With all this controversy, I just had to write. Almost a year ago I started what I would call WAVES in Washington County. It included writing to Representative Luchtenfeld, the Washington County Courthouse, and to the newspaper (my letter seemed to have disappeared somewhere). I did not stop there, which would have confined it to Washington County. I wrote to State Senator Evelyn Bowles, Mr. John Daly(Director of the Administative Section of the Illinois State Archives) Illinois State Representative: Steve Davis Illinois State Attorney General: Mr. Jim Ryan. I accused the Washington County Courthouse of being in violation of the Freedom of Information Act. Evelyn Bowles personally got involved with this and even called me at home. I was even called a rabble rouser by the City Clerk, (which is OKey-dokey by me). He even told me that they locked up rabble rousers there. :-) Anyway, The results of my efforts can be found at: http://www.iltrails.org/Washington/#probate These probate files give you estate records, land records, wills, etc......All you have to do is write the courthouse, give them the number (which is after the name), the type of file that it states, and the NAME....they WILL copy your file, and send it to you....(Remember this, Washington County Courthouse officials are not researchers, they will not deciper what you need out of the box, they will just copy the whole of the folder for the person that you are asking for). This is not a new idea...everyone needs to remember that having the files copied by IRAD is totally voluntary on the part of the Washington County Courthouse, as well as the rest of Illinois. They do not have to give them up, have them copied, microfilmed or whatever....They are not telling you that you can not copy the materials, or have copies made.... They are just limiting what you can and cannot do within their courthouse. Of course, I am still in the mindset that they are in violation of the Freedom of Information Act. Write those letters....the more the merrier... (Believe me, there is more than meets the eye in Washington County).(Someone should try and get in the basement!!!) Marci ----- Original Message ----- From: "Martinson" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, June 24, 2000 10:25 AM Subject: Re: [ILWASHIN] 1831> 58 Marriage Book > Martha- > Your idea is long overdue. What about the names and addresses of > Washington County officials also- we can truly make a campaign of this > issue and we are bound to get some attention. The County officials > change periodically, but we need them to know that other counties in the > majority of the states have allowed access to records. Whoever > originally set policy is/was from another age where "protecting" may > have been acceptable. > > Linda in Washington State

Martha- Your idea is long overdue. What about the names and addresses of Washington County officials also- we can truly make a campaign of this issue and we are bound to get some attention. The County officials change periodically, but we need them to know that other counties in the majority of the states have allowed access to records. Whoever originally set policy is/was from another age where "protecting" may have been acceptable. Linda in Washington State

Olga Lucille MIDDLETON about 1922 of Hoyleston Robert, any connection? Jerry in Boise

Hi All: At a glance, the Wash. Co. marriage book that was published in 1998 could have arround 1100 surnames and arround 1500 marriages. It only has a few (20) for 1855, and none for 1856. It says this could be due to a fire at the court house ??? Guess there are some that don't want to take a chance on buying this book in case their names are not in it ????? So wait and get it for free if and when it ever gets on the internet. Cost is $7.50 postage paid from: Marissa Hist. & Gen. Soc. Box 47 Marissa, IL 62257-0047 ??????? Did Marissa get all these names and dates from from the Nashville court house ??????? ??????? If so, how did they do it ??????? (the book was only printed two years ago) It has always been my opinion not to start a one on one fight(s) with the court house, but to ask the only two Historical Societies we have, Washington and Marrisa, "WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH THOSE PEOPLE ???????" Can they talk the court house into letting IRAD in to archive the records ????? If I asked, how far do you think I'd get. It was brought to my attention last year that the court house is of the opinion that they will lose the records, and because of this say "NO WAY". When I wrote to IRAD they told me "we only copy them, they (the court house) keep them". In another letter from Wash Co., a person at the court house was quoted as saying "no Mormons are getting into this court house". I think the people of Washington Co. and us descendants should have a say in this, not just one person at the court house. Or does it go deeper than that. Is it a single person that has final say, and just who is that person. Or is it a group ?????????? Is there any "prejudice" involved, or what about "prejudice to our rights for lawfull freedom of information". Robert J. Middleton

Let's all send letters to the editor about the courthouse being "uncooperative" to us genealogists. I'm not conveniently close enough to do my own research "in person" and would like to be able to do more online. Would someone please provide us with the name and address of all papers in that area that we should send letters. Then let's flood them with our letters. Maybe then we would get the attention that is long overdue. Martha (Shelton) Forrest Alma, AR

