In Conclusion

A successful hunter prepares himself with a knowledge of the resources which are available and the best location for the hunt. You, too, will have greater success by using your knowledge of the resources available to you. The information gained from vital records will guide you to more adventures in your own ancestral hunt. Now, just for fun, let's see what you can remember from this lesson as you set goals to track down those vital records.

1. What is a vital record?
   1. A record that is very important to a genealogist. ("It's vital!")
   2. A record of birth, marriage, death and sometimes divorce records.
   3. A record indicating a person is alive. ("Good vital signs!")
2. How do you go about finding a vital record after 1910?
   1. Write to the town where the individual was born.
   2. None of them exist.
   3. Write to a state department which has the vital records.
3. In what order should you search for vital records? Why?
   1. Birth, Marriage, Death
   2. Death, Marriage, Birth
   3. Marriage, Birth, Death
4. Why would you want to obtain a death record if you already know the date of death of an individual?
5. Where can you find printed vital record indexes?

1. What is a vital record?

   A record of birth, marriage, death and sometimes divorce records.

2. How do you go about finding a vital record after 1910?

   Write to a state department which has the vital records.

3. In what order should you search for vital records? Why?

   Death, Marriage, Birth. By first searching the last event in a person's life (his or her death), you will find clues to earlier events.

4. Why would you want to obtain a death record if you already know the date of death of an individual?

   The death record may contain much more information about the person such as birth date and place.

5. Where can you find printed vital record indexes?

   Vital record indexes are available through the Family History Library, major university and city libraries, the Library of Congress and on Family Tree Maker CDs.