Access to early Mormon records?

Question

My 3rd GGF travelled with the Mormons in 1850 to SLC. He moved from Vermont to Sodus, NY before 1933, then to Ohio a few years later, but not to Mormon strongholds. I'm trying to find out when he was baptised. I live in Korea and LDS centers here have been less than helpful as well as quite distant. Some things I cannot access online since I am non Mormon.

Are these records available? Is there any way I can access them, or is there someone willing to do a couple of lookups for me?

Thank you.

Comments

try familysearch.org, it is the LDS website free to all users mormon or not.  they don't have everything online yet but they are in the process of getting all records online and they have an option for live chat assistance

Answer 1

Jim:

From other things you've posted, I believe that you are a well-seasoned researcher in the genealogy trails.  Which is among the reasons I've not taken a shot at answering your question earlier.

A little background:  In years past, when I would visit LDS centers in person, I never had any negative experiences.  Like you, I am not an member of that church.

Meanwhile, with my own "in person" progress and the advancement of all the collections and other data available via search engines and specific sites, I've had no need to visit any of their locations in recent years. (Not yet, anyway). 

Now I don't mean to suggest exactly a Quid pro Quo arrangement, but, as I have lately done a little (very little) indexing for the FamilySearch Org, I bet they'd be willing to answer a question such as your written directly to their Research Guidance home page.  My point is that nothing is lost by asking there, with or without the offer to help with indexing, or whatever.  Unless, of course, you have already tried this?

Just a thought...

Good luck and good hunting....

Keith Baker

Comments

Thanks, Keith. I hadn't really thought about that, so I'll give it a try. I tend not to ask too many questions about my research because I like to do it myself, and most of the answers I get are merely telling me to look at some family tree or other that has my definitive answer. Yea, right.

Answers like yours I appreciate. You've given me a new source I wasn't familiar with, so I'll be checking it out. So, thank you, again.

Answer 2

Also check the FamilySearch Wiki - http://www.wiki.familysearch.org  - search for something like "early LDS records" and you will get several results of information pages on what resources are available, how to access them, etc., including Early LDS Church Information File (historical records), LDS Priesthood records, Early LDS, and more. And of course, it's completely free.

Answer 3

Jim, I know you are a seasoned genealogist, but sometimes we need to be reminded of sites we haven't used in ages.  Have you been to the online genealogy forums? Eg. Walton Family Genealogy Forum which is surname specific.  They also have Towns, Counties and State Genealogy Forums.  I ask in the surname forum, copy the text and jump to Town, County and State forums pasting along the way.  I have had some results.  Good luck.