Have you ever gone to Utah, or thought about it?

[loo]

That's a helpful example of how it all works;  thanks, Jen.
Was this computer record something that you could only access in Utah?

[JenClark]

Hi Loo,

Which computer record do you mean? Do you mean the catalogue? If so you can access that on the website. If you mean the Kirchenbuch's they are on microfilm at the library in Utah it is not a computer record

Also the church books are in book form in Europe certainly and elsewhere probably too, there are other books that people (usually pastors etc from the churches) have complied from these records showing the families of a certain town etc. You can find some of these in the LDS catalogue.

I have not as yet been to Utah to look at the microfilm, but a friend of mine photocopied the entire book for Grüningen for me and posted it to me from Germany  He is a legend cause he helped with the translations too

I have also been in touch with a fellow I found on the internet about another town my rellies are from called Staufenberg, and he e-mailed me the relevant last names I was searching for, so I guess that is a possibility...when in doubt Google it 

What I am excited about seeing are other Kirchenbuch's for regions where I do not have a contact, and I think that the Salt Lake City Library is the best place for me to view them all, I am getting kinda excited now....but I am not heading there until Feb 2006.

I hope this helps explain a bit, any other questions let me know 

Jenny

[loo]

Thanks, Jenny.
I suspect that the ancestors in question were actually Jewish, although they became  assimilated in England, and got married in parish churches in England to English wives.  I'm wondering if they were doing the same thing in Germany, namely assimilating, but I actually doubt that, for reasons not worth explaining here.  I find myself wondering whether there are any Jewish records any longer in Germany, considering the Holocaust.  Perhaps civil registrations would be my best bet, when I can get them.  I don't yet know precisely where he was born, so that is a limitation for now at least.

[JenClark]

Well Loo,

I am not sure how many jewish records exist but there were definately some for Grüningen, listed as 'Matrikel' for the years 1823-1875. I am not sure if a 'Matrikel' is the same sort of record as a kirchenbuch but it certainly says that it covers "Registration of Jewish births, marriages and deaths in Grüningen, Hessen, Germany" so that sounds promising 

When you locate his place of birth there might be similar records there, you never know your luck... at least it seems that some sort of record survived 

In fact some Kirchenbuch's report that Jewish records are included so that is promising also. I am not sure what time period you are trying to research but civil registration might be a good start..

Good luck with the search for his birthplace 

Jenny

[loo]

My German ones date from 1860s, and the Dutch one is 1794.  Hopefully, for the German ones at least, who are the ones I suspect of being Jewish, there might be some civil registration.  I am reminded that the Nazis were very keen on pedigree, so that they could eliminate lots of people, so perhaps those records have survived after all. 
Thank you for showing me how to navigate familysearch.  I didn't realize all that information was there.  There is nothing that (yet) specifically relates to my folks, but perhaps eventually I will find something.

[loo]

Thanks also to Anne for explanations.  Hope you're feeling better now!
I think I'm not ready for Utah yet!

[AnneMc]

Hello loo:
I think any one is ready for Utah anytime. all you need is a little bit of information to get started and you won;'t believe what you can find there. I started out with the baptism of my great grandfather from the IGI. From that information I get the film number to look up the actual film for the parish records. Found other brothers and sisters on the film plus marriages. Then went on to the census records to track the film and then worked back wards from there.  Like I said before they had loads and loads of information on films and microfiche there.

I am feeling better each day of the big pain killers now but still eating soup and mashed potatoes !! Think that will be my diet for the next week or so.


Anne

[JenClark]

Good luck Loo, I am willing to bet that there will be something in Utah that relates to your family....sometimes it just takes some teasing out 

I am getting better at navigating through the catalogue but am sure I am still missing out on stuff!!

By the 1860's my German's were in Australia so unfortunately I cannot help there, hopefully the civil registration stuff is not too hard to figure out 

Jenny

[Guy Etchells]

Don't forget the extensive library of books there also, great swathes of information not on micro-film or fiche.
Cheers
Guy