Gathering Information from Public Records:



There are other places to search for information besides the Internet!  Yes, really!  There are books, films, microfilms, newspapers, bibles, church records, court records, etc.  Some of these records are available in online databases or in personal homes, but some of these records can only be found in the original depositories. 
Most vital records are kept at the state level, while other vital records are kept at the county level.  United States census records were kept at the national level—National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).  State census records are kept at the state level.  So, it pays to search on each jurisdiction and level of government—state, county, and town (and sometimes district court for naturalization records).
In addition to government records, remember there are church records.  Church records will most likely be found in the town where the church was located.
          Other records may be available to only specific locations.  Check the Family Search catalog and Family Search Research Wiki for locations of specific records and available records.

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