Databases added at FindMyPast this last week:
WWI Draft Registration Cards
Over 5.1 million new records have been added to our collection of United States WWI draft registration cards. This final update completes this fascinating collection, which now totals more than 25 million records.
The draft was authorized for the purpose of raising a national army in light of the United States’ entry into World War I. When, on April 6, 1917, the United States officially declared war on Germany, the US Army was far too small to effectively fight an overseas war. In response, the Selective Service Act was passed enabling men to be selected, trained and drafted into military service, as necessary. Following the Act’s passage on May 18th 1917, more than 24 million Americans (nearly 98% of the male population under the age of 46) registered for the draft, meaning that this collection records nearly half the male population at that time.
Each result will provide you with a transcript and an image of the original draft registration card. Transcripts will reveal your ancestor’s birth date, place of birth, residence, registration year and citizenship country. Images will often provide additional details such as your ancestor’s home address, citizenship status, marital status, occupation, employer and place of employment, prior military service, race, and details relating to their next of kin. Each card was also signed by the individual, which provides you with a look at your ancestor’s own script and signature.
Additional Sets Added This Last Week
A total of 7.3 million records from the US, Canada and the UK have been released this last Findmypast Friday. Additional collections now available to search include;
New Brunswick, County Deed Registry Books Image Browse
This browse-only collection allows you to explore over 1,400 volumes of land records in their entirety. The material covers 1780 to 1993, contains over 792,000 records and covers all 15 counties within the province. The deed books cover the years 1780 to 1930 while the Indexes run from 1780 to 1993.
Illinois, Northern District, Naturalization Index
Illinois, Northern District, Naturalization Index contains over 550,000 records. This index of naturalization cards from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois covers petitions made by residents of northern Illinois, northwest Indiana, southern and eastern Wisconsin, and eastern Iowa. The records have the highest concentration from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s, with a few outliers. Each result will provide you with a transcript and an image of the original record. Transcripts will generally reveal the date of your ancestor’s naturalization, their country of birth, place of birth and language. Images may provide further information such as the names and addresses of witnesses, the name and place of the naturalization court, their address, and their date and port of arrival in the United States.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police obituary card index and notices 1876-2007 Browse
Find out if your ancestor died or was killed while serving with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with over 9,000 browsable obituary cards. The collection comprises obituaries and death notices of RCMP officers who died in service and that were printed in Royal Canadian Mounted Police publications, such as the Scarlet and Gold Magazine, as well as an index of obituaries. The amount of information listed will vary depending on the source material. Most records will reveal when your ancestor died, their rank and regimental number at the very least. A number or entries also include photographs of the deceased officer.
Scotland, Post Office Directories Image Browse
More than 180,000 additional records have been added to our collection of browsable Scottish Post Office Directories. These fascinating records provide brief descriptions of local areas, lists of notable people, of local business owners and are an excellent source for both family and local historians.
1939 Register – empty addresses
Over 667,000 additional 1939 Register records are now available to search. These new records relate to vacant addresses recorded in the register.
