Hi All, Just got back from a short visit to Copiah county. Though much of the time was spent catching up with cousins there, I was able to spend some time in the county court. For those who are unaware, the chancery court has been moved across the street from the main courthouse. The land documents and probate court related documents are found here. The circuit court clerk has moved into the old chancery area of the main courthouse. In both of these moves, much better space is provided, and a much more comfortable research environment than the old records rooms. I will note that the circuit court has all the marriage records, even those originally recorded by the chancery court. The early marriage records were apparently transcribed sometime back in the 1940s. Most of the early records are actually transcriptions, transfered to 20th century forms. I make note of this, since I was looking to correct two marriages, which contain erroneous information, which I found in a published transcription. Both of these errors were apparently made in the original court transciptions from the marriage books. I am unsure if the original marriage books still exist, or if they were destroyed after the transcriptions were made. I certainly could find no sign of them in the courthouse. Since I have been searching for an 1846 criminal docket, I checked with the circuit court clerk, who noted that during the recent move, they had discovered a number of 19th century record books in the attic of the courthouse. These are in poor shape, and not available for general use. They are slated for preservation in the next year or two, however. I was able to go down to the basement and look around for the case I was interested in. Here, I would estimate were a hundred odd volumes of various circuit court records, in various states of deterioration. Although I only had time to go through the minutes of a single court term, I must say that a number of the names I have seen on this mail list can be found, in one context or another, in these records. Mostly civil and criminal cases, names appear as witnesses, jury members, plantiffs, defendants, etc. Once these records are available for general use, I suspect they will provide a good deal of interesting family details for those willing to spend the time browsing through them. I know of no index to these volumes. About the preservation of records: I am impressed with the current staff's determination to preserve the old records. Unlike past trips, a number of the old land records are now laminated in acid free plastic, and more records are preserved regularly. For instance, the CSA pension applications, which used to be found in the drawers as loose folded documents have now been laminated and are bound in a number of post binders. I vividly remember brittle pages breaking up as I turned them on past visits, and congradulate the staff for their forsightedness in the ongoing preservation of these records. As usual, I managed to find and copy 150 or so pages of family related documents, and didn't get near finished. Oh well, next time maybe. As an aside, I was able to spend an hour or so with Paul Cartwright, the director of the library in Hazlehurst. His genealogy holdings are surprisingly large for such a small library, and he is constantly seeking to expand this area. I noticed he had the complete WPA historical resource materials for Copiah county, somewhat of a rarity. He is also begining to put together surname files of contributed information, though this project is in its infancy at this time, it is certain to add substancial information to the library's holdings. I highly reccomend that anyone doing court research here save some time to have a look around the library. Good hunting, Robert J. Stuart Arlington, Texas

So glad you were able to make that trip havent tried to every find records, altho they did some for mariages for 50 cents each > About the preservation of records: I am impressed with the current >staff's determination to preserve the old records. Unlike past trips, a >number of the old land records are now laminated in acid free plastic, and >more records are preserved regularly. For instance, the CSA pension >applications, which used to be found in the drawers as loose folded documents >have now been laminated and are bound in a number of post binders. I vividly >remember brittle pages breaking up as I turned them on past visits, and >congradulate the staff for their forsightedness in the ongoing preservation >of these records. > >============================== >Ancestry.com Genealogical Databases >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist2.asp >Search over 2500 databases with one easy query! > > > God bless you, Lynda

Hi Robert, Very interesting, your comments and findings. I have several Copiah names I am researching. I hope I will able to go there when I finally retire. For once my age is agreeing with me. Sally ----- Original Message ----- From: <RStuart160@aol.com> To: <MSCOPIAH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2001 1:17 PM Subject: Courthouse visit > Hi All, > > Just got back from a short visit to Copiah county. Though much of the > time was spent catching up with cousins there, I was able to spend some time > in the county court. > > For those who are unaware, the chancery court has been moved across > the street from the main courthouse. The land documents and probate court > related documents are found here. > > The circuit court clerk has moved into the old chancery area of the > main courthouse. In both of these moves, much better space is provided, and > a much more comfortable research environment than the old records rooms. > > I will note that the circuit court has all the marriage records, even > those originally recorded by the chancery court. The early marriage records > were apparently transcribed sometime back in the 1940s. Most of the early > records are actually transcriptions, transfered to 20th century forms. I > make note of this, since I was looking to correct two marriages, which > contain erroneous information, which I found in a published transcription. > Both of these errors were apparently made in the original court transciptions > from the marriage books. I am unsure if the original marriage books still > exist, or if they were destroyed after the transcriptions were made. I > certainly could find no sign of them in the courthouse. > > Since I have been searching for an 1846 criminal docket, I checked > with the circuit court clerk, who noted that during the recent move, they had > discovered a number of 19th century record books in the attic of the > courthouse. These are in poor shape, and not available for general use. > They are slated for preservation in the next year or two, however. I was > able to go down to the basement and look around for the case I was interested > in. Here, I would estimate were a hundred odd volumes of various circuit > court records, in various states of deterioration. Although I only had time > to go through the minutes of a single court term, I must say that a number of > the names I have seen on this mail list can be found, in one context or > another, in these records. Mostly civil and criminal cases, names appear as > witnesses, jury members, plantiffs, defendants, etc. Once these records are > available for general use, I suspect they will provide a good deal of > interesting family details for those willing to spend the time browsing > through them. I know of no index to these volumes. > > About the preservation of records: I am impressed with the current > staff's determination to preserve the old records. Unlike past trips, a > number of the old land records are now laminated in acid free plastic, and > more records are preserved regularly. For instance, the CSA pension > applications, which used to be found in the drawers as loose folded documents > have now been laminated and are bound in a number of post binders. I vividly > remember brittle pages breaking up as I turned them on past visits, and > congradulate the staff for their forsightedness in the ongoing preservation > of these records. > > As usual, I managed to find and copy 150 or so pages of family related > documents, and didn't get near finished. Oh well, next time maybe. > > As an aside, I was able to spend an hour or so with Paul Cartwright, > the director of the library in Hazlehurst. His genealogy holdings are > surprisingly large for such a small library, and he is constantly seeking to > expand this area. I noticed he had the complete WPA historical resource > materials for Copiah county, somewhat of a rarity. He is also begining to > put together surname files of contributed information, though this project is > in its infancy at this time, it is certain to add substancial information to > the library's holdings. I highly reccomend that anyone doing court research > here save some time to have a look around the library. > > Good hunting, > > Robert J. Stuart > Arlington, Texas > > > ==== MSCOPIAH Mailing List ==== > Add or check queries at > http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ms/Copiah > > > ============================== > Ancestry.com Genealogical Databases > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist2.asp > Search over 2500 databases with one easy query! > >

