Hi Everyone! Merry Christmas ! We had a misty rain in southern Indiana and I'm pretending it is giant snowflakes... The tree is piled full and Santa will be here tonight. May this Christmas be something special to all of you and may the meaning of the first Christmas be close to our hearts! Betty and Bill Sellers

If you got this previous I apologize -- but the previous ones were not finished and for some reason my machine appeared to send it -- this is the FINISHED ONE -- please read it and trash the other one. This is in answer to the many many persons who wanted more info on the VA military online searching plus the address to same and also to better describe the NUMC and the VA search. I am going to try and do all this at this time in this message. http://image.vtls.com/ (the VA digital library pg - newspapers, books, archives, military, etc for online viewing of these things) From above page go to Electronic Card Indexes (to get the military stuff then choose Rev War, Civ War, etc) -- there are also personal, biographical and other things BESIDES military things here) http://leo.vsla.edu/ (for state libary of VA'smain page and their links to other VA stuff) http://leo.vsla.edu/lva/digital.html (describes electronic and digital online project & searching) As promised here is the addresses for Virginia and for getting into the online searching of military persons who served from the state of Virginia in various wars, etc. using the Electronic Card Index. ----- http://lcweb.loc.gov/coll/nucmc/nucmc.html The above url to the NUMC caused some confusion since persons are not aware of what they are or how they can use this in our genealogical research. I will try to clarify it a bit and walk you through a few steps: NUCMC, or the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections, is a free-of-charge cooperative cataloging program operated by the Library of Congress. From this first page you can click on links that explains the program, archives and manuscript repositories, and about topics of interest to archivists and their institutions' patrons. What the above means is that if the government has something in their archives or a holding place (such as Ft Worth, TX is one of the federal repositories for census', Native Indian cases, and other microfilms and hard copy documents; Eastern Kentucky Univ has other records both state and federal, etc. -- there are repositories around the USA) then this is a way to try and view it if it is digitized or at least find that this information exists. It tells what information is at these locations, where this location is situated, how to contact them, etc. From that main page I chose the link to go to NUMC cataloging which is address: http://lcweb.loc.gov/coll/nucmc/nucmccat.html From this page I then chose the link to go to the NUCMC ONLINE CATALOGING ... via the web gateway and which is address: http://lcweb.loc.gov/cgi-bin/zgate?ACTION=INIT&FORM_HOST_PORT=/prod/www/data /z3950/rlinamc2.html,zinc.rlg.org,200&AUTH=rlinamc (What this gives you is a search engine similar to webcrawler, lycos and the other many -- but this is for government documents and repositories ONLY so you don't get "buried" in the millions of things on the entire worldwide net.) I then entered the search terms I wanted to find links to -- in my case I used Civil+War (clicked on subject in right button and phrase in button just below the entry area) AND Virginia Geographic Name (right button) WordList (below button) Submit Query Button This will give back a set of links you can then go to find out what they have, etc. You could have chosen instead the Other Library of Congress and then from that long list of things (movies, photographs, manuscripts, memories, Hispanic, Afr Amer, and the list goes on for about 50 different categories) I chose the memories -- from that search engine I put in Native+Indian and from the list of links it provided I chose Cherokee, NC Indian Reservation photograph which I then downloaded to my harddrive. Of course the Library of congress online manuscripts holdings is one of my favorite places to visit as it has personal stories that the CCC and WPA obtained from individuals across the nation, photos from the many wars, ships, airplaines -- you name it they practically have it -- even photos of courthouses and other cities and towns streets and buildings. ----- Now I will try to explain and clear up the confusion of the mention of the Virginia electronic cards' online search (the url is above at very top of this message). This is by the state of Virginia and I think Virginia University is the one who setup and maintains the database. They went and digitized the first card of each of the military persons they had on file and the volume, page, military units, battalions, etc. for EACH PERSON who served in the military since Rev War to Civil War (can't recall -- they might have WWI persons there too). for instance the card might say: Murphy, Isaac Rank Major 4th Rgt Co E Overland's company Vol 14, pg 894 and the above might be under the Navy records of the Civil War persons or you might get something like: Murphy, Sylvester substitute for Miller, James W (then the above type of rank, company, regmt, vol, pg, etc) Because each group has xxx number of pages you have to skip around until you find the person(s) you are hunting -- they are alphabetic from the first card to the last in each group. The address for the Virginia electronic card catalogue's online search is: Hope the above clarifies things a bit -- sorry I was not more descriptive in my first email. Judy M. >Judith, > >Please forgive an old man who is ignorant of some of the acronyms but I >went to the URL you listed and I don't understand how to use the search >there. > >What is NUMC used for and what do you search there? > >Thanks, > >Jack > >

