FamilySearch Indexing

My grandparents circa 1940

I love to spend time doing indexing for FamilySearch. As a family history researcher, I depend on searchable records, and doing indexing allows me to help someone else. Basically, I just type the information from scanned documents into the computer. Each record is completed by more than one person, and arbitrated if necessary. Then researchers can search a previously unsearchable resource.

While indexing, sometimes I come across bits of information that cause me to reflect a bit about the lives of the individuals represented by the names and dates. Recently, I've been indexing marriage records from Pennsylvania in the 1930s. I've noticed a couple of things: 1. The geographical area was home to many immigrants from eastern European countries. 2. Many of the fathers of the happy couples were deceased at the time of the wedding. I can only surmise that World War I or the Russian Revolution really hit hard for these families. I was just taken aback by the number of marriage licenses that had "died" on the line for father's current residence.

If you'd like to become an indexer, it is easy to do. Just click on the above link to get started. There is no obligation. You can index as many or as few records as you wish, and you can send back a batch if for any reason you no longer are able to index it. Pretty soon, the 1940 census will be available, and even more indexers will be needed!

Thankful thought: Thanks for veterans, thanks for parents, and thanks for those who help make family history research easier!

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