- Search the Database: Enter the surname or at least the first three letters. First name is optional. Match First will match the first 3 or more letters in your surname entry. Exact match searches the full entry as entered.
- Results Page: Lists those entries matching your criteria. Click on the name to create the printable page for that record.
- Results Aid: If you find multiples of the same name, and you know the Society number, it can identify the location and possibly the correct person.
CLICK HERE for Society Numbers List - Sample: Your case could have fewer items, but here is a sample of items that are often in the files.
CLICK HERE to see the sample - Before Ordering Check Against Missing Records: Age, water damage and other causes destroyed some periods of records. Before ordering, check your claim number against the master list to see if it is in a Missing period. If in a Missing period, there is no purpose for you to order a copy that is known not to exist. (Note: Even if not in a missing period, some individual records can be missing.)
CLICK HERE to CHECK AGAINST the MISSING PERIODS - Order Form: Orders must be requested with an order form.
CLICK HERE for ORDER FORM - Other PGSA Research Services
The Polish Roman Catholic Union of America was organized in 1882 as a mutual benefit society. It began selling fraternal insurance in 1887. Though it started in Detroit, it later moved to Chicago.
Early death claims (before about 1912) are names entered into ledger books, which is of little genealogical value. If the person became a PRCUA member prior to 1912, it is unlikely that an insurance application exists.
However, death claims afterward are valuable because a death certificate is usually part of the claim. Furthermore, often it is possible to find an application in the claim packet of a member who joined after 1912. The application is usually a good genealogical resource because it may shed light on the place of Polish birth plus information about the number of people in the family of the applicant. The documents might also include details about beneficiaries, especially addresses for those not living with the decedent.
Please Note:
The index contains 61,017 entries.
The database displays all records available for imaging.
The following are not available:
1. Early records (1887-1912) were ledger entries only – without documents.
2. Some documents were destroyed by water or other damage.
3. Later records (policies numbered 50200 and above) and cash surrenders are not accessible.
– If your policy is not available, your order and payment will be returned.