http://lcweb.loc.gov/coll/nucmc/nucmc.html The above url to the NUMC caused some confusion since persons are not aware of what they are or how they can use this in our genealogical research. I will try to clarify it a bit and walk you through a few steps: NUCMC, or the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections, is a free-of-charge cooperative cataloging program operated by the Library of Congress. From this first page you can click on links that explains the program, archives and manuscript repositories, and about topics of interest to archivists and their institutions' patrons. What the above means is that if the government has something in their archives or a holding place (such as Ft Worth, TX is one of the federal repositories for census', Native Indian cases, and other microfilms and hard copy documents; Eastern Kentucky Univ has other records both state and federal, etc. -- there are repositories around the USA) then this is a way to try and view it if it is digitized or at least find that this information exists. It tells what information is at these locations, where this location is situated, how to contact them, etc. From that main page I chose the link to go to NUMC cataloging which is address: http://lcweb.loc.gov/coll/nucmc/nucmccat.html From this page I then chose the link to go to the NUCMC ONLINE CATALOGING ... via the web gateway and which is address: http://lcweb.loc.gov/cgi-bin/zgate?ACTION=INIT&FORM_HOST_PORT=/prod/www/data /z3950/rlinamc2.html,zinc.rlg.org,200&AUTH=rlinamc (What this gives you is a search engine similar to webcrawler, lycos and the other many -- but this is for government documents and repositories ONLY so you don't get "buried" in the millions of things on the entire worldwide net.) I then entered the search terms I wanted to find links to -- in my case I used Civil+War (clicked on subject in right button and phrase in button just below the entry area) AND Virginia Geographic Name (right button) WordList (below button) Submit Query Button This will give back a set of links you can then go to find out what they have, etc. You could have chosen instead the Other Library of Congress and then from that long list of things (movies, photographs, manuscripts, memories, Hispanic, Afr Amer, and the list goes on for about 50 different categories) I chose the memories -- from that search engine I put in Native+Indian and from the list of links it provided I chose Cherokee, NC Indian Reservation photograph which I then downloaded to my harddrive. Of course the Library of congress online manuscripts holdings is one of my favorite places to visit as it has personal stories that the CCC and WPA obtained from individuals across the nation, photos from the many wars, ships, airplaines -- you name it they practically have it -- even photos of courthouses and other cities and towns streets and buildings. Now I will try to explain and clear up the confusion of the mention of the Virginia electronic cards. This is by I think the state of Virginia and I think Virginia University is the one who setup and maintains the database. They went and digitized the first card of each of the military persons they had on file and the volume, page, military units, battalions, etc. for EACH PERSON who served in the military since Rev War to Civil War (can't recall -- they might have WWI persons there too). for instance the card might say: Murphy, Isaac Rank Major 4th Rgt Co E Overland's company Vol 14, pg 894 and the above might be under the Navy records of the Civil War persons or you might get something like: Murphy, Sylvester substitute for Miller, James W (then the above type of rank, company, regmt, vol, pg, etc) Because each group has xxx number of pages you have to skip around until you find the person(s) you are hunting -- they are alphabetic from the first card to the last in each group. The address for the Virginia electronic card catalogue's online search is: (I'll have to send this address on Monday or Tues -- can't seem to hold a server connection long enough to find it again and I do have it bookmarked on my work computer -- but off until Monday) Hope the above clarifies things a bit -- sorry I was not more descriptive in my first email. Judy M. >Judith, > >Please forgive an old man who is ignorant of some of the acronyms but I >went to the URL you listed and I don't understand how to use the search >there. > >What is NUMC used for and what do you search there? > >Thanks, > >Jack > >

