Utah, FamilySearch, Early Church Information File - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains images of index cards in alphabetical order for some early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The names on the cards come primarily from sources created about 1830 going to the mid-1900s. Sources include church records, journals, biographies, cemetery records, immigration records and published books.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The index cards can provide the following information:
 * Name of your ancestor
 * Dates for certain events
 * Residences
 * Possible known associates
 * Additional sources to search
 * Call numbers to additional sources

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the person
 * The name of a parent or date of the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Search for vital records such as birth, baptism, marriage, and death records
 * Use the information found in the record to find land, probate and immigration records
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in census records
 * Search Church ward records for information on the family

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Utah.
 * Utah Guided Research
 * Utah Record Finder
 * Utah Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1850-1905 | 1900-Present

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.