NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county tables of content.

The USGenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. It is always best to consult the original material for verification.

About the USGenWeb Archives

Many thanks to Dr. Brian Leverich and Karen Isaacson, founders of Rootsweb Genealogical Data Cooperative now Rootsweb.Com, and later MyFamily.com and The Generations Network for generously providing space on their servers for the past 12 years. In the spring of 2008, the USGenWeb Digital Library (USGenWeb Archives) began hosting their pages independent of Rootsweb. We are very grateful for their support over the years and we would not be in existence today, were it not for the support they have given us.

In June 1996, the USGenWeb Digital Library (USGenWeb Archives) was developed to present actual transcriptions of public domain records on the Internet. This huge undertaking is the cooperative effort of volunteers who either have electronically formatted files on census records, marriage bonds, wills, and other public documents, or are willing to transcribe this information to contribute.

Once the decision was made to develop a project, originally called "TimeToDo" Something, a call went out to volunteers who would be willing to transcribe primary records as a service to the Internet genealogical community, find a way to get them posted on the Internet, and supporting the The USGenWeb Project county hosts by storing large files in a central location with a search engine. Space is donated by RootsWeb.Com for storage of the files.

The table above is broken down by state. The left column represents the location of a Table of Contents for each state, with a brief description of each file and a direct link to it. The right column is the actual location of the archived files.

The USGenWeb Archives Digital Library was implemented in July 1996, and files are being added everyday. If you have transcriptions to contribute, please contact the person listed on the state Table of Contents page. Please read the Guidelines for file contributions. The files need to be in ASCII text format, and will be converted by the state archive manager if in another form. To help our volunteers, please read how to prepare files for submitting.

In February, 1997, the USGenWeb Archives Census Project was launched.

In February, 1999, the USGenWeb Archives Pension Project was launched.

In April, 1999, the United States Digital Map Project was launched.

In January, 2000, the USGenWeb Archives Special Collections Project was launched.

In April, 2000, the USGenWeb Archives Obits Project was launched.

In August, 2000, the USGenWeb Archives Church Records Project was launched.

In February, 2001, the USGenWeb Archives Marriages Project was launched.

In January, 2005, the USGenWeb Archives Immigrations Project was launched.

In May, 2005, the USGenWeb Archives Court Cases Project was launched.

Other specialized Archives projects will be announced in the future.

The USGenWeb Archives Census Project - the Original

In February, 1997, the Archives coordinator asked the archivists for a volunteer to head up a census transcription project with the goal of getting every census transcribed and in the USGenWeb Archives for free access. Ken Hollingsworth answered that call and transcribers were recruited. The original goal was to complete the 1850 census transcriptions, but the overwhelming response from volunteers resulted in all years being included.

Software was developed, CTA, by John Rigdon for 1850, which would produce a standardized text file and a database to be used for future census studies and with a search engine that would point to the actual images that would be online in the Archives. A few months later, Phil Beshear developed CART, which produces text, database, and html, and covers several years. Late 1999, Bill Husler developed CensTrans, geared toward MAC users.

Thanks to S-K Publications who has provided transcription material and census images, and AllCensus and Blue Roses for census images, RootsWeb.Com for providing the free server space, and the hundreds of volunteers, census data is being uploaded to the USGenWeb Archives everyday, both text transcriptions, and actual images of the microfilm.

SK Publications is offering group rates for cd purchases, and donates the images for uploading to the USGenWeb Archives. To find out how this works, Click Here

If you would like to join this effort, please visit the The USGenWeb Archives Census Project page.

The USGenWeb Project.