Unfortunately, the SSDI only goes back so far. In the past I have obtained copies of NJ Vital Records that went back much, much further than the SSDI. Joan in Virginia ----- Original Message ----- From: <curtw@comcast.net> > This is another piece of feel good legislation that accomplishes nothing. Restricting death records in particular makes no sense. The Social Security Administration makes records available as soon as deaths are reported. It is hard to steal somebody’s ID if it is easy to determine they are dead. > > Curt Miller >

This is another piece of feel good legislation that accomplishes nothing. Restricting death records in particular makes no sense. The Social Security Administration makes records available as soon as deaths are reported. It is hard to steal somebody’s ID if it is easy to determine they are dead. Curt Miller -------------- Original message -------------- From: Terry Smith <tsmith-gwfnd@sbcglobal.net> > I have also passed the info to 2 separate groups - one church related and one > not. And I agree and said the same thing in my email. I don't want this > exploded to other states. > > Does anybody know why they are pursuing this? > > Terri wrote: > > I have forwarded the news on to my other lists -- even if they're not NJ > related. As I mentioned in my emails and Helen speaks of also -- this > definitely pertains to more than just genealogy. Wouldn't want other > states to follow suit and really muck up the works. > > Besides - the bottom line is our right to know!!!!! Rather like the > Canadian Census issue ---- even if one doesn't have Canadian roots, it's > important to speak up. It's our RIGHT to be able to obtain this info. > > Understandably -- NJ residents have the right to identity protection - > no issue with that! But here's hoping the "suits" will take time to > re-write the bill. It seems like the new wording suggested will satisfy > all. > > Keep well all -- Terri > > > ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== > Save the Date!!! Save the Date!!! Save the Date!!! > GSNJ 2005 Annual Meeting -- Saturday, November 5th > http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/events.html > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx > > > > > > Terry Smith > Administrative Assistant > Gateway Foundation > 720 Olive St., Ste 1977 > St. Louis, MO 63101 > 314-241-3347 > 314-241-3559 (Fax) > > > ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== > GSNJ Newsletter: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/newsletter.html > > ============================== > View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find > marriage announcements and more. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx >

I also passed the letter to 4 very active genealogy sites for Poland, Hungary, Penn,& Indiana , also to a couple of friends. WE need to write the letters now. Julie B in NC -----Original Message----- From: Terry Smith [mailto:tsmith-gwfnd@sbcglobal.net] Sent: Friday, February 10, 2006 10:20 AM To: NJ-GSNJ-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [GSNJ] NJ Vitals I have also passed the info to 2 separate groups - one church related and one not. And I agree and said the same thing in my email. I don't want this exploded to other states. Does anybody know why they are pursuing this? Terri <taire@webtv.net> wrote: I have forwarded the news on to my other lists -- even if they're not NJ related. As I mentioned in my emails and Helen speaks of also -- this definitely pertains to more than just genealogy. Wouldn't want other states to follow suit and really muck up the works. Besides - the bottom line is our right to know!!!!! Rather like the Canadian Census issue ---- even if one doesn't have Canadian roots, it's important to speak up. It's our RIGHT to be able to obtain this info. Understandably -- NJ residents have the right to identity protection - no issue with that! But here's hoping the "suits" will take time to re-write the bill. It seems like the new wording suggested will satisfy all. Keep well all -- Terri ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== Save the Date!!! Save the Date!!! Save the Date!!! GSNJ 2005 Annual Meeting -- Saturday, November 5th http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/events.html ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx Terry Smith Administrative Assistant Gateway Foundation 720 Olive St., Ste 1977 St. Louis, MO 63101 314-241-3347 314-241-3559 (Fax) ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== GSNJ Newsletter: http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/newsletter.html ============================== View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find marriage announcements and more. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.15.4/255 - Release Date: 2/9/2006 -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.15.4/255 - Release Date: 2/9/2006

I don't understand how they can do this. What happened to the " Freedom of Information Act " ???? Maryann Clark curtw@comcast.net wrote: This is another piece of feel good legislation that accomplishes nothing. Restricting death records in particular makes no sense. The Social Security Administration makes records available as soon as deaths are reported. It is hard to steal somebody’s ID if it is easy to determine they are dead. Curt Miller -------------- Original message -------------- From: Terry Smith > I have also passed the info to 2 separate groups - one church related and one > not. And I agree and said the same thing in my email. I don't want this > exploded to other states. > > Does anybody know why they are pursuing this? > > Terri wrote: > > I have forwarded the news on to my other lists -- even if they're not NJ > related. As I mentioned in my emails and Helen speaks of also -- this > definitely pertains to more than just genealogy. Wouldn't want other > states to follow suit and really muck up the works. > > Besides - the bottom line is our right to know!!!!! Rather like the > Canadian Census issue ---- even if one doesn't have Canadian roots, it's > important to speak up. It's our RIGHT to be able to obtain this info. > > Understandably -- NJ residents have the right to identity protection - > no issue with that! But here's hoping the "suits" will take time to > re-write the bill. It seems like the new wording suggested will satisfy > all. > > Keep well all -- Terri > > > ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== > Save the Date!!! Save the Date!!! Save the Date!!! > GSNJ 2005 Annual Meeting -- Saturday, November 5th > http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/events.html > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx > > > > > > Terry Smith > Administrative Assistant > Gateway Foundation > 720 Olive St., Ste 1977 > St. Louis, MO 63101 > 314-241-3347 > 314-241-3559 (Fax) > > > ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== > GSNJ Newsletter: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/newsletter.html > > ============================== > View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find > marriage announcements and more. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx > ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== GSNJ Home Page: http://www.gsnj.org ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx --------------------------------- Yahoo! Mail Use Photomail to share photos without annoying attachments.

