Great Registers of Voters.

Lists of registered voters, 1866-1944; the registers have been filmed in two different series.  One series covers 1866-1898, and later filming covers 1900-1944.  The registers are on microfilm and available through interlibrary loan.  Great registers 1946 to date are on file with County Registrars of Voters. Some name indexing for Sacramento County for 1867 and 1872 (see details in section 7d) and San Francisco for 1866 and 1888 to 1904 (circulating microfilm copies available on inter-library loan).

City and County Directories.

Numerous California city and county directories, some dating from the 1850's; includes long files of San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and Oakland directories.

Telephone Directories.

California telephone directories.  This collection contains many nearly complete runs of books from many California cities from 1900 on.

Biographical Dictionaries.

Regional, state and local biographical dictionaries such as WHO'S WHO IN THE WEST and WHO'S WHO IN CALIFORNIA.  Early years are indexed in the California Information File.

County Histories.

County histories for each county, groups of counties and larger regions.  Most of the biographical sketches in these volumes have been indexed either in our California Information File or in commercially published indexes.  Printed and microfilmed editions of many of these county histories are available on interlibrary loan.  See also item 8.k., below.

Newspapers.

California newspapers from 1846 to the present, including long runs of at least one title from each county.  A large portion of the collection is available on microfilm and may be borrowed through interlibrary loan.

Specialized Files and Indexes.

1. California Information File and San Francisco Newspapers Indexes together contain approximately 3 million entries about California people, places, subjects and events.  The California Information File contains over 1 million citations and covers selected items in books, periodicals, newspapers, special card files and other files of biographical information from 1846 to 1985. The California Information File II, a pc supported database, begins in 1985 and includes information prior to this date.  It contains entries from books, periodicals, correspondents in manuscript collections and other special collections materials. The San Francisco Newspapers Index contains references to items in various San Francisco newspapers from 1904 to 1949, while the San Francisco Chronicle Index covers 1950 to 1985.  A printed index for the San Francisco Call extends this coverage back to 1894.

2. Pioneer Card File.  It consists of biographical information on Californians who arrived here before 1860.  The information came either from the pioneers or from their descendants.  Indexed by name in the California Information File.  Also on microfilm c734, reels 40-49, titled as "Pioneer Index File".  Circulating copy available on interlibrary loan.

3. Biographical files containing information contributed by California artists, authors, actors, musicians and state officials. Indexed in the California Information File.  Also on microfilm c734, see below.

4. California Section, miscellaneous card indexes, c734, 16mm film: "Mortuary Records (1849-1900)," Sacramento Co., Sacramento, California, reels 1-13; "Vital Statistics Index (1900-1951)," Sacramento Co., Sacramento California, reels 14-23; "Voter Registrations, 1867, Sacramento County," reels 23-25; "Voter Registrations, 1872, Sacramento County," reels 25-29; "San Francisco Death Index, The Book of the Dead, Masonic Cemetery Records, 1848-1863," reels 29-34; "Biographical Card File," brief biographical information originally collected in card format on prominent citizens of California, reels 34-39; "Pioneer Index File," also referred to as the Pioneer Card File, see 7b above, reels 40-49.  Circulating copy available on interlibrary loan.

Other Selected Genealogical Sources.

1. "Names of pioneers," in  C.W. Haskins' THE ARGONAUTS OF CALIFORNIA (New York, Fords, Howard & Hulbert, 1890).  Circulating copy of printed index available on interlibrary loan.

2. "Pioneer register and index, 1542 - 1848," in Hubert H. Bancroft's HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA, volumes 2 - 5 (San Francisco, The History Publishing Company, 1886).  Reprinted in 1964 by Dawson's Book Shop, Los Angeles, and Regional Publishing company, Baltimore.  Circulating copy available on interlibrary loan.

3. THE ZAMORANO INDEX TO HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA BY HUBERT HOWE BANCROFT.  Compiled by members of the Zamorano Club; edited by Everett Gordon Hager and Anna Marie Hager.  Los Angeles; University of Southern California, 1985.  2 volumes.

4. Dove, Lois A. WAGON TRAINS, 1849-1865 (Sacramento, California, 1989). Does not circulate.

5. Northrup, Marie. SPANISH-MEXICAN FAMILIES OF EARLY CALIFORNIA (New Orleans, Polyanthos, 1976 - ). Circulating copy available on interlibrary loan.

6. Rasmussen, Louis J., comp. CALIFORNIA WAGON TRAIN LISTS, (Colma, California, San Francisco Historic Records, c1994-    ), v.1 Apr. 5, 1849 - Oct. 20, 1852. Circulating copy available on interlibrary loan.

