Hi Ellen, Don't take it as a scolding. There are, believe it or not, people on the mail lists who don't even know the site exists and I use these opportunities to educate people on what is available. How they find the mail list and not the site is a mystery to me, but it is not uncommon. There are 900 people on the mail list and the site's What's New page gets about 150 hits a day - I can't break it down to unique hits on a weekly basis, so I can't say how many check it regularly. There are people on the mail list who pay no attention to the extensive resources on the site. If you feel scolded, I apologize. But it is disturbing when we see people referred to for pay sites for materials we have or are trying to get to the site. My own focus is on library building and on encouraging guests to help build the site to be ever better and more complete (as if such a thing as complete were possible.) Again I apologize publicly for making you feel scolded. Actually there are articles from the Troy papers in the site's WW1 section explaining what groups of men were subject to the draft at various times. It is more than just names, it is the representation of a time, place and culture and Ancestry will never develop that kind of connection to our people. That's what sets the local sites apart. Humbly, Joyce M. Tice

Joyce, I'd like to make a suggestion, not sure if it would be agreeable with you, but here's my thoughts. Over the years, I've watched the conversations and frustrations about using the list for queries. One of the big problems here, is ALL the other lists, that's what they're primarily used for! for QUERIES! If I were to start a Rootsweb list, that models all the other Rootsweb lists, then that would hopefully put a stop to misuse of your list. I for one, and I believe others, would probably belong to both lists. Of course, Rootsweb would have to give permission first. It's not that people don't appreciate your work, it's just that they're not at all used to a Rootsweb list being used in the way that you have set up, and you have to admit, it does not model the other lists. I would love to post queries about different families, and I've spent much time on the Tri-Counties website, and many times, there is just too much to wade through, everytime I research my MAY surname, I might as well give up, since one of the months of the year is exactly the same. To think that others outside of yourself and those that run your website are not helpful is a mistake, as I and many other paid Ancestry subscribers, help people all the time! I responded and gave the SHAW query info on the WW Draft for the person she was researching. What about me starting a query list? or is that taking power and control from yourself.? I would probably only do a Bradford query list. John B.