“The Place of Vital Records in Family History Research”
Robert Givens
10 Jan 2026
Categories: RR, IR
Talk Abstract:
Family Historians rely on Vital Records for many of the details that are needed to complete the research on their ancestors. When available, Vital Records should be your go-to records. This presentation will explain what Vital Records are, why we seek them out, challenges in using them, what specifically can be found in them, when we can’t find them – the records we can substitute for them, and a FamilySearch tool – Guided Research – that makes finding Vital Records in select areas easy for everyone.
Speaker Bio:
Robert Givens has received degrees from Fresno State College and California State University, Fresno. His career in education spanned 39 years as a teacher and administrator. He started researching his family history during his high school years and has been even more actively involved since his retirement in 2008. This included 8 years directing the Fresno North Stake FamilySearch Center and currently with his wife are Area Temple and Family History Advisers for 8 stakes in the Fresno region. For 15 years as a FamilySearch volunteer, he was actively involved supporting various features of FamilySearch, including helping patrons with their problem records, launching and supporting social communities and administering research groups sponsored by FamilySearch in Facebook, and working on its Research Wiki. He is an experienced researcher in New England, Midwest and southern state records, has published 4 genealogy books, and has presented genealogical topics in multiple states. When he is not researching, he loves to travel, garden, read, and watch sports on TV.
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NOTICE:
This presentation is part of a set of over 400 presentations on genealogy and family history produced by "UVTAGG: The Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group".
For full details and to join, see the website https://uvtagg.org.