7. Rasmussen, Louis J., comp. RAILWAY PASSENGER LISTS OF OVERLAND TRAINS TO SAN FRANCISCO AND THE WEST, (Colma, California, San Francisco Historic Records [1966 -     ] Passengers arriving in San Francisco by railroad, v.1 [July 28, 1870 - Nov. 13, 1871].-- v.2 Nov. 14, 1871 - Apr. 23, 1873. Circulating copy available on interlibrary loan.

8. Rasmussen, Louis J., comp. SAN FRANCISCO SHIP PASSENGER LISTS, Colma, California San Francisco Historic Records [1965 ]. Passengers arriving in San Francisco by ship 1850 - 1875 [sic]. [v.I 1850-1864, mostly early 1850s and 1864; v.II April 1850 - November 1851; v.III November 7, 1851 - June 17, 1852; and v.IV June 17, 1852 - January 6, 1853.]  Circulating copy available on interlibrary loan.

9. "Biographical sketches of governors and register of officers of the State of California, 1849 - 1892" in Winfield J.  Davis' HISTORY OF POLITICAL CONVENTIONS IN CALIFORNIA,  (Sacramento, 1893.  Publications of the California State Library No. 1).

10. California.  Adjutant-General's Office.  RECORDS OF CALIFORNIA MEN IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION, 1861 - 1867.  Revised and compiled by Richard H. Orton. (Sacramento, Adjutant-General's Office, 1890).  Circulating copy available on interlibrary loan.

11. Parker, J. Carlyle. AN INDEX TO THE BIOGRAPHEES IN 19TH CENTURY CALIFORNIA COUNTY HISTORIES. Detroit, Gale Research Company, c. 1979. Circulating copy available on interlibrary loan.

12. Parker, J. Carlyle.  A PERSONAL NAME INDEX TO ORTON'S "RECORDS OF CALIFORNIA MEN IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION, 1861 - 1867."  Detroit, Gale Research Company, c1978. Circulating copy available on interlibrary loan.

13. Parker, Nathan C.  PERSONAL NAME INDEX TO THE 1856 CITY DIRECTORIES OF CALIFORNIA.  Circulating copy available on interlibrary loan.

14. MICROFICHE PROPERTY DATA, CALIFORNIA OWNER LIST [microform]. Anaheim CA: TRW Real Estate Information Services.  Information compiled from public records of the County Assessors.  1988-89, 1989-90, 1991-92, 1994-95 and 1996-97 editions. [We also have this list's precursor published by Mark Larwood, 1984-85 edition.]  Does not circulate.

INDEXES TO CALIFORNIA VITAL STATISTICS--California Death Index (1905-1995) and the California Bride and Groom Indexes (1949-1986). These volumes are brief index listings to the official certificates filed with the California Department of Health Services.

The California Department of Health Services at this time (9/22/2004) has closed their public service counter and no longer offers PUBLIC SERVICES at their street address of 1501 Capitol Avenue, Suite 71.1110, 1st Floor, Sacramento, California 95814. Requests for copies of official certificates must be submitted by mail to their mailing address (Department of Health Services, Office of Vital Records-M.S. 5103, P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410). Please contact them at the above mailing address for information on current fees. Since July 1, 1905 the State has collected these records centrally, but they are also available in the County where the event took place. For events prior to July 1, 1905 they are only available in the Counties. We do not have indexes to State or County birth records.

1. DEATH INDEXES:  The indexes for 1905-1929, 1930-1939, as well as the set of individual indexes for each of the years 1949-1959 (1958 missing), are bound, paper volumes, which are quite fragile.  These may not be photocopied under any circumstances.  The indexes on microfiche cover 1940 through 1995 in ten year increments, 1940-49, 1950-59, etc., except for 1990-1995.  Does not circulate.  The 1905-1939 California death Index on microfilm has recently been added to our collection.  It is available through inter-library loan.

2. MARRIAGE INDEXES:  For the years 1949-1959 there are two volumes for each year, one for Brides and one for Grooms.  These volumes are fragile and may not be photocopied under any circumstances.  The years 1960-69, 1970-79, 1980-85 and 1986 are published in microfiche, one set for Brides and one for Grooms.  Does not circulate.     

3. MARRIAGE INDEXES, NEVADA: Because many Californians were married in Nevada, we have added microfiche copies of the Nevada Marriage indexes to our collection. They cover 1968-Mar 22, 2001.  Does not circulate. 

4. DIVORCE INDEXES, NEVADA: Because many Californians were divorced in Nevada, we have added microfiche copies of the Nevada Divorce indexes to our collection. They cover 1968- Mar 22, 2001.  Does not circulate. 

Electronic Resources.

Subscribed access to databases such as the full-text newspaper index, Newsbank and other types of databases is available in the California History Room through Internet access.