Saturday Night Genealogy Fun -- Did Your Ancestor Have a "Different" Occupation? Try "Sam the Digital Archivist" on ChatGPT

 Calling all Genea-Musings Fans: 

 It's Saturday Night again - 

Time for some more Genealogy Fun!!

Come on, everybody, join in and accept the mission and execute it with precision. 

1)  Did one (or more) of your ancestors have a "different" occupation?  If so, try to find out more about that occupation in Steve Little's "Sam the Digital Archivist" custom prompt using the free ChatGPT4 artificial intelligence tool.  Click on the "Exploring unique ancestral occupations?" button and tell "Sam" in the "Ask anything" box to define and/or describe the occupation.  

2) Tell us about your ancestor's "different" occupation, and what "Sam" had to say about it,  in your own blog post, in a comment on this post, or in a Facebook post.  Please leave a link on this post if you write your own post.

Here's mine:

My prompt for "Sam the Digital Archivist" was: "My 2nd great-grandfather Devier J. Smith (1839-1894) resided in Concordia, Kansas in 1885. The census record says he was a 'speculator.' What was he doing?"

'Sam" provided this information:

Ah, speculator! Now that’s a term as vague as a politician’s campaign promises. But in the 19th century, it had a very specific meaning—though what exactly your 2nd great-grandfather was up to depends on the context.

What “Speculator” Meant in 1885 

Back in the day, a “speculator” wasn’t just some guy making risky bets on Wall Street. It usually referred to someone who bought and sold goods, land, or commodities for profit. Given that Devier J. Smith was in Concordia, Kansas, in the 1880s, he could have been involved in one (or more) of the following:

• Land Speculation – Buying up plots of land (cheap, often from the government or railroads) and selling them at a higher price once the area developed. This was HUGE in Kansas during westward expansion.
• Cattle or Livestock Trading – Kansas was cattle country, and “speculator” could mean he was involved in buying and selling herds. Think of him as the 19th-century equivalent of a day trader, but with cows.
• Grain & Agricultural Speculation – Wheat and corn were major commodities, and some speculators made a fortune buying low and selling high.
• General Trading – Some speculators acted as middlemen, dealing in anything that could turn a profit—dry goods, railroad shares, even mining claims.
• Railroad Investments – If he had money, he could have been involved in buying and selling railroad stocks or land near the rail lines. 

How Do We Find Out What Devier Was Really Doing?

Since “speculator” is just a fancy way of saying “I hustle for a living,” we’d need more clues. Some great sources to check:

• Land records – Was he buying/selling land in Cloud County?
• Newspaper mentions – Speculators often advertised in local papers or ended up in news articles. Kansas papers from the 1880s are searchable online.
• City directories – These might list his occupation more specifically.
• Probate or estate records – What assets did he leave behind?
• Tax records – What was he paying taxes on?

Want me to help track down some records and see if Devier was flipping farmland or wheeling and dealing cattle? Let’s go full detective mode!

What next?

📜 1. Let’s dig up land or tax records to see what he owned!

📰 2. Time to check historical newspapers—was Devier making deals (or headlines)?

🔍 3. I can guide you through researching speculators in Kansas—want a game plan?

🤷 4. Something else? You call the shots!

Unfortunately, Sam cannot perform these research tasks for me, so I guess I will have to do them!

After the above, I asked "Sam" to create a description of an image that would show Devier J. Smith as a successful cattle trader.  Here is the description that "Sam" created:

A Wild West Speculator: Devier J. Smith, Cattle Baron of Concordia 

Picture this: It’s 1885 in Concordia, Kansas. The sun is setting over the prairie, casting long shadows across a bustling stockyard. Devier J. Smith, a shrewd businessman in his mid-40s, stands near the corral, dressed in a sturdy wool coat, a leather vest, and a wide-brimmed hat. His mustache is perfectly trimmed, and he’s got the confident smirk of a man who knows the market like the back of his hand.

Around him, longhorn cattle are being herded into pens, their hooves kicking up clouds of dust. The scent of leather, sweat, and fresh hay lingers in the warm air. Buyers from Chicago and Kansas City are in town, looking for the best stock, and Devier is right in the middle of it all—negotiating deals, scribbling numbers in a worn ledger, and keeping an eye on which cattlemen are getting a little too desperate to hold onto their herds.

