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  • Home› Welcome to the FamilySearch Community!› Ask a Question› Search

    Records with key lock

    Melvin Neville
    Melvin Neville ✭
    July 30, 2021 edited August 15, 2024 in Search

    Hello Family Search, Thank you for this wonderful site. Why are some records locked with key symbol so that we have to go to library to see them? For example land and property records in Harford County Maryland. Many other records there like courts and wills are not locked, why these?

    Tagged:
    • New
    • restricted record
    0

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    Best Answer

    • Mike357
      Mike357 ✭✭✭✭
      July 31, 2021 Answer ✓

      @Melvin Neville, it looks like @Brett . has provided some excellent resources to help you understand why some records are restricted.

      You mentioned Harford County , Maryland land and property records. There is an excellent resource that is provided by the Maryland State Archives that will allow to view digit representations of the land records that you would find in the archives or the Hanford county clerk's office.

      Here is the link to MDLANDREC: https://mdlandrec.net/main/

      This service is free, but you will have to create an account. I don't know that Harford records can be found that, but I would expect so.

      Good luck in your searching.

      0

    Answers

    • Áine Ní Donnghaile
      Áine Ní Donnghaile ✭✭✭✭✭
      July 31, 2021 edited July 31, 2021

      When the records are marked with a key, they are locked from being viewed at home. Depending on the restrictions of the original record holder, you may be able to view them at a local Family History Center (when those reopen), a FamilySearch affiliate library, or, in some cases, only in Salt Lake City.

      Film/Digital Notes in the Catalog • FamilySearch

      https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/what-are-notes-or-film-digital-notes-in-the-catalog
      Learn about the Notes and Film/Digital Notes sections of the catalog.


      0
    • Melvin Neville
      Melvin Neville ✭
      July 31, 2021

      Why are there "restrictions of the original record holder"... what purpose does it serve? Is it money? privacy? Seems strange that in the same county at the same time land deeds are locked but wills and courts and others are open.

      0
    • Brett .
      Brett . ✭✭✭✭✭
      July 31, 2021

      @Melvin Neville

      I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...

      FYI

      For starters ...

      Here are some additional "Knowledge Articles" in 'FamilySearch':

      Why are there access restrictions on Historical Records?

      https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/why-are-there-access-restrictions-on-historical-records

      Access restrictions on Historical Records • FamilySearch

      https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/why-are-there-access-restrictions-on-historical-records
      Learn why access restrictions are placed on some of the records on our website and how to identify them.

      Why do some indexes have access limitations?

      https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/why-are-some-indexes-restricted

      Restricted indexes • FamilySearch

      https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/why-are-some-indexes-restricted
      Learn about restricted indexes and our mission to make more records available.

      What are the image restrictions in Historical Records?

      https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/what-are-the-image-restrictions-in-historical-records

      Image restrictions on Historical Records • FamilySearch

      https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/what-are-the-image-restrictions-in-historical-records
      View the list of image restrictions messages and what options are available.

      I hope this helps, somewhat.

      Brett

      0
    • Melvin Neville
      Melvin Neville ✭
      July 31, 2021

      @Brett . Thank you and best regards

      0
    • Brett .
      Brett . ✭✭✭✭✭
      July 31, 2021

      @Melvin Neville

      I just hope that those "Knowledge Articles" help you.

      Any, in-depth 'Questions', do not hesitate to ask ...

      Although, I doubt, whether I can 'Answer' them; but, I am certain, someone will

      All the best, to you too.

      Brett

      0
    • Julia Szent-Györgyi
      Julia Szent-Györgyi ✭✭✭✭✭
      July 31, 2021

      Make sure you're logged in and then refresh the catalog page. The keys may all disappear.

      Alternately, if you've checked the "keep me signed in" box, you may be able to just ignore the key and click on the camera to be taken to the images.

      1
    • Melvin Neville
      Melvin Neville ✭
      August 1, 2021

      @Mike357 Thank you! Perfect... the needed deed record images from 1798 thru 1838 are there!!

      Seems strange that they cannot be available on FamilySearch. I suppose it it is ok to upload pdf copies and attach to ancestors as sources and/or memories.

      Thanks again and best regards

      0
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