Hi John Thies: I might suggest that you subscribe to the Wash. Co. mail list in DIGEST mode, it comes out every twelve hours. Normally the list is not that busy, but 99% of the time has very much very useful research information on the county submitted by other researchers. You might wish to add the surnames and dates you are researching. Try it for a while and see if you like it. If you feel it gets you nowhere, just unsubscribe. If you like I can post the letter you just sent me for you. (researching THIES) There has not been a problem on the list in the past two years until the very recent "flames" which I put an immediate end to. Any abuse, abusive remarks, or spam, or any derogatory remarks that are outside the nature and scope of our purpose of family research, that email address will be permanently "blocked" from the mail list by me. Any comments or questions on the content of the list will be sent to me personally, not the mail list. If it is an important issue, we can all vote on it. We on the list all know the rules, and it's unfortunate that I have to stuff them down every ones throat at the very first of a new year. We all seem to be able to live with a 1% "chat" factor, and get a good laugh out of it quite often. Happy New Year & Happy Researching Robert J. Middleton List Administrator