California, Collections of the California Genealogical Society - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
The collection covers the time period 1700 to 1942.

Record Description
The records consist of genealogical collections located at the California Genealogical Society in Oakland. They include:


 * Original ledger listing burials in the San Francisco Odd Fellows (IOOF) cemetery, 1866-1905. The cemetery no longer exists.
 * Records of the San Francisco IOOF crematory and columbarium, 1865-1932. Includes records for individual cremations and inurnments as well as papers pertaining to the organization.
 * San Francisco Probate Register of Actions, 1906-1942. Ledgers listing all actions pertaining to each probate case in the period covered.
 * Surname index to vital records appearing in the Alta California and other Northern California newspapers, 1860-1861.
 * Records of the Phillips family in America, compiled by Henry Byron Phillips, former President of the California Genealogical Society. Each index card contains information on a specific individual related to the Phillips family.
 * Papers and index cards pertaining to the descendants and ancestors of Humphrey Griffin of Ipswich, Massachusetts, covering the period from 1600 to 1943.Compiled by Charles Frances Griffin, MD, former President of the California Genealogical Society.

The collection is arranged by sub-collection and then date.

Note: Digital images may only be used by registered users of FamilySearch.

Record Content


Records from each individual collection within this collection group contain different information. They may contain any of the following:


 * Names
 * Birth, marriage, or death dates
 * Relationships
 * Residencies
 * Family groupings
 * Burial information

How to Use the Record
This collection is considered a secondary source, but the information on the cards can lead you to other primary records. Compare the information in the records to what you already know to make sure that you have the correct family or individual. Add any new information to existing records about your family. You may find the following suggestions helpful:


 * Use the names, dates, and places as the basis for family groups or to build a family pedigree.
 * Use the dates along with places or residences to help you locate the family in other records such as census, church, and land records.
 * Burial information may lead you to mortuary or funeral records, which could include names and addresses of family members. Be aware that many mortuary and funeral records did not survive the earthquake and fire in 1906.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have been buried in the same cemetery or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, check for variant spellings of the surnames.

Note: Digital images may only be used by registered users of FamilySearch.

Record History
The California Genealogical Society (CGS) was the first genealogical society formed in California, organized in San Francisco on February 12, 1898. One of the premier genealogical resources in Northern California, the society maintains a library in downtown Oakland in the historic Breuner Building. The CGS Library is rich in genealogy reference materials, both standard and unique. California is the major focus with special emphasis on the San Francisco Bay Area; however, the library is also particularly strong in other geographical areas such as New England, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The library has titles representing all fifty states.

Why This Record Was Created
Each type of record was created for a different purpose. Cemetery records are kept as a permanent record of who was buried and usually who purchased the burial plot. Indexes were created as a rapid access to specific records or pieces of information.

Record Reliability
The records are usually reliable.

Related Websites
California Genealogical Society and Library

Related Wiki Articles
San Francisco County, California

Alameda County, California

Contra Costa County, California

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should also list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection

 * United States. Bureau of the Census. 12th census, 1900, digital images, From FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: September 29, 2006), Arizona Territory, Maricopa, Township 1, East Gila, Salt River Base and Meridian; sheet 9B, line 71.
 * Mexico, Distrito Federal, Catholic Church Records, 1886-1933, digital images, from FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org: April 22, 2010), Baptism of Adolfo Fernandez Jimenez, 1 Feb. 1910, San Pedro Apóstol, Cuahimalpa, Distrito Federal, Mexico, film number 0227023.

Sources of information for This Collection
California. Genealogical Collections at the California Genealogical Society,1700-1942. Oakland, California.