Donna-Peggy: Thanks to you both for your wonderful input and yes, I too, have learned a lot of research from books and how to articles on the internet. Shows my age doesn't it. I agree the records should be made free to the taxpayers on a government website not sold to all the other companies. After all it is our tax dollars that created those records, but when does that count for anything anymore with either party. I am afraid future genealogists won't be able to get much information, paid or unpaid as they tighten up on all this stuff, and it is sad. Besides that I am glad I won't be around to research back into these present years with all the illigitmate children and half with no records of the fathers or several different fathers in the family, etc., it will be a nightmare. Unless the people of today make some kind of record and lots don't and won't, it will be next to impossible, and we think we have a hard time ha ha! Happy researching and hopefully newbies will learn from all your good information. And we "oldies" can be reminded of things we may have forgotten. Lee Ripp. ----- Original Message ----- From: <bowers-request@rootsweb.com> To: <bowers@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, July 12, 2008 2:01 AM Subject: BOWERS Digest, Vol 3, Issue 24 > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. [Fwd: [Fwd: Re: [BOWER] BOWER Digest, Vol 3, Issue > 23]] > (D. Hinson) > 2. [Fwd: [Fwd: Re: [BOWER] NARA agreements with > subscription > services]] (D. Hinson) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:07:28 -0500 > From: "D. Hinson" <dhinson@suddenlink.net> > Subject: [BOWERS] [Fwd: [Fwd: Re: [BOWER] BOWER Digest, > Vol 3, Issue > 23]] > To: BOWER-L@rootsweb.com, BOWERS-L@rootsweb.com > Message-ID: <48779350.9020500@suddenlink.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; > format=flowed > > Peggy is right. Before the BLM site was available, I > requested the > "whole file" from NARA. In fact, when requesting > anything, you should > always request "everything" in the file because you never > know what else > is there. I also have immigration papers...there too, > request the whole > file. Thanks for all your helpful information Peggy. > These are things > many of us have read over the years but may have forgotten > and also many > newbies can use this info. With the Internet today, many > aren't reading > some the books us oldies have...like North Carolina > Research by Helen > Leary and many other books...and there's not one single > book that covers > everything. Thanks! > > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Re: [BOWER] BOWER Digest, Vol 3, Issue 23 > Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:02:59 -0400 > From: Peggy K. Reeves <peg@reevesweb.com> > Reply-To: bower@rootsweb.com > To: bower@rootsweb.com > References: > <mailman.223.1214031701.27462.bower@rootsweb.com> > > > > Yes, this the Bureau of Land Management has a great > website, and there > is a lot that you can do with it. But don't think that > what you see > here is all that you get. > > The only thing that you can print from this site is the > actual patent > certificate. For each transaction listed at this site, > there will be a > file of paperwork at NARA in D.C. For transactions marked > "cash entry", > there won't be much more than the cash receipt showing how > much the > patentee paid for the land. But for other transactions > there will be > more information. If the transaction was given under the > "script > warrant act", that means it was probably bounty land from > an 1812 > soldier. There would be a bounty land file at NARA, and > soldiers' > records. If the transaction is marked "homestead", there > would be a > file of records that would include a questionnaire filled > out by the > homesteader, giving his age and details about his tract of > land--improvements that he had made such as buildings, > orchards, > livestock, etc... There would also be affidavits from > several of his > neighbors, answering the same questions and verifying the > truth of the > homesteader's statements. > > There are many, many, diverse records at NARA and other > places that are > not online and never will be, because the man hours and > equipment needed > to scan it and put it online would be prohibitive. > > When using this site, it is important to remember that > this does not > include all patentees from all states. This site only > lists the > ORIGINAL patentees who purchased their land through the > federal > government. If your ancestor went to Oklahoma or > somewhere else and > bought their land from somebody else, they will not be > listed at this > site. Also remember that spelling definitely DOES NOT > COUNT! Search > every weird spelling of the name, because the same person > could have > more than one land transaction with the name spelled > different ways. > That is very common at this site. > > Another thing you can do with this site is set it on the > other search > tab (the one that does not come up as the default). With > that, you can > put in the coordinates of a piece of land and get a list > of names of the > other original patentees in that same township. Often > there are > relatives on adjoining tracts. > > Happy hunting! > > Peggy Reeves > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: BOWER Digest, Vol 3, Issue 23 > From: bower-request@rootsweb.com > To: bower@rootsweb.com > Date: Saturday, June 21, 2008 3:01:41 AM >> Today's Topics: >> >> 1. Bureau of Land Mgmt records (D. Hinson) >> >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> Message: 1 >> Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:35:44 -0500 >> From: "D. Hinson" <dhinson@suddenlink.net> >> Subject: [BOWER] Bureau of Land Mgmt records >> To: BOWER-L@rootsweb.com, BOWERS-L@rootsweb.com, >> skipper@rootsweb.com >> Message-ID: <485BC040.5050006@suddenlink.net> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; >> format=flowed >> >> This is a fantastic site if you have never used it. A >> reminder that >> records may have been added to the the BLM site since we >> all last looked >> at it. For those who aren't familiar with it, you can >> print out the >> records of govt lands sold/transferred to individuals. >> Government land >> did not include the original 13 colonies. You can do a >> search of all >> states or just by a single state. >> >> Click on Search Database at the top of the main page. >> You can order >> certified copies if you like but for genealogy, it's not >> really >> necessary. You should be able to print out the records >> very clearly on >> your printer at home. >> >> Donna H. >> >> http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/ >> >> >> > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > BOWER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the > message > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com > Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.4.7/1543 - Release > Date: 7/9/2008 6:32 PM > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:45:21 -0500 > From: "D. Hinson" <dhinson@suddenlink.net> > Subject: [BOWERS] [Fwd: [Fwd: Re: [BOWER] NARA agreements > with > subscription services]] > To: BOWER-L@rootsweb.com, BOWERS-L@rootsweb.com > Message-ID: <48780CB1.3080802@suddenlink.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; > format=flowed > > I think we've all been hoping for more digitized documents > online, but > yes, it's a concern that many records may end up being > commercialized. > I never contributed to Family Treemaker's constant > requests for family > trees because I could see this happening and then my data > would be > copyrighted by them. I'm always willing to exchange > information with > others, but I do not like the idea of "giving" my data > only to find it > being sold to people. This is a big problem in the > "Information Age." > I worked in the space program and we often discussed this > some years > back....that eventually "information" would come with a > fee. And, it has. > > Having worked for the government, I've seen how many > things have been > "contracted out." It used to be that when one party was > in office, more > tasks were contracted out, and when the opposing party > elected, work was > brought back inhouse. Now, "contracting out" or > "outsourcing" is the > norm no matter. Having also worked with govt contracts, I > can tell you > that outsourcing is not always cheaper. The company the > work is > outsourced to must now make a profit whereas the work done > inhouse was > not profit based. One can make the argument that employee > costs are > less but that was not what I saw. So, it was upsetting to > me when NARA > contracted out services. Price for copies went up a lot. > We, the > taxpayers, paid for all these records to begin with so > it's always been > my opinion that they should be available to the taxpayers. > > LDS has a great deal of microfilm and with people > volunteering, it > should be available on their site and not on a "pay for > view" site. I'm > sure it is costly to maintain the computer system to house > the data. > Computer programmers are not cheap. I felt "renting" > films from LDS was > reasonably priced for people who were not near enough to > use NARA, > branches, or other genealogical libraries. So, it is with > hope that > they will make it reasonably priced and on their site. If > not, I would > suggest complaining to them. I was a volunteer at a FHC > for about a > year, and most volunteers there were not of the Mormon > faith either. > Where there was no other library available, they made > records available > to people at a reasonable cost. I was also fortunate > enough to live in > the Houston area where Clayton Library is a wonderful > public > genealogical library. Their friends group numbers 1,000 > and contributes > a large amount of money regularly to the purchase of > microfilm, books, > and other media and many members volunteer at the library > because there > is never enough money in budgets to staff it. > > I think if we want to see America's records remain > available to us, we > must be vigilant and tell our Congressmen/women we believe > these records > need to remain owned by the people and not given to > private companies to > sell to us. Personally, I think some of our tax money > should go toward > digitizing and placing records on government websites. We > seem to have > money to throw away on many other things, like the 2-lane > road they are > enlarging to 5 lanes near me that's in the middle of > nowhere and hardly > used as it is. My motto is "complain, complain, > complain." The squeaky > wheel does get oiled. > > And, thanks Peggy for the inside scoop. I've pasted 2 > websites below > you all might want to check out. > > Donna > > > Press releases.....LDS gave 1860 census images to Footnote > + other releases. > http://www.footnote.com/page/120/footnote-press-room/ > > Here is the site for Eastman's Gen. newsletter which talks > about the LDS > project...with comments from others....from last year: > > http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2007/05/familysearch_to.html > > > > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Re: [BOWER] NARA agreements with subscription > services > Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:50:22 -0400 > From: Peggy K. Reeves <peg@reevesweb.com> > Reply-To: bower@rootsweb.com > To: bower@rootsweb.com > References: > <mailman.26341.1215628009.9525.bower@rootsweb.com> > > > > I agree with the messages posted below, but I'll add to > it, probably > more than you want to know... > > There is one message after another on the lists where the > LDS are asking > for volunteers to do indexing, etc... to help get things > online. What > they aren't telling you (but I will), is that your > good-natured and > well-intentioned volunteer work is going to be handed to > the > subscription services and sold back to you and me and > everyone else. > This is how ancestry started. As more records were > scanned, the prices > went way up, until the average person can't afford it any > more. NOW > there are many new subscription services and genealogical > products for > sale. These various subscription services were started > and are owned by > members of the LDS church. Literally EVERY genealogy > software program > is also owned by the LDS church. > > Here's how it works: the subscription services (such as > Footnote.com) > enter into contracts with NARA and other record > repositories. (by the > way, NARA posts proposed contracts online at their website > for public > view). These subscription services also have "agreements" > with the LDS > familysearch.org people. What it boils down to is that > the business > (which cannot be owned outright by the church or they > would lose their > tax-exempt status) enters into the contract with NARA or > whoever, but > they don't hire a full staff to go in there and do the > work. The LDS > church recruits volunteers to do scanning and indexing, > etc... so that > Footnote can add it to their collection and sell it back > to the rest of > us at tremendous profit. Those who volunteer for LDS > indexing projects > are working for the subscription services for free, most > of the time > without even knowing it. > > How do I know this? I am a paid researcher in Washington > D.C. I work > side-by-side with these people in the research rooms at > NARA...at least > I used to. Now NARA has given the LDS volunteers their > own room to do > what they want (so that people like me can't blow the > whistle on what > they're doing), even without NARA employee supervision. > You can walk by > their room and look in the window and see them handling > old records, in > there without any NARA employees (now that I have said > this, they will > probably start covering the window). The rest of us are > watched > constantly in the research rooms, and have to sign our > files out one at > a time, and have many other tedious rules for sign-in and > sign-out that > we must follow that the LDS "volunteers" do not have to > follow. They > can have a cart of pension files in front of them, but I > am only allowed > to order 4 in each "pull", and even then I have to sign > them in and out > at the desk one at a time. > > The big scanning project that footnote is currently > working on has to do > with the Civil War widow's pension files. They are > starting with the > first group of them. The volunteers doing it were wearing > familysearch.org nametags when they first started, at > least until some > of us "regulars" noticed and starting making some noise > about it. But > if you think you're going to see pension file images for > free at their > site, OH, no way! We are all going to have to pay bigtime > when Footnote > starts adding those online. The price is going to > skyrocket for that > subscription, just like ancestry. You might get the index > for free, but > you will pay for the images--AND, just try and print a > readable copy of > an image on footnote. Good luck! It doesn't allow you to > print a > normal full-sized page because they have to have their > banner and logo > and footer cluttering the page, often making the images > too small to read. > > I am not against making things available online, but > here's the rub... > Whenever a record group gets microfilmed or scanned at > NARA, NARA takes > the originals out of circulation and no one gets to > request the original > documents any more. That is NARA's rule. That means we > are doomed to > the poor-quality scans, omissions, and goofed-up indexes > made by people > who aren't necessarily familiar with reading old > handwriting. What they > are really doing is making a number of records disappear > from our view > forever! The technology certainly exists to do > high-quality color > scanning, but that is not what the LDS volunteers and > footnote are > doing. Thus, many of the yellowed or brown or blue paper > in the old > files becomes barely readable when scanned--even though > the original > might be perfectly readable. > > There is a press release about the "partnership" with NARA > at the > fammilysearch.org website. In it, they make many claims > that simply are > not true, and I know this from firsthand experience at > NARA. They even > have the nerve to claim that people can't see a lot of > NARA records even > if they go there in person. This is preposterous--I go > there in person > all the time, and the NARA staff bring whatever records I > request! > (unless they are already microfilmed or scanned). Anyone > can go to NARA > and request to see the federal government records that are > housed there > (unless they are too recent and are still protected by > privacy laws). > > The outright lying and deception that goes on in order for > the > subscription services to make money is really shameful, > and not > something that any church should be associated with. ALL > OF US own the > records of the federal government, and they should NOT be > taken out of > our view and held at ransom by the LDS church. Many > courthouses already > will not allow access to the originals once the LDS church > has filmed > them. They tell you to "order it from them". > > Postings where the LDS members are recruiting more > volunteers should be > considered deceptive advertising spam, because that's > exactly what it is. > > Folks, if you want to do something for free, like free > indexing or > abstracting, or something like that--then please volunteer > to do lookups > and make copies in your area and exchange favors with > others who are > doing the same thing. Othewise, all of our history will > eventually be > OWNED by the Mormons. Need I remind you, this is the same > group that > will not EVER correct ANY mistake in their ancestral > database, no matter > how much hard evidence you have to show that they are > wrong. If your > ancestor got "sealed" to the wrong person--too bad! It's > staying there > for eternity. > > Peggy Reeves >> My local genealogy librarian mentioned that a lot of >> databases and >> images have been uploaded to the LDS Family History site >> recently. It >> appears more will be added and this is a trial. They >> also need >> volunteers to index. Look in the upper right corner for >> the red square >> where it says "Go" and click there. This is something >> we've all been >> hoping for since Ancestry has taken over so much which is >> now fee-based >> and especially since it's costing more in gas to get to >> genealogy >> libraries and courthouses. >> >> http://www.familysearch.org/ >> >> >> >> Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 10:33:45 -0500 >> From: "Leola Ripperger" <leeripp@iland.net> >> Subject: Re: [BOWER] New data on LDS site >> To: <bower@rootsweb.com>, <BOWER-L@rootsweb.com>, >> <BOWERS-L@rootsweb.com>, <skipper@rootsweb.com> >> Message-ID: <001501c8e1d9$71182620$0400000a@Leola> >> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; >> charset="iso-8859-1"; >> reply-type=original >> >> Be very careful about taking that information as gospel >> as I have >> already found an error in Abraham Bowers and apparently >> the link to >> report the error or write them is not working as I >> couldn't get a >> message to go thru. They show in the 1880 census that >> Abraham is the >> son of Daniel and Sara J. Bowers, born in Mo. and died in >> KS. and >> this is incorrect. Daniel is the son of an Abraham >> Bowers who was >> born in Tenn. and died in Eureka Springs, Ark., and had a >> farm at >> Proctor, Mo. Daniel was my husband's gr-grandfather and >> Abraham his >> gr-gr-grandfather. >> >> The LDS has done a lot of wondrous things for genealogy, >> but they are >> not known for accuracy or correcting errors when found. >> I know they >> take what is submitted to them and if they get bad >> information there >> isn't much that can be done I guess, but I would think >> their indexers >> should be more careful in doing their job. If one >> volunteers for >> something one should do the best they can to be sure it >> is accurate >> when they submit it in my estimation, same with doing >> genealogy. A >> gathering of names is not genealogy as many people think >> it is. One >> should verify, verify and verify again, not just be a >> name collector! >> >> Thanks for letting me express my thoughts today on my >> little >> bandwagon. >> >> Lee Ripp. >> Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:57:35 -0500 >> From: "D. Hinson" <dhinson@suddenlink.net> >> Subject: Re: [BOWER] New data on LDS site >> Cc: BOWER-L@rootsweb.com, skipper@rootsweb.com, >> BOWERS-L@rootsweb.com >> Message-ID: <4874FC0F.5070108@suddenlink.net> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; >> format=flowed >> >> It would definitely be nice if we could stick "post-it" >> notes to things >> that we know are incorrect so it would be of help to >> others. I have a >> marriage bond for my gggg-grandfather where my >> gggg-grandmother's name >> is spelled Easton when it is really Eason. That >> incorrect spelling >> stumped me for a long time since the surname Eason was so >> prevalent in >> the area, but not Easton. A will finally proved it was >> Eason. >> >> On vital records, we cannot make changes and when I've >> asked some of the >> counties on Genweb, I was also told they could not >> correct any >> records. A lot of errors were made by not just people >> doing indexes, >> such as on the census indexes (books) but also by the >> census takers >> themselves. Many names were spelled incorrectly, even >> places of birth >> were incorrect. I have seen pages and pages of MS census >> records where >> a stamp was used for every line saying MS was place of >> birth! That was >> one lazy census taker. >> >> On any genealogy data, people should obtain the records >> to verify the >> data. Maybe newbies don't know this, but us oldies, who >> were >> researching before the Internet and have seen what errors >> are on the >> Internet and submitted to LDS, should know. >> >> On the latest info on the LDS site, I was able to print >> and save to my >> hard drive the actual death certificates from some of my >> TX Bowers. So >> you can go from the index of names to the actual >> certificate and see the >> information. Just remember to try different spellings >> just as we always >> have done. The death certificates were in .jpg format so >> you can save >> in a file and use any photo software to view and print >> from your >> computer. The digital copies for some census years, and >> also the 1850 >> slave schedules, are available, although much of the >> census for all >> decades are available through Heritage Quest from home >> via your library >> in many cities. Ancestry is also available at many >> libraries. However, >> I have never liked Ancestry's database search. If you >> want to narrow >> your search, it's almost impossible. If I mark the >> surname for TN only, >> I get names from other states with pages and pages to >> look through. >> While I have found things on Ancestry, I know that their >> database search >> could be better programmed. My work with programmers and >> databases >> tells me that they want people to take longer to >> search....it makes them >> more money for you to have to go through pages and pages >> of names even >> after you tried filtering your search. >> >> So, I think the images of birth, marriage and death >> records, and census >> records on LDS will be a big help. Errors on any index >> will always be a >> problem. It was difficult to read the writing in many >> cases and some >> microfilm is not that good either. So we have to keep >> that in mind. >> And with all the digitized records becoming available to >> us, it should >> become far easier to check out the family pedigrees >> submitted to LDS. I >> might add, on the DAR site, there are some patriot lines >> "on hold" for >> future applicants because original data is now in >> question. So, the >> advice is.....check out the data and prove your line and >> note what you >> have proved and what you haven't. >> >> I want to add another item my librarian pointed out. We >> live in an >> electronic world, BUT, we have already seen that photos >> we scanned in >> years ago are in formats unreadable by some current >> software. She >> advised that you backup your hard drive files where you >> save the digital >> copies but also print out a copy of things as well. She >> said some old >> genealogy CD's can no longer be read and what we have now >> may not be >> what's used in the future. Technology is changing fast >> and we have no >> idea whether that CD you made of your family will be >> readable 20 years >> from now nor do we know rate of deterioration either. >> Remember, paper >> contains acid and if you plan to donate copies to >> libraries or give to >> family, use acid-free paper. >> >> Lee, I think your topic was very important so I took the >> liberty to add >> to it and hope it helps someone. If anyone can think of >> anything else, >> please chime in. >> >> Donna > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > BOWER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the > message > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com > Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.4.7/1543 - Release > Date: 7/9/2008 6:32 PM > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > To contact the BOWERS list administrator, send an email to > BOWERS-admin@rootsweb.com. > > To post a message to the BOWERS mailing list, send an > email to BOWERS@rootsweb.com. > > __________________________________________________________ > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > BOWERS-request@rootsweb.com > with the word "unsubscribe" without the quotes in the > subject and the body of the > email with no additional text. > > > End of BOWERS Digest, Vol 3, Issue 24 > ************************************* > >

