Word to the Wise regarding MCI. I too, WAS very happy with MCI until !!! Ahghhhhh!!!! I switched my long dististance to AT&T (Hey, they had a better deal) The next day my Internet service was CANCELED..... Dead.... Gone... Caputz. It took 4 phone calls and much time with Tech support (Which by the way is superior!!!) to get back online. I had to reinstall the MCI software. They do not support Netscape Navigator but I am using it.... It's not that difficult to set up, but I am on my own with it... I don't like that. I am still with MCI.... am not having problems with mail and I am very satisfied now. Just be aware, contact MCI BEFORE switching long distance carriers, so that they have "time" to set up alternate billing methods. Kathy Snow-Bryce KatBryce @mci2000.com or KatBryce@juno.com Stuck in the Beautiful Everglades of Florida North Fort Myers, FL 33917 Researching BRYCE SCT>VA>MI FASSETT MA>MI FONDA NY>MI RANDALL NY>MI RAYMER NY>MI SNOW ?>TX>IL>WI>MI John Baggarley wrote: > This is not an add for MCI but I have been using MCI as my ISP for > quite > a while ahd have found them helpful when I have problems . When I have > > been out of town I know I can count on getting ALL my mail as many as > 500 messages at one time. > > John B. > > George W. Durman wrote: > > > > Today it has been brought to my attention that I have erred in > lumping all > > snip< > > decided to "bounce" the email with the message, "User has a Full > Mailbox". > ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

Word to the Wise regarding MCI. I too, WAS very happy with MCI until !!! Ahghhhhh!!!! I switched my long dististance to AT&T (Hey, they had a better deal) The next day my Internet service was CANCELED..... Dead.... Gone... Caputz. It took 4 phone calls and much time with Tech support (Which by the way is superior!!!) to get back online. I had to reinstall the MCI software. They do not support Netscape Navigator but I am using it.... It's not that difficult to set up, but I am on my own with it... I don't like that. I am still with MCI.... am not having problems with mail and I am very satisfied now. Just be aware, contact MCI BEFORE switching long distance carriers, so that they have "time" to set up alternate billing methods. Kathy Snow-Bryce KatBryce @mci2000.com or KatBryce@juno.com Stuck in the Beautiful Everglades of Florida North Fort Myers, FL 33917 Researching BRYCE SCT>VA>MI FASSETT MA>MI FONDA NY>MI RANDALL NY>MI RAYMER NY>MI SNOW ?>TX>IL>WI>MI John Baggarley wrote: > This is not an add for MCI but I have been using MCI as my ISP for > quite > a while ahd have found them helpful when I have problems . When I have > > been out of town I know I can count on getting ALL my mail as many as > 500 messages at one time. > > John B. > > George W. Durman wrote: > > > > Today it has been brought to my attention that I have erred in > lumping all > > snip< > > decided to "bounce" the email with the message, "User has a Full > Mailbox". > ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

