Catholic Apostolic Church Records in the United States

Introduction
The Catholic Apostolic Church began in England in the early 1800s. Members settled in Potsdam, St. Lawrence County, New York, and New York City about 1851.

Check with local libraries for books with information about this denomination, for example:


 * E. Kay Kirkham, A Survey of American Church Records, 1978, p. 7.
 * J. Gordon Melton, The Encyclopedia of America Religions, 3rd ed., 1989, p. 240.

Sometimes church records of the Catholic Apostolic Church were kept in the individual churches and sometimes in the homes of the ministers. Past records may still be at the churches, with the present ministers, or at a local historical or genealogical society.

Steps
The following 2 steps will help you receive information from Catholic Apostolic Church records

Step 1. Choose which church or archive to contact
Contact the Catholic Apostolic church in your ancestor's area to request information. For sources with addresses and other information, see Tip 1

Step 2. Contact the clerk or minister
Request that the church's records be searched. Tell them what you would like them to look for, such as marriage information.

Be sure to give as much of the following information about your ancestor as possible:


 * Name
 * Dates your ancestor lived in the area
 * Dates of birth/baptism, marriage, and death/burial (if they occurred in that area)
 * Names of parents, siblings, spouse, and/or children

Ask if there is a fee for the search or send a contribution. When you send the fee or contribution, also send a self-addressed stamped envelope

Tip 1. How else could I find the address of my ancestor's church?
The following has addresses, phone numbers, etc. for individual churches:

Melton, J. Gordon, ed. National Directory of Churches, Synagogues, and Other Houses of Worship, J. Gordon Melton, John Krol, editor Melton, J. Gordon FHL US/CAN Ref 2nd 973 K24nd Vols. 1, 2, 3, and 4

It is also available at many public libraries.

The following links may help you find sites with church addresses, photographs, background information, records, catalogs, etc.

CyndisList UsGenWeb

Contact the public library or the historical society in the area where your ancestor lived. Ask them if they have the address of the Catholic Apostolic Church in that area and/or if they know where the records are now kept.

You can find addresses, phone numbers, and some e-mail addresses for:


 * Town, county, and college libraries in the American Library Directory, edited by Jaques Cattell Press.
 * Historical societies in Directory of Historical Organizations in the United States and Canada, Wheeler, Mary Bray

These books are available at many public and college libraries.