I think we've all been hoping for more digitized documents online, but yes, it's a concern that many records may end up being commercialized. I never contributed to Family Treemaker's constant requests for family trees because I could see this happening and then my data would be copyrighted by them. I'm always willing to exchange information with others, but I do not like the idea of "giving" my data only to find it being sold to people. This is a big problem in the "Information Age." I worked in the space program and we often discussed this some years back....that eventually "information" would come with a fee. And, it has. Having worked for the government, I've seen how many things have been "contracted out." It used to be that when one party was in office, more tasks were contracted out, and when the opposing party elected, work was brought back inhouse. Now, "contracting out" or "outsourcing" is the norm no matter. Having also worked with govt contracts, I can tell you that outsourcing is not always cheaper. The company the work is outsourced to must now make a profit whereas the work done inhouse was not profit based. One can make the argument that employee costs are less but that was not what I saw. So, it was upsetting to me when NARA contracted out services. Price for copies went up a lot. We, the taxpayers, paid for all these records to begin with so it's always been my opinion that they should be available to the taxpayers. LDS has a great deal of microfilm and with people volunteering, it should be available on their site and not on a "pay for view" site. I'm sure it is costly to maintain the computer system to house the data. Computer programmers are not cheap. I felt "renting" films from LDS was reasonably priced for people who were not near enough to use NARA, branches, or other genealogical libraries. So, it is with hope that they will make it reasonably priced and on their site. If not, I would suggest complaining to them. I was a volunteer at a FHC for about a year, and most volunteers there were not of the Mormon faith either. Where there was no other library available, they made records available to people at a reasonable cost. I was also fortunate enough to live in the Houston area where Clayton Library is a wonderful public genealogical library. Their friends group numbers 1,000 and contributes a large amount of money regularly to the purchase of microfilm, books, and other media and many members volunteer at the library because there is never enough money in budgets to staff it. I think if we want to see America's records remain available to us, we must be vigilant and tell our Congressmen/women we believe these records need to remain owned by the people and not given to private companies to sell to us. Personally, I think some of our tax money should go toward digitizing and placing records on government websites. We seem to have money to throw away on many other things, like the 2-lane road they are enlarging to 5 lanes near me that's in the middle of nowhere and hardly used as it is. My motto is "complain, complain, complain." The squeaky wheel does get oiled. And, thanks Peggy for the inside scoop. I've pasted 2 websites below you all might want to check out. Donna Press releases.....LDS gave 1860 census images to Footnote + other releases. http://www.footnote.com/page/120/footnote-press-room/ Here is the site for Eastman's Gen. newsletter which talks about the LDS project...with comments from others....from last year: http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2007/05/familysearch_to.html -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [BOWER] NARA agreements with subscription services Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:50:22 -0400 From: Peggy K. Reeves <peg@reevesweb.com> Reply-To: bower@rootsweb.com To: bower@rootsweb.com References: <mailman.26341.1215628009.9525.bower@rootsweb.com> I agree with the messages posted below, but I'll add to it, probably more than you want to know... There is one message after another on the lists where the LDS are asking for volunteers to do indexing, etc... to help get things online. What they aren't telling you (but I will), is that your good-natured and well-intentioned volunteer work is going to be handed to the subscription services and sold back to you and me and everyone else. This is how ancestry started. As more records were scanned, the prices went way up, until the average person can't afford it any more. NOW there are many new subscription services and genealogical products for sale. These various subscription services were started and are owned by members of the LDS church. Literally EVERY genealogy software program is also owned by the LDS church. Here's how it works: the subscription services (such as Footnote.com) enter into contracts with NARA and other record repositories. (by the way, NARA posts proposed contracts online at their website for public view). These subscription services also have "agreements" with the LDS familysearch.org people. What it boils down to is that the business (which cannot be owned outright by the church or they would lose their tax-exempt status) enters into the contract with NARA or whoever, but they don't hire a full staff to go in there and do the work. The LDS church recruits volunteers to do scanning and indexing, etc... so that Footnote can add it to their collection and sell it back to the rest of us at tremendous profit. Those who volunteer for LDS indexing projects are working for the subscription services for free, most of the time without even knowing it. How do I know this? I am a paid researcher in Washington D.C. I work side-by-side with these people in the research rooms at NARA...at least I used to. Now NARA has given the LDS volunteers their own room to do what they want (so that people like me can't blow the whistle on what they're doing), even without NARA employee supervision. You can walk by their room and look in the window and see them handling old records, in there without any NARA employees (now that I have said this, they will probably start covering the window). The rest of us are watched constantly in the research rooms, and have to sign our files out one at a time, and have many other tedious rules for sign-in and sign-out that we must follow that the LDS "volunteers" do not have to follow. They can have a cart of pension files in front of them, but I am only allowed to order 4 in each "pull", and even then I have to sign them in and out at the desk one at a time. The big scanning project that footnote is currently working on has to do with the Civil War widow's pension files. They are starting with the first group of them. The volunteers doing it were wearing familysearch.org nametags when they first started, at least until some of us "regulars" noticed and starting making some noise about it. But if you think you're going to see pension file images for free at their site, OH, no way! We are all going to have to pay bigtime when Footnote starts adding those online. The price is going to skyrocket for that subscription, just like ancestry. You might get the index for free, but you will pay for the images--AND, just try and print a readable copy of an image on footnote. Good luck! It doesn't allow you to print a normal full-sized page because they have to have their banner and logo and footer cluttering the page, often making the images too small to read. I am not against making things available online, but here's the rub... Whenever a record group gets microfilmed or scanned at NARA, NARA takes the originals out of circulation and no one gets to request the original documents any more. That is NARA's rule. That means we are doomed to the poor-quality scans, omissions, and goofed-up indexes made by people who aren't necessarily familiar with reading old handwriting. What they are really doing is making a number of records disappear from our view forever! The technology certainly exists to do high-quality color scanning, but that is not what the LDS volunteers and footnote are doing. Thus, many of the yellowed or brown or blue paper in the old files becomes barely readable when scanned--even though the original might be perfectly readable. There is a press release about the "partnership" with NARA at the fammilysearch.org website. In it, they make many claims that simply are not true, and I know this from firsthand experience at NARA. They even have the nerve to claim that people can't see a lot of NARA records even if they go there in person. This is preposterous--I go there in person all the time, and the NARA staff bring whatever records I request! (unless they are already microfilmed or scanned). Anyone can go to NARA and request to see the federal government records that are housed there (unless they are too recent and are still protected by privacy laws). The outright lying and deception that goes on in order for the subscription services to make money is really shameful, and not something that any church should be associated with. ALL OF US own the records of the federal government, and they should NOT be taken out of our view and held at ransom by the LDS church. Many courthouses already will not allow access to the originals once the LDS church has filmed them. They tell you to "order it from them". Postings where the LDS members are recruiting more volunteers should be considered deceptive advertising spam, because that's exactly what it is. Folks, if you want to do something for free, like free indexing or abstracting, or something like that--then please volunteer to do lookups and make copies in your area and exchange favors with others who are doing the same thing. Othewise, all of our history will eventually be OWNED by the Mormons. Need I remind you, this is the same group that will not EVER correct ANY mistake in their ancestral database, no matter how much hard evidence you have to show that they are wrong. If your ancestor got "sealed" to the wrong person--too bad! It's staying there for eternity. Peggy Reeves > My local genealogy librarian mentioned that a lot of databases and > images have been uploaded to the LDS Family History site recently. It > appears more will be added and this is a trial. They also need > volunteers to index. Look in the upper right corner for the red square > where it says "Go" and click there. This is something we've all been > hoping for since Ancestry has taken over so much which is now fee-based > and especially since it's costing more in gas to get to genealogy > libraries and courthouses. > > http://www.familysearch.org/ > > > > Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2008 10:33:45 -0500 > From: "Leola Ripperger" <leeripp@iland.net> > Subject: Re: [BOWER] New data on LDS site > To: <bower@rootsweb.com>, <BOWER-L@rootsweb.com>, > <BOWERS-L@rootsweb.com>, <skipper@rootsweb.com> > Message-ID: <001501c8e1d9$71182620$0400000a@Leola> > Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; > reply-type=original > > Be very careful about taking that information as gospel as I have > already found an error in Abraham Bowers and apparently the link to > report the error or write them is not working as I couldn't get a > message to go thru. They show in the 1880 census that Abraham is the > son of Daniel and Sara J. Bowers, born in Mo. and died in KS. and > this is incorrect. Daniel is the son of an Abraham Bowers who was > born in Tenn. and died in Eureka Springs, Ark., and had a farm at > Proctor, Mo. Daniel was my husband's gr-grandfather and Abraham his > gr-gr-grandfather. > > The LDS has done a lot of wondrous things for genealogy, but they are > not known for accuracy or correcting errors when found. I know they > take what is submitted to them and if they get bad information there > isn't much that can be done I guess, but I would think their indexers > should be more careful in doing their job. If one volunteers for > something one should do the best they can to be sure it is accurate > when they submit it in my estimation, same with doing genealogy. A > gathering of names is not genealogy as many people think it is. One > should verify, verify and verify again, not just be a name collector! > > Thanks for letting me express my thoughts today on my little > bandwagon. > > Lee Ripp. > Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:57:35 -0500 > From: "D. Hinson" <dhinson@suddenlink.net> > Subject: Re: [BOWER] New data on LDS site > Cc: BOWER-L@rootsweb.com, skipper@rootsweb.com, BOWERS-L@rootsweb.com > Message-ID: <4874FC0F.5070108@suddenlink.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > It would definitely be nice if we could stick "post-it" notes to things > that we know are incorrect so it would be of help to others. I have a > marriage bond for my gggg-grandfather where my gggg-grandmother's name > is spelled Easton when it is really Eason. That incorrect spelling > stumped me for a long time since the surname Eason was so prevalent in > the area, but not Easton. A will finally proved it was Eason. > > On vital records, we cannot make changes and when I've asked some of the > counties on Genweb, I was also told they could not correct any > records. A lot of errors were made by not just people doing indexes, > such as on the census indexes (books) but also by the census takers > themselves. Many names were spelled incorrectly, even places of birth > were incorrect. I have seen pages and pages of MS census records where > a stamp was used for every line saying MS was place of birth! That was > one lazy census taker. > > On any genealogy data, people should obtain the records to verify the > data. Maybe newbies don't know this, but us oldies, who were > researching before the Internet and have seen what errors are on the > Internet and submitted to LDS, should know. > > On the latest info on the LDS site, I was able to print and save to my > hard drive the actual death certificates from some of my TX Bowers. So > you can go from the index of names to the actual certificate and see the > information. Just remember to try different spellings just as we always > have done. The death certificates were in .jpg format so you can save > in a file and use any photo software to view and print from your > computer. The digital copies for some census years, and also the 1850 > slave schedules, are available, although much of the census for all > decades are available through Heritage Quest from home via your library > in many cities. Ancestry is also available at many libraries. However, > I have never liked Ancestry's database search. If you want to narrow > your search, it's almost impossible. If I mark the surname for TN only, > I get names from other states with pages and pages to look through. > While I have found things on Ancestry, I know that their database search > could be better programmed. My work with programmers and databases > tells me that they want people to take longer to search....it makes them > more money for you to have to go through pages and pages of names even > after you tried filtering your search. > > So, I think the images of birth, marriage and death records, and census > records on LDS will be a big help. Errors on any index will always be a > problem. It was difficult to read the writing in many cases and some > microfilm is not that good either. So we have to keep that in mind. > And with all the digitized records becoming available to us, it should > become far easier to check out the family pedigrees submitted to LDS. I > might add, on the DAR site, there are some patriot lines "on hold" for > future applicants because original data is now in question. So, the > advice is.....check out the data and prove your line and note what you > have proved and what you haven't. > > I want to add another item my librarian pointed out. We live in an > electronic world, BUT, we have already seen that photos we scanned in > years ago are in formats unreadable by some current software. She > advised that you backup your hard drive files where you save the digital > copies but also print out a copy of things as well. She said some old > genealogy CD's can no longer be read and what we have now may not be > what's used in the future. Technology is changing fast and we have no > idea whether that CD you made of your family will be readable 20 years > from now nor do we know rate of deterioration either. Remember, paper > contains acid and if you plan to donate copies to libraries or give to > family, use acid-free paper. > > Lee, I think your topic was very important so I took the liberty to add > to it and hope it helps someone. If anyone can think of anything else, > please chime in. > > Donna ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BOWER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.4.7/1543 - Release Date: 7/9/2008 6:32 PM

