International Genealogical Index

[DavidWW]

International Genealogical Index

This is not going to be a detailed explanation of how to use the International Genealogical Index (IGI). For that, you need to have a look at all the background material and instructions at http://www.familysearch.org/ .

That written I recently taught an on-line course where one student is a very experienced helper at an LDS Family History Center (FHC), and she has written an excellent essay on how to maximise results from using the IGI and other research tools that are available at LDS FHCs. I am seeking her permission to post this excellent guide here.

IGI and later material such as the Vital Records Indexes are produced by the Genealogical Society of Utah (GSU) who are closely associated with the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS), often known as the Mormons.

Part of the LDS faith leads to a project that involves going around the world tracking down and microfilming, or, increasingly now, digitising, all records of births/christenings and marriages that they can locate, and to which they are permitted access. Many churches, whatever opinion they might hold regarding the Mormons, are happy to permit access to their records on the basis that they then have the reassurance that their records are available for posterity. I can only imagine that LDS/GSU must have spent $100m’s over the last half century on such projects.

GSU/LDS policy is to allow full access to all such records, not just to LDS members, but also anyone who is interested, except in a limited number of situations where the owner of the record has set conditions. Many such records are published for a cost that is nominal, - GSU/LDS only look to cover their costs. In some cases, a restricted microfilm can be accessed but only on a personal visit to the GSU main library in Salt Lake City, - in their archive, buried deep in a granite mountain, there are over 1.5m. – let’s write that out in full!, - 1,500,000 microfilm reels.

In addition, in order to make it easier for LDS members to trace their own ancestors, as such an activity is an important part of the Mormon faith; many census records around the world have been transcribed and indexed, with the data available on CD.

In Scotland, GSU were a partner in the project to digitise and index the testamentary (wills and the like) records up to 1901; and are currently a partner in the project to digitise and index the kirk session records held by National Archives of Scotland.

In short, without all these LDS/GSU resources, research in the early 1800s and before that date in Scotland would be much more difficult and time consuming.

Which takes us back to IGI, and the need to understand what it is, in order to avoid any misunderstandings.

The position is quite simple. As long as a record in IGI is shown as extracted then it can be relied on that there is an original record from which this IGI entry has been transcribed. The only possible problem is a transcription error.

It also needs to be understood that, however obvious an error might appear, the GSU have a basic rule that the record is transcribed exactly as is. This can be a problem in a Scottish sense when, say, MacWebster appears to be written as Mac Webster, in which case it will definitely be indexed under Webster, but only maybe under MacWebster. In general spellings will not be corrected or standardised.

If the IGI entry is shown as based on a patron or other submission, then there is a potential can of worms, as there is no easy or quick way of determining the quality of the research that led to this info, or the source on which it was based.

The info can be based on top class, immaculate research; or it can be the opposite.

I've had personal experience at both extremes. At the one extreme the submission turned out to have been based on a wealth of detail recorded in a family bible (in different hands and inks, so that the chances were that it hadn't been written up some time later, - a trap into which some people fall!), none of which appeared in the Old Parochial Registers (OPRs), as the family had belonged to a dissenting church for well over a century.

At the other extreme I've come across IGI submissions which are a load of total nonsense, turning out to be based on pure speculation, which, when analysed as far as possible, meant that 3 year olds must have married, and wives gone on producing kids into their 70s, and, in one classic situation, after death !!

Some will argue that the information submitted by people in particular countries is more prone to error than others. In my experience the correct way in which to start off categorising people is not by nationality but in level of interest in getting it right, as opposed to building an impressive tree.

Some years ago, not long after the start of ScotsOrigins, when the 1891 census came on line, I was intrigued as to what could now be done at home in front of the 'puter. I went surfing and came up with a perfect post on soc.gen.britain, - the poster was just starting out and was back to the 1890s. I proudly emailed the poster a couple of days later to announce proudly that I'd managed to sort out several generations, including two occurrences of the dreaded SMITH !!

Back came the reply. "That's OK thanks, we're now back to the 1400s!!" And I know how they did it..... see the attached JPEGs for how one particular genealogist in Yorkshire describes this situation. http://www.talkingscot.com/gallery/disp ... at=0&pos=0 and http://www.talkingscot.com/gallery/disp ... at=0&pos=1

But who am I to criticise anyone who is perfectly happy to proceed on such a basis?

The extent to which certain nationalities rely to a greater or lesser extent on IGI regardless of whether or not the records are extracted or submitted is a matter for debate.............

Up to 1991 (maybe 1992) it's relatively easy to find out the info on the submitter, but then a lot can have happened to the submitter’s contact details in that time. After that date, data privacy laws mean that the information on the submitter is treated with great care. I've never yet had a fully clear answer on whether it's at all possible, and if yes, then how difficult or easy, to locate info on the submitter. I believe that it may be possible via a visit to an LDS FHC.

