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History

Genealogy & Census Data

Census records can provide the building blocks of your research, allowing you to both confirm information, and to learn more.

Usually, you can begin searching census data if you know your relative's first and last name as well as the state they resided in at the time of the census.

Here are a few ways you can begin to research your ancestors:

About this page

Now is a great time to be researching history!  Every day, more and more content that was previously accessible only in special collections and archives is now being scanned, digitized, and posted on the web.

Search for primary source documents both online and in the library catalog.

Doane University Archives

If you are doing research on a Doane topic, refer to the Doane University Archives research guide to access the directory of the archives.

Special Digitized Collections in the Doane Library

The library has purchased the following collections of primary source documents for your use:

Digitized Collections - Nebraska

Here are websites specific to Nebraska:

Other Digitized Collections

This is a representative list of history websites that might be helpful in your research. Ask at the Circulation Desk to consult the following books, which are in Course Reserves (under Dr. Jarvis' name), for more websites:
  • The American history highway : a guide to Internet resources on U.S., Canadian, and Latin American history, by Dennis Trinkle
  • U.S. history matters : a student guide to U.S. history online, by Kelly Schrum