FYI -----Original Message----- From: Celia G. Snyder <cgsnyder@uiuc.edu> To: USGENWEB-ALL-L@rootsweb.com <USGENWEB-ALL-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Friday, June 26, 1998 5:18 PM Subject: [USGENWEB-ALL-L] [BP2000-L] CALL TO ARMS >Please forward the news of this Marion County, West Virginia travesty to >every >genealogy group or historical society that you belong to. Also, if you >have any >media contacts or government contacts please forward this information to them. >Let's make Cody Starcher infamous! > > > >From: Pam Mullinax >E-Mail: pmullinax@mindspring.com > >Fairmont -- Leatherbound books recording transactions between 1842 to >1880 have been important to local genealogist, but now the historical >books are gone - buried with the five bins of trash the Marion County >Commission hauled away from the Jacob's building last week. > >Along with books were, boxes and files of papers dating back to Marion >County's inception in 1942. There were five floors that had books, boxes >and files to be removed. > >Some of the books were Wills; others were Justice of the Peace books. >There may have been other records, but the article didn't say what all >had been destoyed, because they didn't know. The article was a large >article for the paper. The historical and genealogical societies were >NOT notified that the county had planned to discard the handwritten >record books, files and other etcs. > >It seems the decision was made by the county commissioners (namely, Cody >Starcher) to clear out several floors from the Jacobs building (scheduled >for renovation) in which these historical documents were stored. They >decided on their own that no one would want to go through all the files to >separate out the salvagable and so decided to not tell anyone. They then >had the local garbage collectors come and clear out the books and documents. > >************* > >The story about the above first appeared in the Times West Virginian >(Fairmont, WV)Sunday,June 21, 1998. On Thursday, June 25, 1998 the >below follow-up story was published. > > >* * * >Dump off limits to historians > >By Theresa Haynes >Times West Virginian Staff Writer > >FAIRMONT - >Genealogists who wanted to dig through the landfill in search of the >county's discarded pre-Civil War record books will not be allowed to >excavate the dump. ÝÝRon Chrislip, a local historian who has researched >Marion County's past for more than 30 years, said he and four other people >were prepared to go to the Meadowfill Landfill in Bridgeport to search for >the record books tossed last week. > >But landfill officials halted the group's plans at the request of the >Marion County Commission. > >The day books dating back to 1842 were among several tons of outdated >files, books and papers the commission removed from the historic Jacob's >building, which is undergoing renovation. > >Chrislip said he and other genealogists wanted to dig up the historically >valuable record books when they learned the books had been hauled away to >the dump, but the landfill told them there were confidential files among >the garbage. > >Commissioner Cody Starcher said in an interview last week that the county >had received special permission from the state to include old juvenile >records in the six BFI Dumpster trash bins hauled to the dump. > >"We are allowed to throw the juvenile records away after 20 years," he >said. "But they usually have to be shredded and burned." > >Now local historians are concerned they will never see the priceless, >handwritten books again. > >"I don't see how they will be retrieved," Chrislip said. "As a historian I >have to be realistic. Now hopefully the county will preserve what is left." >ÝÝChrislip said the leather-bound books were particularly valuable because >they recorded everything from the county clerk's office. > >"Record keeping then was a very different process," he said. "We were still >in Virginia and documents like that are very, very rare." > >The historian said the records gave insight into a lifestyle long gone. > >"There is no oral history from that time, no photography and very little >written history. Through the day books we had a great deal of information >to interpret history," he said. > >Chrislip agrees with the county commission that the books had no monetary >value, but he said the county has lost something culturally valuable. > >He said 20 years ago he had searched for day books like the ones thrown >away and was told they did not exist. Years later he learned they were in >existence, but in "dead" storage. > >The historian said he and other people interested in genealogy would have >liked to have been given access to the books before they were discarded. > >County Commission President James Sago and Starcher were not available for >comment Wednesday evening. >* * * > >If you'd like to write the Editor of the WV Times, > >The email address is: >timeswv@timeswv.com > >LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: >All letters for publication should be so stated. >Requests for publication must include address & telephone number. >phone: (304) 367-2500 * Fax: (304) 367-2569 > >Or postal mail to: >Times West Virginian >PO Box 2530 >Fairmont, WV 26555-2530 > > > > > >==== BP2000 Mailing List ==== >Have you considered joining the Rootsweb Genealogical Data Cooperative? > Voluntary support helps keep access free. > > http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/how-to-subscribe.html > > For us forgetful types there is new on-line credit card option. > > Someday YOU'LL be an ancestor too! > ------------------------------------------------------------------- Celia G. Snyder, Graduate Programs Coordinator (mailto:cgsnyder@uiuc.edu) Dept. of Mech. and Indus. 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