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Information and Instructions for Icaria Ancestor Certificate
The French Icarian Colony Foundation issues certificates to persons who are directly descended from Icaria Pioneers. Applicants must prove direct descent and prove that the ancestor settled in 
one of the Icaria Colonies in Texas, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa or California between 1848 and 1898.

Applicants may apply for certificates to be issued to themselves or to other persons. 

The purpose of the Certificate Program is to recognize families with Icaria roots, encourage
people to undertake genealogical research, and to provide genealogical resources for researchers
in our library.

INSTRUCTIONS:
A separate application is required for each certificate requested. The name of only
one ancestor can be identified on a certificate. Type or print all entries. Legibility is
important.

A complete application consists of the following:
1. An application form. Only the current version of the form provided by FICF will be
accepted. Please note that the final section of the form calls for a listing of the known
children of the ancestor, not the applicant or certificant.

2. A pedigree chart showing the ancestral line/lines of the person to whom the certificate is
to be issued. The chart must begin with the person to whom the certificate is to be issued
and extend through to the ancestor. The chart must show the dates and places of birth, death and marriage to the best of the applicant’s ability to provide them. A FICF chart is 
provided with the application form; however, any standard pedigree chart form (including computer-generated charts) is acceptable, provided it is on 8 ½ x 11” paper. Continuation sheets may be used.
3. A check, payable to the French Icarian Colony Foundation, for $10 for each certificate
requested.

4. Copies of your documentation.

5. If more than one certificate based on the same ancestor is requested, proof of the
ancestor’s settlement in one of the Icaria Colonies is required for only the first such application. The remaining applications should be cross-referenced to it. However, the application form, pedigree chart, and proof of descent are still required for each person for whom a certificate is requested.

Names and Dates:
1. Enter the name of the person to whom the certificate is to be issued and the 
name of the ancestor exactly as you want them to appear on the certificate.

2. Enter women’s surnames in the order in which acquired (e.g., Mary, the daughter of
John Jones, who married first Sam Brown and second Amos Black would be entered
as Mary Jones Brown Black). Do not use parentheses.

3. Enter dates in day, month, year format, using three-letter abbreviations for the month
(e.g., 12 Feb 1805).

Forms of proof:
Because these records are used as a genealogical resource by other researchers, all proof
of descent needs to be extracted from a primary source, such as an original document that
was created at the time of the event (i.e., marriage, census, etc.). County histories are not
acceptable as proof. In addition, published or unpublished genealogies, family histories
and family group sheets are also not acceptable as proof. Instead, submit the documents
(or extracts there from) that were used as proof for them.

1. Census records: copy of the record with year, volume and page number.

2. Land records: copy of the land deed.

3. Marriage records: copy of the record.

4. Will or probate records: copy of the record.

Documents that infer rather than establish the fact being claimed require corroboration.

Send the completed application, pedigree chart, proof of descent and proper
payment to:

Certificate Program
French Icarian Colony Foundation
710 Davis Avenue, Suite 1
Corning, Iowa 50841


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