Peggy is right. Before the BLM site was available, I requested the "whole file" from NARA. In fact, when requesting anything, you should always request "everything" in the file because you never know what else is there. I also have immigration papers...there too, request the whole file. Thanks for all your helpful information Peggy. These are things many of us have read over the years but may have forgotten and also many newbies can use this info. With the Internet today, many aren't reading some the books us oldies have...like North Carolina Research by Helen Leary and many other books...and there's not one single book that covers everything. Thanks! -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [BOWER] BOWER Digest, Vol 3, Issue 23 Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:02:59 -0400 From: Peggy K. Reeves <peg@reevesweb.com> Reply-To: bower@rootsweb.com To: bower@rootsweb.com References: <mailman.223.1214031701.27462.bower@rootsweb.com> Yes, this the Bureau of Land Management has a great website, and there is a lot that you can do with it. But don't think that what you see here is all that you get. The only thing that you can print from this site is the actual patent certificate. For each transaction listed at this site, there will be a file of paperwork at NARA in D.C. For transactions marked "cash entry", there won't be much more than the cash receipt showing how much the patentee paid for the land. But for other transactions there will be more information. If the transaction was given under the "script warrant act", that means it was probably bounty land from an 1812 soldier. There would be a bounty land file at NARA, and soldiers' records. If the transaction is marked "homestead", there would be a file of records that would include a questionnaire filled out by the homesteader, giving his age and details about his tract of land--improvements that he had made such as buildings, orchards, livestock, etc... There would also be affidavits from several of his neighbors, answering the same questions and verifying the truth of the homesteader's statements. There are many, many, diverse records at NARA and other places that are not online and never will be, because the man hours and equipment needed to scan it and put it online would be prohibitive. When using this site, it is important to remember that this does not include all patentees from all states. This site only lists the ORIGINAL patentees who purchased their land through the federal government. If your ancestor went to Oklahoma or somewhere else and bought their land from somebody else, they will not be listed at this site. Also remember that spelling definitely DOES NOT COUNT! Search every weird spelling of the name, because the same person could have more than one land transaction with the name spelled different ways. That is very common at this site. Another thing you can do with this site is set it on the other search tab (the one that does not come up as the default). With that, you can put in the coordinates of a piece of land and get a list of names of the other original patentees in that same township. Often there are relatives on adjoining tracts. Happy hunting! Peggy Reeves -------- Original Message -------- Subject: BOWER Digest, Vol 3, Issue 23 From: bower-request@rootsweb.com To: bower@rootsweb.com Date: Saturday, June 21, 2008 3:01:41 AM > Today's Topics: > > 1. Bureau of Land Mgmt records (D. Hinson) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:35:44 -0500 > From: "D. Hinson" <dhinson@suddenlink.net> > Subject: [BOWER] Bureau of Land Mgmt records > To: BOWER-L@rootsweb.com, BOWERS-L@rootsweb.com, skipper@rootsweb.com > Message-ID: <485BC040.5050006@suddenlink.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > This is a fantastic site if you have never used it. A reminder that > records may have been added to the the BLM site since we all last looked > at it. For those who aren't familiar with it, you can print out the > records of govt lands sold/transferred to individuals. Government land > did not include the original 13 colonies. You can do a search of all > states or just by a single state. > > Click on Search Database at the top of the main page. You can order > certified copies if you like but for genealogy, it's not really > necessary. You should be able to print out the records very clearly on > your printer at home. > > Donna H. > > http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/ > > > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BOWER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.4.7/1543 - Release Date: 7/9/2008 6:32 PM