who are your names Sally At 07:09 PM 10/25/2001 -0500, Sally Viada wrote: >Hi Robert, >Very interesting, your comments and findings. I have several Copiah names I >am researching. I hope I will able to go there when I finally retire. For >once my age is agreeing with me. >Sally >----- Original Message ----- >From: <RStuart160@aol.com> >To: <MSCOPIAH-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2001 1:17 PM >Subject: Courthouse visit > > >> Hi All, >> >> Just got back from a short visit to Copiah county. Though much of >the >> time was spent catching up with cousins there, I was able to spend some >time >> in the county court. >> >> For those who are unaware, the chancery court has been moved across >> the street from the main courthouse. The land documents and probate court >> related documents are found here. >> >> The circuit court clerk has moved into the old chancery area of the >> main courthouse. In both of these moves, much better space is provided, >and >> a much more comfortable research environment than the old records rooms. >> >> I will note that the circuit court has all the marriage records, >even >> those originally recorded by the chancery court. The early marriage >records >> were apparently transcribed sometime back in the 1940s. Most of the early >> records are actually transcriptions, transfered to 20th century forms. I >> make note of this, since I was looking to correct two marriages, which >> contain erroneous information, which I found in a published transcription. >> Both of these errors were apparently made in the original court >transciptions >> from the marriage books. I am unsure if the original marriage books still >> exist, or if they were destroyed after the transcriptions were made. I >> certainly could find no sign of them in the courthouse. >> >> Since I have been searching for an 1846 criminal docket, I checked >> with the circuit court clerk, who noted that during the recent move, they >had >> discovered a number of 19th century record books in the attic of the >> courthouse. These are in poor shape, and not available for general use. >> They are slated for preservation in the next year or two, however. I was >> able to go down to the basement and look around for the case I was >interested >> in. Here, I would estimate were a hundred odd volumes of various circuit >> court records, in various states of deterioration. Although I only had >time >> to go through the minutes of a single court term, I must say that a number >of >> the names I have seen on this mail list can be found, in one context or >> another, in these records. Mostly civil and criminal cases, names appear >as >> witnesses, jury members, plantiffs, defendants, etc. Once these records >are >> available for general use, I suspect they will provide a good deal of >> interesting family details for those willing to spend the time browsing >> through them. I know of no index to these volumes. >> >> About the preservation of records: I am impressed with the current >> staff's determination to preserve the old records. Unlike past trips, a >> number of the old land records are now laminated in acid free plastic, and >> more records are preserved regularly. For instance, the CSA pension >> applications, which used to be found in the drawers as loose folded >documents >> have now been laminated and are bound in a number of post binders. I >vividly >> remember brittle pages breaking up as I turned them on past visits, and >> congradulate the staff for their forsightedness in the ongoing >preservation >> of these records. >> >> As usual, I managed to find and copy 150 or so pages of family >related >> documents, and didn't get near finished. Oh well, next time maybe. >> >> As an aside, I was able to spend an hour or so with Paul >Cartwright, >> the director of the library in Hazlehurst. His genealogy holdings are >> surprisingly large for such a small library, and he is constantly seeking >to >> expand this area. I noticed he had the complete WPA historical resource >> materials for Copiah county, somewhat of a rarity. He is also begining to >> put together surname files of contributed information, though this project >is >> in its infancy at this time, it is certain to add substancial information >to >> the library's holdings. I highly reccomend that anyone doing court >research >> here save some time to have a look around the library. >> >> Good hunting, >> >> Robert J. Stuart >> Arlington, Texas >> >> >> ==== MSCOPIAH Mailing List ==== >> Add or check queries at >> http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ms/Copiah >> >> >> ============================== >> Ancestry.com Genealogical Databases >> http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist2.asp >> Search over 2500 databases with one easy query! >> >> > > >==== MSCOPIAH Mailing List ==== >Add or check queries at >http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ms/Copiah > > >============================== >Shop Ancestry - Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & Celebrate >your heritage! >http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog > > > God bless you, Lynda