In a message dated 6/24/00 9:22:54 AM Central Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: > > ??????? Did Marissa get all these names and dates from from the Nashville > court house ??????? > ??????? If so, how did they do it ??????? (the book was only printed two > years ago) > > It has always been my opinion not to start a one on one fight(s) with the > court house, but to ask the only two Historical Societies we have, > Washington and Marrisa, "WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH THOSE PEOPLE ???????" > Can they talk the court house into letting IRAD in to archive the records ??? > ?? > If I asked, how far do you think I'd get. > > It was brought to my attention last year that the court house is of the > opinion that they will lose the records, and because of this say "NO WAY". > When I wrote to IRAD they told me "we only copy them, they (the court > house) keep them". > > In another letter from Wash Co., a person at the court house was quoted as > saying "no Mormons are getting into this court house". > > I think the people of Washington Co. and us descendants should have a say > in this, not just one person at the court house. > Or does it go deeper than that. > Is it a single person that has final say, and just who is that person. Or > is it a group ?????????? > Is there any "prejudice" involved, or what about "prejudice to our rights > for lawfull freedom of information". > > Robert J. Middleton > Robert, I think Missa got their s from the "Looking Back" Quarterly's of 1977-8. I wonder if a Letter to the Editor of the Nashville News would get published. I have been seeing a few lately. Maybe most people in the county don't realize that in the event of a catastrophy (Fire, Eathquake, Tornado etc.- all fairly likely happenings in the area at some point in time) all their records would be lost. And without copies no backup system is in place. Delores Riley

I just got a person from the person in charge of assigning people to help with the marriage index and she told me that the records from Washington County have not yet been microfilmed and that when she tried to do so, the county officials would not let her do so. Russell Milton, Florida

Just in case you didn't know how the marriages are entered into the Illinois data base. Here's what I've learned as one of the Clinton county's volunteers: The third line on http://www.sos.state.il.us/depts/archives/marriage.html shows which county has which years entered to date. The fourth line shows how you can volunteer to do a segment of Washington County. The State (Chuck Cali) sent me a microfilm (took a few months to receive it) of Clinton marriages for about a 25 year period. I take that microfilm to a local library or to the local LDS FHC (2 mile trips) and transcribe the names and dates. I do an extra check again the actual marriage records (75 mile trip) but you don't have to do that. Then I input the data into the Springfield computer directly from home. So, if Washington's records have been microfilmed, several of you could volunteer to input the data. If there is no microfilm, you could input directly from records in the court house. Check with volunteer coordinator Chuck Cali for any questions. Dorothy -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Friday, June 23, 2000 10:51 AM Subject: [ILWASHIN] ILWASHIN-D Digest Just been on the Ilinois State Wide Marriage Index for years 1763-1900, I find absolutely NO marriages for Washington County. Were there no marriages performed in Washington County in that time period? Just wondering- - --B.H. Franklin

In a message dated 6/23/00 8:56:23 PM Central Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: > So, if Washington's records have > been microfilmed, several of you could volunteer to input the data. If > there is no microfilm, you could input directly from records in the court > house. Washington Co. Records have not been microfilmed by anyone. The County Officials will not allow it. If they think you are trying to copy all of them I doubt they would allow that either. I know they would not allow me to take a photo of them with my digital camera. Delores Riley

Hi All: The Marissa Hist. & Gen. Soc. published a 39 page book on the Washington Co. marriages March 1898. I will look up the cost and let you know, think it was about $4.50 postage paid ??? The cover says: Washington County Marriage Records 1831 - 1858 I found three for Middleton in it. Regards, Robert. Robert J. Middleton Box 1114 Ladysmith, Vancouver Island BC Canada V9G 1A8 Phone (250) 245-5643 email [email protected] Washington County IL ILGenWeb Co-ordinator Washington County IL Mail List Washington County IL Web Page http://mypage.direct.ca/m/mid/northam.html

Just been on the Ilinois State Wide Marriage Index for years 1763-1900, I find absolutely NO marriages for Washington County. Were there no marriages performed in Washington County in that time period? Just wondering- - --B.H. Franklin

suggest you go to www.iltrails.com for new site

They have not indexed Washington County yet but do plan to in the near future. I just checked on it for myself.