If you haven't tried this -- go to it -- splendid!!! Subject: NUMC ADDRESS http://lcweb.loc.gov/coll/nucmc/nucmc.html Also -- did you know that Virginia library has online searching for "cards" of all the military from Rev War on past civil war? WONDERFUL but can't recall the exact address for it at this time. what you do is go to the electronic card selection and then choose which military item you want to check on -- it gives lists of names and you select surname that is prior to one you are searching and then you can either put in the card number or go forward and backward to find the surname and first name -- for instance if it says Murphx and I want Murphy I would choose Murphx; it shows 184 cards total so I might go to card 150 (seeking Sylvester) and it comes up with Murphy, Sam so then I advance by 1 or 5 or can select another number (like 170) and continue on until I find Sylvester. I had so much fun looking up Mex-Amer War, War of 1812, Rev War, and Civil War stuff. UNFORTUNATELY it only shows the name, regiment, batallions, and the volume/page number it is on -- then you have to request a copy for $$$ or else find someone who has the microfilms of those records to look up the volumn, page, etc. But it is a START to online viewing!!! Judy M.

Opal has the unknown County site online now,you will find it at; http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/3259/unknown.htm She also has new twin Grandsons online too. Next, if anyone wants to host a State ,there two available,here is the message from Megan,our US coordinator so now's your chance if you want to host a State,course you could wait till I die and then you can have Indiana ;} ********FROM MEGAN**************************** Have received no nibbles on Minnesota or New York either one.... Didja ask your cc's? megan <turning over rocks> ;) -- PLEASE NOTE URLS BELOW: pigoletto@worldnet.att.net * cochonnet@aol.com Megan Zurawicz, National Coordinator USGenWeb http://www.usgenweb.net -- http://www.usgenweb.org ***************************************************** Later..........Fred

Scott county has moved to rootsweb. Please change all your links. http://www.rootsweb.com/~inscott/index.html Opal Gerdes

I just put up a few new links on the INGenWeb Links page. Enjoy; have fun. Probably no new links until after 1 February. I've a few things to take care of -- President, Hoosier Group, Inc. Member, Morgan County Council President, Morgan County History And Genealogy Association Morgan County Historian/Indiana Historical Society Volunteer-Indiana State Archives Inventory/Morgan County Government Make sure my wife doesn't over do; broken hip Make sure the kids don't damage each other over Christmas Break [They're adults; still kids--that's OK] Get some rest zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everybody! -- Sam Cline Greene Co. INGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/~ingreene/greenegw.htm Knox Co. INGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/~inknox/knox.htm Lawrence Co. INGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/~inlawren/lawrengw.htm Morgan Co. INGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/~inmorgan/ Morgan Co. History & Genealogy Assoc. http://www.rootsweb.com/~inmchaga/mchagai.html Hoosier Web http://www.hoosierweb.org The candle light will always be gleaming through the Sycamores. The latch string is always out.

Hey everybody has been GREAT, I * think* all of Norm's Counties have a new CC now,maybe just the "unknown" County left orphaned but I can take it if no one wants it. Thanks to all that have helped out on this,I am sure Norm will feel better knowing the Counties will remain online. Later........Fred P.S. Sorry if I have been a little slow in repling tonight,my Father-in-Law had to under go emergency surgery just a few hours ago but he made it thru OK.

Richard Finkbiner wrote: > > I hate to see this but Norm Morris must resign all his Counties,he has > been with the project since the early days and has taken more than his > share of work.Right now he has several Counties and if you can help to keep > these Counties online check with me or Norm and we will help to get the > sites moved over to you. He does have accounts for ,I think all his > Counties at rootsweb but not all are there now.Let me know which County you > can take and I will see if there is an rootsweb account for it,if not we > should be able to get one. > > Is it my imagination or we losing CCs faster than we used too. > > Sure am going to miss "ole Norm" > > Later..........Fred Hi Fred, I'll take any 2 counties that can be set up, or are already set up with rootsweb. Opal cn1742@coastalnet.com

I hate to see this but Norm Morris must resign all his Counties,he has been with the project since the early days and has taken more than his share of work.Right now he has several Counties and if you can help to keep these Counties online check with me or Norm and we will help to get the sites moved over to you. He does have accounts for ,I think all his Counties at rootsweb but not all are there now.Let me know which County you can take and I will see if there is an rootsweb account for it,if not we should be able to get one. Is it my imagination or we losing CCs faster than we used too. Sure am going to miss "ole Norm" Later..........Fred