Amara Marshall wrote: > > I vote for no spaces! > > ---------- > From: Robert J. Stevens <snevets@execpc.com> > To: phil6610@zeus.dpnet.net > Cc: OHIO-VALLEY-L@rootsweb.com; STEPHENS-L@rootsweb.com; > POTTS-L@rootsweb.com; POLK-L@rootsweb.com; NOEL-L@rootsweb.com; > HOWELL-L@rootsweb.com; GREEN-L@rootsweb.com; GRAVES-L@rootsweb.com; > GATES-L@rootsweb.com; DANIEL-L@rootsweb.com; BOWEN-L@rootsweb.com; > BADEN-WURTTEMBERG-L@rootsweb.com; WILKINSON-L@rootsweb.com; > ROOTS-L@rootsweb.com; OLD-FREDERICK-CO-VA-L@rootsweb.com; > STJOHN-L@rootsweb.com; greg@eskimo.com; Clydevd@aol.com; George W. Durman > BROYLES-L@rootsweb.com <sgtgeorg@concentric.net>; CFT-WIN-L@rootsweb.com; > CROCKETT-L@rootsweb.com; CULLOP-L@rootsweb.com; DURMAN-L@rootsweb.com; > GAROUTTE-L@rootsweb.com; HOMESPUN-L@rootsweb.com; LOVETTE-L@rootsweb.com; > WILHITE-L@rootsweb.com; WILKINSON-L@rootsweb.com; > RESEARCH-HOWTO-L@rootsweb.com; SURNAME-QUERY-L@rootsweb.com; > GERMANNA_COLONIES-L@rootsweb.com; PENNSYLVANIA-ROOTS-L@listserv.indiana.edu > Subject: Re: [PENN] [Fwd: 'The Branches of the WORLD Tree'] > Date: Wednesday, November 12, 1997 11:09 AM > > Robert Philhower wrote: > > > > Bob: > > > > Please don't put spaces in the names you are searching. It makes them > > difficult to scan and impossible to search. When they wrap aound to the > > next line, it makes it even more unlikely to find a fellow finder. > > > Bob Philhower > "You can Please some of the people some of the Time and You can Please > some of the People All of the time but You can't please All of the > People All of the Time' > to paraphrase someone wiser than me. I got a lot of flack from several > list owners because I didn't separate my names. but if it's better the > other way I'll change it. I'll broadcast this reply to the list's I'm on > and see what comes of it > !!! Okay lets have a show of hands folks !!!! > > > > With that said, I have some Potter's (mostly Colonel Samuel's) from NJ > > in my line. Are your Potter's from NJ. > > > I wish I new we have to I say Two lost and elusive Potters in out family > tree so I guess that make me a little bit Pottered. one is Emma Mira > Potter born February 17, 1829 suppsedly in N.Y. the other Caroline > Potter my Great Grand mother on my Dad's Dad side was in Hollidays > pennsylvania during 1864 thru 1866 and possibly as late as 1895. but > thats all we know about that. > Bob the 'I hope I don't have to change it again for the second time' > Stevens > -- > "If a Tree doesn't have DEEP ROOTS it is easily blown over by a strong > Wind" > Researching: * B o w e n * F e u r t * F i l s o n * F l o w e r * F o r > t * G a t e s * > G r a v e s * H o w e l l * L e n o x * N o e l * O a k e s * P o t t e > r * P o u n d * > S t C l a i r * S T E V E N S * S t J o h n * T h r a s h e r * V a n D > u s e n* Yay; Spaces 20:1 No spaces win's but read this ******************** Subject: Surnames in Taglines [was Fwd: 'The Branches of the WORLD Tree']] Date: Wed, 12 Nov 1997 15:16:29 -0500 From: Phil Stackhouse <merlin@clark.net> Organization: Merlin Document Services To: snevets@execpc.com, OLD-FREDERICK-CO-VA-L@rootsweb.com References: 1 , 2 , 3 Robert J. Stevens wrote: > > Robert Philhower wrote: > > Please don't put spaces in the names you are searching. It makes them > > difficult to scan and impossible to search. Bob, Bob <G>) and all, The folks at RootsWeb have asked everyone either NOT to add surnames to taglines or else to do something like separating them with spaces. This is because in the not-too-distant future there will be a very powerful search engine at RootsWeb which will allow the searching of both header and body text for surnames, etc. If you post 100 times a year with your SMITH surname listed in the tagline on RootsWeb mailing lists, then that's 100 bogus hits that someone searching for real SMITH information will have to wade through. Multiply that by the number of people who might put SMITH on their tagline and you can understand that the whole search process would become an excercize in futility. So those "spaced" surnames are highly appropriate. Phil ************************* So I Guess no spaces loses the vote having been vetoed. Sorry if I've upset the apple cart but this is not A FLAME as some would think. It is very serious business. Perhaps we ougt to get our collective heads together and come up with a soultion that would at least satisfy the majority. Reminds me of my Grandfather who bought a Mule from the neighbor for five bucks thinking he'd got a bargain but he seconds thoughts when the seller handed him a pick axe handle. Grandpa asked him what's that for. The seller replied "He's a bit stubborn so you have to whack him on the Rump to get him moving" So where do we go now that I have you attention. Bob the stubborn as a mule but affable Stevens -- "If a Tree doesn't have DEEP ROOTS it is easily blown over by a strong Wind" Researching: AUGENSTEIN,BOWEN,CURRY,DANIELS,FEURT,FILSON,FLOWER,FORT,GATES, GRAVES,GREEN,HOWELL,KILDOW,KILDAU,LENOX,MONTGOMERY,NOEL,NEWELL,OAKES,POAGE,__ POTTER,POUND,StCLAIR,StJOHN,STEPHENS,STEVENS,THRASHER,VAN DUSEN,VanDYKE,ET-AL ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

