Genealogical Research Using Railroad Records

Kim S. Harrison is a long-time genealogist and professional genealogist who has worked in the library community by providing information to, and representing, some of the big online providers of information such as Ancestry, NewsBank, ProQuest and others. Kim provided an overview of the different types of records or sources that were created by the railroads or the people who worked for them.

Kim examined the value of these records and explored what the records can tell us about our railroad ancestors. Railroads existed from about the 1830’s and about two million people or about one in fifty worked for the railroads. In the mid-west around 80% of farmers lived within 5 miles of a railroad. So between the number of direct railroad workers, associated businesses, nearby towns and farms, and travel for business, work and pleasure most people had some connection to a railroad. Railroad records mentions of railroad-related incidents and stories can provide a rich source of information about where ancestors lived and worked, where they traveled, how they made a living, and possibly some insights into their education level and societal status.

Kim grouped the railroad’s impact into three broad categories: legal/government, business and employment. Examples of legal impacts include tax records, land deeds, and reports on property damage, criminal activity and train wrecks. Business impacts include information on stocks and investors, corporate “trees” showing the sales, mergers, bankruptcies, etc. of the railroads, transportation or movement of goods and people, impact of railroads on towns, cities and businesses, and the railroad’s impact on time zones. Employment impacts include pension files, clues to social security records, payroll records, labor unions and railroad associations.

Much of Kim’s presentation was showing where to find these sources of information and giving examples of how to use the various sources to piece together the lives of ancestors. Kim suggested starting at home looking for family stories, newspaper clippings, mementos, association membership cards, and other railroad-related information. Other sources may include railroad maps, land/plat maps, government reports, census records, city directories, county histories, railroad histories and annual reports.

Railroad route maps are great resources to help visualize paths where people may have migrated, clues to potential available jobs in towns or cities, how people may have met, business opportunities and other ways railroads may have intersected in the lives of people. Even if your ancestors did not work with associated with the railroad route maps are a great resource to trace potential methods of migration from one part of the country to another. Email Kim with questions, Kimgenhist08@gmail.com