I have it and it works find for me provided I make sure that it's searching under the tab "Exact Matches: Only". This is their "old" system and includes the Soundex option. It is at the bottom of the second page, the one that gives you the master list of search results. Their new systems has its benefits, but mostly it is way too unwieldy. I can't get it to throw out the results I don't want and having 3000 replys is just plain silly. Good luck! Lynn gloria OLMSTEAD wrote: > I know this is not the place but I need to know if any one who has > Ancestry. com has been into it lately? I can't find anyone any more > with the system they now have. Does any one know where else one might > go to search. Thanks Glo > > > > ==== ILEFFING Mailing List ==== > If you want to subscribe to this list or unsubscribe from it, send > e-mail to ILEFFING-L-request@rootsweb.com or (for the > digest list) ILEFFING-D-request@rootsweb.com and put the word > subscribe or > unsubscribe in the message body. > >

You probably already know this, but here is how I do it. In the early census, the Best Matches tab doesn't help much unless I put in the correct spelling. For instance Stallings was spelled Stallin, Stalyon, Stallian, etc. In one case Ancestry misread it and indexed it as Stalyam. (Typos do happen, so look for it spelled Tsallings or Allings) Anyway, if I put in last name is Stal* (with an asterick), it kicks out every name in that county starting with those letters. If it finds none, it will kick out any names starting with that spelling in all the other counties in that state, then each of the other states in the union. By 1850 the spelling was a little more consistant, so typing in Stallings gets me all the Stallings in that county, then also lists all the Stallings in the next nearest county, which is a handy help. The Exact Matches Only tab is the one I use the most. The soundex comes in handy. When using the Exact Spelling option, I discovered that if I put in Wm (no asterick) for the first name and Sta* (asterick) for the last name, it will kick out every abbreviated Wm and William Stallings, Stalen, Staley, Staten, Stallard, etc in that county. You can do the same with Jno for John and Jas for James. If I want Willis Stallings, I have to put in Wil* (asterick) Stal* (asterick) and it will kick out Willis, Will, Willey, William Stallings, Stallard, etc. Both have advantages. Just play with them a bit. Good luck, Wanda -----Original Message----- From: Lynn Hillman [mailto:lynnhillman@optonline.net] Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 9:46 PM To: ILEFFING-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [ILEFFING-L] off topic I have it and it works find for me provided I make sure that it's searching under the tab "Exact Matches: Only". This is their "old" system and includes the Soundex option. It is at the bottom of the second page, the one that gives you the master list of search results. Their new systems has its benefits, but mostly it is way too unwieldy. I can't get it to throw out the results I don't want and having 3000 replys is just plain silly. Good luck! Lynn gloria OLMSTEAD wrote: > I know this is not the place but I need to know if any one who has > Ancestry. com has been into it lately? I can't find anyone any more > with the system they now have. Does any one know where else one might > go to search. Thanks Glo > > > > ==== ILEFFING Mailing List ==== > If you want to subscribe to this list or unsubscribe from it, send > e-mail to ILEFFING-L-request@rootsweb.com or (for the > digest list) ILEFFING-D-request@rootsweb.com and put the word > subscribe or > unsubscribe in the message body. > > ==== ILEFFING Mailing List ==== If you want to subscribe to this list or unsubscribe from it, send e-mail to ILEFFING-L-request@rootsweb.com or (for the digest list) ILEFFING-D-request@rootsweb.com and put the word subscribe or unsubscribe in the message body.