Robert Philhower wrote: > > Bob: > > Please don't put spaces in the names you are searching. It makes them > difficult to scan and impossible to search. When they wrap aound to the > next line, it makes it even more unlikely to find a fellow finder. > Bob Philhower "You can Please some of the people some of the Time and You can Please some of the People All of the time but You can't please All of the People All of the Time' to paraphrase someone wiser than me. I got a lot of flack from several list owners because I didn't separate my names. but if it's better the other way I'll change it. I'll broadcast this reply to the list's I'm on and see what comes of it !!! Okay lets have a show of hands folks !!!! > > With that said, I have some Potter's (mostly Colonel Samuel's) from NJ > in my line. Are your Potter's from NJ. > I wish I new we have to I say Two lost and elusive Potters in out family tree so I guess that make me a little bit Pottered. one is Emma Mira Potter born February 17, 1829 suppsedly in N.Y. the other Caroline Potter my Great Grand mother on my Dad's Dad side was in Hollidays pennsylvania during 1864 thru 1866 and possibly as late as 1895. but thats all we know about that. Bob the 'I hope I don't have to change it again for the second time' Stevens -- "If a Tree doesn't have DEEP ROOTS it is easily blown over by a strong Wind" Researching: * B o w e n * F e u r t * F i l s o n * F l o w e r * F o r t * G a t e s * G r a v e s * H o w e l l * L e n o x * N o e l * O a k e s * P o t t e r * P o u n d * S t C l a i r * S T E V E N S * S t J o h n * T h r a s h e r * V a n D u s e n* ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

Ignore the messages I sent out concerning being able to log on to RootsWeb and retrieve Archives of past List messages. The person that runs that service at RootsWeb has suspended it. He was receiving too much negative mail concerning having to have usernames and passwords. I will let you know when and if it opens up again. SgtGeorge Listowner ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

I'm forwarding this list to all of You Rooters. I believe this project can help all of us. I don't expect to get much out of it but I'm sure it will help others to connect to their ROOTS. You know that is how a Tree grows by taking in nourishment thru its Roots and Leaves. Bob the would be Tree Trunk Caretaker Stevens -- "If a Tree doesn't have DEEP ROOTS it is easily blown over by a strong Wind" Researching: * B o w e n * F e u r t * F i l s o n * F l o w e r * F o r t * G a t e s * G r a v e s * H o w e l l * L e n o x * N o e l * O a k e s * P o t t e r * P o u n d * S t C l a i r * S T E V E N S * S t J o h n * T h r a s h e r * V a n D u s e n*

This is not an add for MCI but I have been using MCI as my ISP for quite a while ahd have found them helpful when I have problems . When I have been out of town I know I can count on getting ALL my mail as many as 500 messages at one time. John B. George W. Durman wrote: > > Today it has been brought to my attention that I have erred in lumping all > AOL users with "full mailboxes" into one category. It seems that AOL, when > it is having problems with its hardware or software has devised a new > subterfuge to escape culpability. If the servers at AOL are having problems > and cannot accept email for users, Steve Case and his gnome clones have > decided to "bounce" the email with the message, "User has a Full Mailbox". ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

Today it has been brought to my attention that I have erred in lumping all AOL users with "full mailboxes" into one category. It seems that AOL, when it is having problems with its hardware or software has devised a new subterfuge to escape culpability. If the servers at AOL are having problems and cannot accept email for users, Steve Case and his gnome clones have decided to "bounce" the email with the message, "User has a Full Mailbox". This makes it look like the blame is with the users, not with AOL. I have lambasted AOL users lately for not keeping their mailboxes emptied and avoiding this problem. What did I find out? I was unfair in my accusa- tions. I NOW know beyond doubt that many users' mail has bounced for the "full mailbox" reason, when in fact this was a lie from AOL. I have done some detective work and found out that some users, who had just emptied their mailboxes, had mail bounced within FIVE MINUTES and their mailboxes were really empty. It took some tests and some experimentation with the cooperation of some local AOL users, but we have proved our case beyond doubt. The upshot of this is, if you are an AOL user and you receive a message from RootsWeb stating you have been unsubscribed from such and such List, and you have no idea why, the answer is that we received all email to you as "bounces" from AOL. NOW YOU USERS MUST USE YOUR JOINT POWER AS CONSUMERS TO CONTACT AOL AND FORCE THEM TO STRAIGHTEN UP THEIR MESS. The Internet community cannot continue to operate in chaos, chaos which is, in a large part, due to AOL's greed. There are, of course, other major nation-wide servers out there with some of the same problems as AOL. If you consumers don't put pressure on them to provide the excellent service you deserve they will NEVER change anything. Thank God I have been fortunate enough during the past years to have initially chosen a server that has no such problems. It was just a matter of luck; however, had I chosen one that gave me prob- lems, you can rest assured that I would not have hesitated to change. Not for a minute! AND, I had been an AOL user almost from its inception, not for email, but because of the availability of files. I never relied on AOL for any email. I quit AOL because of lousy service, and the pathetic code written by their software people for the AOL installation program, which crashed my system big-time one time too many. AOL users, I publicly apologize for angrily attacking you for your full mailboxes. Many of you were NOT to blame, as I now know. In spite of the above apology, some of you HAVE been guilty of not keeping your mailboxes emptied and in the spirit of renewed cooperation, how about making an effort to remedy the situation. Check out the Flash Session utility in AOL that I have mentioned here before. Regards, SgtGeorge Listowner ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

