Vital Records

Vital records, which include records of births, deaths, and marriages, are one of the most important resources that states have. Vital records can be excellent documents for building up your family tree, because they often include information about people who were related to the person who was born, died, or married. For example, birth certificates usually include parents' names, marriage certificates have maiden names, and death certificates may have survivors names. In this way, vital records can act as springboards for more research.

States often perform their own censuses, which, like the national census, can be helpful in your genealogical search. The contents of state censuses vary, but they have often mimicked the national census. Then, you can find information such as names, birth dates, birthplaces, and occupations.

Family histories and local histories can also be excellent sources of genealogical information. If one exists about the ancestors that you are searching for, it means that someone has already done at least some of your research for you. It's worth taking the time to find out if one exists. State libraries and historical societies are good places to look for family histories.

As you research your family, it's very likely that you will need to write letters requesting information from people such as county clerks or family members. Below, you will find a form letter that you can copy and paste into your own word processor and edit to suit your needs.

[Date]

[Your Street Address]
[Your City, State and Zip Code]

[Name of Institution]
[Street Address of Institution]
[City, State and Zip Code]/

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am currently researching my family and need a copy of a [record type] for [full name of person], my [your relationship to this person, such as mother or great-grandfather]. The [name of event, such as birth or death] took place on [date, or approximate date] in [town, county, state of event]. This individual's parents' names were [parents' names, if you know them].

I have enclosed a check for the copying fee and a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Thank you for your attention to my request.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

State office has birth and death records since late 1904. If birth occurred before then, write the State office for information. It has marriage and divorce records since January 1909.

Birth, Marriage, Divorce, and Death Records

Call (402) 471-2871 or write to:

Bureau of Vital Statistics
Department of Health and Human Services
301 Centennial Mall South
P.O. Box 95065
Lincoln, NE 68509-5065

Cost

Birth -- $8.00
Marriage, Divorce, Death -- $7.00.

Check or money order should be made payable to Bureau of Vital Statistics. Personal checks are accepted.

Notes

• For county marriage records, contact the County Court in the county where the license was issued. Cost will vary.
• For county divorce records, contact the Clerk of District Court in the county where the divorce was granted.

Boyd County Government Addresses:

Clerk of the Court
Boyd County
P.O. Box 26
Butte, NE 68722-0026
Phone: (402) 775-2391
Fax: (402) 775-2146
Hours: 8:15 a.m. - 12:00 noon, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Boyd County Superintendent
PO Box 136
Butte, NE 68722
Phone: (402) 775-2501

State Genealogy Societies:

Nebraska State Genealogical Society"(by appointment only)
P.O. Box 5608
Lincoln, NE 68505-0608
Telephone: (402) 266-8881

Publication: Ancestree, The New Brass Key

Eastern Nebraska Genealogical Society
c/o Clare Mares
P.O. Box 541
Fremont, NE 68026
Telephone: (402) 721-9553

Boyd County Historical & Genealogy Societies:

Boyd County Historical Society
P.O. Box 317
Lynch, NE 68746-0317
Phone: (402) 569-3196

Butte Community Historical Center & Museum
1st St. & Broadway (Hwy 12)
& 410 Thayer Street
Butte, NE 68722
Phone: (402) 775-2275

State Archives & Libraries:

The State Archive Division currently has census records from 1860-1920, newspapers dating back to territorial times, naturalization records, land records, Grand Army of the Republic records, county histories, family group sheets and files, maps, marriage records, deed records, probate records, and Nebraska state census records from 1885.

Write to:

State Archives Division
Nebraska State Historical Society
Division of Reference Services
1500 R Street, P.O. Box 82554
Lincoln, NE 68501-2554

Telephone: (402) 471-4771
Hours: Monday-Friday 9:30-4:30, Saturday 8:00-5:00, Sunday 1:30-5:00 closed state holidays.

Boyd County Libraries:

Hooker County Library (Facebook)
102 N. Cleveland Ave.
Box 479
Mullen, NE 69152

Lynch Village Library
PO Box 127
Lynch, NE 68746
Phone: (402) 569-3491

Spencer Township Library
PO Box 189
Spencer, NE 68777
Phone: (402) 589-1131

Back to the Boyd County, Nebraska Research page.