Getting Started with HeritageQuest Online

May P. ChanPrairie History Room

Regina Public Library©2008

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Outline

Introductions HeritageQuest Online

What is it? How does it differ from Ancestry.com? What resources are available in the database? How do I log in?

Search Tips Additional Resources Practice Session

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What is HeritageQuest Online?

A searchable database providing access to U. S. Federal Census records from 1790 onwards, PERSI (a PERiodical Source Index to genealogy and local history periodicals for both the US and Canada), and digitized copies of genealogy and local history books.

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HeritageQuest Online vs. Ancestry Library Edition

HeritageQuest Online’s collection is strongly American focused whereas Ancestry Library edition provides access to records from Canada & the UK

HeritageQuest Online has 6 databases vs. Ancestry’s 4000+ databases

HeritageQuest Online compliments Ancestry Library edition

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Main Resources found in HeritageQuest Online

U.S. Census records, 1790-1930 Freedman’s Bank Records, 1865-1874 PERSI (PERiodical Source Index) which is an

index of 6,500 local history & genealogy periodicals

Revolutionary War pension & bounty-land warrant

Full text of 25,000 local & family histories, from UMI collection

U.S. Serial set – search memorials, petitions, etc. of the U.S. Congress

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Logging Into the Databases

1.Log in to any public internet terminal at Central Library with your Regina Public Library card and PIN number (4 digits).

2. Click on the Internet Explorer icon.

3. Scroll down the “Databases by Subject” page (www.reginalibrary.ca/reference/central/) and click on the Genealogy category.

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Home Page for HQ Online

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U. S. Census Returns

HQ Online contains digitized images of each decennial census from 1790-1930.

Census records from more recent censuses are not yet available due to 72-year access restrictions…Meaning that the 1940 census returns will not be available until 2012

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However…

HQ Online contains name indexes for only 12 of the decennial censuses, meaning you can only search on census years that have been indexed To locate information in census years that

haven’t been indexed, you have to use browse functionality.

Note: All of the 1930 census is available to browse but only a small portion is available to search.

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As well…

HeritageQuest uses copies of census data rather than the original census records!

Because these copies only list the head of households, no other family members are indexed by HeritageQuest! Therefore, only heads of households will be retrieved by a search!

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Head of Household

Person who was responsible for the care of the home and/or family. This could be a husband, widow with children, person living alone, etc.

Exceptions included:Persons residing within the household

who had a different surname (e.g., a mother-in-law, boarder, servant, niece).

All individuals living in institutions (schools, prisons, hospitals, etc.)

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Last but not least…1890 Census

Over 99% of the 1890 population schedules were destroyed!

Of 62,979,766 persons enumerated in 1890, a total of 6,160 names could be extracted from the following states: Alabama, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois,

Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota and Texas

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Basic Search

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Census Results

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All of 1920 Census Results

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1920 U.S. Census Result

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Image Download

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Taking Notes & Add to Notebook

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Notebook

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Advanced Search - Census

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Browsing the Census

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Searching for Books

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PERSI – Journal Articles

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Searching for Articles on Regina, SK

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Article Results List

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Important Search Tips:

When looking for people in the U.S. Census, remember that only the heads of the households are indexed! Otherwise you will have to “browse” the records to find the individual

No “Soundex” feature which means you will have to type in the various spellings of a surname if you are unable to find the desired results

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Additional Resources – continued…

HeritageQuest Tutorial by Timberland Regional Library (http://rpa.trlib.org/HeritageQuest-Tutorial-2007-02.htm)

HeritageQuest Tutorial by Texas State Library (http://www.texshare.edu/bridge/tutorial/heritage_quest.htm)

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The End

Email: maychan@reginalibrary.ca