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CongressandMy Family HistoryAngela McComas2010U. S. Serial SetStarted in 1817, with the FourteenthCongressContinuous publicationU. S. Serial SetPurpose:Provide members of Congress and staff withinformationProvide a permanent record ofCongressional workInfluence public opinion1
U. S. Serial SetIncludes in chronological order:Committee reportsCongressional JournalsPublic and Private BillsCourt of ClaimsPresidential messagesInvestigationsEulogiesU. S. Serial SetPublic Bills – general usagePensions to groups of soldiersPayment to state or territoryPublic land salesPrivate Bills – specific usagePension increase to one soldierPayment to town or countyLand disputes w/ individualsAmerican State PapersBill enacted in 1830 to publish papers ofthe first Thirteen Congresses, 1789-1817Organized in ten subject groupsForeign Relations Indian AffairsMilitary Affairs Commerce/NavigationFinanceNaval AffairsPost Office Depts. Public LandsClaimsMiscellaneous2
ExamplesDamages for losses during warCorrection of a military recordIncreases to pensionsIndian depredation claimsRegistering foreign land grantIndexesCIS U.S. Serial Set Index – Finding ListsFirst half is list of names, second list of billsGrassroots of America: An Index to theAmerican State Papers, Land Grants andClaims, 1789-1837Phillip W. McMullinGuide to American Indian Documents in theCongressional Serial Set, 1817-1899Biographical and Historical Index of AmericanIndians and Persons Involved in Indian AffairsCitationsH.rp. 26 (36-1) 9643
CitationsH.rp. 26 (36-1) 964CitationsH.rp. 20 (36-1) 964CitationsH.rp. 20 (36-1) 9644
CitationsH.rp. 20 (36-1) 964**In Grassroots, this number is apage number, not Report number.What’s next?Papers found in the Serial Set aresummaries of action taken.Each deposition, each form of proof isfiled with the bill in the NationalArchives in Washington, D.C.The Serial Set provides the citationneeded to request copies of thisinformationWhat’s next?National Archives did not receivedocuments for preservation until 1930’sHoused in basements, attics and storagerooms, suffering from neglect, vermin,and pilferageMuch from the House of Representativeswas lost when the British burned theCapital in War of 18125
What’s next?Records are not under the Freedom ofInformation Act, but the spirit of thisact is enforced.Documents containing personal data arekept private for 30 (House) to 50 (Senate)years.What’s next?National Archives and RecordsAdministration700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20408Record Group 46 – SenateRecord Group 233 – House ofRepresentativesRecord Group 128 – Joint Committees ofCongressWhat’s next?Guide to the Records of the UnitedStates House of Representatives at theNational Archives, 1789-1989Charles E. Schamel, et al.Guide to the Records of the UnitedStates Senate at the National Archives,1789-1989Robert W. Coren, et al.6
Internet mlInternet AccessLexis NexisInternet Access7
Thank you.Congress and My Family ResearchAngela McComasMidwestGenealogyCenter.org8
Documents containing personal data are kept private for 30 (House) to 50 (Senate) years. What’s next? National Archives and Records Administration 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20408 Record Group 46 – Senate Record Group 233 – House of Representatives Rec