I have also passed the info to 2 separate groups - one church related and one not. And I agree and said the same thing in my email. I don't want this exploded to other states. Does anybody know why they are pursuing this? Terri <taire@webtv.net> wrote: I have forwarded the news on to my other lists -- even if they're not NJ related. As I mentioned in my emails and Helen speaks of also -- this definitely pertains to more than just genealogy. Wouldn't want other states to follow suit and really muck up the works. Besides - the bottom line is our right to know!!!!! Rather like the Canadian Census issue ---- even if one doesn't have Canadian roots, it's important to speak up. It's our RIGHT to be able to obtain this info. Understandably -- NJ residents have the right to identity protection - no issue with that! But here's hoping the "suits" will take time to re-write the bill. It seems like the new wording suggested will satisfy all. Keep well all -- Terri ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== Save the Date!!! Save the Date!!! Save the Date!!! GSNJ 2005 Annual Meeting -- Saturday, November 5th http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/events.html ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx Terry Smith Administrative Assistant Gateway Foundation 720 Olive St., Ste 1977 St. Louis, MO 63101 314-241-3347 314-241-3559 (Fax)

I have forwarded the news on to my other lists -- even if they're not NJ related. As I mentioned in my emails and Helen speaks of also -- this definitely pertains to more than just genealogy. Wouldn't want other states to follow suit and really muck up the works. Besides - the bottom line is our right to know!!!!! Rather like the Canadian Census issue ---- even if one doesn't have Canadian roots, it's important to speak up. It's our RIGHT to be able to obtain this info. Understandably -- NJ residents have the right to identity protection - no issue with that! But here's hoping the "suits" will take time to re-write the bill. It seems like the new wording suggested will satisfy all. Keep well all -- Terri

It seems to me that the genealogical community is only a small drop in a very big bucket compared to the general population. This matter is desperately important to those who are committed to studying and preserving family and local history. Yet it remains virtually unheard of to the general public. I have spoken of it with many people over the last two weeks, and not one person knew of this legislation, despite the heroic efforts of the good folks trying to remedy this. Our legislators tend to listen best when there is a major uproar from their constituents. Unfortunately, that uproar usually occurs after the damage is done. Perhaps we can trigger it a little earlier by taking the story more public. Most people get this kind of information from the evening news and newspapers. Can we enlist their help through these channels? If the news industry is interested and cooperates, it's virtually free assistance, but even if a full page ad needed to be purchased, it would be money well spent. Joan and so many others have worked so hard on this, and now it is time for all of us to get on board. Call or write to your legislator. Here's how to find yours: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/Default.asp

I will personally route it to all my ward and my weight watchers support group. If everyone did that it would make a difference. Helen Maliszewski <HelenM57@patmedia.net> wrote: It seems to me that the genealogical community is only a small drop in a very big bucket compared to the general population. This matter is desperately important to those who are committed to studying and preserving family and local history. Yet it remains virtually unheard of to the general public. I have spoken of it with many people over the last two weeks, and not one person knew of this legislation, despite the heroic efforts of the good folks trying to remedy this. Our legislators tend to listen best when there is a major uproar from their constituents. Unfortunately, that uproar usually occurs after the damage is done. Perhaps we can trigger it a little earlier by taking the story more public. Most people get this kind of information from the evening news and newspapers. Can we enlist their help through these channels? If the news industry is interested and cooperates, it's virtually free assistance, but even if a full page ad needed to be purchased, it would be money well spent. Joan and so many others have worked so hard on this, and now it is time for all of us to get on board. Call or write to your legislator. Here's how to find yours: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/Default.asp ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== New Jersey Cemetery Inventory: http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/cemetery.html ============================== View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find marriage announcements and more. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx Terry Smith Administrative Assistant Gateway Foundation 720 Olive St., Ste 1977 St. Louis, MO 63101 314-241-3347 314-241-3559 (Fax)

