Family Search Indexing

Family Search Indexing is a volunteer-based indexing project to index the digital images of the 2 million rolls of microfilm stored in the Granite Mountain Records Vault near Salt Lake City, Utah. These indexed digital records are then available for free to everyone at the Family Search Pilot Site.


To index, volunteers extract details from the digital images of historical documents.

Family Search's digital image library is organized into a different worldwide projects. Here is what is being indexed now, and here is what is coming in the future.

Since everyone can volunteer to help bring these records online for free, I decided it was time for me to join the volunteers who are creating indexes to family history records. Once I saw that FamilySearch had indexed Philadelphia death indexes and was working on Philadelphia marriage records, records that will help my genealogy research, I knew it was time to help and give back to others.

Personally, I am a little disappointed that they are indexing the US census as that is already indexed by Ancestry.com (every name) and Heritage Quest (head of household) since there are many other microfilms to be done. But small quibble.

So here goes. I downloaded the tool from the Family Search Indexing site where volunteers can download a batch to index, work on the batch, and then submit the batch when completed. I then viewed the tutorials. It took about a half an hour to go over all the lessons. After going through the tutorial lessons, not only did I feel ready to start indexing my first batch, I had a very deep appreciation for all that has gone into this project to make it work.

After the tutorial, I felt ready to start my first batch. I selected "download batch" and got Indian Territory--1900 U.S. Federal Census. There are 20 records per image and specific instructions for these records. OK, so I'm not particularly interested in Indian Territory, but maybe I'll learn something.

The images I got are very clear and I can read the handwriting. I did the first record. I'm usually a pretty fast typist but since I'm double checking everything I type, it is a little slow going at first. I'm sure as I get used to it, I will get faster.

This is something I can do, enjoy doing, and feel good doing. What took me so long to get started?

More about Mormon Genealogy and the wonderful results of all the volunteers who have helped with the indexing for the new FamilySearch site.

Footnote.com Teams with Family Search to Release Revolutionary War Pension Files

Yesterday FamilySearch announced that it will provide free services to archives and records custodians who wish to digitize, index, publish, and preserve their collections. This is in addition to the project already underway to digitize and make freely available the 2 million rolls of microfilm stored in the Granite Mountain Records Vault.

Today we see the first announcement of this collaboration. I suspect there will be many more.

May 15, 2007 06:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Footnote.com Teams with Family Search to Release Revolutionary War Pension Files




Revolutionary War Pension Files Will Be Available for Free at All Family History Centers Worldwide

LINDON, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Footnote.com announced an agreement with FamilySearch, historically known as the Genealogical Society of Utah, a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. FamilySearch is the world’s largest repository of genealogical information.

This new partnership brings together two organizations that will utilize their combined resources to digitize and make available many large historical collections. The first project will be the three million U.S. Revolutionary War Pension files which will be published for the first time online in their entirety.

“The Revolutionary War Pensions will provide an intimate look into the historical events and individuals that shaped our country’s history,” said Russell Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. “We are excited about this relationship which enables us to put many more historical collections online.”

The Revolutionary War Pension Files feature original records that include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns and other miscellaneous personnel pay and supply records of American Army Units from 1775-1783. They provide a wealth of new information for historians and genealogists which they can share with other colleagues and family members.

“We are excited to partner with Footnote.com to provide historians and genealogists alike a tremendous source of data that will assist greatly in putting puzzle pieces together to create a rich family history,” said Paul Nauta, manager of Public Affairs for FamilySearch. “This affiliation allows us to better meet one of our goals to provide as much data online as fast as possible for those working on their genealogy.”

Also, as a part of this agreement, Footnote.com will be accessible for free in all FamilySearch operated centers worldwide. FamilySearch has more than 4,500 Family History Centers in 70 countries.

Since partnering with the National Archives in January 2007, Footnote.com has digitized over eight million historical records. Each month an additional two million documents are digitized and added to the site. Footnote.com estimates that by the end of 2007 it will have made over 25 million digitized documents available on its web site.

To see free examples of the Revolutionary War Pension Files, go to Revolutionary War Pension Files

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