Wait a minute,,, Sometimes you can access FTM CD's through a library and some instances a free lookup. I was at the Peoria Genie Library ( in Illinois ) yesterday and went through what seemed like a lot of indexes. I know for sure they have these; Index of New York Marriages selected areas 1639-1916 Canadian Genealogical Index 1600-1900 Military Records (USA) 1784-1811 Immigrant Passenger Lists Between 1774-1781 and a lot more I didn't have time to look through. On some Roots web lists, (Ostfriesland is one ) members will do free look ups if they own CD's and there are sites on the Web that offer free look ups. I asked a genie in Ohio that does "Random Acts of Genie Kindness" and she was a wonderful help. Peoria Library has German's to America and I want to say I've seen them at the Tazewell Co. Genie Soc. too. So, even if you live quite a distance there are some wonderful was to get inexspensive help. P.S. It's not that I'm cheap, I just don't work...where I get paid anyway. Smiles, Denise