Genealogy

John and Rosalind Redfern Genealogical Research Center

Rosalind RedfernIn May of 1968, the Lieutenant William Brewer chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution placed a very small collection of genealogical research books in the library. Donations continued to be given by individuals and societies. In April of 1987, the collection was named the John and Rosalind Redfern Genealogical Research Center in reflection of past and ongoing support by the Redfern family.

With the funds left to the Center by Rosalind Redfern, the Redfern Genealogical Research Center (RGRC) has grown to house more than 60,000 items covering the entire United States and many foreign countries. Users visiting from many areas are richly rewarded by the outstanding genealogical research resource it has become. It has been ranked as one of the top five genealogy libraries in the state of Texas.Tree logo for Redfern Genealogical Research Center

Contact

(432) 742-7440 | Email
2503 W Loop 250 N
Midland, TX 79705



Genealogy Resources

The Redfern Genealogical Research Center offers thousands of print, microform, and digital documents for both library cardholders and non-cardholders to browse. Some resources are only available within the Research Center, but a staff member is available to assist. For more information, email the RGRC or call (432) 742-7440.

ancestry-library-edition-buttonAncestry Library Edition
Ancestry Library Edition brings the world’s most popular consumer online genealogy resource to your library. It’s an unprecedented online collection of individuals from North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and more.
ON-SITE ACCESS ONLY
fold3-library-edition-buttonFold3 Library Edition
Provides convenient access to U.S. military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served. Note: Does not work using Internet Explorer.
heritage-quest-buttonHeritageQuest
Digital, searchable images of U.S. federal census records with the digitized version of popular ProQuest Genealogy & Local History collection and other valuable content. Powered by Ancestry with more than 4.4 billion records and coverage dating back to the 1700s.
bibliography-native-north-americans-buttonBibliography of Native North Americans
A bibliographic database that covers the culture, history, and daily life of native North Americans, which is ideal for researching the contributions, struggles, and issues of North Americas indigenous peoples.
newspapers-com-buttonNewspapers.com
The largest online newspaper archive consisting of 640 million+ pages of historical newspapers from 20,400+ newspapers from around the United States and beyond.
LIBRARY CARD REQUIRED
texas-reference-center-button-240Texas Reference Center
A collection of journals and books about Texas and Texans with topics including the state's history, its ethnic and cultural diversity, literature, public health, business, leisure, and more.
texas-digital-sanborn-maps-buttonTexas Sanborn Digital Maps
Digital access to 2,118 large-scale maps of 436 Texas towns and cities, including Midland, Dallas, Houston, Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth, and San Antonio.


Genealogy Technology

rslogoReclamation Station
Technology changes so quickly, but the Redfern Genealogical Research Center has tools and technology available for digitizing and converting precious memories to more current formats. Digitize home movies on film or cassette, audio recordings, slides, negatives, and photos.

computer-station-genealogyDigital Microfilm
Archived issues of the Midland Reporter-Telegram dating back to 1929 are available on microfilm, as well as various census data. These documents are not searchable by keyword and must be searched manually.

Digital Book Scanner
A scanner specifically designed to digitize book pages at the correct angle is available for more precise scans. This device is useful for handling older materials that are fragile or at risk of damage if used with a traditional photocopier.


Requests for Genealogical Records

Staff in the Redfern Genealogical Research Center are available to conduct searches for records and other documents, as well as keep researchers up-to-date on newly acquired materials. Research requests include copying records, locating an obituary, and tracking surnames. Research requests are subject to the RGRC's request policy.


Presentations & Materials

Beginning GenealogyDownload Presentation
Freedmen's Bureau RecordsDownload Presentation
Grave SymbolsDownload Presentation
House HistoriesDownload Presentation
Irish GenealogyDownload Presentation | Download Handout (PDF)
Mayflower GenealogyDownload Presentation
Morbid Victorian GenealogyDownload Presentation
Native American GenealogyDownload Presentation
Organize Your ResearchDownload Presentation
Public RecordsDownload Handout (PDF)
Recommended Databases & WebsitesDownload Handout (PDF)
Scottish GenealogyDownload Handout (PDF)
Southern Colonial GenealogyDownload Presentation