I live in Missouri now but all my family is from New Jersey on both sides of the family. I thought it was hard enough when I would take a trip to Paterson and I would have to know the specific date, show my license and pay by cash. They don't have the books available to look through and it made it very hard making sure the date was correct before they would issue the certificate. In St. Louis, they make the books available for you to search through and find what you are looking for. Exactly why are they doing this? It doesn't make sense. And it is so important to find our ancestors. scrappyclare1 <scrappyclare1@verizon.net> wrote: Hello everyone: So the Great State of New Jersey is trying to make a law that we will not be able to get a copy of our own Birth Cerficates or Marriage Lic, or Death Certificates for our parents or grand-parents. I think someone really needs to put the skids to this. I can understand with the Credit Card Co. & other business but not the Vital Records that we all need to use for our own families & family research. Most of my family history is in Monmouth Co. Manalapan Twp & Millstone Twp. So this would really hinder my research. Clare Rooney Short formerly of Perrineville, Millstone Twp. Monmouth Co. NJ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joan M Lowry" To: Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2006 12:29 PM Subject: [GSNJ] NJ Vital Records Access Threatened > Hello All > > In light of recent discussions on this list regarding NJ Vital Records > access, I thought that you should have more information on the serious > piece of pending legislation that would remove virtually all Vital > Records from the realm of Public Records, Assembly Bill 1390. In > addition to making the records non-public, the bill would further > restrict who would be allowed to obtain copies and would allow only > "viewing" of the records to others. > > The bill also would make it against the law to "transfer, sell, share, > reproduce or otherwise disclose the information to another party." > There would be penalties for disclosing the information that could be > serious fines or even jail time. I don't know how anyone can write a > history book, article, or anything else if you can't share the > information, or provide a documented source for the information. > > The proposed bill, Assembly Bill 1390, is a product of the Homeland > Security and State Preparedness Committee. You can see the proposed > language at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/A1500/1390_I1.PDF. > You can also get there from the Genealogical Society of New Jersey's > website www.gsnj.org by going to the page for Legislative Alerts (the > direct page link is: http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/legislation.html.) > > This bill may be heard by the Assembly as early as March 2. I urge you > to make contact with the sponsors of the bill via fax or email as soon > as possible to ask them to amend the bill. There is a summary sheet on > the GSNJ website that gives more information on the bill and proposed > amended language. There are also sample letters for use by individuals > and by societies and organizations. See the Legislative Alerts page on > the GSNJ website > > I would welcome any comments or assistance that can be offered to help > us get the bill changed before it is too late! My email address is: > mailto:jml-gsnj@earthlink.net > > Thank you very much. > > Sincerely, > Joan M. Lowry, President > > Genealogical Society of New Jersey > www.gsnj.org > > > > > ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== > GSNJ Newsletter: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/newsletter.html > > ============================== > New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your ancestors > at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn more: > http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429 > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.15.2/252 - Release Date: 2/6/2006 > > ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey: http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/genmag.html ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx Terry Smith Administrative Assistant Gateway Foundation 720 Olive St., Ste 1977 St. Louis, MO 63101 314-241-3347 314-241-3559 (Fax)

Hello everyone: So the Great State of New Jersey is trying to make a law that we will not be able to get a copy of our own Birth Cerficates or Marriage Lic, or Death Certificates for our parents or grand-parents. I think someone really needs to put the skids to this. I can understand with the Credit Card Co. & other business but not the Vital Records that we all need to use for our own families & family research. Most of my family history is in Monmouth Co. Manalapan Twp & Millstone Twp. So this would really hinder my research. Clare Rooney Short formerly of Perrineville, Millstone Twp. Monmouth Co. NJ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joan M Lowry" <jmlowry@earthlink.net> To: <NJ-GSNJ-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2006 12:29 PM Subject: [GSNJ] NJ Vital Records Access Threatened > Hello All > > In light of recent discussions on this list regarding NJ Vital Records > access, I thought that you should have more information on the serious > piece of pending legislation that would remove virtually all Vital > Records from the realm of Public Records, Assembly Bill 1390. In > addition to making the records non-public, the bill would further > restrict who would be allowed to obtain copies and would allow only > "viewing" of the records to others. > > The bill also would make it against the law to "transfer, sell, share, > reproduce or otherwise disclose the information to another party." > There would be penalties for disclosing the information that could be > serious fines or even jail time. I don't know how anyone can write a > history book, article, or anything else if you can't share the > information, or provide a documented source for the information. > > The proposed bill, Assembly Bill 1390, is a product of the Homeland > Security and State Preparedness Committee. You can see the proposed > language at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/A1500/1390_I1.PDF. > You can also get there from the Genealogical Society of New Jersey's > website www.gsnj.org by going to the page for Legislative Alerts (the > direct page link is: http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/legislation.html.) > > This bill may be heard by the Assembly as early as March 2. I urge you > to make contact with the sponsors of the bill via fax or email as soon > as possible to ask them to amend the bill. There is a summary sheet on > the GSNJ website that gives more information on the bill and proposed > amended language. There are also sample letters for use by individuals > and by societies and organizations. See the Legislative Alerts page on > the GSNJ website > > I would welcome any comments or assistance that can be offered to help > us get the bill changed before it is too late! My email address is: > mailto:jml-gsnj@earthlink.net > > Thank you very much. > > Sincerely, > Joan M. Lowry, President > > Genealogical Society of New Jersey > www.gsnj.org > > > > > ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== > GSNJ Newsletter: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/newsletter.html > > ============================== > New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your ancestors > at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn more: > http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429 > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.15.2/252 - Release Date: 2/6/2006 > >

