Welcome to Monterey Peninsula College at Genealogy Research Associates

Using the guide below, you can easily tell which repositories would have the records you are looking for. Did you use this guide to answer some of the previous questions?

RECORD	IN PERSON	BY CORRESPONDENCE	ON A LOAN BASIS
FEDERAL CENSUS	Federal Archives or its branch facility Libraries with census on film FHCs Purchase copies on CD	Hire record look-up assistance	Public library Heritage Quest rental program On loan at FHC Archival loan
STATE CENSUS	State Library	Hire record look-up assistance	Public library Heritage Quest rental program On loan at FHC Archival loan
VITAL RECORDS AFTER 1902	Courthouse in county of event	Write to state vital records repository	N/A
VITAL RECORDS BEFORE 1902	Courthouse in county of event State Library	Write to county of event using Handy Book Hire record look-up assistance	On loan at FHC Some on publick interlibrary loan
LAND / PROPERTY RECORDS	Courthouse in county of event State Library	Write to county in question Hire record look-up assistance	On loan at FHC Indexes for others at FHC Some published in libraries
PROBATE RECORDS	Courthouse in county of event State Library	Write to county in question Hire record look-up assistance	On loan at FHC Indexes for others at FHC Some published in libraries
COMPILED FAMILY HISTORIES	Major libraries	Write societies; Hire record look-up assistance	On loan at FHC Heritage Quest loan program Major library interlibrary loan NEHGS loan NGS loan
REVOLUTIONARY WAR SERVICE RECORDS PENSION RECORDS BOUNTY LAND RECORDS INDEXES	Federal Archives and Regional Records Service Facilities FHL	Order from National Archives Hire record look-up assistance	On loan at FHC Heritage Quest loan program Major library interlibrary loan
WAR OF 1812 SERVICE RECORDS PENSION RECORDS BOUNTY LAND RECORDS INDEXES	Federal Archives FHL	Order from National Archives Hire record look-up assistance	On loan at FHC (index) Heritage Quest loan program (index) Major library interlibrary loan (index)
CIVIL WAR —UNION SERVICE RECORDS PENSION RECORDS INDEXES	Federal Archives and some Regional Records Service Facilities State Libraries (Union states)	State Adjutant General Hire record look-up assistance	On loan at FHC (index) Heritage Quest loan program (index) Major library interlibrary loan (index)
CIVIL WAR —CONFEDERATE SERVICE RECORDS PENSION RECORDS INDEXES	Federal Archives and some Regional Records Service Facilities State Libraries (Confederate states)	State Adjutant General Hire record look-up assistance	On loan at FHC (index) Heritage Quest loan program (index) Major library interlibrary loan (index)
SPANISH AMERICAN WAR SERVICE RECORDS PENSION RECORDS INDEXES	Federal Archives and some Regional Records Service Facilities	Order from National Archives Hire record look-up assistance	On loan at FHC (index) Heritage Quest loan program (index) Major library interlibrary loan (index)
COMPILED CENSUS INDEXES 1790-1910	Federal Archives and Regional Records Service Facilities FHL	FHL photoduplication order Hire record look-up assisatnce	Some at local FHC (such as AIS 1790-1850)
FAMILY VITAL RECORDS	Family Periodicals Historical societies Genealogical societies	Historical and lineage societies	On loan at FHC Some AGLL
COURT RECORDS	Local courthouse	Hire record look-up assistance	On loan at FHC
CHURCH RECORDS	Local church or regional center	Hire record look-up assistance local church or record center	On loan at FHC Some pubilc interlibrary loan
IMMIGRATION	Courthouse of jurisdiction	Hire searcher to visit courthouse	On loan at FHC
CEMETERY RECORDS BURIAL RECORDS	Visit cemetery	Write to sexton	On loan at FHC

REPOSITORY GUIDE FOR GENERAL BACKGROUND

RECORD	IN PERSON	BY CORRESPONDENCE	ON A LOAN BASIS
FOREIGN and HISTORICAL	Public Libraries FHC	Historical and ethnic societies Periodicals Hire record look-up assistance	Public library AGLL On loan at FHC Archival loan
MAPS	State Library Public Libraries	Hire record look-up assistance Write to county Map vendors Historical societies	On loan at FHC Public Library
JURISDICTIONS AND COUNTY FORMATION	Handy Book U.S. Map Guide County histories from public libraries	Write to county in question	Histories from FHL on loan to FHC Heritage Quest loan services