Susan Knisely

800-307-2665 or 402-471-3849

sknisely@nlc.state.ne.us

Introduction to Searching

HeritageQuest Online

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What is HeritageQuest Online?

An online genealogy and local history database designed specifically for patrons in public libraries.

One of several databases provided to Nebraska residents through the statewide NebraskAccess database program, which is administered and funded by the Nebraska Library Commission.

How can I access HQ Online?

Via the NebraskAccess Web site, using a password obtained from your local library or a Nebraska driver’s license or state identification number.

www.nlc.state.ne.us/nebraskaccess

What’s included in HQ Online?

Census – U.S. Federal Census, 1790-1930

Books – Digitized versions of UMI microfilm collection consisting of over 25,000 family and local histories.

PERSI™ – Periodical Source Index (Allen County Public Library Foundation)

Revolutionary War Era Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files

Freedman’s Bank Registers

Searching the Census

72-Year Access Restrictions

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.

Searching the Census

Search vs. BrowseHeritageQuest Online contains name indexes for only 12 of the decennial censuses. This is significant because 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; only a small portion is available to search.

Searching the Census

Head of HouseholdWhen you search for names in HQ Online’s Census, you can only search for head-of-household names. The census enumerator would list as “head of household” the 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.).

To learn who was considered head of household in each census year see HeritageQuest Online Help files.

Searching the Census

The 1890 censusOver 99% of the 1890 population schedules were destroyed in a fire.Of 62,979,766 persons enumerated in 1890, a total of 6,160 names could be extracted from the surviving schedules. The surviving fragments came from the following states:

Alabama

District of Columbia

Georgia

Illinois

Minnesota

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

South Dakota

Texas

Searching Books

Search Books lets you find information on people and places described in over 25,000 family and local histories.

Every word of every book is searchable!

Four search options: People

Places

Publications (Browse)

Publications (Search)

PERSI (Periodical Source Index) - a subject index to articles in 6,500+ genealogy and local history periodicals.

Produced in cooperation with the Allen County Public Library Foundation, Fort Wayne, IN.

Includes no full text!

Search for:Articles about People

Articles about Places

“How To” articles

Periodicals by Title

Searching PERSI™

Searching Revolutionary War Pension & Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files

Beginning in 1776 and continuing into the mid-1800s, legislation was passed providing pensions to:

Disabled servicemenVeterans who had served a certain number of yearsWidows whose husbands had been killed in the warWidows of veterans who had served a certain number of years

These application files are of interest to genealogists because they contain supporting documentation, such as:

property schedulesmarriage certificates, wills, affidavits, etc.

Searching Freedman’s Bank Records

The Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company, 1865-1874, was incorporated by an act of Congress for the benefit of freed slaves.

Freedman’s Bank Records interest genealogists because they contain personal identification data about depositors.

The following information may* be found in registers:account numbername of depositordate of entryplace bornplace brought upresidenceagecomplexionname of employer or occupationwife or husband, children, father, mother, brothers and sistersremarkssignature.

* In many entries not all the requested data are given

Searching Freedman’s Bank

Depositor Data

HeritageQuest Online Demo

For more information …

See various handouts & help documents available in the Training area of the Librarian’s Toolbox: www.nlc.state.ne.us/nebraskaccess/toolbox/trainmaterials.html

Tips on Searching the Census

Tips for Better Book Searching

Printing Enlarged Census Images (step-by-step instructions)

Census Forms, 1790-1930 (blank copies of census forms)

To review search examples see the HeritageQuest Online PowerPoint presentation, complete with Speaker Notes, available at: www.nlc.state.ne.us/nebraskaccess/toolbox/heritagequestonline.ppt

sQuestions?