Missouri, Zion Church of Christ Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of birth, marriage, death and other records from the Zion Church of Christ in Union, Missouri for the years 1988 to 2012.

Record Content
The records may contain any of the following:
 * Name of the primary individual or individuals
 * Event type such as baptism or marriage
 * Event date and place
 * Birth, death or burial dates and places
 * Parent's names
 * Names of other family members
 * Names of witnesses
 * Places of residence
 * Relationships
 * Occupations
 * Ages

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the primary person
 * Event type
 * Approximate event date

Search the Collection
To search the collection by image ⇒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 the images one by one 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
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:
 * Use the baptism to confirm a person’s birth date and place. These are an excellent substitute for civil birth records.
 * Use the age given in the death or burial records to calculate a birth date.
 * Use marriage records to confirm the marriage date and place and to begin compiling a family group.
 * Use church records in general to identify other family members who may have served as sponsors or witnesses.
 * Use the date of the event along with the locality to find the family in census records and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Church records are considered a primary source and are an excellent substitute for civil records. They are usually reliable because they are kept by the minister, or a clerk appointed by the minister, who usually recorded an event at or very near the time it occurred.
 * It is often helpful to extract the information on all children with the same parents.
 * If the surname is unusual, you may want to compile entries for every person of the same surname and sort them into families based on the names of the parents.
 * Continue to search the records to identify siblings, parents, and other relatives in the same or other generations who were in the congregation.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from record to record.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for abbreviated names and nicknames
 * Check the records of other congregations and other religious denominations in the area or nearby communities. It is common for families to switch or to be divided into different religious groups.
 * Check with local genealogical and historical societies to see if they have indexed local church records.

Related Websites
Zion Church of Christ

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
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Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.