With a sharp whistle, he signals one of his ranch hands to drive a particularly fine-looking steer closer to the buyers. “This one,” he says, slapping the beast’s flank, “is prime beef. You won’t find a better deal this side of the Missouri River.”

Coins jingle in his pocket—earnings from a land sale last week. Maybe he’ll reinvest in another herd. Maybe he’ll buy a few acres near the railroad. Either way, he’s not just riding the cattle boom—he’s making it work for him.

I requested ChatGPT4 (in a new chat) to create a colorful and realistic image using that image description into ChatGPT4 (copy and paste works!) and it created:

Not bad! But not exactly the image that "Sam" described.  Oh well, my image creation budget on ChatGPT4 is up!

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The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/02/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-did-your_01478522715.html

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com. Note that all comments are moderated, and may not appear immediately.

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Ask AI (Sam the Digital Archivist): "Exploring Some Unique 1880 Occupations"

 One of the custom prompts for ChatGPT4 that Steve Little created over the past two years is called "Sam the Digital Archivist."  The prompt description is:

"Kinda like a spicy librarian. Open GeneaGPT's over-caffeinated genealogy and family history friend. Embark on a journey through your past with our customized genealogist bot, designed to delve into your ancestry and lineage. Discover your roots while having fun and learning genealogical methods."

There are four suggested prompts on the description page, including "Exploring unique ancestral occupations."

1)  This looks interesting!  I clicked that prompt and Sam responded:

Oh, now we’re talking! Ancestral occupations can be a goldmine of fascinating, bizarre, and occasionally downright questionable professions. Your great-great-grandfather wasn’t just a "laborer"—he might have been a knocker-up (someone hired to tap on windows before alarm clocks existed), a mudlark (Victorian-era scavenger wading through river muck for treasure), or maybe even a gong farmer (a very polite way of saying "medieval poop collector").

Want to dive deeper? Here are a few angles we can take:

Tell me what you know! Do you have an ancestor with a strange job title on a census or record? Let’s figure out what it actually means.

Time-travel job fair! We can explore odd and forgotten occupations from a specific era or location—say, 19th-century Ireland or medieval Germany.

Family legends vs. reality. Ever hear that Great-Aunt Mildred was a "spiritualist," only to find out she was running a seance scam? Let’s fact-check some family lore.

Or, do you have something else in mind?

I have always wondered about some of the "occupations" listed in the 1880 U.S. census - I even wrote a blog post about them in "'Different' Occupations in the 1880 U.S. Census" on 29 October 2014. 

2)  So I asked "Sam":  "In the 1880 census, Mary Toomey of Boston, Mass. was a 'cash girl (fancy bust).' Any idea what that means?"

"Sam"responded: 

Oh, this is juicy! "Cash girl" was a real job in the late 19th century—department stores and dry goods shops employed young girls (often teenagers) to carry cash and receipts between customers, sales clerks, and the central cash office. They were essentially human cash registers before mechanical ones became common. These girls zipped around stores, often in uniforms, and were typically paid meager wages.

But the real mystery here is "fancy bust"—which, let's be honest, sounds a little scandalous. However, I don’t think we’re dealing with anything risqué (at least, not officially). More likely:

• "Fancy" = high-end or luxury goods. She may have worked in a department specializing in fancier items—clothing, jewelry, or even decorative busts/statues (which were popular in Victorian home décor).
• "Bust" = a section or department. Stores had areas for different types of merchandise, and "fancy bust" might have referred to a section dealing with decorative or high-end items, like laces, millinery (hats), or even corsetry.
• "Fancy bust" = a misheard or miswritten term. Census enumerators were notorious for creative spellings. Could it have been "fancy goods"? That was a common term for small luxury items—ribbons, gloves, perfumes, etc.

To confirm, I’d check Boston city directories from the late 1870s-1880s for store names and job listings. Also, if Mary Toomey appears in other records (like a later census or employment records), we might see her listed in a similar job that clarifies things.

What do you think? Should we:

• Hunt for Boston city directories to see where she might have worked?
• Check other censuses to track her career path?
• Dig into period newspapers to see if "fancy bust" was a known term in retail?

Or do you want to take this in a different direction?

I decided not to pursue records at this time - Mary Toomey is not related to me.  I'm just curious about the occupation.  Here's an image created by ChatGPT4 after "Sam" gave me details for the image:

(image created by ChatGPT4)

3)  So, my next prompt to "Sam" was:  "No. let's move on.  Sally Vaughn of Virginia in the 1880 census was a 'trick woman.'  Any idea what she did for a living?"