I want to add that I donated copies of the microfilm of the NC land grants in TN to the Clayton Library in Houston. It may also be available from the LDS Family History Centers too. Check their online catalog to see if it can be ordered from Salt Lake City. Donna Peggy K. Reeves wrote: > This may be of some assistance to those of you who have Bowers in TN > very soon after the Revolution... > > The state of TN was considered part of the state of TN at the time of > the Revolution. NC used generous bounty land incentives to attract > soldiers to sign up for the NC Continental Line. A private who served > the full time (not sure of the exact requirement, I believe it changed > over time), was eligible for 640 acres of bounty land. Higher ranking > officers could get more. The NC bounty land district, where these > warrants could be exchanged for land patents, was in the place that we > now know as middle Tennessee. It included the counties mentioned in > some of these postings. If you don't know where your people came from > before they were in TN, you might try looking for them in NC. The NC > Revolutionary bounty land grants can be copied from the NC Archives. > > Likewise, the place that we now know as KY was once part of VA. > Virginia gave out bounty land to it's Revolutionary soldiers in middle > Kentucky. The two bounty land districts of VA and TN met along the KY > and TN border. > > Peggy Reeves > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: BOWER Digest, Vol 3, Issue 17 > From: bower-request@rootsweb.com > To: bower@rootsweb.com > Date: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 3:01:41 AM > >> Today's Topics: >> >> 1. Merle Bowers (D. Hinson) >> 2. James Bowers of Morris Co. NJ & Middle TN & Other Middle TN >> Bowers (D. Hinson) >> 3. James Bowers children (Middle TN) (D. Hinson) >> 4. Samuel John Bowers and Elizabeth Catherine White >> (Alvina Ballinger) >> 5. Re: Samuel John Bowers and Elizabeth Catherine White (D. Hinson) >> 6. Jeremiah Bowers & children (D. Hinson) >> >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> Message: 1 >> Date: Tue, 03 Jun 2008 08:54:57 -0500 >> From: "D. Hinson" <dhinson@suddenlink.net> >> Subject: [BOWER] Merle Bowers >> To: BOWER-L@rootsweb.com, BOWERS-L@rootsweb.com >> Message-ID: <48454D31.1060803@suddenlink.net> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed >> >> Is Merle Bowers still on the Bowers list? If so, please contact me. We >> are cousins. >> >> Donna Hinson >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 2 >> Date: Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:33:48 -0500 >> From: "D. Hinson" <dhinson@suddenlink.net> >> Subject: [BOWER] James Bowers of Morris Co. NJ & Middle TN & Other >> Middle TN Bowers >> To: BOWER-L@rootsweb.com, BOWERS-L@rootsweb.com >> Message-ID: <4845564C.9080504@suddenlink.net> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed >> >> I hope we haven't all given up on our Bowers genealogy as the list as >> been so quiet! I am reviewing old notes since it is too hot in TX to be >> outside now. >> >> James Bowers was in Montgomery Co., TN. He was b. May 28, 1756 in >> Morris Co., NJ, d. March 9, 1843 Sumner Co., TN. He had 3 sons also >> living in TN. I remember one was John. >> >> I think there used to be several descendants on the list of James. Are >> any of them still on the list? If so, have you taken the DNA test or >> thought about it? I did not notice James' lineage on the FTDNA page. >> In fact, I didn't notice anyone with ancestors in Middle TN who have >> taken the DNA test nor posted their lineage. We still have several >> Bowers in Wilson Co., TN with no connections......Jesse, Giles, and >> Morris Bowers, also a Jane Bower. I've not found any documentation to >> cite relationship to my Jeremiah Bowers, or to each other. My ancestor, >> Jeremiah Bowers also lived in Sumner Co. & Wilson Co., TN from around >> 1800 to 1837. In my analysis of his census records, none of the others >> in Wilson County are his children. >> >> I think the DNA tests may be the only thing to solve our brick walls >> once we've gotten back to the 1760's....where I now am. One thing in >> common with James of NJ is he was also in NC for a while just as my >> Jeremiah was. Did they all come to TN together? Are they related? >> >> We now have several who have done the DNA test but many of us do not >> match anyone so far. There are only a bout 36 participants. We simply >> don't have enough Bowers yet. And......Bowers is one of the most >> popular names. There are a lot of us! I think it's exciting that we >> now have a DNA test that can put our groups together. Even though I'm >> back to 1768 in VA, I do not know Jeremiah's brothers. As many of you, >> I'm looking for a needle in the haystack in VA and not found a definite >> record for Jeremiah but see many Bowers with similar family names but no >> proof of connections. And, since the DNA test ruled out that my line >> was connected to Giles Bowers who lived across the Tar River from my >> Jeremiah, living in close proximity is obviously no longer a given that >> two Bowers are related. >> >> So, Bowers cousins, if you can't stand an unresolved puzzle like me, >> think about trying the DNA method. Robert Strong, on the list, can give >> you more info. >> >> Donna >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 3 >> Date: Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:36:23 -0500 >> From: "D. Hinson" <dhinson@suddenlink.net> >> Subject: [BOWER] James Bowers children (Middle TN) >> To: BOWER-L@rootsweb.com, BOWERS-L@rootsweb.com >> Message-ID: <484556E7.6040005@suddenlink.net> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed >> >> James Bowers Children: >> 1. John b: 1785 NC d: after 1850 md: ca 1807 Frances buried: probably >> Blooming Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, TN >> 2. Joseph b: 1787 NC d: Sept 23, 1841 md: ca 1815 Polly Mary buried: >> Blooming Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, TN >> 3. James JR. b: 1801 TN md: ca 1837 Susan Allen >> 4. Elizabeth b: 1803 TN md: ca 1828 Asa McMurtry >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 4 >> Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 10:11:53 -0700 >> From: "Alvina Ballinger" <aball@tscnet.com> >> Subject: [BOWER] Samuel John Bowers and Elizabeth Catherine White >> To: <bower@rootsweb.com> >> Message-ID: <001a01c8c59c$ec59b050$0300a8c0@Casper> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1250" >> >> Hello, >> I haven't tried this for some years but does anyone connect with this line? >> Alvina Ballinger >> Bremerton, WA >> Descendants of Samuel John Bowers >> >> 1 Samuel John Bowers b: 1760 >> .. +Elizabeth Catherine White b: 1765 m: 1783 >> . 2 William Bowers >> . 2 John 1 Bowers b: 20 Aug 1784 >> ..... +Sophia Miller b: 1788 m: 28 Dec 1814 >> ..... 3 Elizabeth (Betsy) Bowers b: 31 Jan 1814 >> ......... +John James 11 Williams Jr. b: 08 Apr 1815 m: >> 1832 >> ..... 3 Elias (Eli) Bowers b: Nov 1815 >> ..... 3 Mary (Polly) Bowers b: Abt. 1818 >> ......... +William C. Smith b: 1822 m: 1844 >> ........ 4 Minerva Smith b: Oct 1844 >> ............ +Andrew Jacobs b: 1851 m: 1877 >> ..... 3 Eleanor (Lucy) Bowers b: 01 Apr 1819 >> ......... +William J. McElhiney b: 16 Oct 1813 m: Abt. 1840 >> ........ 4 Sarah McElhiney b: 12 Jul 1841 >> ............ +Benjamin Frampton b: 20 Sep 1825 m: 24 Nov >> 1859 >> ............ 5 Alice Frampton b: 29 Jun 1861 >> ............ 5 Anna L. Frampton b: 20 Apr 1863 >> ................ +John Halstead >> ............ 5 Ela Nora Frampton b: 02 Oct 1865 >> ................ +Cashman Tucker m: 01 Jul 1886 >> ............... 6 Eula Tucker b: 28 Jun 1887 >> ............... 6 Mamie Tucker b: 05 Jun 1890 >> ............... 6 Harry Tucker b: 29 Sep 1898 >> ............... 6 Nellie Tucker b: 18 Jul 1902 >> ............ 5 Myrtie Bertha Frampton b: 29 May 1871 >> ................ +William Yater Ballinger b: 31 Mar >> 1870 m: 10 Dec 1888 >> ............... 6 James Lee Ballinger b: 1889 >> ................... +Isabella b: 1890 >> ............... *2nd Wife of James Lee Ballinger: >> ................... +Isabel E. Mc Conaghy b: 1890 m: 28 Nov >> 1908 >> ............... 6 Claude Frampton Ballinger b: 13 Oct 1892 >> ................... +Romona Loring b: 1895 m: 22 Jan 1913 >> ............... *2nd Wife of Claude Frampton Ballinger: >> ................... +Helen K. Olsen b: 10 Jul 1902 >> ............... 6 William Paul Ballinger b: 29 Dec 1896 >> ................... +Goldie E. Clark b: 08 Apr 1899 m: >> 04 Jun 1919 >> ............... *2nd Wife of William Paul Ballinger: >> ................... +Margaret Rose Wilschnack b: 04 Apr >> 1902 m: 02 Nov 1923 >> ............... 6 Myrtie Arvilla Ballinger b: 14 Jan 1908 >> ................... +William Allen >> ............... *2nd Husband of Myrtie Arvilla Ballinger: >> >> ................... +Calvin Kersh >> ............... *3rd Husband of Myrtie Arvilla Ballinger: >> >> ................... +Rod C. Farrand >> ............... *4th Husband of Myrtie Arvilla Ballinger: >> >> ................... +Alfred Scheerer >> ............ 5 William Charles Frampton b: 02 May 1878 >> ................ +Neva Ruth Jay b: 04 Jun 1895 >> ............... 6 William Cashman Frampton >> ................... +Vera N.N. >> ............... 6 Bennie Joe Frampton >> ................... +Peggy Lou York m: 25 Oct 1957 >> ........ 4 Elias B. McElhiney b: 30 Nov 1843 >> ........ 4 Haskell H. McElhiney b: Abt. 1850 >> ........ 4 Clarissa McElhiney b: Abt. 1852 >> ............ +John Doe Bolles >> ........ 4 Melissa McElhiney b: Abt. 1855 >> ............ +John Doe Brown >> ........ 4 William J. McElhiney b: Jul 1857 >> ............ 5 Marjorie Allegra McElhiney b: 19 Nov 1904 >> ........ 4 Mary A. McElhiney b: Abt. 1864 >> ............ +John W. Patterson >> ..... 3 John II Bowers Jr. b: 1825 >> ......... +Jane Miller b: 27 Sep 1827 >> ..... 3 Evaline Bowers b: 20 Jun 1827 >> ..... 3 Sophia Bowers b: Abt. 1828 >> ..... 3 Caroline Bowers b: Abt. 1832 >> ......... +James B. Miller b: 1824 m: Bef. 1847 >> ..... 3 Solomon Bowers b: 15 Jul 1833 >> . 2 Philip Bowers b: 07 Dec 1787 >> . 2 Elizabeth (Betsy) Bowers b: 28 Jan 1789 >> . 2 Mary Ann Bowers b: Jul 1793 >> . 2 Samuel Bowers b: 01 Mar 1798 >> . 2 Andrew Bowers b: 09 Mar 1801 >> . 2 Susan Bowers b: 1805 >> >> No virus found in this outgoing message. >> Checked by AVG. >> Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.6/1480 - Release Date: 6/3/2008 >> 7:00 AM >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 5 >> Date: Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:38:25 -0500 >> From: "D. Hinson" <dhinson@suddenlink.net> >> Subject: Re: [BOWER] Samuel John Bowers and Elizabeth Catherine White >> To: bower@rootsweb.com >> Message-ID: <48459DB1.1060606@suddenlink.net> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed >> >> Alvina, >> >> Could you give more details on Samuel John Bowers; i.e., where born, >> married, died, lived. Maybe he might fit in as a brother to someone. >> Thanks, Donna >> >> >> Alvina Ballinger wrote: >> >> >> >>> Hello, >>> I haven't tried this for some years but does anyone connect with this line? >>> Alvina Ballinger >>> Bremerton, WA >>> Descendants of Samuel John Bowers >>> >>> 1 Samuel John Bowers b: 1760 >>> .. +Elizabeth Catherine White b: 1765 m: 1783 >>> . 2 William Bowers >>> . 2 John 1 Bowers b: 20 Aug 1784 >>> ..... +Sophia Miller b: 1788 m: 28 Dec 1814 >>> ..... 3 Elizabeth (Betsy) Bowers b: 31 Jan 1814 >>> ......... +John James 11 Williams Jr. b: 08 Apr 1815 m: >>> 1832 >>> ..... 3 Elias (Eli) Bowers b: Nov 1815 >>> ..... 3 Mary (Polly) Bowers b: Abt. 1818 >>> ......... +William C. Smith b: 1822 m: 1844 >>> ........ 4 Minerva Smith b: Oct 1844 >>> ............ +Andrew Jacobs b: 1851 m: 1877 >>> ..... 3 Eleanor (Lucy) Bowers b: 01 Apr 1819 >>> ......... +William J. McElhiney b: 16 Oct 1813 m: Abt. 1840 >>> ........ 4 Sarah McElhiney b: 12 Jul 1841 >>> ............ +Benjamin Frampton b: 20 Sep 1825 m: 24 Nov >>> 1859 >>> ............ 5 Alice Frampton b: 29 Jun 1861 >>> ............ 5 Anna L. Frampton b: 20 Apr 1863 >>> ................ +John Halstead >>> ............ 5 Ela Nora Frampton b: 02 Oct 1865 >>> ................ +Cashman Tucker m: 01 Jul 1886 >>> ............... 6 Eula Tucker b: 28 Jun 1887 >>> ............... 6 Mamie Tucker b: 05 Jun 1890 >>> ............... 6 Harry Tucker b: 29 Sep 1898 >>> ............... 6 Nellie Tucker b: 18 Jul 1902 >>> ............ 5 Myrtie Bertha Frampton b: 29 May 1871 >>> ................ +William Yater Ballinger b: 31 Mar >>> 1870 m: 10 Dec 1888 >>> ............... 6 James Lee Ballinger b: 1889 >>> ................... +Isabella b: 1890 >>> ............... *2nd Wife of James Lee Ballinger: >>> ................... +Isabel E. Mc Conaghy b: 1890 m: 28 Nov >>> 1908 >>> ............... 6 Claude Frampton Ballinger b: 13 Oct 1892 >>> ................... +Romona Loring b: 1895 m: 22 Jan 1913 >>> ............... *2nd Wife of Claude Frampton Ballinger: >>> ................... +Helen K. Olsen b: 10 Jul 1902 >>> ............... 6 William Paul Ballinger b: 29 Dec 1896 >>> ................... +Goldie E. Clark b: 08 Apr 1899 m: >>> 04 Jun 1919 >>> ............... *2nd Wife of William Paul Ballinger: >>> ................... +Margaret Rose Wilschnack b: 04 Apr >>> 1902 m: 02 Nov 1923 >>> ............... 6 Myrtie Arvilla Ballinger b: 14 Jan 1908 >>> ................... +William Allen >>> ............... *2nd Husband of Myrtie Arvilla Ballinger: >>> >>> ................... +Calvin Kersh >>> ............... *3rd Husband of Myrtie Arvilla Ballinger: >>> >>> ................... +Rod C. Farrand >>> ............... *4th Husband of Myrtie Arvilla Ballinger: >>> >>> ................... +Alfred Scheerer >>> ............ 5 William Charles Frampton b: 02 May 1878 >>> ................ +Neva Ruth Jay b: 04 Jun 1895 >>> ............... 6 William Cashman Frampton >>> ................... +Vera N.N. >>> ............... 6 Bennie Joe Frampton >>> ................... +Peggy Lou York m: 25 Oct 1957 >>> ........ 4 Elias B. McElhiney b: 30 Nov 1843 >>> ........ 4 Haskell H. McElhiney b: Abt. 1850 >>> ........ 4 Clarissa McElhiney b: Abt. 1852 >>> ............ +John Doe Bolles >>> ........ 4 Melissa McElhiney b: Abt. 1855 >>> ............ +John Doe Brown >>> ........ 4 William J. McElhiney b: Jul 1857 >>> ............ 5 Marjorie Allegra McElhiney b: 19 Nov 1904 >>> ........ 4 Mary A. McElhiney b: Abt. 1864 >>> ............ +John W. Patterson >>> ..... 3 John II Bowers Jr. b: 1825 >>> ......... +Jane Miller b: 27 Sep 1827 >>> ..... 3 Evaline Bowers b: 20 Jun 1827 >>> ..... 3 Sophia Bowers b: Abt. 1828 >>> ..... 3 Caroline Bowers b: Abt. 1832 >>> ......... +James B. Miller b: 1824 m: Bef. 1847 >>> ..... 3 Solomon Bowers b: 15 Jul 1833 >>> . 2 Philip Bowers b: 07 Dec 1787 >>> . 2 Elizabeth (Betsy) Bowers b: 28 Jan 1789 >>> . 2 Mary Ann Bowers b: Jul 1793 >>> . 2 Samuel Bowers b: 01 Mar 1798 >>> . 2 Andrew Bowers b: 09 Mar 1801 >>> . 2 Susan Bowers b: 1805 >>> >>> No virus found in this outgoing message. >>> Checked by AVG. >>> Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.6/1480 - Release Date: 6/3/2008 >>> 7:00 AM >>> >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------- >>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BOWER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 6 >> Date: Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:54:11 -0500 >> From: "D. Hinson" <dhinson@suddenlink.net> >> Subject: [BOWER] Jeremiah Bowers & children >> To: BOWER-L@rootsweb.com, BOWERS-L@rootsweb.com >> Message-ID: <4845A163.9020401@suddenlink.net> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed >> >> Jeremiah Bowers born 1768 in VA, Abt. 1852 in KY, probably Todd or Logan >> Co. He married Margaret Eason September 4, 1809 in Sumner Co. TN, >> daughter of Samuel Eason and Nancy Deans. Margaret was born 1782 in NC, >> probably Nash Co. and died Aft. 1851 in KY, probably Todd or Logan Co. >> >> Migration: VA>NC>TN>KY >> >> Lived in NC until abt. 1800. Lived in TN until abt. 1837. Lived in >> Todd Co., KY until death. >> >> Children: (Note: Son Bartlett moved to MS from TN, others went to KY >> with parents but later moved to IL except for youngest son, Thomas, who >> stayed in KY.) >> >> 1. Bartlett Deans Bowers, born 1810 in Sumner Co., TN; died Bet. 1882 - >> 1884 in MS, probably Grenada Co.. >> 2. John L. Bowers, born 1814 in Sumner Co., TN; died in IL?. >> 3. Boy Bowers, born Bet. 1815 - 1820 in Sumner Co., TN. >> 4. Nancy Bowers, born Bet. July - August 1818 in Sumner Co., TN. >> 5. Girl Bowers, born Bet. 1820 - 1825 in Sumner or Wilson Co., TN. >> 6. James J. Bowers, born June 18, 1824 in Sumner or Wilson Co., TN; >> died February 19, 1876 in Nashville, Washington Co., IL. >> 7. Thomas F. Bowers, born 1829 in Sumner or Wilson Co., TN; died Aft. >> 1910, probably KY. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> To contact the BOWER list administrator, send an email to >> BOWER-admin@rootsweb.com. >> >> To post a message to the BOWER mailing list, send an email to BOWER@rootsweb.com. >> >> __________________________________________________________ >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BOWER-request@rootsweb.com >> with the word "unsubscribe" without the quotes in the subject and the body of the >> email with no additional text. >> >> >> End of BOWER Digest, Vol 3, Issue 17 >> ************************************ >> >> >> > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BOWER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com > Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.4.7/1543 - Release Date: 7/9/2008 6:32 PM > > > >

