The Arkansas Archives took copies of my genealogy records and have others. In a message dated 8/21/03 4:03:21 PM, windwalker@fastmail.fm writes: << On Thu, 2003-08-21 at 23:10, Sarah Rierson wrote: This is probably a dumb question...but I have to ask it anyway. Do people ever record copies of their family histories in their states historical libraries? I vaguely remember someone in the family saying that such had been done in our family....which one????. ...who knows... .but have a feeling that it might be COUCH. I have a letter written by a grandson of John D. Couch (DOB 2/10/1832 Luenberg, VA) saying that the Couches came to the states with Peter Stuyvesant.....settling in NY. (The same J. D. Couch is also my grandfather). Any one have history on this item. Hopefully there is some truth to this and not just something for some good laughs. Sarah Rierson iowamom@prairieinet.net Sarah: It would ne best to research Peter Stuyvesant and party first in NY. Then find out all you can of the area and its migration patterns. Couch people settled in NY/CT/NJ/RI before "some" went on down to PA/Va and later other areas. As far as submitting family records to a historical center. They first must be highly documented and pass a rigid check. Then "some" local state agencys will take them based on local history. As far as just a "genealogy file" submitted to said. They will not take them in most cases. There has to be some significance in the family or submitted file for them to have. I would not truse a "letter" written by a old family member as "proof". It is a starting point indeed to document the lineage. To many fables are started in false family reports from long ago. I am not saying this is one. Just merely that you are lucky to have the info to start the paper trail to documented lineage. Couch clan came from several different areas in the old world.. some welsh, some english {mostly} some Austria/german.. I would start with the Peter Stuyvesant landing point and backtrack, thus leading to VA {hopefully} in the long run. Be highly advised alot of the "internet files" one see,s on the net are wrong and full of mis info. So hard copy documentation is a must!!! Then you can blow everybody away and tell them their "files" suck, as you have hard copy proof ! not copied internet files. >>