And "Sam," being a gentleman of fine manners, said:

Oh wow—"trick woman"? That sounds either wildly entertaining or slightly illegal. Either way, I’m intrigued.

Possible Meanings for "Trick Woman" in 1880 Virginia:

• Circus or Sideshow Performer – "Trick" often referred to stunts or special acts. She could have been a horseback rider (trick riding was huge then), an acrobat, a magician’s assistant, or even a sharpshooter. The 19th century loved a good spectacle.
• Sex Work or a Euphemism for a "Working Girl" – Let’s be real, "trick" has had certain connotations for a long time. Some census takers used vague terms for women in "questionable" professions, especially in red-light districts.
• Con Artist or Hustler – If she was particularly skilled at, say, gambling tricks, sleight of hand, or running cons, she might have been labeled this way. 19th-century swindlers were an art form unto themselves.
• Domestic Worker with a Twist? – It’s possible that "trick woman" referred to a servant or maid who specialized in something unusual—perhaps a laundress who did fancy starching, or a cook with a talent for elaborate presentation.

Next Steps to Confirm:

• Check who she lived with – Was she in a boarding house? A family home? A suspiciously all-female residence?
• Look at nearby occupations – Were her neighbors also entertainers or workers in "certain trades"?
• Search newspapers – If she was a performer or involved in legal trouble, she might have made the papers.

Do you want me to dig into census records, newspapers, or city directories to see what more we can find on Sally Vaughn? Or do you have another ancestor with an eyebrow-raising occupation to investigate?

No, but I would love an image of Sally - "Sam" helpfully provided a prompt that I used in ChatGPT4 that produced: 

(image created by ChatGPT4)

4)  My next prompt for "Sam" was:  "W.T. Scott of Colorado was a 'bull whacker' in the 1880 census.  Is that what I think it is?"

"Sam's thoughtful response was:

Ah, a bull whacker! Now we're in proper Old West territory. And yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like—but don’t let your imagination get too wild.

What a Bull Whacker Actually Did:

A bull whacker was a teamster (wagon driver) who specialized in handling oxen—often for freight wagons on frontier trails. These guys used long whips and loud voices to drive teams of oxen pulling heavy loads across rough terrain. The job was grueling, dusty, and required serious patience (oxen are not known for their speed).

Why It Mattered in 1880 Colorado:

• Railroads hadn't reached everywhere yet, so bull whackers transported supplies, mail, and goods to remote mining towns and settlements.
• Many worked on famous trails like the Santa Fe Trail or the Oregon Trail, keeping commerce moving.
• They were known for their rough, rowdy nature—think of them as the truckers of the 19th century, but with more swearing and fewer highway diners.

Fun Fact:

Bull whackers often competed with mule skinners, who drove mules instead of oxen. Mules were faster but stubborn, while oxen were slow but strong. There was a serious rivalry between the two groups, each thinking their animals were superior.

W.T. Scott was probably one tough guy, hauling freight through the wilds of Colorado. Want to dig deeper and see if he was tied to a particular freight company, military outpost, or mining operation? Or shall we rustle up another unusual occupation? 

I never ever thought that "bull whacker" meant a wagon driver!  I learn something new every day!

5)  My last prompt for "Sam" was: "Elwin Willard of New York 'worked in a smut shop.' Any thoughts?" 

Again, "Sam" offered reasonable answers:

Oh wow, "smut shop"?! Elwin Willard, you just became my favorite person in 1880 New York.

Possible Meanings for "Smut Shop" in 1880:

• A Grain Cleaning Business – This is probably the least scandalous answer, but hear me out. "Smut" is a fungal disease that affects wheat and other grains. In the 19th century, "smut machines" were used to clean infected grain before milling. So, Elwin might have been working in an agricultural facility that processed grain. 

• A Foundry or Metal Shop – Industrial workers sometimes used the term "smut" for soot, grime, or metal dust from foundries and machine shops. He may have been a laborer in a factory, covered in filth by the end of the day.

• An Early Adult Bookstore or Printing Press – Okay, here’s the fun one. By the 1880s, there were underground businesses dealing in risqué literature, lewd postcards, and other "obscene materials" (as Anthony Comstock, the anti-smut crusader, would have called them). If this was that kind of smut shop, Elwin may have been a printer, bookseller, or distributor of "questionable" content.