Remember as well the basic research principle that should always be applied, - that of going back and looking at the original records, in the case of IGI and the Scottish OPRs, the full entry in the OPRs of interest, - digitised images of these will hopefully be online at scotlandspeople.gov.uk some time in late 2005 or 2006!

Orraverybest

Davie

[Jean Jeanie]

I must thank you for this interesting article. This will be an aid to all others, like me, who are just starting out on this venture. One tends to get bogged down in certain areas.

The wealth of knowledge and experience on this site is really something else. Can't thank all of you enough
Jean

[AnnetteR]

Hi Davie

Thank you so much for taking the time to write that article. It is very interesting. I use the IGI frequently but more to give me an idea of dates and places which helps keep the costs down when searching on SP. The parent search is a great facility but even that doesn't always list all the children and sometimes you get children from at least two sets of couples with the same names. On other occasions the child that I have been looking for has a variation of the mother's maiden name. If I can't find the child I am looking for I just enter the father's full name and the first name only of the mother and bingo, it usually comes up. One example was when I was looking for a child whose mother's maiden name was Greig. Couldn't find him using that name but found him with the mother's name being transcribed as Grey. I too have found that many of the submitted entries have turned out to be totally wrong as you say and it throws you off making life more difficult so I tend to dismiss them now and go with the extracted entries.

Thanks again

Annette

[DavidWW]

Hi Davie

Thank you so much for taking the time to write that article. It is very interesting. I use the IGI frequently but more to give me an idea of dates and places which helps keep the costs down when searching on SP. The parent search is a great facility but even that doesn't always list all the children and sometimes you get children from at least two sets of couples with the same names. On other occasions the child that I have been looking for has a variation of the mother's maiden name. If I can't find the child I am looking for I just enter the father's full name and the first name only of the mother and bingo, it usually comes up. One example was when I was looking for a child whose mother's maiden name was Greig. Couldn't find him using that name but found him with the mother's name being transcribed as Grey. I too have found that many of the submitted entries have turned out to be totally wrong as you say and it throws you off making life more difficult so I tend to dismiss them now and go with the extracted entries.

Thanks again

Annette

Hi Annette

Thanks for that.

Which led me to realise that I hadn't emphasized that the IGI coverage of the Scottish OPR is not 100% either in terms of the location in Scotland, - OPR numbers start at No.1 in Shetland with the 900s in the deep SW, with the former being better covered than the latter, with some deep SW parish records not included; - or both male and female births/christening records in a particular parish being recorded in IGI.

The wider GSU/LDS records indicate clearly which Scottish OPR records have been transcribed, and which are or are not included in IGI.

Davie

[CatrionaL]

A very helpful article, Davie. Thanks.

Catriona

[StewL]

I like it Davie that really looks like a great way to do the family tree, where can I join up, and do they accept NEC cards (not enough cash cards) , and will they also give flyby night points and a toaster?
Does the fee also give free sessions with the spookie wife as well ?
I wait with baited breath

[DavidWW]

I like it Davie that really looks like a great way to do the family tree, where can I join up, and do they accept NEC cards (not enough cash cards) , and will they also give flyby night points and a toaster?
Does the fee also give free sessions with the spookie wife as well ?
I wait with baited breath

Stewie

For US$10,000 I can virtually guarantee that Roy will accommodate your every wish

Please send the payment to me, and after deducting my commission, I'll forward it to Roy. Which particular monarchs, historical characters etc. would you like to be included in your tree Please keep it reasonable in terms of the geography etc., otherwise Roy will quickly run up against a brick wall.........

The current freebie is a 10 year subscription to the Outer Mongolian Family History Society magazine, published triennially.

Orraverybest

Davie

PS In view of the continuing success of this service, Roy has just announced a price increase to US$12,500, but I've secured the concession for TS members of the previous price being available until the end of February.

For an extra US$5,000 you are guaranteed, like Hugh Grant (see current UK Family History Monthly), to turn out to be a distant cousin of a current monarch or royal family member.

[mesklin]

In view of recent postings on the Iraqi-Scot connection, desperately need a lineage connection to Saddam Hussein. Could you do a 2-for-1 deal to include Field Marshal Idi Amin Dada.

Yours

Dave bin etc...

ps Do you do points?

[DavidWW]

In view of recent postings on the Iraqi-Scot connection, desperately need a lineage connection to Saddam Hussein. Could you do a 2-for-1 deal to include Field Marshal Idi Amin Dada.

Yours

Dave bin etc...

ps Do you do points?

Nae prob!

Just get the money in the post!

Which points do you want? M&S vouchers, Homebase vouchers, ??...........

Davie

[Jean Jeanie]

As my middle name is Stewart(albeit the wrong spelling) and my father in law has McDonald as a middle name. My husband and I reckon we're direct descendants of Bonnie Prince Charlie and Flora McDonald. Shouldn't take too much to include them in our tree.

The advantage of this is that we could claim back the throne for Scotland and depose the current occupants.

Obviously, for those who help us in our cause ,there will be the appropriate
remuneration.

Any offers as my ladies in waiting, cook, cleaner and bottle washer?
Jean