I was under the impression that posts to the Bower list wrere automatically posted to the Bowers list as well, and vice versa. Apparently that is not the case. Here is my post on this subject. Robert Strong ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Strong" <strong@nantucket.net> To: <bower@rootsweb.com>; <leeripp@iland.net> Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 4:53 PM Subject: Bowers/Boward > Leola, > > Please check out our Bowers DNA Project at > http://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/b/bowers/index.html. On the > Patriarchs' Page, you'll find the John Leonard Bowers' line as posted by > Marvin Bowers, with George Bowers listed as the earliest known ancestor. > I am aware that definitive proof George was the father of John Leonard > Bowers is lacking, and also that Robert Boward has suggested John Leonard > Bowers was really a Boward. See Robert's posting of his Boward line near > the bottom of the Patriarchs' Page. > > Both Marvin and Robert have had their Y-DNA tested and the results > unambiguously show they are not related; they do not even share the same > haplogroup. That should eliminate Henry Boward as the father of John > Leonard Bowers. Of course, to be certain it would be best to confirm the > haplotypes of these Boward and Bowers lines by testing at least one more > descendant from a different branch of each line. > > You seem to have concluded, with the help of Robert Boward's research, > that George was a brother of John Leonard Bowers. What is the evidence in > that regard? If true, do you have any inkling as to the true identity of > their father? > > Robert Strong > Administrator of the Bowers DNA Project

