Finding Treasures in the Family Bible

August 09, 2012

One of the best and most often overlooked resources for genealogy research is the family bible. Often recorded within its pages is a treasure trove of dates, names, and important events such as weddings, births, and baptisms. In fact, it was the bible of my great-great grandmother that got me started researching my own family’s genealogy.

If you are not in possession of your family’s bible, try asking around the family. There may even be a sibling, distant cousin, aunt, or grandparent who knows of the location and can give you hands-on access, hard copies, or digital scans of notations recorded throughout the years. 

If you’re looking for a free online resource that has digital copies of family bibles, check out Ancestorhunt.com. The website has many scanned family bible images and transcriptions, as well as links to other genealogical sites. Ancestorhunt.com will even pay you for your scanned images in order to expand their collection and provide greater public access.

Sandy K.
Midwest Genealogy Center