Intro/Public Databases for Research Question

Question

Hi there,

I'm new here and hoping to learn a thing or two from the community. Since getting my DNA tested last year, I have become an avid researcher doing most research/creation of trees thus far on Ancestry.com. I've hitten some major brick walls in my Baker line that I am on a quest to solve. I have no records verifying my research is accurate beyond my 2nd GGF and GGM Lewis W. Baker and Calista Hooper. I have checked national and state databases for birth, marriage, death, war records, etc. and have come up with no solid to support the potential parents I have listed.

My question is whether there are any other databases that might be helpful to check that I haven't checked yet. The databases/resources I've scoured thus far are Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.com, AccessGenealogy.com, Archive.org, Genealogy.com, Evemedia.com/virginia, Archives.gov, HeritageMuseumStore.com (Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society), Historyhub.history.gov, lva.virginia.gov (Library of Virginia), VirginiaHistory.org, VAGenWeb.org, vdh.virginia.gov (Virginia Dept of Health Vital Records), Maryland.gov (State Archives), ncdcr.gov (North Carolina Digital Collections), usgwcensus.org (USGenWeb), Gravelocator.cem.va.gov (US Dept of Veterans Affairs), Nps.gov (National Park Service Civil War Records)

Are there any additional databases I should be checking to locate birth/death/marriage records in VA, MD, NC, and MO?

Thank you in advance for any tips for help!

Jennifer

Answer 1

Have you been through the unindexed films at FamilySearch? Many vital records, land and probate have been scanned but aren't searchable. It is slow to work through but might be of use. The Library of Congress (loc.gov) is a outshot but sometimes you can find things there. County histories can give clues. Ive found some on Google Books and others on HathiTrust.org

Comments

I will definitely check those places out! Thanks for the tip!

Answer 2

You asked about additional databases for MO. If you haven't already found them, there are a number of genealogy-related MO Digital Heritage resources available online at the MO Secretary of State web site.

The resources that I've found most useful there are:

Missouri Death Certificates, 1910 - 1967

Missouri Birth & Death Records Database Pre-1910

Missouri's Judicial Records (including probate for some counties)

But there are also land, naturalization, plat books, insurance maps, county histories, military, and other resources.

Good luck in your research!