Hi Everyone ... As all of you who know me, know, I don't involve myself in these back and forth "competitions" (for lack of a better word) that inevitably appear in online genealogy.... but I feel you deserve an explanation about one thing so here it goes. Thank you for taking time to read it. When I left the GenWeb project, I *had* to remove my website. It was not hosted on a free site. I had to pay for it every month. All of you who have seen it knows how big it was - that was a problem for me and for my server ..... and not having loads of money, I could not just leave it there. After removing my files from the net, I contacted the new McCreary GenWeb CC and explained that I respect people's copyrights and ownership so I *could* not give her any major file that was contributed without the owner's permission (there was only one and the owner had already told me that she did not want it put back online). **BUT at the same time, I told her that I would give her all my files that were "user-contributed" by more than one person.** That meant all the death certificates. I started sending them to her and she emailed me not to send anymore because all my files are in HTML code and she couldn't use them. I figured that she would eventually learn HTML -- because I don't know how one maintains a website without it (my ignorance perhaps) -- and that she would THEN be able to post the death certificates. I never heard anything more about it so in order to keep them online for all of you, I have been trying to decide if they should go on the MPCPS (McCreary Pioneers Cemetery Preservation Society) website with the cemeteries (which I host). That decision has not been made yet for several reasons. I just thought you should know. Most of my McCreary site came about from just plain old dedication and downright gruesome hard work and any contributions (such as pictures, etc) were there more as a courtesy to the contributor than anything else - to help them make connections with other site users. When I took my site down, I did not feel that I had a right to pass anyone's pictures onto someone else. I figured anyone who had a picture or something posted on my site would want to decide for themselves if they wanted it posted to a different site. But something like the death certificates was different because it was a huge database of records from many different people. (I hope I am wording this so that it is clear and not confusing.) Please remember when you do online research that whatever website you go to involves lots of hard work by someone - and aside from the many "pay-per-view" sites that are popping up, all of it is done by volunteers. We do not get paid to do this. The only other files I had that would fit into the category of the death certificates was the marriage and birth databases. Those are large databases that involve some very technical setups - they cannot be hosted on free sites. Those databases were never McCreary GenWeb databases - they were on my "Down Home" site AND they are all STILL there. <http://www.pastseeker.com/crr> Some may have been confused by that because I linked to them from the McCreary site. But I started the "Down Home" site way way back in 1997 (I think it was) when I started the CRR (Down Home) List and it is still online but has NEVER been a part of the GenWeb project or Rootsweb in ANY way.... it is just something I did and still maintain completely on my own. It has nothing to do with ANY project in any way. It is just my private site. I hope this helps to clear things up. I am not the kind of person who would take things from anyone and not give back and it is hurtful for anyone to insinuate that I would. During my time with GenWeb (or any other time) I held and still hold the utmost respect for all of you who love family history as I do. I *LOVE* McCreary County and it was very hard to give up the website - I know that it meant a lot to a lot of people. But I know I made the right decision to leave the Rootsweb organization for my own conscience and I do not regret that at all. I thought you all should know. I am sure that the new McCreary CC will do a great job for you and I hope that everyone who plans to benefit from her work will give her the support that she is asking for. It is not an easy task that she has taken on. Sincerely, Margy

Margy, thanks for the kind words at the end of your message. Hopefully some people will feel inclined to contribute. But, we must have got our wires crossed somewhere. You have already sent me one or two death certificates some time back and I do have them listed on the new McCreary County KyGenWeb site. I have been waiting for you to send the rest. Now I see why you haven't done that lol. We had our wires crossed evidently. I can use them and am using the ones you sent. Sorry about the misunderstanding with the deaths. I just don't know how that happened but I am glad that we now have it straightened out. Thanks again for your kind words. Della GOD BLESS YOU --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month!

Dear Margy - a lovely, well articulated message, as always from you. I will be happy to accept any files you feel appropriate for the McCreary County Archives at http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ky/mccreary/mccreary.html While the Archives in no way whatsoever can compare to the work you have done, the Archives would be proud to house the information you so diligently collected and made available to researchers for so long. Speaking of that very thing, I'm anxiously awaiting your printing of the 1930 Whitley County Census book!!!!! Bonnie