Florida State Genealogical Society, Inc.

Florida Pioneer Descendants
Certification Program

Applicant’s Workbook

Reviewed & Revised by FSGS Pioneer Committee – November 2008

FLORIDA STATE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY, Inc.

P 0. Box 10249, Tallahassee, FL 32302-2249

Welcome!

You are about to apply for a very prestigious award – a Florida Pioneer Certificate. This program began in January of 1978, one year after the formation of the Florida State Genealogical Society. Through the years, we have processed and approved over 4,977 applications! Many of your ancestors who were Pioneers prior to Florida statehood in 1845 have gone unnoticed in history, so this is a way to gather and preserve your family information and let your descendants benefit from your work.

The enclosed application forms may be used to apply for the following:

  • Florida Pioneer Descendant Certificate (State) – This award can be given to any person regardless of his or her place of residence, who shall provide documentary proof satisfactory to the committee, which establishes a solid chain of evidence that he or she has an ancestor who settled in Florida (present boundaries) before the state was admitted to the Union on 3 March 1845.
  • Florida Pioneer Descendant Certificate (County) – This award can be given to any person, regardless of his or her place of residence, who shall provide documentary proof satisfactory to the committee, establishing a solid chain of evidence that he or she has an ancestor who settled in a county of Florida (present boundaries) before the county was formed.
  • Memorial Pioneer Certificate – Awarded to recognize deceased lineal descendants of a Florida Pioneer for whom an FSGS Florida Pioneer certificate (state or county) has been issued.
  • Florida Pioneer Researcher Certificate – This award can be given to any person, regardless of his or her place of residence, who has successfully completed the research, on behalf of a Descendant, to establish a new, previously undocumented Pioneer. The Researcher should not be a Descendant of this Pioneer, but they may be eligible to receive a Descendant’s Certificate for a Pioneer in his or her own lineage.

Applications and all supporting documentation shall remain the property of the Florida State Genealogical Society and the Florida State Archives.

The Society maintains an Index of Pioneers, listing those Pioneers who are already proven as either residents of Florida prior to 1845 or as county residents prior to the formation of that county. Please check our web site at for a current list of proven Pioneers. You can order a copy of the Index of Pioneers from the Society’s Pioneer Committee.

This Applicant’s Workbook has been prepared to help guide you through the application process. The Florida Pioneer Descendants Certification Program has been updated and revised in order to adhere to the genealogical standards of the National Genealogical Society. We have expanded the instructions and guidelines and have updated the application forms. Only the current versionsof the application forms provided by FSGS are accepted. Applications submitted on other forms, including obsolete versions will be returned for resubmission. Therefore, please read all instructions carefully.

We wish you the very best toward your successful completion of your pioneer application!

Ann Mohr Osisek

President, Florida State Genealogical Society, Inc.

Revised – Nov 2008Page 1

Table of Contents

Introduction

Qualifications

1.Residency of the Pioneer Ancestor

2.Your Direct Line of Descent from the Pioneer Ancestor

Privacy Policy

The Application Process

Due Dates

June 30th

September 30th

Application Fees

Pioneer Application Fees

Membership Dues

Standards for Sound Genealogical Research

Using Pioneer Files for Research

How To Use the Pioneer Files for Research

Florida State Archives

Your Local Family History Center (FHC)

Florida Pioneer Descendants Certification Program

Standards Of Evidence

Definitions

Primary Sources

Secondary Sources

What Is Required?

Documentation

Family Group Sheets

Photocopying of Documents

Basic Rules Of Evidence

Source Citations

Photocopies/Transcriptions

Translations

Electronic Sources (CD-ROM or Internet)

Items Considered as Evidence

Items Not Accepted as Evidence

Instructions for Descendants Certificates

Standards

Steps Used to Prepare Your Application

Filling Out the Forms

Contact Information

Application

Checklist for Organizing Documents

Inventory Of Documents

Document Labels

Biographical Synopsis of Pioneer

Instructions for Multiple Descendants

Requirements

Instructions for a Memorial Certificate

Requirements

Instructions for Researcher Certificate

Requirements

Appendix #1 – Examples

Biographical Synopsis of Pioneer

State Certificate Application

Inventory of Documents

Appendix #2 – Blank Forms

General Information

Contact Information

State Certificate Application

County Certificate Application

Inventory of Documents

Checklist to Organize Documents

Document Labels

Biographical Synopsis of Pioneer

Researcher Certificate Application

Membership Application

Appendix #3 – Bibliography of Florida Resources

General

African-American

Census:

Churches & Cemeteries:

Land Records

Military:

Native American:

Territorial Period

Vital Records:

Internet Sites:

County Formation Dates

Introduction

As a Descendant of a Florida Pioneer, you have embarked on the exciting process of documenting your Florida roots. Upon the successful completion of your Pioneer Descendant’s application, your hard work will be preserved, not only in the records of the Florida State Genealogical Society, Inc., but also at the Florida State Archives where the Pioneer files are microfilmed and available to other researchers. You will be making a significant contribution to your family’s heritage by including them as a part of Florida’s history.

