The Family Bible Project and other related projects

 

https://yanceyfamilygenealogy.org/family_bible_index.htm

When I am working with the FamilySearch.org family tree, I routinely check the sources for any individual. Over the years, I have a noticed that there is a distinct trend to rely almost solely on birth, marriage, and death records (BMD records) with a sprinkling of census records. When officially kept, BMD records disappear in U.S. records, usually by the middle of the 19th Century,  and most inexperienced researchers are lost and entries with either no BMD information or only estimated information is entered. Here is an easily discovered example of an estimate with missing information. 

Here is a screenshot of the one source cited. 

What if you were to find a Bible record for this family? 

Family Bibles are valuable resources for genealogists because they often contain handwritten records of important family events, such as births, deaths, and marriages. These records can include dates, names, and locations. Family Bibles can also provide information about a family's history, such as the names of all the children in a family and their fates. They can also provide hints about unknown or missing ancestors.

Family Bibles were especially popular in the 1700s and 1800s. Families would pass them down from one generation to the next. The records in family Bibles can serve as proof of parentage in the absence of a vital or church record.

Some of the most valuable ancient Bibles in the world include the Codex Sassoon, Gutenberg Bible, Bay Psalm Book, and 1616 King James Bible. These rare artifacts provide insight into theological history and are highly sought-after investments.

Sources for the quote:'

Google Chat

Shakshober, Jennifer. 2022. “Locating Family Bible Records.” Vita Brevis (blog). August 29, 2022. https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2022/08/locating-family-bible-records/.

“United States Bible Records.” 2022. FamilySearch Wiki. October 13, 2022. https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/United_States_Bible_Records.

What if you had a centralized location to a vast number of Family Bible records?

The answer to this question is that we do have such a series of websites that provide links to tens of thousands of Bible records. 

Here are a few of the links that are part of the Family Bible Project that includes the screenshot and link at the beginning of this post.

https://yanceyfamilygenealogy.org/family_bible_index.htm

https://yanceyfamilygenealogy.org/family_bible_index_Locations.htm

https://yanceyfamilygenealogy.org/sampler.htm

https://yanceyfamilygenealogy.org/family_bible_resources.htm

https://yanceyfamilygenealogy.org/Famous_People_and_their_Bibles.pdf

There is also a ongoing project to find more bibles listed in the JustSearve.org website.

https://www.justserve.org/projects/9748464b-8272-4e31-8bcd-e8727b0db72d/family-bible-project?shiftId=1920c6cc-4f0c-445f-b76e-81309ef8ba05

You can also find out more about this project by clicking on the following link:

https://yanceyfamilygenealogy.org/family_bible_chasers.htm

Here are a few ideas about the value of research into Family Bibles that showed up in a search in ChatGPT:

Family Bibles hold significant value for genealogy and family history research. They are often cherished heirlooms that provide valuable insights into a family's past. Here are several reasons why family Bibles are valuable for genealogy and family history:

Record Keeping: Many family Bibles contain handwritten records of births, marriages, and deaths within the family. These records can provide crucial information for genealogists, such as names, dates, and sometimes even locations.

Primary Sources: Family Bibles serve as primary sources of information. They are typically created at or near the time of the event they record, making them highly reliable for genealogical research.

Missing Links: Family Bibles can fill in gaps in official records. In cases where vital records (birth, marriage, and death certificates) are missing or incomplete, the information in a family Bible can help bridge these gaps.

Personal Touch: The handwritten entries in a family Bible often include personal notes or details that may not be found in official records. These can provide insights into family relationships, nicknames, or other anecdotal information.

Visual Documentation: Some family Bibles include photographs, newspaper clippings, or other ephemera that offer visual documentation of family members or events. This can add depth to your family history research.

Cultural and Historical Context: Family Bibles can reveal cultural and historical context. They may contain inscriptions or notes related to significant historical events, family migrations, or religious beliefs, which can help you understand your ancestors' lives better.

Emotional Connection: Family Bibles often hold sentimental value, and they can create a personal and emotional connection to your ancestors. Reading the same Bible that your great-grandparents used can be a powerful experience.

Authentication: In some cases, family Bibles can be used to authenticate other genealogical records or oral family traditions. They can serve as evidence to support the accuracy of other information you uncover during your research.

Preservation: Family Bibles may also be valuable from a preservation perspective. They often contain historical and cultural information that can be lost if not properly cared for. Digitizing or conserving a family Bible can ensure it remains a resource for future generations.

Sharing and Connecting: Family Bibles can be a way to connect with living relatives who may have information or memories to share. Sharing the information from a family Bible can lead to fruitful discussions and collaboration with other family members interested in genealogy.

While family Bibles are invaluable resources, it's essential to remember that they can also contain errors or omissions. Cross-referencing the information found in a family Bible with other records, such as census data, church records, and official certificates, is crucial to ensure the accuracy of your genealogical research.

By the way, I don't find it any different to quote ChatGPT, especially when it develops such good information when I have routinely used Wikipedia in the past.