It would definitely be nice if we could stick "post-it" notes to things that we know are incorrect so it would be of help to others. I have a marriage bond for my gggg-grandfather where my gggg-grandmother's name is spelled Easton when it is really Eason. That incorrect spelling stumped me for a long time since the surname Eason was so prevalent in the area, but not Easton. A will finally proved it was Eason. On vital records, we cannot make changes and when I've asked some of the counties on Genweb, I was also told they could not correct any records. A lot of errors were made by not just people doing indexes, such as on the census indexes (books) but also by the census takers themselves. Many names were spelled incorrectly, even places of birth were incorrect. I have seen pages and pages of MS census records where a stamp was used for every line saying MS was place of birth! That was one lazy census taker. On any genealogy data, people should obtain the records to verify the data. Maybe newbies don't know this, but us oldies, who were researching before the Internet and have seen what errors are on the Internet and submitted to LDS, should know. On the latest info on the LDS site, I was able to print and save to my hard drive the actual death certificates from some of my TX Bowers. So you can go from the index of names to the actual certificate and see the information. Just remember to try different spellings just as we always have done. The death certificates were in .jpg format so you can save in a file and use any photo software to view and print from your computer. The digital copies for some census years, and also the 1850 slave schedules, are available, although much of the census for all decades are available through Heritage Quest from home via your library in many cities. Ancestry is also available at many libraries. However, I have never liked Ancestry's database search. If you want to narrow your search, it's almost impossible. If I mark the surname for TN only, I get names from other states with pages and pages to look through. While I have found things on Ancestry, I know that their database search could be better programmed. My work with programmers and databases tells me that they want people to take longer to search....it makes them more money for you to have to go through pages and pages of names even after you tried filtering your search. So, I think the images of birth, marriage and death records, and census records on LDS will be a big help. Errors on any index will always be a problem. It was difficult to read the writing in many cases and some microfilm is not that good either. So we have to keep that in mind. And with all the digitized records becoming available to us, it should become far easier to check out the family pedigrees submitted to LDS. I might add, on the DAR site, there are some patriot lines "on hold" for future applicants because original data is now in question. So, the advice is.....check out the data and prove your line and note what you have proved and what you haven't. I want to add another item my librarian pointed out. We live in an electronic world, BUT, we have already seen that photos we scanned in years ago are in formats unreadable by some current software. She advised that you backup your hard drive files where you save the digital copies but also print out a copy of things as well. She said some old genealogy CD's can no longer be read and what we have now may not be what's used in the future. Technology is changing fast and we have no idea whether that CD you made of your family will be readable 20 years from now nor do we know rate of deterioration either. Remember, paper contains acid and if you plan to donate copies to libraries or give to family, use acid-free paper. Lee, I think your topic was very important so I took the liberty to add to it and hope it helps someone. If anyone can think of anything else, please chime in. Donna Leola Ripperger wrote: > Be very careful about taking that information as gospel as I have > already found an error in Abraham Bowers and apparently the link to > report the error or write them is not working as I couldn't get a > message to go thru. They show in the 1880 census that Abraham is the > son of Daniel and Sara J. Bowers, born in Mo. and died in KS. and > this is incorrect. Daniel is the son of an Abraham Bowers who was > born in Tenn. and died in Eureka Springs, Ark., and had a farm at > Proctor, Mo. Daniel was my husband's gr-grandfather and Abraham his > gr-gr-grandfather. > > The LDS has done a lot of wondrous things for genealogy, but they are > not known for accuracy or correcting errors when found. I know they > take what is submitted to them and if they get bad information there > isn't much that can be done I guess, but I would think their indexers > should be more careful in doing their job. If one volunteers for > something one should do the best they can to be sure it is accurate > when they submit it in my estimation, same with doing genealogy. A > gathering of names is not genealogy as many people think it is. One > should verify, verify and verify again, not just be a name collector! > > Thanks for letting me express my thoughts today on my little > bandwagon. > > Lee Ripp. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "D. Hinson" <dhinson@suddenlink.net> > To: <BOWER-L@rootsweb.com>; <BOWERS-L@rootsweb.com>; > <skipper@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 9:36 AM > Subject: [BOWER] New data on LDS site > > > >> My local genealogy librarian mentioned that a lot of databases and >> images have been uploaded to the LDS Family History site recently. >> It >> appears more will be added and this is a trial. They also need >> volunteers to index. Look in the upper right corner for the red >> square >> where it says "Go" and click there. This is something we've all >> been >> hoping for since Ancestry has taken over so much which is now >> fee-based >> and especially since it's costing more in gas to get to genealogy >> libraries and courthouses. >> >> http://www.familysearch.org/ >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> BOWER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BOWER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

