Minnesota, Paynesville, Grace United Methodist Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection consists of digital images of records from Grace United Methodist Church in Paynesville for the years 1866 to 1968.

Record Content
The information in the records varies by event and time period. You may find any of the following:


 * Names
 * Event dates such as birth, marriage, death or burial
 * Event places such as birth or death places
 * Names of other family members and witnesses
 * Ministerial Records

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's full name
 * Some identifying information such as residence, age, estimated marriage year, and family relationships.

Search the Collection
To search the collection: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the 'Record Type, Volume, and Year Range' category which takes you to the images.

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:
 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information

 * Use the church record information to find family in census, church, and land records.
 * Use the birth, marriage and/or death information to obtain a copy of the original certificates from the county.

Tips to Keep in Mind
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors. For example:


 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. In addition, local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * Search the records of other churches in the area.

Related Websites

 * Methodist Church – Cyndi’s List
 * United Methodist Church General Commission on Archives and History (GCAH)

Related Wiki Articles

 * Minnesota Church Records
 * Minnesota Genealogy
 * Methodist Church in the United States

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

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