Minnesota, Paynesville, Grace United Methodist Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of records from Grace United Methodist Church in located in Paynesville, Minnesota for the years 1866 to 1968. Some of the records are in German. For help reading the records, see the following wiki articles:


 * German Word List
 * German Language and Languages

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The information contained in these records may include:
 * Names
 * Event dates such as birth, marriage, death or burial
 * Event places such as birth or death places
 * Names of other family members and witnesses
 * Ministerial Records

How Do I Search the Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The age of your ancestor
 * The place where your ancestor lived
 * The approximate year of marriage
 * The name of the intended spouse

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the Record Type, Volume, and Year Range to view the images.

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the church record information to find family in census, church, and land records.
 * Use the birth, marriage and/or death information to obtain a copy of the original certificates from the county.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. In addition, local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * Search the records of other churches in the area.

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Minnesota.
 * Minnesota Guided Research
 * Minnesota Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing this Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.