Some of you have had problems getting into the Archives for the various Lists. Please remember that the USERNAME is all in CAPS, e.g., BROYLES-L or SURNAME-QUERY-L. The password is in mixed case letters and numbers, e.g. Mighty28forward. Please don't write to me complaining about those awful passwords. Marc Nozell at RootsWeb let a computerized random generator make the pass- words, and it came up with some weird ones. MAKE SURE you use the proper case for the usernames and passwords. I believe that most of you that have had problems have done so because of confusion over case, and distinguishing between the 0 (zero) and the O (capital "oh"). The best way to get it right is to "copy" and "paste". That ensures it will be correct. If any of you still have problems and are SURE you're using the correct username and password, let me know and I'll check into it again. SgtGeorge Listowner ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

OK folks, the time has come. I just cannot maintain the pace any longer. Anyone that manages more than one List is a glutton for punishment. I manage THIRTEEN !!!!! I work full-time, many more than 40 hours a week, and just don't have the time to do other computer chores because of having to worry about all the "bounces" of unacceptable email messages from my Lists. So, below you will find the LIsts that I would like for someone to volunteer to manage. I will spend as much time as necessary to instruct and help any volunteers to take over the Lists. Managing one List is really no big chore, but multiple Lists bring multiple headaches. The one that I am willing to part with that causes me the most agony is HOMESPUN. I started it long ago, have nurtured it, and loved it. Now it is time to pass it on to someone else who will take care of it as I have. Here are the ones I would like to pass on to someone else: HOMESPUN SURNAME-QUERY RESEARCH-HOWTO CROCKETT I will be very honest about these Lists. The SURNAME-QUERY and the RESEARCH-HOWTO have large subscriber lists and gather the most "bounces". But, they are two of the most valuable Lists on the Net. Whoever takes them over must be willing to spend some time monitoring and main- taining them. You will in time come to HATE certain servers because of the users whose mailboxes constantly fill up. (Should I say the word AOL?) Even with the trouble, these two Lists are extremely valuable to the genealogy research community. Handling one of them wouldn't be very much trouble. If I get volunteers for these four Lists, I will give you all the information necessary to run them. All the hints and tips and shortcuts. AND, will be available at any time to help you. It's almost like giving up children, SgtGeorge ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

Archives of all past email to this List are now available at RootsWeb. If anyone is interested in retrieving these Archives, send me an email and I will give you the URL for the site, AND the Username and Password necessary to gain access to them. This means you no longer have to go through the awful process of sending email with X-commands and being totally baffled by the resulting replies. Now it's a simple matter of logging on to the proper place at RootsWeb and having access. SgtGeorge DURMAN List Maintainer ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

To subscribers to all my Lists: Tonight I had over 400 "error" messages generated because people sub- scribe to these Lists and then won't keep their mailboxes emptied. Once a user's mailbox is full at his/her server, the server "bounces" the messages back to me. I really hate to do this, but circumstances have dictated that I take some drastic measure to stop this nonsense. The way I look at it, if a user can subscribe to a mailing list, then that subscriber should have enough common sense and concern for others to empty his/her mailbox on a daily basis. AND, if that user is going to be away for any extended length of time, it is his/her responsibility to unsubscribe from all mailing lists. Henceforth, if your server will not accept email to you because your mailbox is full, and I receive "bounced" messages, I will not only unsubscribe you from that List, I will put you on the "reject" list at RootsWeb. What that means is that once your address is there, you will not be able to resubscribe to any of the Lists that I maintain. The only way you can get back on again is to send me a private email, explaining WHY you let your mailbox fill up and WHAT you are going to do to prevent it in the future. I won't even go into here the many ways a user can set up his/her system to automatically go online and download email at prescheduled intervals. Users of AOL seem to be the worst offenders and they seem to have NEVER heard of the Flash Session utility that is a part of the AOL software on their system. It's about time that new users started to read all the documentation that comes with the programs they install and find out how to use them. As I said, tonight I had over 400 "error" messages. The total for the day would probably be close to 1000. No, I didn't count them, but I had to look at every danged one of them to see if I had to manually intervene and manually unsubscribe those addresses that "fall through the cracks". If you are not guilty of letting your mailbox fill up, just ignore this message. It is for those guilty ones -- although, if their mailboxes are full, it is doubtful they will receive this either. SgtGeorge List Maintainer ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

