Six Genealogy Secrets Found in the Library's Vertical File

The secret to uncovering your roots may be awaiting you in the vertical file at the local library where your ancestor lived. Many local history rooms in county, parish and university libraries keep a smorgasbord of loose papers, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, and photos that can tell you a lot about the history of the area and maybe your family too.

This is a great way to discover basic information if you are just beginning your genealogy research. Six types of resources that you may discover are:

Biographical information

Miscellaneous papers, newspaper clippings, or other articles contained in folders about specific people provide a brief sketch of a person’s life, and you may discover a family member among these files. Some items have been donated, and sometimes staff or volunteers have just gathered information about people of interest that lived in the area. Look for an ancestor or someone with the same surname among the file folders. They will be organized alphabetically.

Businesses

Did your ancestors work in the local mill? Wouldn’t it be nice to find firsthand accounts from people who were engaged in the same type of employment? Whole villages grew up around mills.

Many endured extremely low pay and long hours. For example, see this video about mill villagers of Tupelo, Mississippi in 1937. Perhaps you will find the history of the mill or other businesses where your family worked or owned.

Cemetery and funeral home records

Looking for the family cemetery? Sometimes older cemeteries no longer exist or are in places that have not been documented. The next place to try would be the funeral home. Do you need a clue there too? Well, check for information on cemeteries and funeral homes in the vertical file.

Church history

If you research back far enough, you will reach a time period where birth, marriage and death records do not exist. If you are lucky, you might find the history of the church where your ancestor attended. If you are really lucky, you may learn that church records were kept and still exist. Browse the vertical file for clues.

Local history

A perfect place to get a quick snapshot of important people, historical sites and events in local history is to take a look at the resources in the vertical file. This will help you gain further insight about what life was like for your ancestor, and you may even find more ideas to direct you in your search.

Military history

Discover the names of people who served their country and earned the praise of local citizens. Newspaper clippings in the vertical file tell the stories of those who returned home and those who were not so fortunate. 

Some vertical file collections are so extensive that libraries have developed finding aids to help patrons researching their genealogy. Check out this finding aid at Murray State University in Kentucky. 

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Researching Your Southern Baptist Ancestor

Civil or government records are the first record types that you access on your journey to discover more about your ancestor. As you follow the timeline back to the 1800's, you need to become more savvy in your research because fewer records are available. Church records are a great substitute when civil records do not exist. Below you will find clues to locating resources that may help you.

Church history

Study the origins of the Baptist church in your ancestor's area. Often you can trace the first settlers of a area to discover those who professed the Baptist faith. Search the local library or university library for histories. Research these sources as far back as they exist in your particular area of research.

You will learn about clergy, places traveled to and events. Branch out, and research the manuscripts of people mentioned, church records, and local histories. You may only find people who lived at the same time as your ancestor, but you are liable to glean a great deal about your ancestor from the stories and challenges their contemporaries faced. Be sure that you consult the resources of surrounding states or the other places where people migrated from.

The reason that you want to consult sources in other states can be illustrated in the example of the first Baptist settlement in Mississippi. Salem Baptist Church was the first Baptist church in the Southwest Mississippi Territory according to Mississippi Church Records. Phoebe Jones lost her husband, William, in Dinwiddie County, Virginia in 1743. She married again to a man named Robert Curtis, and they lived near Charleston, South Carolina in 1768 where she continued having children.

A history of the first Baptist settlement in "Mississippi, Abstract History of the Mississippi Baptist Association," by T. C. Schilling reveals the bravery of these "Revolutionists" and their departure from South Carolina to Mississippi, from Mississippi back to South Carolina, and their return to "Natchez country" where they originally suffered persecution because of their professed faith (Baptist). Records from Virginia to South Carolina to Mississippi exist for this family. When you find books about church histories available through online catalogs, search for online versions through Archive.org or other free book resources online.

History of clergy

"Mississippi Baptist Preachers," by L. S. Foster is a great example of a resource that may help you locate your ancestor's clergyman. When you find the clergyman, locate his death, and research the places that may hold his papers or manuscripts. Do not overlook regional libraries, libraries of the universities the clergyman attended and repositories in the places where he resided.

J. D. Anderson was born in Tippah County, Mississippi in 1852, but his biography on page 21 of "Mississippi Baptist Preachers" mentions other locations where a good sleuth would investigate:

• Mississippi College-studied there
• University of Mississippi-studied there
• South Carolina Baptist Theological Seminary in Greenville, SC-studied there
• Southwestern Baptist University in Jackson, TN-received degree
• Mississippi churches-pastored
• Tennessee churches-pastored
• Memphis, TN- lived there
• Nashville, TN-lived there

For other Mississippi Baptist genealogy resources, see: Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission: Genealogy.

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21. Tuesday's Tip: Is your ancestor's name among church history?

Does your ancestor's church still meet? If so, try to find out how you may access the church's history to see what you may learn.  You may also be fortunate enough to

• find members who can recall details about your ancestor
• visit on a special occasion, such as a church homecoming when extending family come back to visit.
• find connections to other ancestors or extended family

Emory Wallace Vance (1901-1973)

I searched for my grandfather, Emory Wallace Vance (1901-1973) on Google first, then I recalled the name of his church and was able to find a church history on Google  for Central Chapel AME in Yellow Springs, Ohio where he was mentioned as one of the first trustees of the church. 

This means that now I can contact the church to see if they have other records to share.  I am glad to be able to include this history because he was a very active member, and served in many ways.

He would take me there when I visited when I was very young.  The building was in walking distance of his house.  He was a quiet and gentleman who endured a great many trials throughout his life.  One of his favorite songs was "Peace in the Valley," written by Thomas Dorsey in 1937.    I was able to find it on YouTube.

Even though I was a very young child, I can remember when this song was sung at my dear Grandaddy's funeral at Central Chapel AME. It brought me great comfort. This rendition by Romance Watson below is the closest to what I remember: (It takes a moment to load)

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