California, Collections of the California Genealogical Society, 1700-1942

What is in This Collection?

This collection includes records from 1700 to 1942. The records consist of genealogical collections located at the California Genealogical Society in Oakland. They include:

• Original ledgers listing burials in the San Francisco Odd Fellows (IOOF) cemetery, 1866-1905. The cemetery no longer exists
• Records of the San Francisco IOOF crematory and columbarium, 1865-1932. Includes records for individual cremations and inurnments as well as papers pertaining to the organization
• San Francisco Probate Register of Actions, 1906-1942. Ledgers listing all actions pertaining to each probate case in the period covered
• Surname index to vital records appearing in the Alta California and other Northern California newspapers, 1860-1861
• Records of the Phillips family in America, compiled by Henry Byron Phillips, former President of the California Genealogical Society. Each index card contains information on a specific individual related to the Phillips family
• Papers and index cards pertaining to the descendants and ancestors of Humphrey Griffin of Ipswich, Massachusetts, covering the period from 1600 to 1943.Compiled by Charles Frances Griffin, MD, former President of the California Genealogical Society

The collection is arranged by sub-collection and then date. The California Genealogical Society (CGS) was the first genealogical society formed in California, organized in San Francisco on February 12, 1898. One of the premier genealogical resources in Northern California, the society maintains a library in downtown Oakland in the historic Breuner Building. The CGS Library is rich in genealogy reference materials, both standard and unique. California is the major focus with special emphasis on the San Francisco Bay Area; however, the library is also particularly strong in other geographical areas such as New England, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The library has titles representing all fifty states.

Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.

To Browse This Collection

What Can These Records Tell Me?

The following information may be found in these records:

• Names
• Birth, marriage, or death dates
• Relationships
• Residencies
• Family groupings
• Burial information

Collection Content

Sample Image

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  Estate 1923