I'm sorry to burden you with such a long post, but Dick Eastman of Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter, had the following article in the latest edition of his Newsletter. As I was burned several years ago, as was my brother, l living in a different part of the state, I felt it imperative to inform all of you about this SCAM. The people at Halberts are no more than a bunch of greedy, coniving, dishonest crooks. (Worry about slander? Let them sue me!) They send you a trashy piece called a "book", with 4 or 5 pages of generic genealogical information, and the rest is nothing but reprints of names from the phone books across the country and Canada. AND, they use phone books that are 2-5 years out of date. So, if you receive an offer through the mail, even from that reputable company "Texaco", DO NOT SEND THEM any money. It is a 100% rip-off. Now to the excerpt of Dick's Newsletter: ================================================================ (The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright 1997 by Richard W. Eastman and Ancestry, Inc. It is re-published here with the permission of the author.) - Halbert's - Up To Old Tricks I have been writing about Halbert's for years. I first wrote an article about them in 1989, long before this newsletter came into existence. Since 1989 I have purchased two of their "books," seen several other Halbert's "books" and have followed their numerous legal problems in several countries. If you have been involved in genealogy for a while, you probably know about Halbert's. If so, you can skip the next 5 paragraphs. For anyone who is new to genealogy, however, I will offer a bit of background information. Halbert's of Bath, Ohio, is the most notorious of the mail order companies that send out ads offering to sell you "an astounding new book" with insinuations that the book tells all about your family name. These letters, as well as the "books," are all mass produced by computers with family surnames and your name inserted in appropriate places. For instance, a letter sent to me will say: I have exciting news for you and all Eastmans! Though we are probably not related, I want to tell you about extensive work done throughout the world on a project relating to the distinguished Eastman name. What might be the oldest facts about Eastmans in North America have been discovered. Now, an astounding new book, 'THE NEW WORLD BOOK OF EASTMANS,' is about to be published for you and it features Eastmans back to 1620." The advertisement then goes on in breathless prose with lots of exclamation marks scattered about. It claims to present facts about early Eastmans and also asserts that it includes an up-to- date international directory of Eastmans. If your name is Smith, then the letter sent to you will have the name Smith inserted in every place where my letter says Eastman. If you live in England or Germany or some other country, then the geographic references will be changed to match. (Halbert's is an international operation.) All of the advertisements will claim to be "a one-of a kind book." If you are gullible enough to order the book for $34.50 plus another $4.88 postage and handling, you eventually receive a booklet of general information about how to get started researching genealogy plus many pages of extracts from old telephone directories listing people with the same last name as yours. The Eastman "book" that I looked at last year had names and addresses listed for some of my relatives who had been deceased for years. The "one-of-a-kind book" lives up to the description; it actually has a cardboard cover and looks like it was glued together on someone's kitchen table. The pages in the 1996 Eastman "book" weren't even aligned properly. I don't know when Halbert's started this business, but I know they were already notorious in genealogy circles in the mid-1980s. They have frequently received legal injunctions from postal authorities, but that doesn't seem to slow Halbert's down very much; apparently they continue to send out thousands of these advertisements every week despite legal efforts to shut them down. The Halbert's ad I received in 1989 was signed by "Doris Eastman, i.a." Now, Doris never claimed to be a relative of mine in that advertisement, but the fact that the letter was signed by someone named Eastman lent credence to the "book" title of The New World Book of Eastman. I was intrigued by the letters "i.a." that appeared after Doris Eastman's name. After a fair amount of research, I discovered a Legal Dictionary that listed it as an abbreviation for the Latin words "in absentia" or, translated into English, "in absence." In other words, Doris Eastman wasn't present when the letter was written, and someone else signed her name to it in Doris' absence. In 1989 I called Halbert's and asked to speak to Doris Eastman. I was told that "Doris isn't here right now, can someone else help you?" I was suspicious that Doris was a fictitious name and later court documents proved that my assumption was accurate. I'll point out that calling Halbert's is difficult. Their telephone number isn't in the ad, and it isn't listed by the telephone company. I believe that is rather unusual for a company in the mailorder business, one would think that they would want to receive orders by telephone as well as my mail orders. I was later told that Halbert's mailing address in Bath, Ohio is simply a mail drop; there