Google: Finding Record Collections

Try to find out what exists in the time and place where you are researching. Google images can often help with this. If Grandpa got married in Iowa in 1886 do a "marriage record" Iowa 1886 search and see what people have found - it won't be your person but you will see the kinds of records that exist in your time period and place.

When finding online databases and collections use three components

Keyword that describes the kind of record (see below for ideas)

Type descriptor - the best are database or collection or "digital collection" or archive - if too much comes back try adding terms like historical or colonial or early

Place - add: Iowa or "Green County" Missouri etc. or "Silver City" Nevada