I KNOW you're right about the courthouse not knowing where records are .......and, quite frankly, they don't care. In my search for early tax records I was all over the courthouse, from the women in probate all the way to the treasurers office. NO one knew were they were, if they were still in existance, and the treasurer himself didn't even know when they had started recording tax records....had NO idea, can you imagine? . The only way I found out where they were was from a 'civilian', who had heard me asking some clerk, and told me she'd "heard" they were in the basement "out at the WICs Bldg"! So, we drove to the WICS building and I went in and spoke to a receptionist, telling her what I wanted. She said, "I don't have a key", but not being one to take "NO" for an answer, I said "That's fine - I'll just sit here and wait till you find one." She laughted and said that she'd used this 'line' many times with other folks who also came looking for the records, but guessed it wouldn't work with me - and went and found a caretaker who let me in! However, it did me no good - where to start with hundreds of black ledgers piled up higgeldy piggeldy along the walls, surrounded by filth and trash! S. " I would bet even the folks at the Court House don't know where all these records have been stored over the years. "

I was just reading through all the emails about the records. I am willing to donate some time since I only live in Woodsfield, after I see a neurosurgeon about my back which is in the first part of May. Has anyone thought about using a good laptop with lots of processing power, a lot of memory, huge amounts of harddrive space (even an external drive) and a portable hand scanner? I do have a paralegal degree with research as one of my specialties. I have often thought about doing this with Monroe County also.We need to have this information via online or some way of having it stored digitally. A few years back, I went looking all over Belmont County looking for my Grandpa's birth certificate, but not many people were very helpful or did not have the correct information. The only way I found it was because Grandpa was a twin. On the birth certificate he didn't have a name listed, I am sure there is a correct copy out there somewhere. Keep me informed as to maybe those who live close to St. C we could start a committee. I will see if I can find out if there are records stored in the old jail. Terri --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.656 / Virus Database: 421 - Release Date: 4/9/2004