Forgotten Family: Pauper Records and Genealogy at the Delaware Public Archives

The Delaware Public Archives offers a treasure trove of genealogical resources, including centuries of vital records, wills, deeds, and more. Yet, many researchers inevitably face frustrating dead ends, where a family member seems to vanish without a trace—no birth record, no property records, no will or probate. How can we uncover the stories of these seemingly forgotten individuals?

Pauper records provide invaluable insights for filling these gaps, documenting the lives of those most often overlooked by history: the poor, illegitimate children, unwed mothers, and others marginalized by society. This presentation will explore the evolution of public welfare and poor relief in Delaware, the types of pauper records available to genealogists, and how to access these important resources through the Delaware Public Archives.

Presented by: Joe Sullivan, Delaware Public Archives

You may also like the following events from Delaware Public Archives:

• This month, 30th September, 04:30 pm, Tavern Talk - In Common Cause: Delaware’s Homefront in the Revolutionary War in Milton
• Next month, 4th October, 10:30 am, Home Is Where the Archive Is in Dover
• Next month, 21st October, 06:00 pm, Like Thieves in the Night: Crime and Punishment in Jazz-age Wilmington in Wilmington