Re: 1870 Cook Co., Illinois Baptism Record - How do I find it ??
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In reply to:
1870 Cook Co., Illinois Baptism Record - How do I find it ??
Frances Fortune 6/14/09
Dear Frances,
I have links to the genealogy policy page for the Archdiocese of Chicago and to the form for requesting a record of a sacrament such as baptism.At the bottom of that page are the fees and what kinds of currency they accept.
http://archives.archchicago.org/genealog.htmhttp://archives.archchicago.org/genealog.htm(Genealogy policy)
http://archives.archchicago.org/sacramen.htmhttp://archives.archchicago.org/sacramen.htm(Form for requesting a record of a sacrament)
It would be good to try to get a civil birth certificate for your ancestor, too.
You need to find the parish your ancestors lived in when they were born.Parishes are assigned by street address.There is a list of parishes on the Archdiocese of Chicago site if you have any idea where she lived.The records for baptisms are kept in the parish where the sacrament was received unless the parish has been closed.Then a nearby (usually) parish is assigned to receive the records.
Church records used to be kept in ledgers in the old days, so they are filed by date, not name.Very few dioceses have searchable data bases.Searches are done by hand.That's why you have to provide so much accurate information.Genealogy searches are not a high priority, because most of the authorized searchers' time goes to find records for immigration purposes or to prove that an engaged couple is free to marry.There are usually little notes on a baptismal certificate about other sacraments the person has received, regardless of location.They just have the sacrament, the date, and the location.
Sincerely,
Kate Hagel