In order to maintain the high standards of the Florida Pioneer Descendants Certification Program, the FSGS Board of Directors reviewed and revised the Pioneer Program (Nov 2000) in order to adhere to the genealogical standards of the National Genealogical Society (see page 6).

One significant change concerns “Supplemental” applications. The standards of evidence have continually changed during the 30 plus years of the Pioneer Program, and as a result, the documentation in the Pioneer files varies widely. Generally, supplemental files contain limited documentation; often only an Application, an Inventory of Documents and the documents for the current applicant. Therefore, effective as of the 2001 Pioneer Program year, all Pioneer applications must include a complete set of the supporting documentation for all generations. You can obtain copies of the documentation from approved Pioneer files to include in your own application. (See Using Pioneer Files for Research on page 6.)

This Applicant’s Workbook includes all of the updated instructions and an Appendix that includes all of the forms (on page 22) needed to apply for a Florida Pioneer Certificate. A Bibliography of Florida Resources (on page 41) is also included to assist you in your research.

All applications and the supporting documentation become the property of the Florida State Genealogical Society, Inc. and the Florida State Archives.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for a Florida Pioneer Descendant’s Certificate, you will need to prove:

  1. Residency of the Pioneer Ancestor

This will either be proof of residency in the Florida Territory, prior to Florida statehood (present boundaries) on 3 March 1845 for a State Certificate; or proof of residency in a Florida county prior to the county’s formation for a County Certificate. (See County Formation Dates on page 45.)

  1. Your Direct Line of Descent from the Pioneer Ancestor

This is where you will prove the relationship between each generation, beginning with the earliest Pioneer and ending with yourself and/or your children/grandchildren as the last generation. Bloodline descent only is accepted; adopted children do not qualify as a step in lineage.

Privacy Policy

One of the purposes in compiling your Florida lineage is to provide the same opportunity to others through the records you provide. In order to protect and preserve the documents of the pioneer descendants, FSGS deposits the approved applications at the Florida State Archives in Tallahassee. This provides continued information and assistance to all applicants and descendants in addition to protecting and preserving your family’s history.

Your documents will be available to the public in their original form and on microfilm. Other genealogical libraries and repositories will also have access to the microfilm.

Decisions regarding usage, copying, and filming are totally controlled by the management and personnel of the Florida State Archives.

Your signature on the Pioneer Application indicates your acknowledgement that you understand that the materials you submit will be available to the public.

The Application Process

  1. Complete all applicable forms for the type certificate for which you are applying and prepare one set of supporting documents. This is your Working Copy. Please sign this copy of the application – you will not need to have it notarized at this time. Mail to:

Florida Pioneer Descendants Certification Program

PO Box 3761, Cocoa, FL 32924

Remember to keep copies for yourself.

  1. You will receive an email notification that your application has been received. Your application is then assigned to a team of two (2) Reviewers, one of which will be your contact person during the application process.
  2. After each Reviewer has reviewed your application, you will be notified of any corrections or additions needed to complete your application. Please allow 30-60 days for your application(s) to be reviewed.
  3. Upon the approval of your application, your Reviewer will advise you as to the additional forms, copies and/or documentation needed to finalize your application. These should be mailed directly to the Reviewer.
  4. Applications that are not approved are retained by FSGS as “Open/Pending” applications and you may re-activate the file at a later date, without incurring additional application fees (see below), should you obtain additional documentation to successfully complete your application.
  5. Certificates are awarded at the FSGS Annual Conference during a gala banquet. We encourage you to attend this prestigious event and meet the FSGS Board, the Florida Pioneer Committee, and other Florida Pioneer Descendants and Researchers. A press release is sent to the newspaper servicing the host city of the conference to publicize those receiving certificates at the banquet. If you are unable to attend the banquet when the certificates are awarded, we will mail your certificate(s) to you after the conference. A press release will also be sent to your local newspaper.

Due Dates

June 30th

In order to receive a certificate at the Annual Conference, the Working Copy of the application must be postmarked by June 30th. However, we do encourage you to submit your application(s) early in the year as applications are generally reviewed beginning in the spring of each year. Each application is reviewed by two volunteers and can take up to 60 days to complete.

Applications received after June 30th will be reviewed during the next year.

September 30th

All Final Copies of the application (including two (2) notarized copies of the application/line of descent form) along with all documents, forms, and certificate fees are due and must be postmarked by September 30th.

Application Fees

Pioneer Application Fees

There is a $30 application fee for each application that can include multiple pioneers and multiple descendants that are in a direct family line of descent. This fee is due when the application is submitted. Once the application is approved, there is a $5 per certificate fee.

Membership Dues

All Pioneer applicants – Descendants and Researchers – are required to be a member of FSGS. (See Membership Application on page 39) Individual Membership is $25 and each additional member in the same household is $5 each. Minor children (under age 18) are not required to be members (although many choose to do so) when included in their parent’s Pioneer application. Applicants must be current FSGS Members before a pioneer application is reviewed.

