FAQ - Mississippi Genealogy

Frequently Asked Questions

Please email any material you think might be useful for Frequently Asked Questions.

NOTE: Interpreting Email Addresses?
Spam has become such a MAJOR part of my day that I have little productive time left after searching thru some 100 or more spam emails each and every day. Actually, with over 400 email addresses, I guess that isn't too bad, but every day or so I get a SPAMmer that wants to test ALL of them!. I tried using a password in the subject and most ignored, misspelled, or some other way messed that up. Our Senators have seen fit to end ALL state curbs on spam and so now spam is expanding again by leaps and bounds. I looked at a permission based system, but I don't like the idea. In fact, don't expect me to "sign up" just to reply to your email! I though about adding a form-mail feature, but that also adds significantly to your email typing overhead. The idea of using a password in the subject would help me to find your important email, but alas, the exceptions often outnumbered the use. It seems that USING ONE CODED EMAIL ADDRESS and YOUR SUPPLYING THE PAGE ID will allow me to filter out most of the SPAM, but you MUST supply the page ID. Thank you for indulging me in my efforts to deal with SPAM! All mail not sent to the decoded email address will go into the Trash! My apologies for any inconvenience, but this is necessary so that I can take care of your business! I will try to have all emails changed by May 1, 2006.
As of July 1, 2005, I will no longer be accepting NEW Queries. I will do my best to update and make corrections with page identification for Queries received prior to July 1, 2005. I will still entertain information to be posted in other areas, such as cemetary censuses, stories of old, important information, and information about cemetaries, such as locations. If there is a question about interest in material, please ask me from an appropriate page (ususally a county), using my decoded address!
Also, anyone whose email address is on the site (queries, articles, etc.) who wishes me to use similar encoding of their email address, please let me know identifying the page on which it is located.

1. How may I find a family connecting parents and children when the census has not been released, yet?
There is one resource that you might not know about. It would probably be with the office of the Superintendent of Education at least back to the 1830's or so, maybe further. People have often used it to establish Social Security age, which is why they might have them available. In the earlier years, before 1900, sometimes only numbers are available, but every few years a census of Educable Children was done, or so I understand. In the Educable Children Census a parent/guardian is listed with the names of children from approximately age 5 to 18 or so. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History would also likely have these, but I am told they are just loose pages in a box! I think there was a census in 1896 and one in 1885, but this could vary from county to county. I am not sure.

2. How may I get a copy of a marriage license, either official or unofficial?
There seem to be four ways to get an official/unofficial (costs less) copy of a marriage license. 1> from the county Circuit Clerk. Though it might be possible that some very early records are in the Chancery Clerk deed books. Some very early land deed records were kept in Raymond, Hinds Co., MS. 2>from the Department of Archives and History Library, Jackson, MS--this would possibly be microfilm, if they had it. 3>Normal way--from the Mississippi Department of Health, or at least birth and death certificates. 4>Normal way--from a web site that deals with the Mississippi Department of Health--see Links page and look for official vital statistics. Here is a link to the site with which records that they can provide: http://www.vitalchek.com/provider_overview.asp?provider_id=3340 I know that more records exist in some of the counties. If anyone can help with more information, please let me know!

3. How do I use the USGS Cemetery listing?
From the page for the county you are interested in getting, go down to the links, and select the "Cemeteries from USGS" Link. You will be presented the first or only page of links to cemetery locations. Those without coordinates will not have a link. Select the cemetery that you want to find on a map. At this point, you will be given several links to view the location of the cemetery. I have designated these as a thru f and have some comments on their use in the next question.

4. How do I use the USGS general query?
On any county page go down to the Link for "Cemeteries from USGS". There is a General or All-purpose "Query Form of USGS Data" link there, also. Select this link. Using the general query, you might want to use just the "Feature name" and select the "Query Variant Name" "Yes" button and the State "Mississippi" (or the state you are interested in). Then select "Find". For the "Cemeteries from USGS" I did not use "Feature name" but only the "Feature Type" cemeteries, "County" county's name, "Query Variant Name" "Yes", and "State" Mississippi. Query Variant Name will sometimes bring up an alternate name of interest, but usually does nothing. It is those few times that are helpful. When entering "County", there is a gadget with the names, but I find it easier to NOT used the gadget. You might have to use the "Back" button in your browser, if you can't use the County Gadget. The USGS-speak for town, community, city, etc. is "Populated Place". If you want to view ALL features listed for a county, leave the feature type and name blank, but include the County and State. You can select any feature that has coordinates and a number of links will be presented for viewing:
a. The "TopoZone" link can give you the normal land measurement "Sections". The red broken lines are Section lines and the red numbers are the section numbers. You will still have to find the Township and Range, but this helps. Notice that there are different sizes and resolutions of the map in the top menu. If you happen to be researching out west, there is a site that makes Township-Range-Section conversions to/from latitude-longitude: Legal location (Township-Range-Section) to Latitude/Longitude conversions for western US and a guide to the Principal Meridians and Base Lines governing US public land surveys.
b. The "FIPS55" link. I have not used this feature.
c. The "DRG" gives a USGS topographical (Topo) map-like view or an Aerial Photo view which can be selected over on the left menu. Notice that there are dates for the various views. Notice that your feature may not be in the center. Notice that you can navigate or "pan" around the area using arrows. Notice also, over on the left side that you can change the amount of area included in the map. You may want to cover a small area before using the arrows to pan, then select a larger area to put all of the feature within view. Notice on the Aerial Photo view, if it is available, that you may change the "size" of the photo in the menu on the left.
d. The "DOQ" link is similar, but seems not to be identical in view with the DRG link in c above. It might be that this is better for the aerial view and c might be better for the Topo view, but I am not certain. Use whichever one suits your purposes best.
e. The "Find Feature" link is more of a standard road map, and is most useful for finding your feature. The opening map has a US map and then the location map. You may want to print this or the next map for a general location. Use the "Zoom In" button. Use the "Zoom In" button a second time or even a third time to get minor roads.
f. The "Watershed" link. I do not use this link, though you might have a use for it.
Note: In addition to this USGS site, you might want to go to the Census Bureau Tiger Server site directly.

