The Thomaston-Upson County Archives just keeps growing and growing. If any of you are planning to do research in this area of Georgia this summer, don't forget to include at least one day to visit the Archives. Penny, Cliff, Archivist/Director, and her staff are just wonderful in helping you find your way around. And teams of volunteers work to make the materials more readily available. This is an OLD listing of some of the things that can be found in the Archives -- and I want to add to it. So if you've been a visitor there, let me know about something you may have used. I know that they have countless CDs and Census records available. Records Transferred to the Thomaston Archives Inventory and Appraisement Records List all the property of an estate including personal property Records of Accounts Lists how the estate was handled..how the money, slaves, property were distributed (usually family members). Lots of valuable information about minor children and guardians as well. Loose Estate papers Index on-line for Loose Estate Paper Poor School Records(1830s-1860s) Records on-line Not many children were lucky enough to go to a plantation school. Most boys and girls had to go to "Old Field Schools," if they went to school at all. These schools were built in an old field, often a worn-out cotton patch. A neighborhood had several children in it, and the parents wanted a school for them. So somebody gave a field that was good for nothing else, and the neighbors all came in and built a one room log schoolhouse in this old field. They hired almost anyone who would take the job of schoolmaster. The main thing the State did to help early eduction was to supply a "poor school fund." a part of this money the State used to send poor children to school for three years. Every student age person was listed who attended the school, so it doesn't necessarily mean they were poor. These loose papers (submitted by teachers from the militia districts) name the children eligible for schooling (may have ages, others give birthdates) Marriage Record Applications 1875-76 Copied by Mr. Jack Morgan Birth and Death Records 1876-1876 Copied by Mr. Jack Morgan Funeral Home Records Stephen Funeral Home Pasley Funeral Homes (Interments from 1920 to approximately 1946) 1920-1935 grouping are by date of death 1936-1946 grouping are alphabetical by name of deceased Funeral home Index gives name of deceased, name of person paying for burial in later cases, date of death, and name of cemetery. Thomaston Mills Records (boxes and boxes!) Surname 3- ring notebooks http://www.rootsweb.com/~gaupson/surname.htm gives listing of surnames