Lance, I agree with you. Remember when our mothers told us there was NO free lunch? I tried to search their files, and what I found was some names, but nothing I could use. The best place to look is the local Libraries, and Historical Societies where the ancestor lived. The only information that I have found that has been good is through queries like this site or on other free sites where an other descendant is looking for the same people. We have met some neat cousins that we did not know existed. Our family has decided that we would not post our information with any of these groups. There is a website that has some of it on, but just a nibble. IF any wants to know more, they can contact one of descendants for more information. Roberta Hammon Searching for KENNEY and GOLDER in the Gold Fields. Lance Beeson wrote: > Everton will allow you to SUBMIT INFO FOR FREE!!!! Gee, thanks. If there is a way to search their files, I > haven;t found it yet. I am going to try it one more time, since I am "registered." > > Genealogical inquiry is lighting up the Internet and attracting all kinds of private enterprise. Lotsa > little ee-lectronic Sam Brannans about. I am frequently notified by KINDRED KONNECTIONS (love that name, > hyuk hyuk). They hint that they might have something I haven;t seen, but I doubt it. > > On more pertinent topics, there have been a few questions about the Gold Rush on this forum lately that > caused me to thus comment: There are excellent books out regarding the Gold Rush. I highly recommend primary > sources that I read and re-read by these people: J.D. Borthwick, Frank Marryat, Etienne Derbec, F. > Gerstaecker and Dame Shirley. Most of the questions not specifically about individuals asked on this forum > recently would be answered in those pages. > The recent book by Malcolm Rorbaugh (Days of Gold) covers the social aspect even better than the > much-celebrated Holliday book. For violence and gunplay, John Boesseneckers newest "Gold Dust and Gunsmoke" > is breathtakingly complete on that subject. > > For lingo and Clamper culture, the very old Ritchie book "the Hell-Roarin 49ers" is great, but not to be > relied on for historical accuracy. > Some of the best books, including a few above are very old or very rare. Find your best local OLD library. > It's funny, you can tell about the buyers' interests from the old days by the selection of books in the > stacks. I think that the 50, 100 and now 150 year anniversaries of the Gold Rush spurred on publication and > subsequent purchases of some great Gold Rush books. And don;t be turned off by ragged covers or smoky > smells, they could be treasures of info for you. Also, the bio sections of County Histories often have good > clues even though they are not always real historically accurate. > > If you have good bookstores who re-sell, check em frequently. I regularly check at Black Oak books in > Berkeley because everytime an old Cal professor dies, there's a good chance the stuff will end up there. > Recently I saw a book from 1853, published in CA about the Gold Rush, I think it was by Lett (and I think it > has been reprinted). Water-stained but all pages there for $80. > > They also had, that day, a Spanish-English translation of Font's Diary, published in 1928 for $30. Specialty > stores are not going to price as cheap I think as those that I saw. I hate to say it, but I think I was > viewing someone's estate, liquidated by someone with less interest in CA History than the dear-departed. > Some days there is nothing but on others..... > > I'm not trying to be a know-it-all or gush, but I have read every single book about the Gold Rush I could > lay hands on and I urge you to read because it really can clear up some problems you might encounter in > your genealogical pursuits; social patterns, town histories, clues about specific Plains journeys, old > placenames etc. Even though tens of thousands of men came every season, you do start to get a feel for who > went where among Anglo-Americans, mostly. > > Best wishes, > > Lance Beeson