The term "documentation" is in reference to the paperwork a genealogist collects to back up the names, dates and pertinent information within your genealogy.

What do I mean by paperwork? Well a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or death certificate is just one example. Those are considered primary sources (see my page on Vital Records for more explanation). There are lots of things that can also prove names dates and relationships other than a “certificate.”

There are church records: Catholic, Protestant, Episcopalian, Quaker, Church of Scotland, Church of England, etc. Each state, county and country handles church records a little differently. Some are accessible to everyone, while others cannot be had without an act from God (no pun intended). Narrowing down where your ancestor lived, a rough idea of their ideology and the local worshiping establishments will help you enormously. Some churches may be leveled, while others will be taken over by other denominations, but don’t despair because those records may have been moved to other centralized repositories. Work your way up from the local branch to the diocese before giving up the ghost. Also don't forget to check the Family History Library catalog too. I was able to find several ancestors through church records that had been microfilmed - and the church itself was defunct.

What can you find in these church records? Essentially the same events for vital records: baptism, marriage and death/burial. These can be wonderful substitutes if a “government” record can’t be located. Like birth and marriage certificates, they can be considered primary or secondary sources depending on when the event took place. Most baptism and burial records are secondary sources because they didn’t occur on the day of the event but are acceptable to lineage societies like DAR since the father back one goes, the less likely it will be to find a true "vital record". Marriage records on the other hand are primary – but Marriage bonds and licenses that are not fully completed are secondary. They are only a guide. Although they are considered secondary they are still weighed heavily since in most cases the events took place so close to the primary event.

Another good substitution for a vital or church record of course are found in the family bible - that is if you're lucky enough to still have one within your family. The bible was a staple in most families and the only book they owned. It travelled with them on the road from place to place and was passed on to children. Sometimes as a wedding gift the bride's family would give the new couple a new bible with the information from previous generations transfered over. This is where the bible becomes questionable. Each time information was transfered the chance of error was high (we're all human right?). So the closer the vital information is to the date of printing of the bible, the more accurate. That doesn't mean you should dismiss the other dates, it just means you should keep an open mind.

Documentation can be anything from census records, to city directories, land records, cemetery records, mortuary records, military records – essentially anything that can provide additional information or provide a jumping ground to another record. Just remember to keep in mind what the record is, when the information was recorded and who not only provided the information, but also who recorded it for posterity.

The rule is 1/3: 3 pieces of secondary documentation for every 1 primary piece. Now that isn't a hard and fast rule - at least as far as I'm concerned - because the farther back in time you go, the harder it will be to find what you need. Sometimes finding just that one piece will be all you'll need or get - work with it.