Okay, why in the world am I spotlighting the Family Search Research Wiki as a new Genea-Gem when it’s been around forever and is a well-known resource?
Because, believe it or not, I still meet many new genea-friends and when we talk about finding documents and records, the conversation always turns to the topics of “Oh, that place doesn’t have early birth records” or “The courthouse there burned in XXXX year and all the probate records are lost,” and the list goes on.
Or, that genea-friend tells me they’ve heard of the wiki, but they “haven’t ever really used it.”
When, together, we take a look at the research wiki, the response is always, “Wow! This is fabulous!”
That is why this month’s GeneaGem spotlight is on the FamilySearch Research Wiki.
If you aren’t already a regular user of the wiki, you should be. If you’re a newbie to it, here is how it is set up.
The wiki covers topics worldwide, mostly places down to towns. It’s created by volunteers and, like the other generalized wiki found online that many people use, it is continually growing and being updated.
However, the FamilySearch wiki has a specific focus on how and where to find genealogical and historical records that an aide our research.
Each page is set up in a similar format with opportunities to add details into specific categories. Of course, not all places have the same kinds of records available so some categories in the list have no entries.
Let’s look at Addison County, Vermont as an example.
I would need another five or six crops to include the entire page for Addison County, Vermont, but the above images give a good idea of what pages in the wiki look like, the alpha-order categories that are set up and what types of information might be found on the pages.
Each page opens with historical information about the county formation and population information.
Notice in categories listed, that FamilySearch has no Bible record collection for Addison County, nor are there Biographies.
The wiki page is also helpful in another regard. It will list other repositories that have records and includes a notation as to whether the site is free or by subscription.
Notice that for Vermont vital records, all the record collections happen to be at FamilySearch, which is free, with the exception of one collection of birth records from 1909 onward, which is found on MyHeritage, a subscription website.
The bottom of each page concludes with links to Resources outside of FamilySearch:
The wiki page will tell you at a glance when vital records began, if the location has suffered record losses, includes contact information for local libraries, museums and societies and so much more.
The most important tip is that you can access the FamilySearch Research Wiki without even signing into an account. It is free and accessible to all researchers.
The FamilySearch Research Wiki is truly an A+ GeneaGem as it is a resource with something for every genealogist
Be sure to bookmark the wiki home page so you can visit frequently and many thanks go out to all the FamilySearch volunteers who keep the wiki up to date.
