National Archives Forms, Documents, and Links
US National Archives web site
Three important limitations face genealogists.
First: NARA keeps only federal records. Birth, marriage, and death records, the milestones of life and the backbone of genealogy, will be found, if they exist, in family, local and state records.
Second: The colonial period of American history is not documented in the National Archives; very few records predate the Revolutionary War. Most of the records in NARA pertain to the nineteenth century (1800’s), a time when government did not touch the lives of most Americans to the extent that it does today. Wartime as one big exception and consequently military records are useful to many genealogists.
Third: The nature of the archives: records are arranged to reflect their original purposes, usually just as they were kept by the agency that created them. They cannot be arranged in ways that might seem most helpful to genealogists. Names are not listed alphabetically in census records, for example; the records are arranged geographically because the primary reason for taking the census was to determine a state’s representation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Because of these limitations, a researcher should never ask an archivist for information about an ancestor about whom only the name is known. The researcher should come to the archives with information about when and how and if possible, where an ancestor came into contact with the federal government; sometimes the exact date and place and circumstances of contact are necessary.
California Indian Enrollment
1928 CA Indian Enrollment - Finding - PDF document which tells you who, what, how and why the California Indian census took place. This finding was taken off Archives.gov
1928 CA Indian Enrollment – Time Line (1848 – 1971) - PDF document shows the time line process and list the microfilm numbers - taken off Archives.gov
1928 CA Indian Enrollment Index – PDF document which shows a readable top line (column headings) of the Index with a brief description of how many Indians were enrolled - created by Jerry Manriquez on the single roll of this microfilm publication, M1853, are reproduced the California Indians census rolls authorized by Congress in 1928 and approved by the Secretary of the Interior in 1933 .
1928 CA Indian Enrollment Form PDF Blank form showing all six (6) pages of the enrollment form - created by Jerry Manriquez - The enrollment blank was designed to present the claim briefly and efficiently, so that officials seldom Needed to take additional evidence. By controlling distribution of the blanks and enrolling people in their home localities, the officials practically eliminated the filing of questionable and fraudulent claims.
1928 CA Indian Enrollment Index -This is an on line Index created by Indiancanyon.org – They put most of the information found on the microfilm index on line.
1928 INDIANS OF CALIFORNIA INDEX- This is on Roots.Web and is free, but it is in alphabetical order and you can only view or search one page at a time. If your ancestor's name is Smith, you have a lot of pages to flip. The Index created by Indian Canyon (see the link above this one); the whole data base is searchable.
1948 CA Indian Enrollment - Finding - PDF document which tells you who, what, how and why the California Indian census took place. This finding was taken off Archives.gov
The Five Civilized Tribes
The Dawes Rolls - Finding aid created by Jerry Manriquez PDF document which presents a visual procedure to find Indian records in the National Archives and Footnote.com. The Final Rolls of the Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory; Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Seminole
National Archives Presentation - Alien Files Mainly for the people who registered as Aliens from 1940 through 1956
NARA Contact Information – A PDF file with the addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of all the National Archive branches.
Railroad Retirement Instructions – A PDF file of information taken from the Archives.gov site which tells you how to obtain records of personnel who worked for the railroads.
NARA Research Application – Form to fill out so you can research original records at the National Archives.
Microfilm Cabinets at Pacific Branch of the National Archives– this data base was created by Terry Bracci (A National Archives Volunteer)
Cabinet 1 – PDF file (searchable)
Cabinet 1 all drawers – PDF file (searchable)
Cabinet 2 – PDF file (searchable)
NARA's Digitization Partners - Ancestry & Fold3 This link will take you to the Archives.gov site and show all the National Archives microfilm by number and title which is on Ancestry and Fold3, and you can either sort by Microfilm number or title by clicking the column heading.
Finding NARA Data Bases on Ancestry - PDF Cheat Sheet on how to find National Archive data bases used by Ancesty.com – created by Jerry Manriquez
Jean Hibben's guide to the National Archives Web Site
How to find Microfiom on Archives.com
Index to digitized records
Archive Research Catalog - the key to finding records in the US National Archives
Search for Military Records
National Archives: Military Resources This link leads you to the National Archive's rich genealogical research from the Revolutionary War to the present. (Military enlistment and other records)
Access to Archival Databases
Three important limitations face genealogists.