Hello All In light of recent discussions on this list regarding NJ Vital Records access, I thought that you should have more information on the serious piece of pending legislation that would remove virtually all Vital Records from the realm of Public Records, Assembly Bill 1390. In addition to making the records non-public, the bill would further restrict who would be allowed to obtain copies and would allow only "viewing" of the records to others. The bill also would make it against the law to "transfer, sell, share, reproduce or otherwise disclose the information to another party." There would be penalties for disclosing the information that could be serious fines or even jail time. I don't know how anyone can write a history book, article, or anything else if you can't share the information, or provide a documented source for the information. The proposed bill, Assembly Bill 1390, is a product of the Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee. You can see the proposed language at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/A1500/1390_I1.PDF. You can also get there from the Genealogical Society of New Jersey's website www.gsnj.org by going to the page for Legislative Alerts (the direct page link is: http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/legislation.html.) This bill may be heard by the Assembly as early as March 2. I urge you to make contact with the sponsors of the bill via fax or email as soon as possible to ask them to amend the bill. There is a summary sheet on the GSNJ website that gives more information on the bill and proposed amended language. There are also sample letters for use by individuals and by societies and organizations. See the Legislative Alerts page on the GSNJ website I would welcome any comments or assistance that can be offered to help us get the bill changed before it is too late! My email address is: mailto:jml-gsnj@earthlink.net Thank you very much. Sincerely, Joan M. Lowry, President Genealogical Society of New Jersey www.gsnj.org

Yes! Many thanks for the prompt reply Joan!! Saved me from getting all in a dither!! :)))) Keep well -- Terri

Dear Joan: I tried with all my language skills to rifle this Mr. Allen for a better reason and what has moved him to do this legislation. My Dutch is a little strained about now, since I can't get any more information from the Archives and so Many Societies helping, but I can't find Joseph Kaar and his family before 1780; AND Jan WANTS TO MAKE IT TOUGHER??? Besides influencing NJ>> who the blazies is he and what is his real concern. Sorry, he just got me between the eyes! FYI - My GodFather was a Naval Officer and when he died his name was promptly chosen by a Czech Immigrant, here without any visa or whatever, and is using it happily in Florida!! That's were his family lives, including My GodFather's Son. I have never said anything because this man is not hurting anyone and isn't taking any benefits away from my family except he is using the name. He got it from this Act that Jan wants to shut down access to. Kathleen ----- Original Message ----- From: Joan M Lowry (GSNJ)<mailto:jml-gsnj@earthlink.net> To: NJ-GSNJ-L@rootsweb.com<mailto:NJ-GSNJ-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, February 02, 2006 9:34 AM Subject: RE: [GSNJ] Vital Records Access Legislation - Updates on New Hampshire and New Jersey Dear List Members Please be assured that your GSNJ Board of Trustees is aware of this pending legislation, Assembly Bill 1390 (AB1390), and is working to have the language of the bill amended to be more friendly to genealogists. We do not want to be too hasty in our rush to react to the pending legislation. There are indications that the sponsors of the bill do not intend to prevent genealogical access to the records. In fact, there is some indication that genealogical research is one of the reasons they are considering to be an "expressly approved reason" for being able to view the records. So, the matter may be more a matter of helping them frame the bill so that the wording is more obvious and allows genealogical copies to remain a viable option as defined in Executive Order 18 signed by former Governor McGreevey. GSNJ and other NJ groups are currently working with the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies' Public Records Access and Monitoring Committee as well as the Records Preservation and Access Committee of the Federation of Genealogical Societies to develop letters for constituents and their societies to send to legislators. GSNJ will be posting more information on our website soon. <<www.gsnj.org<http://www.gsnj.org/>>> Regards, Joan M. Lowry, President Genealogical Society of New Jersey mailto:membership@gsnj.org<mailto:membership@gsnj.org> website: www.gsnj.org<http://www.gsnj.org/> ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey: http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/genmag.html<http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/genmag.html> ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx<http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx>

Dear List Members Please be assured that your GSNJ Board of Trustees is aware of this pending legislation, Assembly Bill 1390 (AB1390), and is working to have the language of the bill amended to be more friendly to genealogists. We do not want to be too hasty in our rush to react to the pending legislation. There are indications that the sponsors of the bill do not intend to prevent genealogical access to the records. In fact, there is some indication that genealogical research is one of the reasons they are considering to be an "expressly approved reason" for being able to view the records. So, the matter may be more a matter of helping them frame the bill so that the wording is more obvious and allows genealogical copies to remain a viable option as defined in Executive Order 18 signed by former Governor McGreevey. GSNJ and other NJ groups are currently working with the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies' Public Records Access and Monitoring Committee as well as the Records Preservation and Access Committee of the Federation of Genealogical Societies to develop letters for constituents and their societies to send to legislators. GSNJ will be posting more information on our website soon. <<www.gsnj.org>> Regards, Joan M. Lowry, President Genealogical Society of New Jersey mailto:membership@gsnj.org website: www.gsnj.org

