Mary - You don't say where you live so here's a possible solution for locating an obituary in the New York Herald. The New York State Library in Albany, NY has a fantastic collection of newspapers on microfilm covering most of New York State as well as other American cities and towns and major cities abroad. The catalog <http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/nysnp/nygcty.htm> lists the following: New York herald (New York, N.Y. : 1840) OCLC: #09467138 Published: 1840-1920 Frequency: Daily Microfilm: s={1840:9:20-1919:12} Call number: NY 01 New York 93-31979 The microfilm can be borrowed by you via your public library's interlibrary loan program. If you reside in New York State, the loan of the microfilm is free. As of July 1, 1998, the New York State Library charges for all filled out-of-state and foreign interlibrary loan requests. The charge is a base fee of $10.00 for all filled ILL requests. The New York State Library bills for shipping charges for out-of-country requests. I believe you can get up to five reels of film per title per consecutive dates (for example, if the New York Herald was filmed one month per reel, you could borrow the reels for January, February, March, April and May 1862 for $10). However, if you are looking for five different dates (e.g. May 1870, June 1871, July 1872, August 1873 and September 1874), this might incur a loan charge of $50.00 because the dates are not consecutive. The State Library in Albany is worth a visit as they own a very extensive genealogy collection <http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/gengen.htm> > Subject: obituaries from the New York Herald > Date: Thu, 30 May 2002 19:37:42 -0400 > From: Mary Guler <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > > Does anyone have experience with ordering obituaries published in the New > York Herald from a James P Maher of Alexandria, VA? I submitted a request > for an obituary as listed in one of his books, in March. In April I > received some sort of computer print out (not an obituary) with a brief note > written on my original letter to him, stating that there were references in > the obituary requested to the town in which I knew my family member had > lived. Additionally, the note asked for an additional $5 as the price had > gone up to $10/obituary. (I had already mailed $5 with the request.) > > I returned the letter with the computer print out and the additional $5 in > early April. On April 20th, I wrote another letter to inquire as to whether > the obituary had been sent, noting that both checks had been cashed. I have > heard nothing further. I am starting to wonder if this is a "real" > business. Is there any other source of obituaries from the New York Herald? > The one I seek was published on Feb 1, 1862. > > Thanks for any advice. > > Mary > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Dennis J. Smith [email protected] Schenectady, New York USA * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *