Published in Georgia Times Union, South Georgia's version of the Florida Times Union, Friday, August 24, 2001 - Off Associated Press wire  This is the article in its entirety - please pass the info on to all and any lists to which you might be subscribed.  We need to stop people who do this kind of desecration. ***** Missing county documents found for sale on Internet RICHMOND HILL, GA - Historic documents ripped out of books stolen from the Bryan and Thomas county courthouse have been recovered after authorities found them for sale on an Internet auction site. A Richmond Hill man was selling the documents he had gotten from a Savannah man, authorities said. "The best we can determine is that he got it from someone, who got it from someone, who got it from someone who buys and sells items like that," said Thomas County sheriff's investigator Joe McMurray. McMurray said the books, which contained priceless documents, have been missing for more than 12 years. Although the men were not charged, McMurray said it was unlikely they did not know the documents were stolen. "Any normal person would know that official documents were stolen, but I don't think thay had anything to do with it," McMurray said. Each page of three large books was auctioned on eBay for as much as $150. Thomas County Probate Judge Sally Hart said document buyers should have realized they were stolen. "This is part of the county's history that was stolen," Hart said. "The documents included marriage certificates, property deeds and catalogues with the names of slaves and slave owners dating back to 1837," McMurray said. **** Not only have they stolen priceless history documents but they have stopped family history researchers in their tracks or at least derailed them and made the search that much harder.