When I was down in Washington County last year, I copied down some marriage records from the County Clerk's office: Book D, page 265 Louis Greiman and Catherine Oeehuer But I did not get the parent information because I forgot to copy it down or it was missing. The spelling of the name Oeehuer stuck in my head because I had seen it before (or a variation of it). Sure enough, I had copied down an obituary that Ken Greimann (a 2nd cousin thrice removed) had shown me. The wife was listed as Catherine Dalhaus, but there were two other children who did not have the Greiman last name, Dalhaus and Oeschner. And then I remembered your Nashville Photo Project. And I am now in contact with a Paul Greimann in Alaska who has some information about the Oeschner connection. Do you have any additional information about the Oeshner family? This the current information that I have: http://www.west-point.org/users/usma1981/38405/genealogy/anne/pafg03.htm#157 (watch the word wrap) John Greiman Highlands Ranch, CO [email protected] http://www.west-point.org/users/usma1981/38405/genealogy P.S. A prayer for recent passage of Clarence Greimann.

would like to exchange info with anyone researching the Kinyons. Trying to tie up my loose ends on my marriages. sandi Descendants of Joseph Kinyon 1 Kinyon, Joseph d: Bef. 1850 . 2 Kinyon, John b: Mar 17, 1805 in TN d: May 25, 1883 in Washington Co, Nashville, IL ..... +Rountree, Hellen b: Nov 06, 1810 in Warren Co,KY m: Abt. 1827 d: Mar 20, 1853 in Washington Co, IL Father: William R Rountree Mother: Judith Webb .... 3 Kinyon, Linville b: 1828 in Washington Co, IL .... 3 Kinyon, Sara C b: 1833 in Washington Co, IL .... 3 Kinyon, Spicy Rountree b: Nov 1837 in Washington Co, Elkton,IL ........ +Parks, James E b: Abt. 1833 in Washington Co.,IL m: Bef. 1866 in Washington Co.,IL ........ 4 Park, Emma ............ +Maxwell ........ 4 Park, Addie b: Mar 14, 1866 in Elkton, Washington Co.,IL ............ +Barber, William Sherman b: Feb 18, 1872 in St Clair Co.,IL .... 3 Kinyon, John M b: 1840 in Washington Co,IL ........ +Williams, Nancy J b: 1841 in Green Co, IL ........ 4 Kinyon, Female b: Jun 09, 1879 in Washington Co,Nashville, IL .... 3 Kinyon, Mary J b: 1843 .... 3 Kinyon, Narcissa M b: 1845 .... 3 Kinyon, Elizabeth A b: Jul 02, 1849 in Washington Co, IL d: Dec 28, 1851 in Washington Co, IL