are no offices at that address for a company called Halbert's. In fact, Halbert's is one of the trade names owned by Numa Corporation in nearby Akron, Ohio. Apparently, mail delivered to the Bath, Ohio, address is simply forwarded to Numa in Akron. I eventually found a number for Numa and called their offices looking for Doris Eastman. Not surprisingly, she wasn't there, either. Halbert's and Numa were in court in 1988 as defendants in an action claiming false advertising. I don't have the details of the 1988 action, but the 1995 complaint referenced an order in 1988 requiring Numa/Halbert's to stop claiming that the advertising letters were signed by relatives of the addressee. The 1995 court session apparently took a dim view of Halbert's fake signatures. Quoting from an announcement released later by the National Genealogical Society: At that time Halbert's was ordered to cease and desist from falsely representing ". . . that (1) a solicitation for a surname-related product was sent by a relative of the solicitee; (2) a relative of a solicitee was involved in preparing a surname-related publication; or that (3) a relative of a solicitee endorses a surname-related product." The Postal Service contended that the company's solicitations, which advertised books such as The World Book of [surname] and The [surname] Since the Civil War, violated the 1988 consent agreement, because they appeared to be letters from relatives of the addressees urging them to purchase a recently completed book on their family. The Halbert's ad that I received in 1996 was not signed by anyone claiming to have the name Eastman, and the letters "i.a." did not appear after the signature. It seemed that Numa and Halbert's had accepted the court ruling. Letters sent to Canada and to England (sometimes under another Numa subsidiary name of Burkes) were still signed by someone claiming to have the same surname with the letters "i.a." I assume that is because the U.S. court decision only covers the United States, and Numa is free to do as they wish in other countries. However... I have in my hands at this moment a Halbert's ad received in California a couple of weeks ago. A member of CompuServe's Genealogy Forums forwarded this advertisement to me as he knew I'd be interested. It is a brand-new ad for the "New World Book of Becks." It has all the same wording as I mentioned above except that the word BECK has been substituted for EASTMAN. What caught my eye is the signature: Nancy J. Beck, i.a. Numa and Halbert's apparently have gone back to their old tricks in violation of the 1995 court order. Fictitious signatures followed by "i.a." are back in use. ================================================================ - And still more on Halbert's... You know, Halbert's business practices have really been good for me. If the postal authorities ever succeed in shutting Halbert's down, I won't have anything left to write about! Halbert's apparently has a new business partner: Texaco. Another CompuServe member in New Hampshire forwarded an ad he received this week from Texaco. It says: A remarkable new book is about to be published and you, ___(insert addressee's name here)___, are in it! Do those words sound familiar? They should. I am skipping a few paragraphs here. But the advertisement continues... The Texaco name represents the best products and service on the road today. And now, for select Texaco Credit Card customers, we offer an amazing new source of information about another important name - the (insert surname here) name! I question the "amazing new source..." Texaco continues.... The New World Book of __(surname)__ is an heirloom-quality edition you can pass on to your children, and share with the entire __(surname)__ family! Published by Halbert's for Texaco customers, and based on a search of over 170 million records worldwide, this amazing book provides information that can help you discover more about the __(surname)__ name than you've ever known before, including: - How family names originated and what the distinguished __(surname)__ means... - The development of family crests..... - The __(surname)__ International Directory, the most extensive registry of households bearing the __(surname)__ today - with listings throughout the world. The Texaco ad goes on and on with the same words that Halbert's has used over the years. In fact, the ad is signed by "Sharon Taylor, Publisher, Halbert's." At least she didn't claim to have the same surname as the addressee of the advertisement and she didn't use "i.a." after her name. The price from Texaco is exactly the same price that Halbert's advertises directly: $34.50 plus $4.88 shipping and handling. I am curious what Halbert's liability is in this advertisement. Since it is on Texaco stationary and mailed to Texaco customers, who is responsible for compliance with the various court orders? Texaco? Texaco was never mentioned in the previous court orders, so probably they can do as they please. At least, for a while. But the ad is signed by a person claiming to be an employee of Halbert's. Does that mean that Halbert's is responsible for the ad and its claims? I will leave that to the lawyers to argue. In the meantime, I have one bit of advice: Skip it. That's a lot of money for a list extracted from telephone directories. ================================================================ ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