First: NARA keeps only federal records. Birth, marriage, and death records, the milestones of life and the backbone of genealogy, will be found, if they exist, in family, local and state records.
Second: The colonial period of American history is not documented in the National Archives; very few records predate the Revolutionary War. Most of the records in NARA pertain to the nineteenth century (1800’s), a time when government did not touch the lives of most Americans to the extent that it does today. Wartime as one big exception and consequently military records are useful to many genealogists.
Third: The nature of the archives: records are arranged to reflect their original purposes, usually just as they were kept by the agency that created them. They cannot be arranged in ways that might seem most helpful to genealogists. Names are not listed alphabetically in census records, for example; the records are arranged geographically because the primary reason for taking the census was to determine a state’s representation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Because of these limitations, a researcher should never ask an archivist for information about an ancestor about whom only the name is known. The researcher should come to the archives with information about when and how and if possible, where an ancestor came into contact with the federal government; sometimes the exact date and place and circumstances of contact are necessary.
California Indian Enrollment
1928 CA Indian Enrollment - Finding - PDF document which tells you who, what, how and why the California Indian census took place. This finding was taken off Archives.gov
1928 CA Indian Enrollment – Time Line (1848 – 1971) - PDF document shows the time line process and list the microfilm numbers - taken off Archives.gov
1928 CA Indian Enrollment Index – PDF document which shows a readable top line (column headings) of the Index with a brief description of how many Indians were enrolled - created by Jerry Manriquez on the single roll of this microfilm publication, M1853, are reproduced the California Indians census rolls authorized by Congress in 1928 and approved by the Secretary of the Interior in 1933 .
1928 CA Indian Enrollment Form PDF Blank form showing all six (6) pages of the enrollment form - created by Jerry Manriquez - The enrollment blank was designed to present the claim briefly and efficiently, so that officials seldom Needed to take additional evidence. By controlling distribution of the blanks and enrolling people in their home localities, the officials practically eliminated the filing of questionable and fraudulent claims.
1928 CA Indian Enrollment Index -This is an on line Index created by Indiancanyon.org – They put most of the information found on the microfilm index on line.
1928 INDIANS OF CALIFORNIA INDEX- This is on Roots.Web and is free, but it is in alphabetical order and you can only view or search one page at a time. If your ancestor's name is Smith, you have a lot of pages to flip. The Index created by Indian Canyon (see the link above this one); the whole data base is searchable.
1948 CA Indian Enrollment - Finding - PDF document which tells you who, what, how and why the California Indian census took place. This finding was taken off Archives.gov
The Five Civilized Tribes
The Dawes Rolls - Finding aid created by Jerry Manriquez PDF document which presents a visual procedure to find Indian records in the National Archives and Footnote.com. The Final Rolls of the Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory; Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Seminole
National Archives Presentation - Alien Files Mainly for the people who registered as Aliens from 1940 through 1956
NARA Contact Information – A PDF file with the addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of all the National Archive branches.
Railroad Retirement Instructions – A PDF file of information taken from the Archives.gov site which tells you how to obtain records of personnel who worked for the railroads.
NARA Research Application – Form to fill out so you can research original records at the National Archives.
Microfilm Cabinets at Pacific Branch of the National Archives– this data base was created by Terry Bracci (A National Archives Volunteer)
Cabinet 1 – PDF file (searchable)
Cabinet 1 all drawers – PDF file (searchable)
Cabinet 2 – PDF file (searchable)
NARA's Digitization Partners - Ancestry & Fold3 This link will take you to the Archives.gov site and show all the National Archives microfilm by number and title which is on Ancestry and Fold3, and you can either sort by Microfilm number or title by clicking the column heading.
Finding NARA Data Bases on Ancestry - PDF Cheat Sheet on how to find National Archive data bases used by Ancesty.com – created by Jerry Manriquez
Jean Hibben's guide to the National Archives Web Site
How to find Microfiom on Archives.com
Index to digitized records
Archive Research Catalog - the key to finding records in the US National Archives
Search for Military Records
National Archives: Military Resources This link leads you to the National Archive's rich genealogical research from the Revolutionary War to the present. (Military enlistment and other records)
Access to Archival Databases