I have just started doing research on my ancestors in Washington State. You can buy records, for $17 each, all certified. But you have to already know the date and place of the event. There is nothing at all like IRAD, where you can do a search and winnow things down to find what you want. There are a few free sites where volunteers have posted their records--for instance, one rural county has three years of a death index for 1903-1906, before the state began requiring their collection. But Googling for the death index brings up nothing but Ancestry and some of these piecemeal efforts. I was so spoiled when I was researching my Illinois ancestors and was able to find all kinds of data available free on IRAD. Sometimes I could even get the papers free from the lists or a kind volunteer who would go to a courthouse and look things up. Yes, a lot more is needed. But I was shocked to find that in my own state there is no official index AT ALL! Doris Waggoner Seattle, Washington -- "Don Kelly" <donkelly@grovenet.net> wrote: Thank you Krystal. And the drive to put genealogical records on line free for researchers marches on. Now back to finding my IL ancestors who left scant footprints. Don Kelly for NC. to keep USGenWeb moving. To learn more: Q&A Page http://election.temp-site.us/ Campaign Page: http://www.rootsweb.com/~cootero/Kelly/vote4me.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: <vital_tree@yahoo.com> To: <ILROOTS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, July 01, 2005 11:45 PM Subject: [ILROOTS] Vital Records Available > This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. > > Classification: Query > > Message Board URL: > > http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/Fh.2ADI/5936 > > Message Board Post: > > Hi, I have recently started a website where people can donated the vital > records they have so others can view, download and print them for FREE. > > There are records avalible for this surname/location if anyone would like > to view them or if anyone has any documents to submits for others. > > The more people who donate what they have, the better the odds are of > finding a record you need for FREE. > > Thank you - Krystal Wilson - Vital Tree > http://clik.to/vitaltree > > > ==== ILROOTS Mailing List ==== > Illinois State Archives on-line data bases (marriage, death, military, > land records, etc.) can be accessed at: > http://www.sos.state.il.us/departments/archives/databases.html > > ============================== > New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your ancestors > at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn more: > http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429 > ==== ILROOTS Mailing List ==== Instructions for UNSUBSCRIBING or changing your mode of subscription can be found at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~illinois/Illinoismailinglist3.html ============================== New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn more: http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429