Connie: I found this piece on my computer that Eleanor wrote while we were working on the newspapers. I thought it was on line, but didn't take time to look as I am writing this off line right now. I might add that this project is NOW COMPLETE and we are no longer soliciting funds to purchase film. This piece is for information purposes only. MICROFILM PROJECT: LOUISA COUNTY NEWSPAPERS LOUISA COUNTY NEWSPAPERS The microfilming of all Louisa County newspapers is now complete, thanks to donations and the Historical Resource Development Grant we received. We have prepared, transported and returned over 120 years of county newspapers. Volunteers worked for three days rebinding them before replacement on the shelves. The Keck Memorial Library in Wapello has purchased a microfilm reader-printer. Rolls of the papers that were microfilmed a number of years ago were ordered to complete the collection of Wapello newspapers and census records. The rolls were listed for memorial donation and the Louisa County Genealogical Society issued a challenge to individuals and organizations; that the Society would match all donations and purchase one roll of film for each roll donated. The collection is now complete and available for use in the new Family History Section of the Keck Memorial Library. The Morning Sun Library also has microfilm copies of the Morning Sun newspapers and a reader, but no printer. The Columbus Jct. Library has what Columbus Junction newspapers are available and has only the reader. There are 228 rolls of film available in Wapello. Following is the list of publications with the number of rolls in parentheses. Some rolls contain papers from more than one city, so this is only an approximate list. Columbus Junction: Safeguard (23), Enterprise (2), Non Pareil (2), Herald (1), Iowa People (1), Union Farmer (2) Gazette (49) Letts: Record (5) Louisa County: Times (5), Record (3), Democrat (1) Oakville: Sentinel (16) Morning Sun: Herald (6), News (1), News-Herald (37) Wapello: Intelligencer (1), Tribune (12), Republican (50) Iowa Census Records: (11) Everyone in the Louisa County Genealogical Society who attends meetings on a regular basis participated in this project in one way or another. This is teamwork at its best and it produced an end product that we can all feel good about. OTHER MICROFILMED RECORDS Fifty-two rolls of Louisa County records have been discovered in a catalog listing from the Mormon Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. These records were filmed a few years ago by a Latter Day Saints crew who came to the courthouse in Wapello to do the work on site. They now hold the master filmed copies of these records. The Genealogy Sociey, the Historical Society and Keck Memorial Library have begun raising funds to purchase the microfilm of these records to place in Keck Memorial Library in Wapello. The cost for each roll will be $25.08 through Crest Technologies for a total of $1304.15. The Wapello United Fund Committee has supported this community investment with a $650 donation! This will cover half of the cost. The remaining cost will be collected through memorial s and donations. When all funds are in hand, the films will be ordered. Donations or memorials will have a commemorative sticker with the donor and/or deceased person's name inscribed, as was done in the newspaper project. The following Louisa County records are included in these 52 rolls of film. Marriage records 1842-1910; Probate records 1838-1881; Wills 1854-1905; Land records 1839-1901; Deeds 1839-1884; Births 1880-1910; Deaths 1880-1910; Naturalization 1839-1899; Genealogical recors- some cemetery records, some church records. LOUISA COUNTY MILITIA RECORDS A new microfilm is available at the Columbus Junction, Morning Sun and Wapello Libraries. The Louisa County Genealogical Society procured the film and paid half of the costs. The film lists, usually alphabetically by township, the men living here who were of military age. The age is usually given, and sometimes the occupation, also. The lists were usually prepared every two years from 1862 through 1908, but it is sometimes hard to tell what year you are in. This allows you to trace the residency of these men during these years and help pinpoint the year they may have died or left the county. The film is not complete for all years, does contain errors and contradictory information, and is time consuming to use. It may, however, provide the only documentation that your ancestor was here in a particular year. The microfilming of all Louisa County newspapers is now complete, thanks to donations and the Historical Resource Development Grant we received. We have prepared, transported and returned over 120 years of county newspapers. Volunteers worked for three days rebinding them before replacement on the shelves. The Keck Memorial Library in Wapello has purchased a microfilm reader-printer. Rolls of the papers that were microfilmed a number of years ago were ordered to complete the collection of Wapello newspapers and census records. The rolls were listed for memorial donation and the Louisa County Genealogical Society issued a challenge to individuals and organizations; that the Society would match all donations and purchase one roll of film for each roll donated. The collection is now complete and available for use in the new Family History Section of the Keck Memorial Library. The Morning Sun Library also has microfilm copies of the Morning Sun newspapers and a reader, but no printer. The Columbus Jct. Library has what Columbus Junction newspapers are available and has only the reader. There are 228 rolls of film available in Wapello. Following is the list of publications with the number of rolls in parentheses. Some rolls contain papers from more than one city, so this is only an approximate list. Columbus Junction: Safeguard (23), Enterprise (2), Non Pareil (2), Herald (1), Iowa People (1), Union Farmer (2) Gazette (49) Letts: Record (5) Louisa County: Times (5), Record (3), Democrat (1) Oakville: Sentinel (16) Morning Sun: Herald (6), News (1), News-Herald (37) Wapello: Intelligencer (1), Tribune (12), Republican (50) Iowa Census Records: (11) Everyone in the Louisa County Genealogical Society who attends meetings on a regular basis participated in this project in one way or another. This is teamwork at its best and it produced an end product that we can all feel good about.