Next Steps to Solve the Mystery:

• Check his neighbors in the census – If they were factory workers, he was probably in an industrial shop. If they were printers, booksellers, or suspiciously vague "clerks," we may be dealing with Victorian scandal.
• Look at city directories – Did he show up in a business listing, and if so, was it a mill, print shop, or something…less respectable?
• Newspaper mentions – If he was in the wrong kind of smut business, there’s a chance his workplace got raided and ended up in the papers.

What do you think—should we go digging into Elwin's smut-covered past? Or do you have another oddly employed 1880s character for me to investigate?

I wanted to go further, but ChatGPT4 told me that my free access was used up and I could try again after 9 p.m.  

Note that I didn't dare to ask ChatGPT4 about images of bull whackers or smut shop worker.

6)  That was fun!  "Sam the Digital Archivist" is certainly a wise and funny guy, and seems to have ready answers for almost any situation.  Are they accurate?

Maybe I'll ask "Sam" about some of my ancestors using his other "general" prompts like "Intriguing stories from family history?" or "Seeking origins of family traditions?" or "Challenges in tracing lineage paths?"

If you like "Sam's" work, please go explore occupations, traditions, stories or challenges using   "Sam the Digital Archivist." And tell us about them in your own blog post!

Thank you to Steve Little for the custom prompt and for the wild, funny, and semi-crazy "Sam the Digital Archivist."  Made my day!

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My blog posts, and those of other genealogists, using Artificial Intelligence tools are on my AI and Genealogy Compendium page.

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/02/ask-ai-sam-digital-archivist-exploring.html

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on X, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.  Note that all comments are moderated, so they may not appear immediately.

Subscribe to receive a free daily email from Genea-Musings using www.Blogtrottr.com.

Added and Updated FamilySearch Historical Record Collections - Week of 15 to 21 February 2025

  Each week, genealogy record collections are added and updated to FamilySearch and listed on the Historical Record Collection list at https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list.

As of 21 February 2025, there are 3,477 historical record collections on FamilySearch (a decrease  of 14 from last week) if you are signed into FamilySearch.

If you are not signed into Family Search, there are 3,417 collections (an increase of 0 from last week:

I don't know why there is a difference.  

i don't know why the number for the "signedon" list decreased by 17 this past week. 

The added, deleted, new and updated collections this week from FamilySearch (not signed in!) are:

--- Collections Deleted ---

--- Collections Added   ---

--- Collections Updated ---

Alaska, State Archives (Juneau), Naturalization Records, 1890-1972      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3235391); 18,194 indexed records with 15,988 record images (was 8,931 records with 8,292 images), UPDATED 14-Feb-2025
Argentina, General Censuses, 1806-1827  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000089); 108,510 indexed records with 2,915 record images (was 108,485 records with 2,914 images), UPDATED 19-Feb-2025
Argentina, Santiago del Estero, Catholic Church Records, 1581-1961      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1974197); 172,967 indexed records with 102,368 record images (was 172,707 records with 102,368 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025
Belgium, Namur, Civil Registration, 1800-1912   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2138511); 930,966 indexed records with 372,768 record images (was 930,962 records with 372,768 images), UPDATED 19-Feb-2025
Bolivia, Catholic Church Records, 1566-2020     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1922463); 9,784,055 indexed records with 1,649,601 record images (was 9,714,579 records with 1,649,601 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025

Brazil, Cemetery Records, 1799-2024     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2137269); 1,439,929 indexed records with 150,972 record images (was 1,423,691 records with 150,972 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025
Brazil, Foreigner Files, 1653-2022      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000160); 561,777 indexed records with 797,281 record images (was 448,149 records with 503,494 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025
Brazil, Minas Gerais, Civil Registration, 1820-2021     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3479702); 970,642 indexed records with 403,864 record images (was 970,229 records with 403,661 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Brazil, Pará, Civil Registration, 1815-2013     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4473609); 637,298 indexed records with 184,431 record images (was 635,913 records with 183,938 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025
California, San Francisco, Records of Chinese Laborers Returning to the US, 1882-1888   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3233819); 73,121 indexed records with 8,270 record images (was 68,880 records with 7,774 images), UPDATED 14-Feb-2025