Hope you folks don't mind but I thought some of you new users just might benefit from this service. Dummies Daily is a service which sends out daily tips & tricks for Win95 users. You may subscribe to this service by logging on to the URL below: http://www.pcworld.com/watch/dummies Once subscribed, you will receive a new tip or trick each business day. Also, by logging on to the above URL, you may find past Dummies Daily help. If you are a "newbie" user of Win95, you may find some help here that will make your "computer life" a lot easier. SgtGeorge List Maintainer ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

Recently, I have been helping out some users of my Lists at RootsWeb and thought that some of you who are "newbies" might also benefit form the discussions. I get many emails from "newbie" researchers, most of whom have traced back only to grandparents, wanting to know how to get beyond the known ancestors, back to a time/place where they can tie into already researched lines. The answer, in most cases, is CENSUS RECORDS. Here's a short example of how to do it: Use the data for the ancestor for which you have a definite date and/or place of birth. Let's say you know that your father was born in 1941 in Kansas, his father was born in 1915, also in Kansas. Now the grandfather would not show up in the 1910 Census records, but should be found somewhere in the 1920 records. You should look for a family of the appropriate surname, in the appropriate Census district, in which you should find the name of your grandfather, listed as a child in a household. He will be listed as a child of someone of the same surname. Once you find him and can positively identify him as your grandfather, the hard part should be done. You read the Census report, find out who his father was, dates, places, etc., then just track backward for each generation, using the Census records. Usually, once you have traced backwards to a g-g-grandfather, you will find that someone, somewhere has information on that branch/line. To use an example, in my major research of BROYLES, I have found that if a researcher can find the name of his g-g-grandfather, some BROYLES researcher has already uncovered the g-g-grandfather's name and tied him into the main line. It's just a matter of doing some "leg work" yourself and not depending on others to fill in the blanks and to tie you into the main tree. There are many places to research the Census Records. Local genealogy clubs/centers, University/College Libraries, other Libraries, the LDS Family History Centers, etc. The best bet, and usually the most accessible, is the LDS Family History Center (FHC) nearest to you. Look in your phone book for LDS or Church of the Latter Day Saints. Call them up, make an appointment to use their computers and CD ROM Census Record databases, and start your search. You will find that the folks at the FHC will go out of their way to assist you in your searches and to instruct you on how to use the available resources. Once you have pinned down the places and dates for your ancestors, it is an easy step to researching the birth, marriage, and death records for individual counties. Some counties in some states have paper records of these vital recordings. Others have placed everything on microfiche or microfilm, which resides in the State capital. In any case, once you have zeroed in on your ancestor, you should be able to access the necessary records to keep going farther and farther back in time. Regards, SgtGeorge List Maintainer ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

I originally wrote this for a user on my GERMANNA_COLONIES List, in response to a post concerning problems at AOL. After sending it, I realized that it might be of value to many AOL email users. Please read all the post, whether you are an AOL user or not. If you use other services, you can still set up your email browser to automatically logon and down- load your email at specified intervals. SgtGeorge List Maintainer **********(Start of Post on How to Use AOL's Flash Sessions)********** Pat, may I make a suggestion to you and ALL OTHER AOL users on these Lists. The AOL Windows interface has a utility that you can use to download your messages and then log off AOL. I haven't used it in a while, but it used to be called a Flash Session. Instead of logging on the usual way, you click on Flash Session, tell it what to do, then hit "OK". It logs onto AOL, gets your messages, copies them to your harddrive so you can read them and answer at your leisure. You do this while still in the AOL interface program for Windows, but you are not logged on. This frees up AOL connections for others to use. If EVERY AOL user did this, it would cut down on the load on AOL by several magnitudes. Get your mail, log off, read it off-line, just like you would do if you had a "real" internet server (ISP) and a "real" email program, such as Eudora, Agent, etc., then log on again, using Flash Session, to send your replies and download any new email. Do you realize that you can compose your original email off-line and then send it during a Flash Session? Think of the resources freed up at AOL if you do all your email off line !!!!! 99.99% of the servers now give unlimited time for a basic fee and users take them at their word, staying on line for hours, when they could make do with just a few minutes for each mail download session. Again, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE ON-LINE to read your mail and prepare replies. I'm addressing this issue since AOL doesn't seem to be able to keep up with the demands make by it's 10 million+ users, or is it 14 million now? Oops, almost forgot. By using Flash Sessions, you can leave the AOL Windows interface running and program the Flash Session utility to go online at preset times and download your email. This can be scheduled so that your mail will be downloaded while you are at work, or while you are asleep. Think about it !!!!! No more "full mailbox" bounces back to RootsWeb or other List servers. You can use this utility to download your email while you are away on short vacations. Most users who sub- scribe to several Lists find they have full mailboxes if they have been away for 2 or 3 days. Once the mailbox is full, all subsequent mail is "bounced" (returned) by AOL and you lose potentially valuable email So, why not use all the resources available to help yourself AND to help others (meaning Listowners and List Servers)? My computer runs 24 hours a day and has done so for the past 6 years. My Eudora email program logs on to my server, Concentric Net, every 2 hours and downloads my waiting messages. I have no limit on the number of messages at Concentric Net, but just believe there is no reason to load up their harddrive with unread messages. Regards, SgtGeorge List Maintainer ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