Be very careful about taking that information as gospel as I have already found an error in Abraham Bowers and apparently the link to report the error or write them is not working as I couldn't get a message to go thru. They show in the 1880 census that Abraham is the son of Daniel and Sara J. Bowers, born in Mo. and died in KS. and this is incorrect. Daniel is the son of an Abraham Bowers who was born in Tenn. and died in Eureka Springs, Ark., and had a farm at Proctor, Mo. Daniel was my husband's gr-grandfather and Abraham his gr-gr-grandfather. The LDS has done a lot of wondrous things for genealogy, but they are not known for accuracy or correcting errors when found. I know they take what is submitted to them and if they get bad information there isn't much that can be done I guess, but I would think their indexers should be more careful in doing their job. If one volunteers for something one should do the best they can to be sure it is accurate when they submit it in my estimation, same with doing genealogy. A gathering of names is not genealogy as many people think it is. One should verify, verify and verify again, not just be a name collector! Thanks for letting me express my thoughts today on my little bandwagon. Lee Ripp. ----- Original Message ----- From: "D. Hinson" <dhinson@suddenlink.net> To: <BOWER-L@rootsweb.com>; <BOWERS-L@rootsweb.com>; <skipper@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 9:36 AM Subject: [BOWER] New data on LDS site > My local genealogy librarian mentioned that a lot of databases and > images have been uploaded to the LDS Family History site recently. > It > appears more will be added and this is a trial. They also need > volunteers to index. Look in the upper right corner for the red > square > where it says "Go" and click there. This is something we've all > been > hoping for since Ancestry has taken over so much which is now > fee-based > and especially since it's costing more in gas to get to genealogy > libraries and courthouses. > > http://www.familysearch.org/ > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > BOWER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