Thank you. Your prompt reply is appreciated. --Wendy Freborg On Feb 2, 2006, at 6:34 AM, Joan M Lowry ((GSNJ)) wrote: > Dear List Members > > Please be assured that your GSNJ Board of Trustees is aware of this > pending legislation, Assembly Bill 1390 (AB1390), > and is working to have the language of the bill amended to be more > friendly to genealogists. > > We do not want to be too hasty in our rush to react to the pending > legislation. There are indications that the sponsors > of the bill do not intend to prevent genealogical access to the > records. In fact, there is some indication that > genealogical research is one of the reasons they are considering to > be an "expressly approved reason" for being able to > view the records. So, the matter may be more a matter of helping > them frame the bill so that the wording is more > obvious and allows genealogical copies to remain a viable option as > defined in Executive Order 18 signed by former > Governor McGreevey. > > GSNJ and other NJ groups are currently working with the > International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies' > Public Records Access and Monitoring Committee as well as the > Records Preservation and Access Committee of the > Federation of Genealogical Societies to develop letters for > constituents and their societies to send to legislators. > GSNJ will be posting more information on our website soon. > <<www.gsnj.org>> > > Regards, > Joan M. Lowry, President > > Genealogical Society of New Jersey > mailto:membership@gsnj.org > website: www.gsnj.org > > > > ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== > Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/genmag.html > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx >

To all list members, Jan Meisels Allen is on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies and is Chairperson of its Public Records Access and Monitoring Committee. She has given me permission to post this to NJ list. I was previously aware of the legislative action going on in NH, but had no previous knowledge that NJ also had a BIG problem looming for genealogists. Please read the following and act upon it before it's too late. I am sending this to more than one list, so I apologize if you receive this message multiple times. Maureen J Mann -------------------------------------------------- Subject: Updates on New Hampshire and New Jersey Legislation From: Jan Meisels Allen jan@IAJGS.org Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 20:47:43 -0800 Dear IAJGS Leaders, I recently posted information about two egregious pieces of legislation that would prevent access to vital records in New Hampshire and New Jersey. This is an update on those two bills. New Hampshire HB 1382 would prohibit a public or private entity from disclosing an individual's personal information without the individual's consent. The bill defines an individual to include a deceased individual. IAJGS has submitted its letter of concern to the members of the House Judiciary Committee prior to the hearing that was held today, January 31. I checked with staff after today's hearing and learned that there were many in opposition, some in favor of the bill. New Hampshire does not vote during the public hearing but holds an executive session to do so. Thus far the executive session has not been scheduled. If the committee affirmatively passes the bill it will go to the floor of the House and if passed there, to the Senate. For further information on this bill and IAJGS model letter, go to the IAJGS website, www.IAJGS.org go to the center of the page and double click the icon of the newspaper boy holding the newspaper with "extra" saying the newest edition of the ECHO . New Jersey AB 1390 removes vital records ( birth, marriage, domestic partnership, death and fetal death records) from the definition of public records, thereby making access to such records very difficult, if not impossible. The bill was heard January 26 in the Assembly Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee where it passed out affirmatively without amendments enabling genealogical copies of vital records to be continued. Currently, New Jersey's Department of Health and Senior Services does permit genealogical copies of vital records after specified time periods: 80 years after birth, 50 years after marriage and 40 years after death. The bill next goes to the floor of the Assembly, the earliest date it can be heard is February 9th. It CAN be amended on the floor during its second reading. IAJGS is talking with the sponsors of the bill to try to get it amended. The more people who voice their support for our position of permitting genealogical copies will enhance the possibility of the legislators amending the bill. IAJGS has prepared a model letter for people to write to their legislators about permitting genealogical copies. You can access this and more information on the bill on the IAJGS website at: http://www.IAJGS.org go to the center of the page and double click on the icon of the newspaper boy holding the newspaper with "extra" saying the newest edition of the ECHO. If you have any questions about these bills, please feel free to contact me. If you write to the legislators in New Hampshire or New Jersey and hear back from them, we would be interested in learning what they say. Jan Meisels Allen IAJGS director and Public Records Access and Monitoring Committee Chairperson