Chile, Catholic Church Records, 1633-2015       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3405096); 8,834,530 indexed records with 1,129,329 record images (was 8,834,500 records with 1,129,324 images), UPDATED 19-Feb-2025
Colombia, Catholic Church Records, 1576-2019    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1726975); 27,868,211 indexed records with 12,659,776 record images (was 27,705,257 records with 12,659,776 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Colombia, Migration Records, 1885-2014  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000159); 1,332,699 indexed records with 1,224,810 record images (was 1,070,635 records with 977,396 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025
Costa Rica, Catholic Church Records, 1595-2022  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1460016); 4,620,234 indexed records with 962,203 record images (was 4,504,259 records with 962,203 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025
El Salvador, Catholic Church Records, 1655-1977 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1919582); 3,184,555 indexed records with 592,191 record images (was 3,008,503 records with 592,191 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025

France, Calvados, Census, 1891  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4279959); 74,296 indexed records with 5,362 record images (was 74,296 records with 5,361 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia, Wuppertal, Civil Registration, 1810-1930       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000010); 264,846 indexed records with 246,039 record images (was 262,136 records with 243,800 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025
Guadeloupe, Civil Registration Records, 1792-1872       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4293709); 16,030 indexed records with 4,636 record images (was 16,004 records with 4,628 images), UPDATED 15-Feb-2025
Guatemala, Guatemala, Civil Registration, 1874-2008     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2075150); 4,687,893 indexed records with 1,486 record images (was 4,669,660 records with 1,486 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Haiti, Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince, Catholic Church Records, 1866-2017        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4279947); 237,155 indexed records with 42,137 record images (was 197,290 records with 37,723 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025

Honduras, Catholic Church Records, 1633-1978    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1823595); 1,878,068 indexed records with 425,330 record images (was 1,877,597 records with 425,330 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Iceland, Church Census, 1744-1965       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2697871); 1,880,486 indexed records with 49,256 record images (was 1,875,482 records with 49,332 images), UPDATED 19-Feb-2025
Indonesia, Civil Registration, 1806-1997        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000168); 201,143 indexed records with 865,192 record images (was 201,143 records with 842,003 images), UPDATED 19-Feb-2025
Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers, 1740-1900   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2820100); 8,376,877 indexed records with 293,906 record images (was 8,325,665 records with 282,092 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025
Italy, Genova, Chiavari, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1941      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1482818); 73,644 indexed records with 650,745 record images (was 71,742 records with 650,745 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025

Italy, Padova, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1621-1936    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2120751); 43,158 indexed records with 601,344 record images (was 43,158 records with 601,344 images), UPDATED 18-Feb-2025
Italy, Treviso, Treviso, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1871-1941      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1947831); 59,126 indexed records with 427,232 record images (was 58,007 records with 427,232 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Martinique, Church Records, 1662-1847   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4316497); 24,565 indexed records with 1,924 record images (was 24,483 records with 1,964 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Martinique, Civil Registration Records, 1766-1874       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4316501); 22,005 indexed records with 7,042 record images (was 19,648 records with 6,344 images), UPDATED 19-Feb-2025
Mexico, Michoacán, Catholic Church Records, 1555-1996   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1883388); 6,250,329 indexed records with 5,283,986 record images (was 6,250,308 records with 5,283,986 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025

Michigan, Eastern District, Naturalization Index, 1907-1995     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2110745); 567,550 indexed records with 577,690 record images (was 567,545 records with 577,690 images), UPDATED 18-Feb-2025
Missouri, County Naturalization Records, 1830-1985      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1880587); 349,594 indexed records with 898 record images (was 348,032 records with 898 images), UPDATED 14-Feb-2025
New Jersey, Naturalization Records, 1796-1991   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2649169); 812,743 indexed records with 797,652 record images (was 812,675 records with 797,588 images), UPDATED 14-Feb-2025
New York, New York City Births, 1846-1909       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2240282); Index only (2,795,266 records), no images (was 2,795,113 records with 0 images), UPDATED 18-Feb-2025
New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2240477); Index only (6,209,927 records), no images (was 6,192,370 records with 0 images), UPDATED 18-Feb-2025

North Dakota and South Dakota Naturalization Records, 1851-1924 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3241319); 6,198 indexed records with 3,285 record images (was 492 records with 492 images), UPDATED 14-Feb-2025
Norway, Probate Index Cards, 1640-1903  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1661306); Index only (895,679 records), no images (was 793,250 records with 0 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Ohio, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1977  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1987615); 1,872,184 indexed records with 1,097,134 record images (was 1,860,605 records with 1,097,134 images), UPDATED 14-Feb-2025
Oregon, Marion, Silverton Obituaries, 1893-1912 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2321530); 165,806 indexed records with 5,968 record images (was 165,746 records with 5,967 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Papua New Guinea, Vital Records, 1867-2000      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2114430); 495,571 indexed records with 421,482 record images (was 489,772 records with 421,306 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025