Hi Gang, I know you are all busy with your Christmas shopping,except me,I will do mine on the 24th as usual,but I have gotten a few complaints on some of our links.First we need to make sure that Betty's name and e-mail address is removed and replaced with mine,she is still getting a few messages(NO she is not complaining).The URL for the Indiana page is; http://www.rootsweb.com/~ingenweb/ Also the link to the USGenWeb site is now; http://www.usgenweb.org/ (.com or .net will also work) All in all I think we are doing a good job but I know how easy it is to forget one or two pages when you have several,and yes I did get a few complaints about my Counties as well as the State page.Let me know if you find something wrong on the State page. Later.........Fred

We have a new volunteer,her name is Barbara Cline Hutchinson and she is taking Marion County over,Jim has done a good job with Marion and we hate to see him leave but he promised to remain as a lookup volunteer for Marion.It will be after the first of the year before Barbara will be able to put Marion County online so untill then the site will stay where it is. Later.........Fred

Jim needs to give Marion County up,if anyone wants it let us know and we will fix you up with it.He does want to stay on as a lookup volunteer for Marion tho. Later........Fred

Yes, it costs MONEY$$$ to get the xeroxes and postage -- each office has their rules of how much to charge and usually ranges from $12 up and usually is in accordance with the number of xeroxes, etc. This money is supposed to pay for the services so it isn't out of your tax dollars -- although I do believe that is highly unlikely and some is going to come from your tax dollars -- and I apologize for that -- but these offices are going to have to work and be paid, whether we are requesting things or not, whether they are sitting waiting for requests come in or sitting waiting for the phone -- I feel we might as well make use of their services by requesting stuff or having them keying-in / digitizing documents and other info into computers, etc. Everyone must make their own decision on whether you think this request is using everyone else's tax dollars or worth every penny by getting information on what the govt already has that has been hidden all these years.) To Mr/Ms Kieffer (letter below) and to everyone else too: What you stated is true but for your grandchildren YOUR military files will be a superb find and also good reading and have much in them for their family books. The military records, although FOIA, has rules too that must be statisfied (such as that nothing can be given out until the x-military person is DEAD -- well, you are alive at the present so you don't have to worry about it UNLESS YOU are the one requesting these things. Even upon death there are some rules and your children cannot get these papers unless they are the next of kin -- their rules state you have to prove that you are dead with copy of death certificate, then your spouse is next of kin followed by your mother, your father, then oldest child, etc.) How do I know the above? Because I had to get a special paper signed by my mother (the next of kin) to send with the death certificate to get my father's military papers. In them were wonderful and not-so-wonderful things -- there was a written letter my grandmother wrote to the commander back in 1930's and some other letters she had written as well as letters that others in the community wrote, some photos I had never before seen of him in uniform, etc. Of course when he was demoted for hitting an officer in a fight, his being ordered to stay away from the "women of the night", his being brought up on court-martial charges several times for always having a still and moonshine / white lightning (each time he got off because all the evidence came up missing -- [his mother's kentucky teachings he used, ha,ha]) and other BAD things were there too (but these things I already knew). I also found out that they have some medals he had never received and upon talking with a congressman I was told they could be issued to his grandsons in a ceremony if that was my desire, or sent to me (since now my mother too is deceased). There were also some letters UNOPENED that I received -- one in particular was of special interest -- had an embossed (with parafin and gold) dragon and a photo of the USS Lexington and inside was a hand-scribed letter from the commander of same thanking him for participating in the search for Amelia Earhart, telling number of miles they covered while searching, etc. Since shortly after this letter was written the USS Lexington sunk and the commander and crew died, this is one "heck" of a find for me and my genealogy family history. There was also an interview and some Public Affairs items that had been in newspapers with my father showing date, paper, and entire article there. (plus there were still documents that even after their declassifying many things are STILL classified -- shows he went out on XXXX ship on a specific date and then months later shows he came back on the USS Henderson and everything in between is STILL CLASSIFIED (we are talking WWII era). But the main point is -- to ME they are important and they are NOT readily available until after the military person is deceased. Govt does STILL protect its own. Wanted to let everyone know so they don't think it is FREE right now to request things, or that everything about the living is just going to be FREELY given out without respecting the living persons' rights and records too. Judy M. >Having spent 26 years in the Air Force and another 10 in Federal Service, I >think it will probably at lkeast five years before we see any access to >records we would want for family histories. Besides, most of what they would >have is not historical, but present and that would be protected by the FOIA. > These things CAN NOT and MUST NOT be taken lightly. How would you like for >everything about your work and job history to be made available in public >access. And I mean such things as letters of reprimand, records of minor >infractions, etc. > >Don't push it. > >