My local genealogy librarian mentioned that a lot of databases and images have been uploaded to the LDS Family History site recently. It appears more will be added and this is a trial. They also need volunteers to index. Look in the upper right corner for the red square where it says "Go" and click there. This is something we've all been hoping for since Ancestry has taken over so much which is now fee-based and especially since it's costing more in gas to get to genealogy libraries and courthouses. http://www.familysearch.org/

The Union Co., NC website has an interesting Adobe file on women's dress styles spanning 1890's to about 1950. Below is the main site, then find the file on their list. Donna http://history.union.lib.nc.us/

Does anyone have any info on this Bowers: 1860 Census - Yalobusha Co., Oakland P.O., MS, Pg. 809 Alexander Bowers, age 28 (b. 1832), Merchant, living in household of T.S. Parker, Grocer Merchant. Alexander married Leora Randolph Townes Marriage record: Authorized 3/4/ 1861; marriage: 3/6/1861 Yaloubusha Co., Book C Pg 162 Alexander & wife evidently moved to Shelby Co., TN (Memphis) later (at least by 1872). This info was derived from a deed where his wife inherited land from her father in Yalobusha Co., MS

Hey everyone, Another old email from Robert Strong suggested those of us on the Bower/Bowers List post a short Pedigree on the Patriarch Page of the FamilyTreeDNA site. I know all the Bowers lines aren't there since I've been on this list forever and seen lots of postings. Maybe there's a few newbies out there who don't know about the Bowers DNA project, or others as well. There was a program on PBS recently about tracing the migration pattern of our ancient ancestors using DNA which was quite interesting. I feel that most of us who have hit brick walls could see some relationships through DNA testing. At least we would know who of us current generations are related and could work together on our specific lines. If interested in knowing more, please post a reply.

I've cleaned up bookmarks and now on to really old emails. William Pitt Bowers used to come up a lot in years past. Has no one found a male descendant to DNA test? Just curious. Donna Hinson

Hi Gang!   It's been a long time since I worked on my Bowers Line.  In the meantime, here is what I stumbled upon researching somebody else's unrelated family.   PR Glaze   Happy Hunting!   Immigrant Ship's Lists of Passengers http://www.immigrantships.net/   The Palentine Project  http://progenealogists.com/palproject/index.html   The Early Settlers of Maryland:  An Index to Names of Immigrants (Gang:  Wait until you see these dates!) Do a Google book search for Bowers http://books.google.com   FootNote.com--Access Genealogy.com--Fee Site, but you can scroll through the names.  (The site might still have a 14-day free access to images) Revolutionary [War] Pension Index http://www.accessgenealogy.com/military/revpensions.php?s_pengiv=&s_pensur=&s_vetgiv=&s_vetsur=Bowers Also do a global search of Bowers on Access and see what you come up with! Other Free" Heads of Households in the 1790 North Carolina Census, by Family Name http://www.freeafricanamericans.com/1790NCa.htm   Bowe Robert 5 Pasquotank County Bowe Tulle 3 Pasquotank County Bowers, Saul 3 Craven County Bowser, Thomas 9 Hertford County   Granville (County, North Carolina) Taxables before 1763 http://hometown.aol.com/vafdking/grantax1.htm **Please read the editor's note on this site. 1749--Lemuel Lanier Giles Bowers   1759--John Pope, Justice John Bowers    

Thanks Leola. It's sad as so many volunteered their time to make genealogical information available free online. I know it costs money to maintain computers but not as much as Ancestry charges for subscriptions. When I've done searches on Ancestry at my local library, I have often been frustrated that advanced searches haven't worked very well to filter just what I want. I asked the librarian who says it's the same for her. Sometimes I think they want to make your search take longer so you subscribe longer. I like Heritage Quest for census records much better but they do not have indexes for a couple of the censuses. For those, you can do a search at the library on Ancestry, get the reel number, page number, etc., and then from home, go to Heritage Quest and pull up the record and print at home......if your local library allows access from home which ours does. Many states have set up a share program but you have to ask your librarian about it and get the web address and the password. In TX, it's called TexShare. It allows you to access various databases from home including Heritage Quest which includes census, Persi, books, and I believe Rev. War indexes. Wish they had more! But just that's a help. I suggest people ask their librarians about the shared databases as the library certainly didn't tell us about it when we moved back to TX and got our new library cards. We found out from the local Gen. Society. People can check out their local library's website as well as see if they list any kind of genealogical databases accessible from home. Leola Ripperger wrote: > Donna: There are still some Genweb pages out there, but a lot have > been moved to keep Ancestry from charging for the information down the > road. I don't know all that have moved, but the Cooper County, > Missouri Gen Web page has moved. I don't have the address at my > fingertips, but if anyone wants it just e-mail me with COOPER COUNTY > WEB SITE in the subject so I don't lose it in all the spam I get and I > will respond. > > Lee Ripp. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "D. Hinson" <dhinson@suddenlink.net> > To: <BOWER-L@rootsweb.com>; <BOWERS-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 8:48 AM > Subject: [BOWER] US GenWeb > > > >> Sorry folks...here's the home page: http://www.usgenweb.org/ >> >> GenWeb doesn't appear dead as elections will be held in July. When >> you >> go to the elections page, it's clearly now hosted by Rootsweb on >> Ancestry. There still appears to be a lot of info on the state >> pages >> and I know over the last year or two, I've forgotten about them and >> not >> had time to revisit them till now.....while I'm indoors (thankfully >> in >> the A/C) during our mid-95 degree dog days of summer. Hopefully you >> will find something new on the pages to help you in your search. >> >> Donna >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> BOWER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BOWERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

Donna: There are still some Genweb pages out there, but a lot have been moved to keep Ancestry from charging for the information down the road. I don't know all that have moved, but the Cooper County, Missouri Gen Web page has moved. I don't have the address at my fingertips, but if anyone wants it just e-mail me with COOPER COUNTY WEB SITE in the subject so I don't lose it in all the spam I get and I will respond. Lee Ripp. ----- Original Message ----- From: "D. Hinson" <dhinson@suddenlink.net> To: <BOWER-L@rootsweb.com>; <BOWERS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 8:48 AM Subject: [BOWER] US GenWeb > Sorry folks...here's the home page: http://www.usgenweb.org/ > > GenWeb doesn't appear dead as elections will be held in July. When > you > go to the elections page, it's clearly now hosted by Rootsweb on > Ancestry. There still appears to be a lot of info on the state > pages > and I know over the last year or two, I've forgotten about them and > not > had time to revisit them till now.....while I'm indoors (thankfully > in > the A/C) during our mid-95 degree dog days of summer. Hopefully you > will find something new on the pages to help you in your search. > > Donna > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > BOWER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

Here's a page I had that has MS Civil War units, burial sites, and more, that might be of help. Donna http://humphreys1625.homestead.com/Index.html

Sorry folks...here's the home page: http://www.usgenweb.org/ GenWeb doesn't appear dead as elections will be held in July. When you go to the elections page, it's clearly now hosted by Rootsweb on Ancestry. There still appears to be a lot of info on the state pages and I know over the last year or two, I've forgotten about them and not had time to revisit them till now.....while I'm indoors (thankfully in the A/C) during our mid-95 degree dog days of summer. Hopefully you will find something new on the pages to help you in your search. Donna

Sorry, the Pitt Co. page is on US GenNet and I just noticed the last updates were June of 2007. Maybe they are not updating any longer. As you can see, it's been ages since I've gone through some of my bookmarked pages. Maybe one of you knows whether Ancestry has taken over everything and GenWeb will no longer be updated. Donna

For those who have ancestors from Pitt Co., NC, I had this website which seems up to date and active. You might want to have them link to your website if you have one. http://www.usgennet.org/usa/nc/county/pitt/

Let me post that again so you can click on the address..... http://aad.archives.gov/aad/