Check Out the Local Church

In early, rural America, as in the larger cities, most of the people living in the towns and the surrounding farms and ranches, belonged to the church in town. And as the towns grew and became more diversified, a second and a third church was founded. As the town became cities, families moved into the neighborhoods with a church of their particular faith.

Very often this also gave rise to ethnic population areas within cities.

These local churches often provided for the early education of the local children in both the three R's and religious instruction.

All of the births, baptisms, religious education, weddings and funerals involved the neighborhood church. Weddings were between families of the same ethnic background and same religion. Since both families attended the church, we have the records of both family histories, at least while they lived in that city.

Funerals, of course were held in the church, with internment in the churches cemetery. Families stayed close in life and death. Family plots are quite common, grouping generations of families together, and the headstones can confirm information found from other sources.

Churches very often hold the key to the chronology of a person’s life. Check them out when looking for your ancestors.