LoneStar Genealogy, Comprehensive Texas History & Genealogy Web Site

LoneStar Genealogy's, Texas Triva Challenge 4
Texas Records

1) Statewide registration of births and deaths began in 1903. These records are available at the _________
a) Bureau of Vital Statistics in Austin.
b) County Health Department.
c) District Clerks office in the county where the event occured.
d) None of the above.

2) I am looking for a birth record for a birth that occured in 1901. Although my chances for finding a record at all before the 1930s are slim, I still want to see if I can find one. Where would I look?
a) I would check the local city records in the town they were born and the county clerks office.
b) I would check the church records for a baptismal record or a birth announcement.
c) I would check the vital records index to statewide registrations as well as probated and delayed birth indexes.
d) I would check all of the above.

3) What research information is correct when researching an ancestor that immigrated from another country?
a) Check the microfilmed index to locate their naturalization and declaration of intent.
b) Checking the district clerks office in the county where they were living or at the port they entered will not help.
c) Write to the Vital Records office in Austin.
d) None of the above.

4) Where can you find a military record for Confederate service?
a) At the courthouse.
b) At the county records office.
c) At the National Archives and possibly at the State Archives.
d) At the state department.

5) Population census records are:
a) important only if you can't locate the information from other sources.
b) statistical information only.
c) important to have for each available census year.
d) needed if you want to know more information, but are not that helpful.

6) Texas is one of 20 states that are known as state-land or nonpublic-land states. This means that they were not formed out of the public domain. If you are researching early Texas, you will learn:
a) The records at the General Land Office are available at many other locations and can be easily viewed at any library.
b) That you will not be able to find any early land records.
c) That your records are only available through the Mexican government.
d) That the original records are in Spanish and you will need to understand the conversion of varas and synonymous with a sitio.

7) When gathering information on your ancestors, all of these are important to some extent, but the most important is:
a) Getting copies of everything you see.
b) Citing your sources.
c) Taking notes of where you have searched.
d) Remembering to take plenty of quarters and small bills to the courthouse.

8) When researching online and you find a web page that has some information you think may help you on your research, you should make sure to notice:
a) If they have taken time to document proof.
b) What the url is.
c) If they have an index.
d) If their email address is on the page.

9) Passenger lists are commonly sought for every immigrant. Where should you look to find the list for your immigrant?
a) At the port where your ancestor disembarked.
b) At the first port the ship arrived at in the United States.
c) At the state archives where the ship arrived.
d) At the county clerks office where your immigrant landed.

10) In genealogy we base our conclusions on many secondary sources. It is important that our research must be proved, not accepted! Which of the following is a primary source?
a) A Social Security application to prove a date of birth.
b) An obituary printed in the newspaper.
c) An entry in a family Bible.
d) A birth certificate.

We encourage all genealogists to learn about the GPS or Genealogical Proof Standard.