I seem to have engendered some confusion with my request about the draft registration records, so I'll reply to the list as a whole with some background. 1. Military Records, in general: I listened to a lecture from people from the National Personnel Records Center (which is in St. Louis) a couple of months ago. 80% of the records were lost for all U.S. Army personnel discharged between 11/1/1912 and Jan 1 1960. (USAF personnel records were also for those after 1947. You can request them to look for the records if you know their full name as used in the service, service number, dates of service, and military branch. If you don't know all of this, they'll determine if you give them enough info to try a search. They do have a lot of surviving info but it does require a search for them. Hey, they get paid for it, so I wouldn't hesitate to ask. They encouraged it at the lecture. They give priority if the request is for the veteran or widow of the veteran or for your parents but they'll do it for others as well. I can provide more info if anyone is interested 2. Draft Registrations - Those records do exist on microfilm. I've checked the ones for MO in St. Louis, but the libraries here don't have the records for IL. They are very interesting records. The rules required that everyone from 18 to about 45 to register for the draft over three draft registration periods between 1914 and 1918. If you have an ancestor born between 1873 and 1900 you might want to check them out. They have some good info. See, for example, http://www.slcl.lib.mo.us/slcl/sc/sc-ww1-q.htm I would assume that they'll have the records in Springfield, IL, but hoped that they also have a copy in Hamilton Co. That way I can go there and check land records and check out draft registrations. Jim Terry ----- Original Message ----- From: "d1anna" <d1anna@attbi.com>

> 2. Draft Registrations - Those records do exist on microfilm. I've checked > the ones for MO in St. Louis, but the libraries > here don't have the records for IL. They are very interesting records. The > rules required that everyone from 18 to about 45 to register for the draft > over three draft registration periods between 1914 and 1918. If you have > an ancestor born between 1873 and 1900 you might want to check them out. > They have some good info. See, for example, > http://www.slcl.lib.mo.us/slcl/sc/sc-ww1-q.htm One more small piece of research material you shouldn't pass up, especially if your having problems finding personal info out about your WWI ancestor. Each person that was required to sign up for the draft went to his local draft board. They filled out a small card (front and back)... this was the draft reg card. These are housed at the Archives building in Atlanta Ga. Seems like I paid $5 for them to send me a copy of both sides. Info I received from card was: His full name, wife, number of children, birth date, address and seems like parents name and where born. Also his description. I may have missed something... Best Regards, Trev