UNSUBSCRIBE ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joan M Lowry (GSNJ)" <jml-gsnj@earthlink.net> To: <NJ-GSNJ-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 12:12 AM Subject: RE: [GSNJ] Records and Photograph Preservation Funding Information Needed > Laurie > > You might check the NJ Historical Commission's website. http://www.newjerseyhistory.org/ > Click on Grants and Prizes and check out the Mini-Grants. Maybe you would be able to > qualify under that category. If not, you still might want to contact them. They might be > able to direct you to some other grant funds or foundations. > > If you haven't already, you might also want to contact the Bergen County Division of > Cultural & Historic Affairs. > http://www.co.bergen.nj.us/Parks/Cultural%20and%20Historic/Contact.htm I don't think they > sound like the right place to get funding - but they might be able to point you in the > right direction. > > Also, try the Bergen County Historical Society and the Genealogical Society of Bergen > County. http://www.bergencountyhistory.org/ and http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsbc/ > Someone in these groups might have other ideas. > > Maybe others will have other suggestions... Good luck! > > Regards, > Joan > > Joan M. Lowry > Genealogical Society of New Jersey > mailto:membership@gsnj.org > website: www.gsnj.org > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: NAAHKITTY@aol.com [mailto:NAAHKITTY@aol.com] > > Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 11:41 PM > > To: NJ-GSNJ-L@rootsweb.com > > Subject: [GSNJ] Records and Photograph Preservation Funding Information > > Needed > > > > > > Can anyone suggests grants programs I might apply to, for the preservation of > > old records and photographs pertaining to Bergen County and the Village of > > Ridgewood? > > > > > > ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== > GSNJ Newsletter: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/newsletter.html > > ============================== > Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. > New content added every business day. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx >

Laurie- One suggestion, though it's not a NJ repository. You might think of the LDS Libray (Family History Library) in Salt Lake City. They will copy all your data and put it on microfilm or fiche. It will then be available for anyone to use. Because the library is now into a new phase of copying things, they are now donating these manuscripts to other libraries after they have been copied. I believe you may donate the rights to copy and ask for your property to be returned, but you would have to check about that. Danel NAAHKITTY@aol.com wrote: Can anyone suggests grants programs I might apply to, for the preservation of old records and photographs pertaining to Bergen County and the Village of Ridgewood? Since my father passed in August 2001 I became custodian of his vast collection of records. because I am writing a book about the Romans of Ridgewood, NJ utilizing the materials contained in my fathers files as research materials. I spent the past few years contacting the organizations in which my father was a member, about which my father has information in his files. As this concerns many Ridgewood and Bergen County organizations. I want to offer these records/memorabilia as a donation to the various organizations in his name after I have completed the book. Or rather books as it turns out the files are more involved than originally anticipated. Some of the organizations do not even exist anymore. Those records will be donated to the Genealogy and the Historical Societies if they have room for them. And if I can take appropriate measures to preserve them in the meantime. There are records for the West Side Presbyterian church that burned a few years ago. They lost the archives and I have already been corresponding with the Historian about our eventual donation of their records. The Department of Emergency Management lost early years records to flooding, from when it was Civil Defense, then CDDC. My father was director for many years and we can rebuild their earlier records from his files. I don't image we would be rebuilding files for all of the organizations of which he was a member, but we do know that for some this may be all that is left. During my fathers final illness I became his personal assistant. The first project I was given was to inventory all 7 of his file cabinets. The inventory consisted of 57 pages of files listed by file folder labels, and sectioned by file cabinet and file drawer. This did not include the boxes of loose files he had stored in his office, as well as in a spare room used for storage. These were considered current files that he kept close by for easy access. We found out after his death, when attempting to find files that were needed for estate matters, that he had gone thru and rearranged files after they were listed in the inventory. To give you an idea of the scope of working on Pops records, it took me 4 days to clean up Pops office after he passed away. And only then did we find out the he had a broken desk chair buried underneath all the piles of files in there. Our guess is he planned to fix the chair one day. We knew there were files in the office, and spare room, and a small two drawer file cabinet in his bedroom. What I had not anticipated were the piles of files also to be found in his bedroom, as well as tucked away in the livingroom, and familyroom. An attempt was made to consolidate all of his files, to fit