Part of the problem with AOL may be coming from hackers like Preston 162, who e-mailed my son about a deal between AOL and Juno.com whereby Juno holds excess mail for AOL when AOL is overloaded. This guy and his friend, Carl Miller, creator of the "Junkie Virus" discovered it, and also found a way to make an ordinary AOL account an online host. It's pretty scary to think that this dynamic duo see their main purpose in life to be creating chaos at AOL. You may hear more about this from other more expert sources. ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

Pardon me for burdening the users of my Lists with this, but since I have been loudly blasting AOL for some weeks now, I just thought all of you should know that that "wonderful" service has zonked out again. If you are still an AOL user, I would heartily suggest you start shopping around for a reliable server before you are really left in the lurch. It's not going to be very long before their entire system comes crashing down. I received this announcement just minutes ago from a service to which I subscribe, PC WORLD's Daily Computer News Alert . If you are an AOL user and care to see what the current problem is, here is a web page URL that will give you the lowdown: ********** And now for today's news... HARDWARE PROBLEMS KNOCK OUT AMERICA ONLINE E-MAIL http://www.pcworld.com/cgi-bin/news?ID=971030110640 ********** On second thought, if you are one of the unlucky ones for whom there is now no email service, you won't be reading this. (GRIN) SgtGeorge List Maintainer ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

EXPERT GENEALOGY NEWSLETTER Editor: Jeannette Holland Austin Series: Family History Centers Subject: Ancestral File - Corrections Anyone may make corrections to the Ancestral File - whether it is your work or not. I strongly recommend two things: 1. Submit to the Ancestral File. 2. Submit corrections to the Ancestral File. Working together, we can strive to weed out the errors and make for more accurate genealogies. Many of us submit our "working" genealogies, only to later learn of contradictions in our own information. So, it is incumbent upon us to make corrections. I don't believe that we should take a "give up" attitude, because errors exist. Rather, that we use the Ancestral File as a guideline to our own research efforts. When submitting corrections, do so on a diskette and include sources for all your corrections. Sitting at the computer in a family history center, use the edit key F3....this allows you to make corrections in the file and copy them to your diskette. Then mail the diskette to: The Ancestral File 50 East North Temple Street Salt Lake City, UT 84150 The corrections will appear in the next updated cd-rom sent to family history centers. A specific guide is located in the family history center. Ask the librarian for "Correcting Information in Ancestral File". ====================================== BOOK REVIEWS ====================================== I will be happy to review your books and newsletters in this column. Send to: Jeannette H. Austin, 175 Thornton Drive, Fayetteville, GA 30214 and mark it "for review in Expert Genealogy Newsletter". Your book will not returned, rather donated to the Jonesboro Family History Center, Jonesboro, Ga. ====================================== EXPERT GENEALOGY is sponsored by Genealogy Books Homepage: http://www.mindspring.com/~jha/gbooks.htm ======================================= ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)

Since my posting, several users have responded to me, saying that there is nothing wrong with Worldnet/ATT. Some wanted to blame it, as usual, on RootsWeb. Those few users are the lucky ones that have never had problems receiving email through their service, or so they think. Look at it this way: If they are missing messages, how are they to know there are any problems? Anyway, another user DID contact ATT about the erratic service and received the following answer. I have removed his name in the sake of privacy. YOU read the reply from ATT and then decide if there has been any problems. Pay particular attention to the next to last sentence where the ATT representative says that the servers "may not be available or may perform erratically". Those of you Worldnet/ATT users who have been unsubscribed for excessive bounces may now understand why this has happened. If ATT is out of service, then your email IS going to bounce. After five bounces, you get automatically removed. SgtGeorge **********(Start of Forwarded Quote)********** >From: wnettech @ attmail.com on 10/27/97 01:28 PM > >Dear XXXXX : > >Thank you for contacting AT&T WorldNet Service Technical Support. > >Randy, I understand your problem to be: Your mail is not working properly. > >In order to provide the best possible service to the rapidly expanding >WorldNet community, we have been performing a series of hardware >upgrades on the WorldNet servers to equip them to handle the >increasing demand. While they are being upgraded, the WorldNet >servers may be unavailable or perform erratically. We are working to >resolve these issues as soon as possible and apologize for any >inconvenience. > >Sincerely, > >Kevin ==== DURMAN Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from DURMAN, send an e-mail message to: DURMAN-L-request@rootsweb.com (for individual messages) DURMAN-D-request@rootsweb.com (for Digest mode) Subject: unsubscribe In the body include only one word: unsubscribe (Turn OFF your signature file when sending this command)