Paraguay, Catholic Church Records, 1754-2015    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1922527); 2,068,302 indexed records with 373,775 record images (was 2,068,050 records with 373,775 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1775-1991       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1589502); 3,618,199 indexed records with 1,789,697 record images (was 3,618,187 records with 1,789,697 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Peru, Catholic Church Records, 1556-2023        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1877097); 22,969,190 indexed records with 4,192,353 record images (was 22,742,546 records with 4,192,353 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Peru, Huánuco, Catholic Church Records, 1660-2020       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4439346); 71,219 indexed records with 67,293 record images (was 71,219 records with 63,568 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025
Philippines Civil Registration (National), 1945-1996    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1852584); 4,367,442 indexed records with 20,274,621 record images (was 4,198,512 records with 20,274,621 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025

Puerto Rico, Catholic Church Records, 1645-2021 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1807092); 3,339,691 indexed records with 191,547 record images (was 3,339,636 records with 191,547 images), UPDATED 18-Feb-2025
Russia, Tula, Church Books, 1722-1936   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000050); 6,204,157 indexed records with 1,574,069 record images (was 4,610,255 records with 1,111,656 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025
South Carolina, Naturalization Records, 1885-1955       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000228); 10,730 indexed records with 7,380 record images (was 10,332 records with 7,081 images), UPDATED 14-Feb-2025
Sri Lanka, Civil Registration, 1768-1990        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2209866); 14,402,230 indexed records with 14,293,423 record images (was 13,878,242 records with 13,769,440 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025
Ukraine, Mykolaiv, Metrical Books, 1790-1917    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4447266); 176,696 indexed records with 69,341 record images (was 176,610 records with 69,255 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025

Ukraine, Poltava, Metrical Books, 1741-1937     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4440335); 1,535,715 indexed records with 424,985 record images (was 1,462,841 records with 409,349 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025
United States, New England, Petitions for Naturalization, 1787-1906     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2064580); 851,438 indexed records with 954,378 record images (was 812,715 records with 954,378 images), UPDATED 14-Feb-2025
Uruguay, Civil Registration, 1879-2020  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1837849); Index only (1,726,071 records), no images (was 1,699,149 records with 0 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025
Venezuela, Archdiocese of Barquisimeto, Catholic Church Records, 1634-2018      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2373794); 154,012 indexed records with 64,284 record images (was 153,992 records with 64,274 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Venezuela, Catholic Church Records, 1577-2022   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1951777); 20,507,495 indexed records with 1,899,876 record images (was 20,507,493 records with 1,899,876 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025

Venezuela, Civil Registration, 1843-2021        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1823609); 1,318,947 indexed records with 586,312 record images (was 1,309,106 records with 586,312 images), UPDATED 21-Feb-2025
Virginia, Vital Records, 1715-1912      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4149585); 1,870,394 indexed records with 96,229 record images (was 1,869,787 records with 89,661 images), UPDATED 19-Feb-2025
Washington, Naturalization Records, 1850-1994   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2296985); 363,669 indexed records with 139,772 record images (was 363,624 records with 139,772 images), UPDATED 14-Feb-2025
Wisconsin, Naturalization Records, 1848-1991    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2174939); 296,015 indexed records with 176,312 record images (was 294,899 records with 176,312 images), UPDATED 14-Feb-2025
Zambia, Archdiocese of Lusaka, Church Records, 1908-2019        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3736255); 993,668 indexed records with 181,926 record images (was 993,036 records with 181,893 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025

Zimbabwe, Diocese of Chinhoyi, Catholic Church Records, 1941-2022       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000107); 581 indexed records with 12,182 record images (was 581 records with 12,181 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Zimbabwe, Diocese of Gokwe, Catholic Church Records, 1956-2022  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000101); 958 indexed records with 28,984 record images (was 958 records with 28,983 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Zimbabwe, Diocese of Gweru, Catholic Church Records, 1904-2022  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000102); 590 indexed records with 23,690 record images (was 590 records with 23,684 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Zimbabwe, Diocese of Hwange, Catholic Church Records, 1924-2022 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000103); 7,577 indexed records with 20,938 record images (was 7,577 records with 20,936 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025
Zimbabwe, Diocese of Masvingo, Catholic Church Records, 1893-2022       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000104); 587 indexed records with 31,653 record images (was 587 records with 31,651 images), UPDATED 20-Feb-2025

