Talk:Arizona, United States Genealogy

I do not believe several paragraphs discussing the origin of the word "Arizona" teaches our readers how to find ancestors who lived in Arizona. It is not within the scope of this wiki. Please consider replacing this with more genealogically related material. DiltsGD 18:28, 7 September 2012 (UTC)

Response
I'll get to work on it.

James L. Tanner 03:28, 10 September 2012 (UTC)


 * The important things (like topics-links and county-links) are still "below the fold," and relatively unimportant things (like factual information which should probably be on other state pages) are above the fold. The purpose of the state page in NOT to divulge loads information, but rather to be a Table of Contents--a jumping-off point to the other pages--for the state. As a Table of Contents page for the state, there is something off-track if the Table of Contents page itself has a Table of Contents. The New York page shows an order of presentation that is closer to what we like to see on a state page. DiltsGD 17:32, 15 December 2012 (UTC)


 * David: I certainly agree. I think the concept of the "Portal" Wiki pages is still in transition. You are certainly welcome to make any changes you think would improve the presentation. Maybe when we "finish" the Utah Project, we could have an Arizona project?

Other Counties that might have records for Arizona residents
This used to be called Extinct and Renamed counties. Strictly speaking there are no renamed counties in Arizona and only one extinct county - Pah-Ute.

I have left in all the New Mexico counties that covered the land that would later be in Arizona. They were never Arizona counties and were discontinued when US Arizona Territory of 1863 was created. I would feel more comfortable to leave them out, but then new genealogists might not realize they represent previous jurisdictions to the land and a source for records.

However, I did link in the four counties created by the unofficial meeting in Tucson in 1860 - Castle Dome, Ewell, Mesilla, and Dona Ana counties. That land was an Arizona Territory, just not the US Arizona Territory of 1863. It did become a Confederate territory. But more importantly, a government was established, which means that records might still exist, somewhere. I would feel more comfortable if this was an article by itself, but then the link to this information might get lost and new genealogist would not realize they represent another possible source for records.

I also linked in the counties that covered the land in the northwest corner of Arizona Territory, the land that was given to Nevada - Pau-Ute, Rio Virgin, Lincoln and Nye counties. For about five years this land was contested by Arizona, Nevada and Utah. Records created in that area could have been recorded in any one of those 4 counties. Again I don't feel comfortable with including counties outside of Arizona, but new genealogists might not recognize that they do represent another possible source for records.

The important thing to me is to point where records may be found. By including these counties, it does that. So I leave it that way. If you have a better idea, please respond. Sabwoo 17:52, 10 August 2014 (UTC) Updated Sabwoo (talk) 21:17, 18 December 2017 (UTC)

Info to be integrated to other pages for Danielle
OLD INFO:

Add to Arizona Research Tips and Strategies page: For Step-by-Step Arizona Research 1900--present, click here. ==




 * 1540; few setters until 1840.
 * Early records in Spain, Mexico, New Mexico.
 * U.S. territory after Mexican War 1846-1848.
 * 1853 added land south of the  for Butterfield Overland Mail and Southern Pacific Railroad routes.
 * Gretna Greens. When an eloping Arizona couple's marriage is not in their home county, search for it in alternate places like Las Vegas, Clark, Nevada, or Yuma, Yuma, Arizona.
 * Prison Records. Arizona Department of Corrections has a searchable online database of 100 years of Inmate Admissions (1872 - 1972).


 * David Rumsey Map Collection is a large online collection of rare, old, antique historical atlases, globes, maps, charts plus other cartographic treasures.