Hi Everybody-- I just joined the list primarily in order to get a feel for the questions people ask and to plug (I promise just once) the new book the California Genealogical Society just released, titled "Raking the Ashes: Genealogical Strategies for Pre-1906 San Francisco Research." You can learn more at www.calgensoc.org or ask me offline. Several have struggled with the question on the 1880 mortality schedules. There are many sources. Films of the originals are available on interlibrary loan within California from the state library. They have been filmed by the Family History Library on film #1,549,971, available on loan through local Family History Centers. The Sacramento Genealogical Society extracted the information for the entire state and published it in book format. This publication is available at Sutro Library and the California Genealogical Society Library in Oakland. "Raking the Ashes" is very comprehensive (over 200 pp) and your list moderator, Pam Wolfskill, was one of the reviewers. It's a guide, not a compendium of records; it shows you how to locate what you are looking for. The cost is a little under $20--much less than what you would pay for one hour of professional research. Nancy Peterson ____________________________________________________________________