Learn how to get around genealogy brick walls caused by two major losses of federal records.
Two of the most famous cases of burned genealogical records are the 1890 US census and military files from the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis
. Here are tips for working with (and around) these records:
1890 US Census
The 1890 census included detailed population schedules and special schedules for Union veterans and widows, mortality, crime, pauperism and benevolence, the disabled, insurance and transportation. All were almost entirely destroyed after being damaged in two separate fires: one in 1896 that affected the special schedules, and another in 1921, which claimed the population schedules. No copies had been made for county clerks, as had been the practice for previous censuses.