How do I find my ancestor's name?
Type either the first or last name into the search field. If you only know where he or she came from, type this into the "region" field.
What if my ancestor belonged to another church?
You won't find him or her in the St. Matthew's archives. Try the church where your ancestor belonged.
I did a search but my ancestor's name isn't displayed!
Try putting your mouse over the displayed record. You should see a pop-up window which gives more information, including godparents to a baptism or witnesses to a wedding. Look at all the names in the record to find your ancestor.
Why are there so many spelling variations in the entries?
Several different church clerks wrote these records (including the pastor, the Rev. Ludwig Müller himself). We've tried to transcribe exactly as written unless the meaning is clear ("Hann." for "Hannover", for instance). Names are in German because the congregation was German. In some later records English-style names are used (William George instead of Wilhelm Georg).
I searched for all people born in Prussia and can't find any.
In German church records the German version of the region would be used. Try Preussen instead. For Hesse-Darmstadt, keep in mind that the clerk may have written "Hessen" or "Darmstadt" according to the information he was given, so search for either of those terms as well. You can also use wildcards, e.g. "Hes*", which will turn up Hessen, Hesse, Hesse-Darmstadt.
What does the birthplace "A. Dorum" mean?
A. is an abbreviation for Amt, or "parish". This would mean Amt Dorum, Dorum parish in Germany.
I can't find my ancestor in this collection! Why not?
This collection includes a small selection from the St. Matthew's archives, about 1,000 or so names. If you know your ancestor belonged to this congregation but you don't see him or her here, check with the St. Matthew's archives. Your year may not be represented here.
My ancestor's name turned up in a search but where is he?
A search on a name or region may include a bride and groom, a baby's baptism, a confirmation, and even a death record. It can even include the godparents to a baptism or witnesses to a wedding. Look at all the names in the record to find your ancestor, and don't forget to "mouse-over" the record to see more details.
Do I need to search with umlauts?
You can search a name with an umlaut (Müller) or without (Muller). Either way you should find the surname. But note: unless the church record spells it "Mueller" you won't find that spelling here, even if it was spelled that way later on.
Okay, I'm ready to search!
Use the form below to search for your ancestors. Have fun, and contact us for any questions you may have.
What's in this collection
Available here are random photocopies of the original St. Matthew's church books, beginning in 1846 through 1910. Each page contains about twenty to thirty names over a span of one to two months, including (for baptisms and marriages) godparents and witnesses, plus dates of the event. On baptismal records occasionally the occupation of the father is noted. If it is provided and can be read it will be included. Deaths include name, date, age of the deceased, and reason for death. A few confirmations are also available, containing birthdates of individuals mentioned.
For dates outside this collection please contact the Carolina Room at the Charleston County Public Library, where a microfilm copy of the complete church records is available. Libary staff may be able to do a few look-ups per month for you if the name you're seeking isn't available here.
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