Private by design

Build your private family research plan

Use only clues you already know. Nothing entered here is uploaded, searched, or saved.

What this planner does—and does not do

MCHS does not claim to hold a file for every person or family. This planner teaches a research method and points to public finding aids and repositories. Names and places remain only in this open page. They are not sent to MCHS, placed in a URL, searched, or saved in browser storage.

Build your private family research plan

Use only clues you already know. Nothing entered here is uploaded, searched, or saved.

Person or family name (optional)

Mercer County community or nearby county (optional)

Which clues do you already have?

Approximate birth, death, marriage, residence, school, military, or employment dates Town, county, coal camp, neighborhood, farm, cemetery, church, school, or workplace Spelling variants, nicknames, relatives, neighbors, witnesses, or coworkers Photograph, letter, Bible, deed, yearbook, pass, pay record, obituary, or clipping Church, school, employer, union, business, court, military unit, or civic organization Movement across county lines or the West Virginia–Virginia border A family or community memory that should be preserved and checked

Research boundaries

A checklist is not an identity decision.

Same name is not same person

Use dates, places, relationships, occupations, and independent records. State uncertainty.

Access is not permission

Viewing a record does not establish copyright, privacy clearance, or permission to publish it.

Living people need care

Use private archive request channels when sensitive identifiers are required. Do not publish them here.

Build your private family research plan

What this planner does—and does not do

Build your private family research plan

Your browser-local research checklist

Verified starting points

A checklist is not an identity decision.

Same name is not same person

Access is not permission

Living people need care