land sales and land divisions, quarrels among neighbors, trials of civil cases and, indeed all the many links which make up the daily lives of our ancestors and ourselves.

Thus, after one has looked over many books in a library, one comes to realize that men have searched many places and have followed manv clues in the still hunt for their ancestors. Simply to go to one's birthplace and there to copy what one can find on the parish registers about one's forefathers is but a small beginning to the genealogical search which lies before all who engage in this labor. Anybody could do that, the parish clerk would do it for a price, but you must do your work in the most intelligent way. You must get the utmost possible returns for the expenditure of your time, money, and brain power.

Therefore, after you have visited the library and have gleaned all that can be found of your line, then go to your home town. Pay a visit first to the oldest inhabitants; get them to talk about your relatives. But you are always to remember that such reminiscences are to be written down simply as "tradition." The memory of the best of people is not to be relied on at all times; only church or civil records are to be taken as sure, and even these are at fault once in a thousand times. So write down carefully all that these aged people can tell you of your father's and mother's people, but write it down exactly as it is, "stories told me by so and so about my father." Clues are often gleaned in this way but should always be used with the usual proviso of caution.

Another hint: If you go to the expense of making a visit abroad or East for this purpose, don't fail to make use of all your time and opportunity while there. If some one gives you information about an aunt's married family, or some friend's family line, and you have time to write it up, do so; but always put the exact information as to whose family it is and where and when you obtained the information, so that any one could pick up your note books if you should lose them or happen to die, for instance, and without difficulty could locate every bit of information you have jotted down, and put it just where it belongs.

You may think we are over particular about the matter of labeling every page and scrap of information with the

sources of information, date of obtaining facts and all added detail; but every trained genealogist will feel the force in all which has been said. No one can afford to be careless

or inexact in doing genealogical work.

Next after your visit to the "oldest inhabitant" go to the parish church. Visit the curate or parson, or clerk, and with as much tact and courtesy as you can evolve, get the information you seek. It is wise to make an appointment the day before. If you find there is anything concerning your family line on the church books or register, copy it out carefully.

When you get the records placed before you, again be careful to put the date and name of the register on your note book, and the date when you get the information. Write all your information in family form and be accurate and careful.

When this is done, then go out into the churchyard and examine the gravestones carefully. It may surprise you to find some clues out there that are not found in the books and registers; but such is sometimes the case. Indeed, it is often true that information is given on the headstones of graves that is too often lost or mislaid by the former clerks and ministers of olden days.

Next, go to the courthouses, there to examine wills and deeds and conveyances. And lastly, in the evening silence of your room carefully go over all your notes to be sure that nothing is left obscure, for if your information is not thoroughly clear to yourself when fresh, then it will be utterly unintelligible to you when you get away from the source of your information. You can go back next morning to add a word here or to clear up a point there; but this will be impossible after you get to Utah. Spend your evenings in going over the notes you have taken through the day and thus make the utmost possible use of every day and moment as it comes along. Only so can you feel that you have really got the most for your time and money; and what American doesn't want to feel that way?

War Rolls.

The War Department at Washington, like the British

national archives, keeps a record of service of most of the Revolutionary, Civil and other war veterans of this nation. Furthermore, any descendant of an American soldier may secure that information, providing he sends a letter of inquiry, giving the name of his ancestor and the company in which he is said to have served. Not more than two soldiers of the Revolutionary War data will be furnished to any one descendant, so bear this in mind. These national records form very valuable information and, of course, are absolutely reliable.

Each state house furnishes the duplicate copy of all civil and military service performed by any of its native sons; here again is a source of most valuable information.

Departments in Newspapers.

The earnest genealogist should join the New England Genealogical and Historical Society and thus secure its valuable magazine.

A minor source of information is found in the several newspaper departments in our own Saturday evening Deseret News, and in several of the eastern and western daily papers. Conspicuous among them may be mentioned the Boston Transcript, which was the pioneer in this work. This paper publishes a semi-weekly department on Wednesdays and Mondays, with a large page of queries and answers from people all over the United States.

One other minor source of important information is found in the depot of the Pope Directories at Chicago, Ill. A letter addressed to R. B. Pope, Chicago, Ill., and asking for information concerning any surname, will be answered with the probable cost of copying out the hundreds of addresses of people living in the United States of that surname. This is of great value when preparing a genealogy for print or when looking for missing recent relatives.

This, then, is the mode of procedure followed by most genealogists and if pursued diligently and intelligently will surely reap marvelous results.

4

CHAPTER 4

THE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF UTAH AND THE LIBRARY

The Genealogical Society of Utah was organized for a four-fold purpose:

To provide genealogical books which might be placed at the disposal of members of the Society.

To assist the Saints (members) in acquiring information concerning their dead ancestors.

To teach them how to record that information and how to prepare the records thus obtained, for temple work.

To act as a clearing house for all genealogical and temple labor.

The Society achieves these objects:

Through the Board of directors of the Genealogical Society of Utah and their aids with associated stake and ward committees; these committees devise and arrange ward, stake and general activities that promote the interests of the Society and its members.

The Society, in order to keep in constant communication with its members and to provide new ideas and to give hitherto unpublished historic and genealogical material to the members, maintains a quarterly magazine, together with a weekly department in the Deseret (Saturday Evening) News.

The Society provides classes for instruction: 1. Regular classes are held Mondays, at the Church office building, with a special German class course on the same day; 2. In the various ward organizations; 3. In the B. Y. University at Provo, which carries genealogy as one branch of its regular theological course, with two hours' credit, and also maintains a simplified course in the regular Extension Department of that parent Church school.

Stake and district conferences are held for instructions, discussions and the renewing of inspirational life. Delegates appointed by the executive committee are in attendance at these conventions. There are 94 stake and over 900 ward

boards organized through Utah, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, California and Canada.

The library was opened in 1894, in an upper room of the old Historian's office. In 1911 the books were removed to the present spacious quarters, on the fourth floor of the Church office building.

A librarian, with assistant and attendants, are ready to wait upon the people. A staff of trained genealogical agents are associated with the library, and are prepared to search for family lines in Great Britain, Scandinavia, Germany and the United States. Terms may be had through correspondence or personal visit.

Index Files of Infinite Worth to Those Interested in Genealogy and Redemption of the Dead

1. An index of the books in the library is alphabetically and topically arranged.

2. An index of family and surname organizations enables the visitor to obtain addresses of others interested in his family and surname line.

3. An individual index card supplements the above mentioned family index card by pointing out individuals who have been, or who may now be working on a surname line.

Who Does and May Receive the Benefits of the Library and Society.

All members and, indeed, all worthy people. None are denied assistance.

Those who desire to study and search in the library are required to take out a membership and to abide by the rules of the library.

Non-members of the Society can obtain assistance in research from the trained agents in the library, but are required to pay more per hour for their services.

Any of the Saints who wish information about family organizations, what data may be obtainable by research from the books, along their own surname lines, or any general information about the Society or library, are free to visit the library or write for such information.