so last week I printed the application, wrote his name the 4 ways it could be spelled. I decided to call to see if I wrote (Check under Horn/Horne if Van Horne, etc could not be found.) A very nice lady said yes you can. All I had told her was his name & he died in 1916. The next day she called me & told me she found it. They have an index book & his name was not in that book. I bet his name is in there now. After all of these years, though I am still waiting for the copy of the d/c to come in the mail !! So yes, do call & if no results try in 6 months to a year again. The right person might be working at that time.