We often talk about the need to locate religious records for our ancestors prior to when vital records were kept. We also know that these records can be used to verify other secondary sources such as family bible entries, newspaper articles, obituaries, tombstone and monument inscriptions, and other sources. It is not unusual, though, to hit a very solid brick wall when you are seeking church records if you, a) don’t know which church to contact, or b) the church no longer exists.

There is never a guarantee that you will find those records. I have a great-grandmother who was a member of a Primitive Baptist Church that dissolved before 1920. Its members went to other churches but, as far as I have been able to determine, the church’s records were lost. And while this is a definite brick wall, I have not followed all the leads yet.

In "Along Those Lines . . ." this week, I want to suggest some research strategies that just may help you locate some of those elusive church records.

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