Here's my experience with the state archives research free research requests. There is a place where you can request research online and they will mail you the response. You are limited to two requests. I wanted to see how it worked. I asked for a name on the 1855 State Census that was tough, lived on the township line, and one from the 1860 federal census that isn't there. I put in my request on 12/4/00. Time passed. I forgot about it. Yesterday [3/24/01] I received a thick envelope. It contained a letter from John Daly -- two pages and probably a waste of taxpayer money <g> for my particular request as it explains how to get a certified copy, a copy of the actual census pages for the 1850 federal and 1855 state census [as I requested], a copy of the index pages for the surname I requested proving that the other name I requested was NOT in the 1860 census. Bottom line: it is SLOW but it does work. And, perhaps if I had not tried to be a little tricky it would have been a bit faster. http://www.sos.state.il.us/departments/archives/serv_sta.html Cheryl Rothwell LoganCty@mindspring.com