5. How do I use the US Census Bureau Tiger Server maps?
Names of some roads and towns and features might be found by using the US Census Bureau Tiger Server, which is linked to from the link at the bottom of any of the county "Cemetery with GPS coordinates" pages, but even though the e link in the previous question above uses the Tiger Server, it still uses the degree-minute-second coordinates, which the Tiger Server does not normally use, but conversions to decimal degrees are available from the URL "Lat" and "Lon" when using a, c, and d in the question above. If you have not accessed the USGS site, then you will have to convert Minutes and Seconds to a decimal fraction. I am trying to convert the Degree-Minute-Second locations on all the cemetery pages to decimal degrees, which the Tiger Server normally uses. If I have not converted the coordinates you want to use, then there is an explanation and a conversion chart at http://MSGen.net/decimalconv.html .
a. The map comes up with Washington, DC. Some "Layers" are already turned on, though they might not be shown as on. At least at one time, it was cranky about turning off the "Water bodies" layer. You will want to turn on the minimum of things needed, but do not unnecessarily complicate the map. When your layers are selected, "Redraw Map" must be used to activate them.
b. Go down to the bottom and "Enter Precise Coordinates". 4 decimals should be sufficiently precise, since that should get you within about 40 feet of the place. The map is not likely any more accurate than that, but I like to use all the info I have, even 6 digits, if available, which should be inches. Besides, the numbers you enter will appear on any printout. Actually, the most important coordinates are those for "Place a Marker on this map" which should be the same as what you just entered for the "Enter Precise Coordinates". You might want to select a "Symbol". I prefer a stickpin, specifically, the "Red Stickpin", but it is your map! Then you need to put in a name or "Label" next to the "Symbol" on the map that you print out. For Example: "Smith's Sunset Cemetery" or whatever your feature is. Select "Redraw Map".
c. Now you should have your location with a label and a symbol. Now, you might want to manipulate the map. Note the 5 items in the top of the blue menu. The first two will take a fraction (such as 1.2) as well as whole numbers. To "do" the action you want, Zoom In, Zoom Out, Move Center, you will need to click on the map where you want the new center (will become the new Precise Coordinates) to be. Unless you select the "Move Marker", you will not be moving the marker when you click on the map. I have not done the download GIF image, lately. These 5 are controlled by your mouse left click on the map.
d. Below the map are Zoom and Pan selections. You just select these. You go a half frame in the direction selected. For example, going north, the center becomes the southern edge of the map. Probably, the menu at the top right of the map is the best, but you will have to make that decision. The "Zoom Factors" in the blue menu seem to be ignored here.

6. How do I get a copy of a marriage license?
There seem to be perhaps four ways to get an official/unofficial (unofficial may cost less) copy of a marriage license.
a. from the county Circuit Clerk usually located in the courthouse in the county seat town. Some very early land records are kept in Raymond, Hinds Co., MS, and some very early marriage records were kept with the land deeds. I am not certain about these, but I have also seen early Vicksburg, Warren, MS, marriages kept this way, and I would think Natchez, Adams Co., might be the same.
b. from the Department of Archives and History Library, State St., Jackson, MS--this would possibly be microfilm, if they had it. This would likely only be an option if you are a Mississippi resident. Cost might be prohibitive, if you are out of state.
c. Normal way--from the Mississippi Department of Health, or at least birth and death certificates, and some marriage licenses.
d. Normal way--from a web site that seems to deals with the Mississippi Department of Health--see Links page and look for official vital records.
I'm sure this is not the last word on the subject, but do remember that some of the very earliest records were recorded in such as the Chancery Clerk deed books! I think the records of marriages in Vicksburg, Warren Co., MS were kept in the deed book up until about 1835 or so. I do not know where those records are kept. I saw them recorded in a book somewhere, not the official records. I do not know about Natchez, Adams Co., MS, either. Another possibility might be church records. And for those who came under Social Security, you might look on the Links page for the Social Security Death Index (SSDI). The Social Security record might have a marriage date. I am not sure. If someone has better information about this subject, I would appreciate advice.

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