Sources for Seeking Scoundrels

Pulling back the curtain on lesser-used historical sources can reveal fascinating, sometimes scandalous, details about ancestors who lived outside the lines. We will look at seven types of records family historians rarely use: police records, criminal court records, jail records, coroner’s records, church disciplinary records, divorce records and juvenile reformatory records. Whether your ancestors were lawbreakers or law enforcers, these records can dramatically enrich your family history with depth, context, and vivid storytelling.