the loose ones in with those already filed in the cabinets. Pop originally had 1 two drawer file cabinet, 1 five drawer cabinet, 3 three drawer cabinets, and 2 four drawer cabinets. I have added 1 four drawer cabinet, and 1 two drawer cabinet. And we still have boxes of files sitting in front of the row of file cabinets. More boxes were added as I came across them throughout the house. All had been preserved in case the estate needed any information that had not yet been located. I became custodian for our fathers files for genealogical purposes once they were no longer needed for estate matters. There were some files presented to each of us, those that pertained to us personally. It has taken almost 3 years to get to the point where I could actually get to work on Pops file cabinets. First I needed to weed thru the thousands of notebooks he had collected on Emergency Management and Banking. After contacting the bank he used to work for, and the EOC here he had volunteered with it was decided to discard the contents of the notebooks as all the information was now either out of date or stored on computers. Next was boxes stored in the garage that we hadn't known about until moving things around after a part of the ceiling collapsed. These were boxes of every canceled check my parents had ever written, and the statements from these accounts. It wasn't a difficult decision disposing of these as they basically disintegrated when being touched. Later accounts records were shredded once they were no longer needed. After that I tackled a multi drawer 3x5 card file unit. I regret that numerous drawers also had damage, as these had contained the cards he used to call people to help with the offering at the West Side Presbyterian church on Sundays. Pop had written in pencil the names addresses and phone numbers, the dates he had called them and the dates they had been able to help. These cards were based on membership lists. Unfortunately they were past salvaging, a few were so worn and smudged you could no longer read what he had written on them. The majority of then turned to dust/powder when touched. My brother had received all the home movies, which had been converted to Video and DVD for the rest of us. I have come across more home movies many having the 4th of July parade and other Village events from each year. As to Pops photo collection. He and I had discussed donating those not pertaining to family to the Bergen County Genealogical Society. I only learned after his death that Pop had at one time had his own dark room and developed his own photographs. Pop had a number of inventories of the Polaroid photographs. And had written on each one who was in the picture the date and where it was taken so those won't be difficult to go thru. He also inventoried earlier photos, with corresponding numbers on the photos. But had altered the inventories and added numbers so it will be difficult figuring which inventory was the most accurate. Then there is a large unit in the garage which I always thought contained tools, which actually contains many small cigarette boxes, that had old small photos and negatives. Have yet to locate any type of inventory for these. Have found some old pictures on cardboard in my initial scanning of my fathers files which have the names of the individuals on the cardboard. There are also numerous pictures of Pop while he was in school with his classes. My progress was hindered slightly during my mothers final illness. Then I was laid off and had to step up my own lecture travel. These boxes still need to be inventoried, and the file cabinets reorganized. There are 11 various sized file cabinets as well as several boxes of loose materials. Many of the organizations are not interested in the records and have given me permission to use them as book research and donate accordingly after that to Genealogical and Historical Societies in the area. Some are comparing the information we have to what they have in their records, and sending us information about my grandfather and father that we did not have. They in turn will receive a donation of the materials from my fathers files. Any they are not interested in will be offered to the Genealogical and Historical Society. That is if I can keep them from deteriorating like the 3x5 cards did while using them as research materials. I recently came across Progress reports from Pop and and my Aunt about their Pianoforte studies with Miss Marble and programs from three of their recitals which lists the other students. I have already made arrangements to curtail my own travel so that I can concentrate on the files. Organization and Preservation of the records and photographs is my main concern at this point. It has been suggested that if I can obtain funding for initial proper storage, then scanning the materials onto computer discs. At least the information will not be lost, even if the documents themselves do deteriorate further. Thank you for any suggestions anyone might have about grants. Laurie Beth Roman ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== Save the Date!!! Save the Date!!! Save the Date!!! GSNJ 2005 Annual Meeting -- Saturday, November 5th http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/events.html ============================== New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn more: http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429 When a person dies, a library closes. --------------------------------- Yahoo! Photos Got holiday prints? See all the ways to get quality prints in your hands ASAP.