>X-From_: [email protected] Wed Jun 21 05:13:15 2000 >Resent-Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2000 05:09:25 -0700 >Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2000 05:06:02 -0700 >To: [email protected] >From: [email protected] >Subject: Good News, Bad News, Good News: The Merger of RootsWeb and >MyFamily.com >Resent-From: [email protected] >X-Mailing-List: <[email protected]> archive/latest/2 >X-Loop: [email protected] >Resent-Sender: [email protected] >Resent-Bcc: > >Good News, Bad News, Good News: The Merger of RootsWeb and MyFamily.com > >Good news: You, our list and board administrators, have played a very >special role in making RootsWeb one of the largest and most popular >sites on the Internet. In May, we had over 149 million page views >(according to Nielsen NetRatings combined home and work statistics), >sent over 155 million e-mails, and handled over two million downloads >of files from the various archives hosted at RootsWeb. Everyone, take >a bow! This is an incredible community of genealogists, and the >advances we're all making in our research due to the sharing that >occurs here is unprecedented. Without you, it couldn't have happened. > >Bad news: The more popular RootsWeb becomes, the more costly it is to >simply stay alive and online. Expenses continue to exceed revenue. >We ran up a truly scary loss last year. Without outside help, it's >not clear how long we'd be able to go on like this. > >Good news: MyFamily.com (you may know them better as Ancestry.com) >recognizes the importance of the genealogical community that has grown >here at RootsWeb, and wants that community to continue to thrive. >They're excited to provide the financial stability we need to ensure >RootsWeb will be around for years to come. > >Brian and I are pleased by Ancestry.com's coming involvement with >RootsWeb. Now we can all focus on helping each other on the mailing >lists and message boards, uploading our GEDCOMs, and building Web >pages to share our research. > >Better news: As a special thank you for the hard work you do, >Ancestry.com is making the following offer: > > As a RootsWeb mailing list or board adminstrator, you are invited to > visit Ancestry.com today and sign up for a FREE THREE MONTH SUBSCRIPTION > with no obligation. You'll gain full access to all 600 million names in > more than 2,500 databases. Go to the following address to begin your free > subscription now: > > http://ancestry.com/subscribe/subscribetrialx.asp?sourcecode=G11BB > <http://ancestry.com/subscribe/subscribetrialx.asp?sourcecode=G11BB> > > If you are already an Ancestry.com subscriber please call 1-800-595-1211 to > extend your current subscription. Select option #2 - Order Service. > > You must activate your FREE subscription by July 5, 2000. > >More good news: Nothing will change for you, no one is going to charge >you to use RootsWeb. You'll still find RootsWeb at www.RootsWeb.com. >Everything you're used to using will still be here: the 19,000 mailing >lists, the hundreds of millions of names in free genealogy databases, >the interactive learning guides, the weekly RootsWeb Review and >Missing Links, the numerous tools for tracing your family history, the >tens of thousands of message boards, the thousands of independently >authored web sites. RootsWeb will still support worthy genealogy >projects and societies, such as the USGenWeb Project >(www.USGenWeb.org), the Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild >(ISTG.rootsweb.com) and the FreeBMD Project (FreeBMD.rootsweb.com), >and other groups that provide free genealogical resources. > >And don't worry, you won't be charged to access RootsWeb. No one >will put your data on CD without your permission. Our Privacy Policy >(http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/pledge.html) and our Acceptable User >Policy (http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/aup.html) are unchanged. >Other promises made over the years will continue to be honored. You'll >still deal with the same RootsWeb volunteers and employees. In >fact, most users won't notice any changes, except exciting new tools, >more content, and better genealogical resources. > >If you would like more information, please check out our >official press release at > > http://www.ancestry.com/home/celebrate/rootsrelease.htm > >Thanks again for your support! Now, let's go figure out where >great-great-grandpa really came from, before that UFO deposited him in >rural Indiana in 1848... > >Karen

Hi ALL: About a month ago, 20 May, it was brought to my attention that there was another IL genealogy web site other than ILGENWEB. It's called ILTRAILS and has a "clickable" map of the IL counties that are "online". It has a "search engine", and when I tried middleton I got about 57 "hits". A couple of these showed me my Middletons and other old area names in The War Of 1812 Rosters. Try it out at: http://www.iltrails.org Robert J. Middleton

To those who ordered the 1830 census book which includes 270 families and about 300 names from 1810/18/20 census. Judith has mailed them to you. (might take a week to get to you) Robert J. Middleton Box 1114 Ladysmith, Vancouver Island BC Canada V9G 1A8 Phone (250) 245-5643 email [email protected] Washington County IL ILGenWeb Co-ordinator Washington County IL Mail List Washington County IL Web Page http://mypage.direct.ca/m/mid/northam.html

In a message dated 6/20/2000 8:51:04 PM Mountain Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: << Did you see the message about an Evilsizer that died about 1945 on the streets of Nashville? I may have some info wrong.It said he was married to a Sarah Stamm who was deceased.I tried to print it out and after I deleted it found later that my printer had messed up. Do you have these people in your line ? >> yes, anything you see posted on an Evilsizer , 99% of the time is posted by me. It was Elliott Rains II, obit. but thanks for keeping an eye open. Elliott is a 1st cousin 2x removed. thanks

You will want to contact the Mill Creek Inn located at 560 N Mill in Nashville telephone 618-327-8424. They are excellent. Kay in Washington County ----- Original Message ----- From: Lawrence Downes <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, June 20, 2000 12:25 PM Subject: [ILWASHIN] RE: ILWASHIN-D Digest V00 #112 Does anyone know of a good B&B in Nashville? I will be there the night of July 5th. and need a place to spend the night after a long afternoon in the court house. ;~) where I hope to open 5 or 6 probate boxes. Lawrence in Alabama -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, June 20, 2000 11:00 AM To: [email protected] Subject: ILWASHIN-D Digest V00 #112