-----Original Message----- From: Linda Thiessen [mailto:thiessen.linda@mcleodusa.net] Sent: Friday, March 16, 2001 12:12 AM To: MI-GENEALOGY-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [MI-Genealogy] Urgent-Montana connections! This was a response I received from a posting on a Montana mailing list I subscribe to regarding the destruction of ancestral records in Montana! I asked if there was any action I could take as my mother was born in Butte and I have an interest in preserving these records. I thought those of you with connections to Montana should be aware of the situation and hopefully will take action too! "I would think that the more who wrote the better. Make sure the families who write explain that they're interested in preserving their Montana family records, as the site requires a person to put their home address and they'll see it's from out of state. In the comment section, just mention the reasoning for wanting the bill to pass - their Montana ancestral records. If you have any other questions, Patti Marchington is heavily involved in Helena. Her email address is below." Please take the time read this message and respond to those mentioned below via e-mail. Subject: Urgent--SB 443 Hearing update for Genealogists & Historians, SB 443 had tons of opposition from the lobbyist for: The Clerk of District Court Assoc. The Clerk & Recorder's Assoc. The Treasurer Assoc. and opposition from the: The School Insurance Assoc. The State Fund for Workmen Comp. The State Historical Society Library The Secretary of State Brown's Office (I hope I didn't leave anyone out...) They brought up all kinds of things that twisted SB 443 into something that it wasn't. SB 443 only concerns Public Records that are being destroyed in County Courthouses...not anything to do with Workmen's Comp., School anything, etc. Only to give "Notice" to the Public...the State Historical Soc, Historical & Genealogy Soc., down to the Public to have a chance to Preserve our MT History! I showed the House-State Admin. Committee today, 3 Old Record Books originally from Park County Courthouse, that were thrown away. These are: 1897 Voter Registration Book (name, age, birthplace, & address were listed for each voter). 1889 Court Ledger Book...that on the last page has the old 1889 to 1890 marriage records. 1904 City of Livingston Census Book (has names of all family members, occupation of head of household, ages, & addresses). These books were "rescued" by a Historian that happened by the trash cans by the Courthouse and were "saved" in our local Yellowstone Gateway Museum here in Park County....But many, many other records have been lost forever. Our Park County has thrown away the old MT. Marriage Application Books...as many other counties have done, because the Clerk of District Court Assoc. has said they have to... (None of the MT Old Marriage Application Books from about 1865/1889 to 1960s have been copied!). No Courthouse is willing to tell exactly what records have been destroyed, how many, what they are, etc. We don't have an accounting on anything. I had really thought it would be a simple thing to just have the Courthouses to "post" on the wall of the Courthouse the list of Records that they didn't want (or had no room for). And since most Courthouses around MT have e-mail (with more coming on-line everyday), they could just e-mail the State Historical Society of that list of unwanted Records. The State Historical Society (that does not want these records) would look on their lists of local Historical & Genealogy Societies for the area in and around the County that doesn't want the records...and the Public & MT State Historical & Genealogy Societies would all be notified! Very little work on the part of the Courthouses. No cost to the County. After the listings of the local Historical & Genealogy Societies' e-mails on the State Historical Society Library Computer database...very little work (not compared to the priceless preserving of history). If Montana does not come up with a simple plan like this to preserve our MT History NOW....a lot more RECORDS WILL BE DESTROYED!!!! MT Courthouses do not have the space for these Records...they will not be expanding their Courthouse Buildings. They say Micro-filming is too expensive. The Montana Clerk of District Court & Clerk & Recorder Assoc.s will continue to hire their lawyers & lobbyist to tell the MT Researcher what Records we can see, what Records that will no longer exist, while they and all of the Courthouse clerks will be the only ones to have Access, BUT NOT THE PUBLIC. Please call or e-mail these House of Representatives on the House-State Administration Committee. House--State Administration Committee: Allan Walters, Chairman R - Hamilton Debby Barrett, Vice Chairman Majority R - Dillon Tom Dell, Vice Chairman Minority D - Billings Norma Bixby D - Lame Deer Dee Brown R - Hungry Horse Don Hedges R - Antelope Hal Jacobson D - Helena Larry Jent D - Bozeman Michelle Lee D - Livingston Larry Lehman R - Power Ralph Lenhart D - Glendive Gay Ann Masolo R - Townsend Doug Mood R - Seeley Lake Alan Olson R - Roundup Holly Raser D - Missoula Rick Ripley R - Wolf Creek Clarice Schrumpf R - Billings Frank Smith D - Poplar e-mail the House of Representatives: http://leg.state.mt.us/leg_msg.htm This House-State Administration Committee needs to hear from at least hundreds of MT Genealogists & Historians in the next couple of days! Please Support SB 443, we need everyone's help NOW! Patricia Marchington Member of Park County & the State Genealogy Society. marching@avicom.net