Family Records: Which description best matches this category?

• A. A statement of fact about personal or family history contained in a family record such as a Bible, genealogy, chart, engraving on a ring, inscription on a portrait, or engraving on an urn or burial marker.
• B. A statement about ancestry in a government census.
• C. A statement about family history in a church newsletter.
• D. A statement about personal history in a newspaper obituary.

Answer: (A)

Family Records is about statements of personal or family history that are kept in items created and maintained by the family for genealogical or memorial purposes. Think of a Bible family record, a family genealogy chart, or an engraving on a ring, portrait, urn, or burial marker. These sources are private, family-focused records whose primary purpose is to preserve lineage and family history, which is why describing a personal or family history contained in such a record is the best fit.

The other options describe records or publications not maintained within the family for genealogical purposes: a government census is a public government record, a church newsletter is a church publication, and a newspaper obituary is a public notice in the press.