COL. JOHN RANDOLPH LANE SOCIETY
OF CHATHAM COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

HOW TO FIND YOUR CONFEDERATE ANCESTOR
(ancestor.txt)


Because such a large percentage of Southern men fought in the 
War Between the States -- some entire families served -- it is  
possible, even likely, that any  Southern male ancestor born between 
1820 and 1848 served as a Confederate soldier.  This is particularly 
true for ancestors in North Carolina, which furnished more soldiers 
than any other state.


HOW TO FIND YOUR CONFEDERATE ANCESTOR

  1.  Trace your ancestry to someone born between 1820 and 1848.
      Soldiers born in 1820 would have been 41 at the start of the 
      war and those born in 1848 would have been 17 at the end of 
      the war.  Your parents, grandparents, great grandparents, 
      etc., are known as your "direct line."

  2.  List all males of the proper age who are in your direct line.

  3.  Find and list all males of the proper age who are brothers to 
      any member of your direct line males or females.  Brothers and 
      sisters are known as your "collateral lines."

  4.  If you are a current legal resident of Chatham County, North
      Carolina, you may submit the list of possible Confederate
      soldiers to Col. John Randolph Lane Society.  We will search our
      reference material to determine if an ancestor served.  Include
      as much information as you can, circa 1860, for each individual 
      listed.  Try to include: Date of birth, county of residence, 
      and state of residence.
      
  5.  If you are *not* a current legal resident of Chatham County,
      there are several sources of information that may be helpful.
      Sources of information on Confederate Veterans serving from
      North Carolina are detailed in the Lane Society publication,
      Information on North Carolina Confederate Veterans.


SOURCES OF INFORMATION FOR YOUR SEARCH

  * Birth certificates
  * Cemetery records, often published in book form
  * Census records, often published in book form
  * Church records
  * Death certificates
  * Family Bibles
  * Local histories
  * Marriage licenses
  * Old county records, often published in book form
  * Wills or will abstracts, often published in book form



LOCATION OF INFORMATION FOR YOUR SEARCH

  * Your own family records and those of relatives	
  * County offices	
  * Public libraries
  * County or local historical or genealogical societies
  * University libraries, including the North Carolina
    Collection at UNC-Chapel Hill
  * Southern state libraries and archives, including the
    North Carolina Archives in Raleigh


WHERE TO SEND YOUR LIST

Please submit your list of possible Confederate ancestors -- along with 
a self-addressed, stamped envelope -- in the order of your preference for 
identification as a Confederate soldier.  The first soldier found will 
end our search until a later date; the limit is being applied only to 
allow us to assist as many people as possible in a timely manner.  
Your search may be resumed later, if desired.  Send your list by e-mail 
to Dennis Brooks at <commander@lanesociety.org> or by US Mail with and a 
self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Dennis Brooks, 2533 South Second 
Avenue, Siler City, NC  27344.


ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIPS to the Col. John Randolph Lane Society are 
available to anyone interested in supporting society activities,
including repairing veterans¹ cemetery markers, marking Confederate 
veterans¹ graves, researching and publishing the Troops Roster, 
conducting living histories and publishing historical material. 

Copyright © 2004 by the Col. John Randolph Lane Society