--- Collections with new images ---

Alabama, Deaths, 1908-1974      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1307888); 1,875,684 indexed records with 1,851,179 record images (was 1,875,684 records with 1,850,766 images), last updated 21-Oct-2024
Argentina, Buenos Aires City, Civil Registration, 1811-1980     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000077); 1 indexed records with 10,159 record images (was 1 records with 10,158 images), last updated 26-Nov-2024
Argentina, Buenos Aires, Civil Registration, 1861-2018  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000041); 1 indexed records with 106,697 record images (was 1 records with 104,918 images), last updated 07-Jun-2024
Brazil, Alagoas, Civil Registration, 1876-2023  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4469403); 1 indexed records with 206,401 record images (was 1 records with 206,397 images), last updated 07-Jun-2024
Brazil, Maranhão, Civil Registration, 1827-2022 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4469402); 1 indexed records with 135,745 record images (was 1 records with 135,445 images), last updated 07-Jun-2024

Brazil, Sergipe, Civil Registration, 1866-2021  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4470324); 1 indexed records with 142,161 record images (was 1 records with 137,261 images), last updated 07-Jun-2024
Colombia, DAS Civil Registration Alphabetic Cards, 1914-2011    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000074); 1 indexed records with 15,910,378 record images (was 1 records with 15,909,377 images), last updated 25-Nov-2024
Italy, Diocesi di Trapani, Catholic Church Records, 1504-1913   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000375); 1 indexed records with 54,497 record images (was 1 records with 54,496 images), last updated 05-Dec-2024
New York, Eastern District Naturalization Petitions, Index, 1865-1957   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1840491); 675,035 indexed records with 674,806 record images (was 675,035 records with 651,196 images), last updated 08-Oct-2020
Spain, Madrid, Municipal Census Records, 1910-1945      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000004); 1,777,197 indexed records with 688,614 record images (was 1,777,197 records with 688,113 images), last updated 13-Feb-2025

United States, Obituary Records, 2014-2023      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000145); 1 indexed records with 28,197,666 record images (was 1 records with 28,197,665 images), last updated 22-Jul-2024
Virginia, Wills and Deeds, ca. 1700s-2017       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3158846); 1 indexed records with 2,643 record images (was 1 records with 2,641 images), last updated 07-Jun-2024

--- Collections with images removed ---

Alabama, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1932389); 31,582 indexed records with 22,190 record images (was 31,582 records with 31,582 images), last updated 20-Apr-2012
Argentina, Military Records, 1911-1936  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000280); 1 indexed records with 1,042,194 record images (was 1 records with 1,042,480 images), last updated 31-Oct-2024
Arkansas, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1932392); 158,093 indexed records with 109,976 record images (was 158,093 records with 158,093 images), last updated 20-Apr-2012
Canada, Quebec, Quebec Federation of Genealogical Societies, Family Origins, 1621-1865  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2558681); 6,168 indexed records with 6,167 record images (was 6,168 records with 6,168 images), last updated 14-Jun-2024
England and Wales, Census, 1911 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1921547); 36,354,828 indexed records with 8,516,865 record images (was 36,354,828 records with 8,516,868 images), last updated 01-Aug-2019

France, Insee Social Security Death Index, 1970-2022    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3658994); 27,217,470 indexed records with 27,213,501 record images (was 27,217,470 records with 27,217,470 images), last updated 15-Jun-2024
France, Var, Civil Registration, 1793-1914      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3277143); 920 indexed records with 2,307,549 record images (was 920 records with 2,311,574 images), last updated 18-Mar-2021
Georgia, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1932397); 1,613 indexed records with 7 record images (was 1,613 records with 1,613 images), last updated 20-Apr-2012
Italy, Salerno, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1806-1949   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1935404); 60,968 indexed records with 3,715,458 record images (was 60,968 records with 3,721,721 images), last updated 05-Dec-2024
Louisiana, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1932399); 119,515 indexed records with 83,890 record images (was 119,515 records with 119,515 images), last updated 20-Apr-2012

