I hear on this list and others about the success that people have had researching at the LDS Family History Centers. Maybe I'm missing something, but I haven't found my local FHC very helpful. Am I doing something wrong? I've been there twice in the last year, each time searching for a different family. The first time I was directed to the computer databases. The second time I was more prepared; I had an FTM Genealogy Report printed out with the information I wanted highlighted. I told the volunteer who I was looking for and what sources I had already used. She directed me to ... the computer databases!! Frustrated, I told her I had already checked those. She suggested I look at the 1892 NYS Census for Oneida County!!! I told her (and had confirmed by this list) that Oneida County didn't have a NYS census in 1892. It seems everyone else finds good resources there, but I don't even know where to begin looking. Any suggestions? Wendy ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com

Hi Wendy, You did not say what you wanted the FHC to do for you. So as a user of FHC's for 16 years and a volunteer at one for 2 years, I know what they can help you with and what is beyond their limits. Personally, I have used the FHL's for verification of possible (facts); County land records to find out about land holdings, and make copies of indentures and transcribe them; Probate records to establish family structures by the bequests to offspring; Census records for tracking the family; city directories to also track family members. Those are some of the type of films I order. Most FHL's have extensive microfiche holdings, AIS, IGI, just to mention two of the most popular. Check to see if a local genealogy society is holding any classes to learn how to use the fiche. Our society holds classes twice a year to teach the use of the centers. I am also a user of FTM and am upgrading to 7.5, the program to enter data is one of my favorites, but I find the use of the CD's marginal to useless. I take anything found there with a grain of salt unless I can verify it with original records. The main lacking I have found with most researchers is the acceptance of marginal information. A good researcher double and triple checks different items to get a preponderance of evidence to be able to be sure they have accurate data. I have heard of people having thousands of names in their data bases, I have only about 496 people, but of these I feel I personally know about 300. By that I mean I have tracked them through, censuses, probates, city directories, cemetery records, National Archives records, personally photographing their tombstones, and reading all county histories I can find and then hitting their local newspapers. The local newspapers are a great source if there is one being published in their locale. So, you need to understand the FHL to be able to use it to your best advantage. It is a useful tool, but is just that it is a tool, and must be used correctly to do the job right I hope this helps you, and I am available to answer any questions you may have and if I don't know the answer I will find out for you. Wont do your research, but will give you a plan of attack. Alice in AZ