GENEXCHANGE UPDATE: http://www.genexchange.org/ I would like to take a few moments of your time to give you an update on all the wonderful milestones the GenExchange Project has reached since the year 2000 began. At the end of this notice you will find the GenExchange's "Geeks Corner" which is a list of categories that the project collects material for so far, the total records each contain as well as the total new records added since 2000 began. The growth of the project in the past 3.5 months has been phenomenal! We began January 2000 with 962,055 records in our database. At that time, it was necessary to shut down data entry forms across the project due to a major system upgrade. When the new database server came back online, we slowly began reopening data entry forms one by one to our volunteers and visitors. This reopening process is continuing at this time, however the majority of the entry forms are available along with downloadable templates for those interested in contributing genealogical data and prefer to work offline. Contributions to the GenExchange has been outstanding, especially when you realize, no one could add anything for at least the first month of this year with limited sections opened thereafter. In 1999, the Project was averaging about 30,000 new records each month. For 2000, we are averaging 100,000 new records each month! Contributions have more that tripled! Stupendous, to say the least! As of April 17, the total record count in the GenExchange database exceeds 1.85 Million Records! A big thank you to all the project coordinators, volunteers and visitors. Not only have contributions to the GenExchange increased, but our volunteer base as well. We now have 24 states and 300 counties adopted by some very dedicated coordinators who work tirelessly to bring as much free raw genealogical data online for our visitors. Working along side them are a few hundred volunteers working with the same goal in mind, freely sharing their resources with the community. If you are interested in becoming a part of this wonderful group of project volunteers and coordinators, visit http://www.genexchange.org/volunteers.cfm and http://www.genexchange.org/volunteering.cfm for more information or write to GenExchange@GenExchange.com and we'll be happy to answer any of your questions. NEW ASSISTANT NATIONAL COORDINATOR: Keith Schaar had been the State Coordinator for MD, OH and PA for some time and has done an outstanding job. On Feb 20, Keith stepped down from the SC position in PA to accept his new position as the project's new Assistant National Coordinator. Congratulations Keith you are doing a terrific job. MILESTONES March 29, 2000 the OHGenExchange smoothly sailed over the 100,000 record mark. http://www.genexchange.org/oh/ April 17, 2000 the NYGenExchange climbed to a project high of over 200,000 records. http://www.genexchange.org/ny/ A very big congratulations goes out to all the coordinators and volunteers who participated! CHALLENGE: I must tell you, the OH and NY County and State Coordinators had some fun the past 30 days while reaching these milestones. I am originally from NY and hold this state close to my heart while Keith Schaar holds the same for his home state of OH. We both thought our volunteers were the best so we challenged each other. Which state's volunteers can do the best in a 30 day period? This challenge ran from March 19 to April 18. As Keith put it, "If anyone would have told me the totals for the two states 30 days ago, I would have told them NO WAY." Both states out did themselves, running neck and neck all month long, one pulling ahead of the other, back and forth to the end. OH won the challenge with a total of 64,352 new entries, while NY added 51,700. We all had lots of fun through it all. But the end result, 116,052 new records available online for you and I owe OH a box of donuts! I must say, all of you are terrific! NEW CHALLENGE: On April 1, a new state to state challenge began, PA, coordinated by Annie Whiteman, verses VA, coordinated by Christine Goff. Good luck to all. PAGenExchange: http://www.genexchange.org/pa/ VAGenExchange: http://www.genexchange.org/va/ EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER (GESR-L) Keep your eyes opened for the upcoming issue of the Exchange Newsletter (GESR-L) due to be published the first week of May for more project news and community help and information. If not already subscribed, join our 1500+ subscribers by visiting http://www.genexchange.org/MailListForm.cfm and sign up today for your free subscription. For past issues of the newsletter, visit http://www.genexchange.com/gesr/archive.cfm * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GenExchange- Geeks Corner * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Total records in the databases Apr 18, 2000: 1,850,112 * Total records in the databases Jan 01, 2000: 962,055 * Total records added to the databases past 3.5 months: 325,850 BASIC RECORD COLLECTIONS (total/added in past 3.5 months) * baptisms: 18236 (8986 new) * births: 92880 (22804 new) * biographies: 5905 (3673 new) * books: 449 (entry form not reopened yet) * burials: 139225 (55285 new) * cemeteries: 21209 (7033 new) * churches: 18983 (4802 new) * confirmation: 13 (entry form not reopened yet) * court houses: 1606 (254 new) * death/obits: 109796 (32482 new) * deeds: 3326 (1310 new) * directories: 16972 (entry form not reopened yet) * events: 17 (entry form not reopened yet) * funeral homes: 2628 (528 new) * genlinks: 3623 (123 new) * historical accounts: 1329 (601 new) * historians: 333 (35 removed) * immigration/naturalization: 1479 (271 new) * libraries: 3028 (423 new) * lookup resources: 1162 (43 new) * maps: 26 (entry form not reopened yet) * marriages: 147902 (59036 new) * microfilm: 1833 (100 new) * monuments and historical places: 226 (entry form not reopened yet) * museums: 655 (114 new) * newspapers: 963 (88 new) * queries: 10402 (1344 new) * reunions: 151 (entry form not reopened yet) * schools: 13741 (8434 new) * ships passengers (emigrants): 2937 (entry form not reopened yet) * societies & associations: 1866 (228 new) * surnames: 39938 (4740 new) * surnames (international): 14534 (entry form not reopened) * towns/communities: 30559 (9779 new) * translation language options: 169 (15 new) * wills & probates: 75 (entry form not reopened yet) * yearbooks (faculty): 4010 (3105 new) * yearbooks (students): 58942 (23959 new) SPECIAL RECORDS COLLECTIONS * New York Emigrant Savings Bank: 4164 (entry form not reopened yet) * Miller Funeral Home Records: 115 (entry form not reopened yet) * Church Rolls: 1399 (entry form not reopened yet) * Rubio Ladies Cookbook (Washington, IA): 104 (complete) CENSUS RECORDS (FEDERAL) * 1790 census: 54179 (8387 new) * 1800 census: 11377 (3792 new) * 1810 census: 12949 (10015 new) * 1820 census: 6794 (3996 new) * 1830 census: 242 (entry form not reopened yet) * 1840 census: 536 (entry form not reopened yet) * 1850 census: 84217 (17332 new) * 1860 census: 29770 (29051 new) * 1870 census: 1908 (entry form not reopened yet) * 1880 census: 7903 (3752 new) CENSUS RECORDS (STATE) * 1892 NY census : 199 (entry form not reopened yet) TAX REGISTERS * 1826 tax register: 3397 (entry form not reopened yet) * 1849 tax register: 790 (entry form not reopened yet) * 1850 tax register: 3384 (entry form not reopened yet) * 1852 tax register: 1675 (entry form not reopened yet) * 1894 tax register: 1027 (entry form not reopened yet) MILITARY RECORDS COLLECTIONS * Civil War: 1918 (entry form not reopened yet) * Revolutionary War: 937 (entry form not reopened yet) * WWI Draft Records: 850000 (opening to the public shortly) Joanne Abby - National Coordinator - Joanne@genexchange.com Keith Schaar - Asst. National Coordinator - Keith@genexchange.com GenExchange - http://www.genexchange.org/ USGenExchange - http://www.genexchange.org/us.cfm Exchange Newsletter - http://www.genexchange.org/gesr/archive.cfm