Not yet. We are going to work on the marriages and births after the death index is done. Donna At 02:40 PM 2/27/02 -0500, Loder Family wrote: >Is this for California Deaths and Births? The link takes me to the death >index project. Is there a separate birth index site? > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Donna@MBS" <mbs@inland.net> >To: <CASANFRA-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Monday, February 25, 2002 2:09 AM >Subject: [CASANFRA] Weekly update pre-1905 project > > >> >Hi all; >> >Weekly update time for the pre-1905 project. For those that are not aware >> of the project, we are entering the vital statistic information for the >> period of statehood (1850) to 1905 (time of CADI and CABI). >> > >> >First of all, I would like to thank those that have sponsored counties by >> donating sufficient funds to acquire the copies of the death records for a >> given county. This is greatly appreciate by not only those of us working >on >> the project, but soon will be appreciated by all those who will have the >> records online. Thank you ever so much for your help. >> > >> >Secondly, I would like to thank all those that are volunteering on this >> project. We now have close to 100 persons volunteering in areas of >> acquiring records, transcribing records, working with county recorders, >> etc; then there is my #2s, Steve and Laura who have been indispensible in >> their undying work on the project, website and all the technical support >> they have given. This project would not be as far along as it is if it >> weren't for the two of them. We all owe them alot. >> > >> >Now, for what is happening on the project: >> > >> >We have acquired some of the records for San Francisco County. I have to >> admit that I was totally dumbfounded when I realized the number of records >> that are available for pre-1906 earthquake because I was under the >> impression that alot of the records were gone and there was very little >> available. This may be partially true in that alot of the records burned, >> but the records that I have just gotten access to have changed my mind on >> what is available. Let me explain. There are 6 microfilms of just death >> records that I have acquired. In those films are records of over 200,000 >> deaths in San Francisco County for the period of 1863-1903. That is more >> than in any other county in the state, and may be equivalent to all other >> counties combined. This is alot and will take some time and lots of >> donations to make all the copies. At 40 entries per page, that is over >5000 >> copies to be made at .35-.50 per page. That means the cost factor for San >> Francisco county alone will be in excess of $2000.00 and that is before >> postage costs to get these records to the transcribers. This means we will >> need lots of donations. This is where we scream HELP, HELP, HELP. We need >> your help on this. Donations are desperately needed. They can be sent to >me >> at the address below. >> > >> >As far as the other counties are concerned, we will be doing them >> simultaneously to the time we are working on San Francisco. Although about >> 75% of our transcribers will be working San Francisco, the other 25% will >> be working on the other counties. We have had some people sponsor some >> counties and those copies will be made and transcribed. We have the >> Genealogical Society that will be working on Santa Barbara County. We have >> our precious Janie and Elaine who will be working Shasta County (in >> addition to others if needed). We have a husband-wife team doing Butte >> County, Beverly Stone working El Dorado County, Sharon Dulcich photoing >and >> transcribing Kern County, although she will be getting some additional >help >> in the transcription portion of this. Betty Vickroy has just finished >Marin >> County and book two will be online, probably this week. Modoc County has >> been funded and will be in the transcription phase as soon as the records >> come in (they have been ordered). Jacqui Marcela is transcribing Placer >> County. Beverly Stone is working on accessing the Sacramento County >> Records; Dee Sardoch is currently transcribing San Benito County; Barbara >> Erden is transcribing San Luis Obispo; Laura Melton is transcribing >> Siskiyou County; Elvina Fernandez is working on acquiring the ordered >> Tulare County records which will be transcribed by her and the Sequoia >> Genealogical Society; Steven Miller is transcribing Mariposa County and on >> and on and on. We have gotten several genealogical societies that have >> expressed interest in helping us with funding as well as with >transcription >> of records. >> > >> >Some of the counties that will be transcribed in the very near future, >> pending funding or records orders coming in are: >> > >> >Shasta County >> >Modoc County >> >Del Norte County >> >Fresno County >> >Lake County >> >Modoc County >> >Monterey County >> >Orange County >> >Klamath County >> >Santa Cruz >> >and more.... >> > >> >And these will all be done during the same time in which Los Angeles >> County and San Francisco Counties (the two largest) are being done. >> Counties are going online within 7-10 days of completion of the >> transcription. We only started this project in January and already have >all >> or part of 8 counties online. That means there are 51 more to be >completed. >> > >> >For those of you that have read the "History of the Project" on the >> website, I would like to share this with you. I recently contacted Megan >> Smolenyak, the original grantor of funds for the project, to give her the >> website so that she could take a look at what she had started. I recently >> got this reaction from her in regards to what has been done and wanted to >> share it with you. >> > >> > >> >"Hi Donna, >> > >> >All I have to say is wow, Wow, WOW!!! I just went and checked the link >you >> >sent and was blown away! You give me so much credit, but you're the one >who >> >deserves it! I can't believe how much you've done with so little. >Thanks >> >for inspiring me further in my grants. You can't believe how good it >makes >> >me feel to think that I had even a tiny role in nudging you! I'm going >to >> >add a brief update to my site, including a link. >> > >> >Thanks so much for telling me all this and for all your incredible >efforts! >> >The genealogical world needs more folks like you! >> > >> >Take care, >> >Megan" >> > >> >Megan gives grants to genealogical projects of worth and thought this >> project was worthy, back in the days when I was just talking about doing >> San Diego County. She is a gift to the genealogical world. Not only does >> she give out grants monthly, but she has written several articles for >> Ancestry Magazine as well as others and speaks regularly on this topic. >> This is only one of several "good words" that we have gotten on the >project >> and they are all appreciated. >> > >> >Finally, although not least, I would like to thank all of those that have >> donated cash, checks, postage, etc. to the project. Although we are not >> completely "out of the woods" on the project because of so much more that >> we will be needing, we are now at least seeing a potential of getting all >> the records that we need with your continued help in this area. Although I >> hate to admit it, there was a time when I was trying desperately to keep >> the project going with little to nothing to work with and depleting my own >> finances in the process. Your continued support has made me see "a light >at >> the end of the tunnel" and we will make it with all that we need and >desire >> to do here. I cannot say thank you enough and pray for the continued >> support of all. You have no idea how much your donations help, regardless >> of the size. On an average, every penny you send adds one more entry >online >> for those who need it. We acknowledge all of you, both here and on your >> special page on the website. You deserve an extra special pat on the back >> for we could not do this without the financial support. >> > >> >For those wishing to donate to the project. Please make checks out to, or >> send funding or postage to me at my address below. We keep a FULL >> accounting of all funds updated daily which is available upon request. >> Donations pay only for copy fees and postage. Steve and Laura Melton and I >> are absorbing all other costs (phone calls, travel, programs, etc). >> > >> >The website can be viewed at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~cabf1905 >> > >> >Thank you...and till next week... >> >Donna Bradley >> >Project Coordinator >> >Pre-1905 California Project >> >P. O. Box 391368 >> >Anza, CA 92539-1368 >> > >> > >> > >> > >> >> > > >