Laurie You might check the NJ Historical Commission's website. http://www.newjerseyhistory.org/ Click on Grants and Prizes and check out the Mini-Grants. Maybe you would be able to qualify under that category. If not, you still might want to contact them. They might be able to direct you to some other grant funds or foundations. If you haven't already, you might also want to contact the Bergen County Division of Cultural & Historic Affairs. http://www.co.bergen.nj.us/Parks/Cultural%20and%20Historic/Contact.htm I don't think they sound like the right place to get funding - but they might be able to point you in the right direction. Also, try the Bergen County Historical Society and the Genealogical Society of Bergen County. http://www.bergencountyhistory.org/ and http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsbc/ Someone in these groups might have other ideas. Maybe others will have other suggestions... Good luck! Regards, Joan Joan M. Lowry Genealogical Society of New Jersey mailto:membership@gsnj.org website: www.gsnj.org > -----Original Message----- > From: NAAHKITTY@aol.com [mailto:NAAHKITTY@aol.com] > Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 11:41 PM > To: NJ-GSNJ-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [GSNJ] Records and Photograph Preservation Funding Information > Needed > > > Can anyone suggests grants programs I might apply to, for the preservation of > old records and photographs pertaining to Bergen County and the Village of > Ridgewood? >

Can anyone suggests grants programs I might apply to, for the preservation of old records and photographs pertaining to Bergen County and the Village of Ridgewood? Since my father passed in August 2001 I became custodian of his vast collection of records. because I am writing a book about the Romans of Ridgewood, NJ utilizing the materials contained in my fathers files as research materials. I spent the past few years contacting the organizations in which my father was a member, about which my father has information in his files. As this concerns many Ridgewood and Bergen County organizations. I want to offer these records/memorabilia as a donation to the various organizations in his name after I have completed the book. Or rather books as it turns out the files are more involved than originally anticipated. Some of the organizations do not even exist anymore. Those records will be donated to the Genealogy and the Historical Societies if they have room for them. And if I can take appropriate measures to preserve them in the meantime. There are records for the West Side Presbyterian church that burned a few years ago. They lost the archives and I have already been corresponding with the Historian about our eventual donation of their records. The Department of Emergency Management lost early years records to flooding, from when it was Civil Defense, then CDDC. My father was director for many years and we can rebuild their earlier records from his files. I don't image we would be rebuilding files for all of the organizations of which he was a member, but we do know that for some this may be all that is left. During my fathers final illness I became his personal assistant. The first project I was given was to inventory all 7 of his file cabinets. The inventory consisted of 57 pages of files listed by file folder labels, and sectioned by file cabinet and file drawer. This did not include the boxes of loose files he had stored in his office, as well as in a spare room used for storage. These were considered current files that he kept close by for easy access. We found out after his death, when attempting to find files that were needed for estate matters, that he had gone thru and rearranged files after they were listed in the inventory. To give you an idea of the scope of working on Pops records, it took me 4 days to clean up Pops office after he passed away. And only then did we find out the he had a broken desk chair buried underneath all the piles of files in there. Our guess is he planned to fix the chair one day. We knew there were files in the office, and spare room, and a small two drawer file cabinet in his bedroom. What I had not anticipated were the piles of files also to be found in his bedroom, as well as tucked away in the livingroom, and familyroom. An attempt was made to consolidate all of his files, to fit the loose ones in with those already filed in the cabinets. Pop originally had 1 two drawer file cabinet, 1 five drawer cabinet, 3 three drawer cabinets, and 2 four drawer cabinets. I have added 1 four drawer cabinet, and 1 two drawer cabinet. And we still have boxes of files sitting in front of the row of file cabinets. More boxes were added as I came across them throughout the house. All had been preserved in case the estate needed any information that had not yet been located. I became custodian for our fathers files for genealogical purposes once they were no longer needed for estate matters. There were some files presented to each of us, those that pertained to us personally. It has taken almost 3 years to get to the point where I could actually get to work on Pops file cabinets. First I needed to weed thru the thousands of notebooks he had collected on Emergency Management and Banking. After contacting the bank he used to work for, and the EOC here he had volunteered with it was decided to discard the contents of the notebooks as all the information was now either out of date or stored on computers. Next was boxes stored in the garage that we hadn't known about until moving things around after a part of the ceiling collapsed. These were boxes of every canceled check my parents had ever written, and the statements from these accounts. It wasn't a difficult decision disposing of these as they basically disintegrated when being touched. Later accounts records were shredded once they were no longer needed. After that I tackled a multi drawer 3x5 card file unit. I regret that numerous drawers also had damage, as these had contained the cards he used to call people to help with the offering at the West Side Presbyterian church on Sundays. Pop had written in pencil the names addresses and phone numbers, the dates he had called them and the dates they had been able to help. These cards were based on membership lists. Unfortunately they were past salvaging, a few were so worn and smudged you could no longer read what he had written on them. The majority of then turned to dust/powder when touched. My brother had received all the home movies, which had been converted to Video and DVD for the rest of us. I have come across more home movies many having the 4th of July parade and other Village events from each year. As to Pops photo collection. He and I had discussed donating those not pertaining to family to the Bergen County Genealogical Society. I only learned after his death that Pop had at one time had his own dark room and developed his own photographs. Pop had a number of inventories of the Polaroid photographs. And had written on each one who was in the picture the date and where it was taken so those won't be difficult to go thru. He also inventoried earlier photos, with corresponding numbers on the photos. But had altered the inventories and added numbers so it will be difficult figuring which inventory was the most accurate. Then there is a large unit in the garage which I always thought contained tools, which actually contains many small cigarette boxes, that had old small photos and negatives. Have yet to locate any type of inventory for these. Have found some old pictures on cardboard in my initial scanning of my fathers files which have the names of the individuals on the cardboard. There are also numerous pictures of Pop while he was in school with his classes. My progress was hindered slightly during my mothers final illness. Then I was laid off and had to step up my own lecture travel. These boxes still need to be inventoried, and the file cabinets reorganized. There are 11 various sized file cabinets as well as several boxes of loose materials. Many of the organizations are not interested in the records and have given me permission to use them as book research and donate accordingly after that to Genealogical and Historical Societies in the area. Some are comparing the information we have to what they have in their records, and sending us information about my grandfather and father that we did not have. They in turn will receive a donation of the materials from my fathers files. Any they are not interested in will be offered to the Genealogical and Historical Society. That is if I can keep them from deteriorating like the 3x5 cards did while using them as research materials. I recently came across Progress reports from Pop and and my Aunt about their Pianoforte studies with Miss Marble and programs from three of their recitals which lists the other students. I have already made arrangements to curtail my own travel so that I can concentrate on the files. Organization and Preservation of the records and photographs is my main concern at this point. It has been suggested that if I can obtain funding for initial proper storage, then scanning the materials onto computer discs. At least the information will not be lost, even if the documents themselves do deteriorate further. Thank you for any suggestions anyone might have about grants. Laurie Beth Roman