Revised – Nov 2008Page 1

Standards for Sound Genealogical Research

Recommended by the National Genealogical Society

Remembering always that they are engaged in a quest for truth, family history researchers consistently:

  • Record the source for each item of information they collect.
  • Test every hypothesis or theory against credible evidence, and reject those that are not supported by the evidence.
  • Seek original records, or reproduced images of them when there is reasonable assurance they have not been altered, as the basis for their research conclusions.
  • Use compilations, communications and published works, whether paper or electronic, primarily for their value as guides to locating the original records, or as contributions to the critical analysis of the evidence discussed in them.
  • State something as a fact only when it is supported by convincing evidence, and identify the evidence when communicating the fact to others.
  • Limit with words like "probable" or "possible" any statement that is based on less than convincing evidence, and state the reasons for concluding that it is probable or possible.
  • Avoid misleading other researchers by either intentionally or carelessly distributing or publishing inaccurate information.
  • State carefully and honestly the results of their own research, and acknowledge all use of other researchers’ work.
  • Recognize the collegial nature of genealogical research by making their work available to others through publication, or by placing copies in appropriate libraries or repositories, and by welcoming critical comment.
  • Consider with open minds new evidence or the comments of others on their work and the conclusions they have reached.

© 1997, 2002 by National Genealogical Society.

Permission is granted to copy or publish this material provided it is reproduced in its entirety, including this notice.

Using Pioneer Files for Research

The Pioneer files contain much useful information and you can request copies of these documents to assist you in your own research. However, the documentation in the Pioneer files does vary widely and many documents acceptable in prior years may not be acceptable today. Most lineage organizations have updated their standards and requirements in recent years and now require a full set of currently acceptable documentation when an application is submitted. Therefore:

  • Effective in 2001, all Pioneer applications/files submitted must include the actual copies of the documentation used by the current applicant(s) to prove the residency of the Pioneer and the relationships between all generations listed on the application. The Inventory of Documents can no longer simply refer to the documentation provided in other Pioneer files.
  • You can obtain copies of the documents pertinent to your research from existing Pioneer files. (See page 7.)

How to Use the Pioneer Files for Research

Begin by checking the Index of Pioneers on theFSGS web site at determine whether your Pioneer has already been established. The Index of Pioneers is sorted by Pioneer name and includes the name of the descendant(s) who currently hold certificates along with their certificate number. Applications up through 1995 have been filmed by the Latter Day Saints and the Family History Library (FHL) film number is included in the Index of Pioneers.

Several files are “Supplemental” and refer only to the documentation located in other Pioneer files. These supplemental files may not contain any documents pertinent to your research and may only contain an application and the Inventory of Documents (formerly called SRL) or a Cross Reference Sheet, listing the file where the documentation is located.

  • When looking at older files prior to 2001, the lowest certificate number for a Pioneer is generally the “main” file with the most documents.
  • After 2001, applications for multiple pioneers in a direct family line may have been submitted at the same time, in the same year. Applications are filed according to the Pioneer’s name and in order to cut down on the amount of paper/copies, the documentation is generally filed under the earliest Pioneer in that line. A Cross Reference Sheet, listing the file where the documents are located, will be the only “documentation” in the files of the other Pioneers listed for that year.
  • After 2001, multiple generations of Descendants may be included within one application. The earliest Descendant is listed with the main certificate number (i.e. # 1234) and subsequent generations are listed with a suffix (i.e. #1234-A or #1234-A1).

Do not forget to look for spouses, parents or children of your Pioneer Ancestor who may also be established pioneers. Use the Index of Pioneers to direct you to the files that may contain useful information pertinent to your Pioneer.

Copies can be obtained from the following locations:

Florida State Archives

R.A. Gray Building

500 South Bronough Street

Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250

850-487-2073

Please request copies by the Pioneer Name and Certificate Number to ensure you receive the correct information. You will receive copies of the entire Pioneer file, not specific documents. Reproduction costs and postage charges apply. Contact the Florida State Archives for current charges. The Florida State Archives is open Monday – Saturday and maintains a paid staff.

Your Local Family History Center (FHC)

Pioneer Certificates awarded up through 1995 have been microfilmed and the film can be ordered through your local Family History Center. Visit the FSGS web site for a list of FHL film numbers at

Florida Pioneer Descendants Certification Program

PO Box 3761

Cocoa, FL 32924

FSGS has a limited number of volunteers and resources to handle research requests. There is no guarantee that there will be a volunteer in the same city where the FSGS files are located. Therefore, please request copies of Pioneer records from either the Florida Archives or your Local Family History Center.

Revised – Nov 2008Page 1

Standards Of Evidence

Definitions

Primary Sources

A record that was created at or near the time an event took place by someone closely associated with the event. Also called original document, original record, or original source.

Secondary Sources

A source of information created or compiled from original records, compiled records, or both. Secondary sources are good sources of information, but they must be evaluated for accuracy.

From Family History Source Guide, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Derivative Source