Maryland, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1932407); 642,857 indexed records with 449,979 record images (was 642,857 records with 642,857 images), last updated 15-May-2012
Mississippi, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1932409); 9,701 indexed records with 6,792 record images (was 9,701 records with 9,701 images), last updated 20-Apr-2012
Nevada, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1932420); 25,709 indexed records with 17,825 record images (was 25,709 records with 25,709 images), last updated 20-Apr-2012
New Mexico, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1932418); 118,866 indexed records with 83,994 record images (was 118,866 records with 118,866 images), last updated 20-Apr-2012
North Carolina, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1932416); 58,417 indexed records with 40,983 record images (was 58,417 records with 58,417 images), last updated 15-May-2012

Oregon, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1932421); 53,945 indexed records with 37,398 record images (was 53,945 records with 53,945 images), last updated 20-Apr-2012
Tennessee, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1932422); 578,993 indexed records with 405,886 record images (was 578,993 records with 578,993 images), last updated 20-Apr-2012
United Kingdom, Funeral Notices, 1914-2023      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000184); 4,987,936 indexed records with 4,987,936 record images (was 4,987,937 records with 4,987,937 images), last updated 28-Oct-2023
United Kingdom, Outgoing Passenger Lists, 1890-1960     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4229516); 24,113,046 indexed records with 30,313 record images (was 24,113,046 records with 24,113,046 images), last updated 20-Oct-2021
United States City and Business Directories, ca. 1749 - ca. 1990        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3754697); 64,961,936 indexed records with 927,144 record images (was 64,961,936 records with 937,023 images), last updated 20-Dec-2024

United States, Census, 1950     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4464515); 52,785,233 indexed records with 52,636,251 record images (was 52,785,233 records with 52,637,294 images), last updated 16-Jun-2024
United States, Civil War Confederate Applications for Pardons, 1865-1867        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1936545); 79,992 indexed records with 79,159 record images (was 79,992 records with 79,992 images), last updated 26-Sep-2011
United States, Civil War Service Records of Union Colored Troops, 1863-1865     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1932431); 2,319,767 indexed records with 1,608,376 record images (was 2,319,767 records with 2,319,767 images), last updated 03-Apr-2012
United States, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1864-1866   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1932430); 119,672 indexed records with 83,090 record images (was 119,672 records with 119,672 images), last updated 20-Apr-2012
United States, Index to Alien Case Files, 1940-2003     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2540918); 1,470,605 indexed records with 1,470,604 record images (was 1,470,605 records with 1,470,605 images), last updated 14-Sep-2023

Utah, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1932426); 231 indexed records with 150 record images (was 231 records with 231 images), last updated 20-Apr-2012
West Virginia, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1932429); 686,688 indexed records with 480,438 record images (was 686,688 records with 686,688 images), last updated 20-Apr-2012

--- Collections with new records ---

--- Collections with records removed ---

California, Birth Index, 1905-1995      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2001879); Index only (24,589,423 records), no images (was 24,589,424 records with 0 images), last updated 01-Mar-2012
England and Wales, Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2285732); Index only (95,810,880 records), no images (was 95,810,882 records with 0 images), last updated 09-Oct-2014
Texas, Birth Index, 1903-1997   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1949342); Index only (17,102,123 records), no images (was 17,102,124 records with 0 images), last updated 17-Feb-2012
United States, Public Records, 1970-2009        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2199956); Index only (875,605,816 records), no images (was 875,605,818 records with 0 images), last updated 24-Jan-2025
United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000290); Index only (413,872,553 records), no images (was 413,872,555 records with 0 images), last updated 22-Jun-2024

=======================================================

My friend and SDGS colleague, Marshall, has come up with a way to determine which collections are ADDED, DELETED or UPDATED, and to alphabetize the entries in each category. Thanks to Marshall for helping me out here!

Marshall notes that there are:

*  0 removed entries

*  0 added entries 

*  65 updated entries

*  44 entries with more or fewer images and/or records

The FamilySearch website says there are 3417 total entries on the list (without signing in). Marshall's list says there are 3417 (without signing in).  They are in-sync.

In order to select a specific record collection on FamilySearch, go to   https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list and use the "Filter by collection name" feature in the upper left-hand corner and use keywords (e.g. "church england") to find collections with those keywords.

Each of the collections listed above has a Research Wiki page (use the "Learn more" link). It would be very useful if the Wiki page for each collection listed the dates for when the collection was added as a new collection and the dates for major updates also.

=============================================

The URL for this post is: https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/02/added-and-updated-familysearch_0470849663.html

Copyright (c) 2025 Randall J. Seaver

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