I came across an AFNS from Washington article, in the SKYWRIGHTER, Nov 28, 1997 pg 11, and would like to put it here for all to read -- it pertains to the govt records under Freedom of Info act to go online, etc. NOTE!!! It states in there that the ones they are doing are the ones where persons had asked documents for "at least five times in a quarter" -- so let's get out there and make requests under the Freedom of Info act for EVERYTHING -- military records, civil service records, social security records, etc. Here is the article: "Communications advances have prompted all government agencies to build electronic reading rooms on the World Wide Web. An edict, part of the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 1996, calls on the agencies to provide public access to records often asked for under that act. In the Electronic Age, that translates to internet sites. To meet the act's provisions, Air Force organizations [my note -- I have seen other articles saying this is being done with ALL govt agencies] will create electronic reading rooms on publicly available web sites. Until the sites are up and running, agencies can profice documents to customers on magnetic disks or CD-ROMS. The new guidelines still will call for record owners to coordinate releases with the base Freedom of Information Act manager. World Wide Web releases must also be coordinated through local public affiars offices. Records affected by the new rules are those documents asked for at least five times in a quarter. [NOTE -- GET OUT THERE AND ASK FOR THEM -- FOR INSTANCE MILITARY RECORDS, ENTIRE SOCIAL SECURITY RECORDS -- NOT JUST NAMES AND DATES, ETC.] The main advantage to the electronic system, according to officials in the Air Force Communications and Information Center, is that it will reduce the burden on the public for requesting records. A web site also could reduce the workload on the agency having to prepare FOIA releases. Center officials also said that offices handling FOIA requests need to create a government information locator service record for each frequently requested record posted to the web. The Department of Defense locator service resides on DefenseLINK, the official DOD home page, at http://www.defenselink.mil/ . Click on search to find "GILS." The GILS record can be completed and submitted online using a web browser." Hope the above helps and gives us "hope" of more electronic data coming online. To search use: http://www.defenselink.mil:80/locator/#browse Another good link for same type of stuff -- the Govt Printing Office: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/index.html Right now (using many of the suggested words to search) I have not come across many of these online databases -- but I understand they are just now starting to get these set up. <just wish they would HURRY -- I wanted this YESTERDAY, ha, ha>. Judy M.

Ok folks, I put the State Christmas page online tonight,this is Betty's design,if it were left up to me who knows what it would look like. Check it out. http://www.rootsweb.com/~ingenweb/ Later........Fred

Hi everyone! Hope you have a great day with your family and loved one's.... I'm planning a houseful of 22 people... The cakes and pies are finished, the fresh fruit salad done, the turkey is almost finished and I'm planning a wonderful time... Just stopping in to say HAPPY THANKSGIVING "INDIANA".... Luv ya all! Betty Sellers

It seems that Angus has decided to resign as the Lake County coordinator so is is available for adoption,it is at rootsweb so wouldn't have to be moved.Let me know if you would like to take Lake County over. On another note, I will be dropping indiana.net at the end of the year so if you have my e-mail listed as <fred@indiana.net> you should change it to this address; fred@claynet.com I think that is "all the news that is the news" at least for now. Later.........Fred

I have moved the Clay County InGenWeb site to a new location,if you have linked to Clay County here is the new URL; http://www.rootsweb.com/~inclay/ On another note,just a few days untill I put the Christmas pages up so if you have a picture and/or a Christmas wish for the Welcome page be sure to send them in. Later.............Fred

Fred -- sent message to Betty since I can't find your email address, but then started thinking this is how I contacted you before: please change the Gibson Co address to: http://www.usroots.com/~jmurphy/gibson/gibson.htm Thanks, Judy M.