Is anyone on this list researching the KECK family, which came to Greenville and environs in about 1800? John Cook

Who would I contact to research Obits for Mercer/Butler County Obits for 1930 ? I am looking for two- John C. Waddell and John Calvin Waddell.(two different men) They are both buried in the New Findley Cemetery ,New findley Twsp. Mercer Co. I would appreciate any hints, Thanks, Dave Waddell, FL.

I looked on the PA Vital Statistic site and the Mercer County site but did not see the cost for sending for a death certicate. Can anyone tell me the fee? Thank you. Beverly Pfeil Paquet Tucson AZ Reseaching Winger/Wingard and Nellis of Mercer County

I didn't realize I belonged to so many mail lists until I tried to remember them all. By now it is old news to most genealogy seekers that the LDS Church has a TEST site up and running at www.familysearch.org I've read so many comments from people on these lists, and I just have to try to help everyone understand. First off it is TEST site. They are still adding things and trying to work it out. Please be patient when it is busy. Please understand when certain regions of the world are not included. Just plain be patient!!!!! Most of us have no comprehension of how much information the LDS Church has gathered on the genealogy front. They don't have to share it with us, BUT they wanted to do it. Maybe we should be more greatful and a whole lot less critical. I keep reading messages about there being errors. Excuse me, but since when did every bit of information someone tried to help you find turn out to be perfectly accurate? I ALWAYS take what someone supplies and try to verify it unless they state an irrefutable source. Then I still watch carefully for typographical errors in transmitting the data. This is a hobby that demands double and triple checking and lots of hard work, but it sure is fun. It is especially fun when that long lost name or place or date suddenly turns up in the least likely place. Let me try to help you understand what the LDS Church is supplying. They have a program on the computers at their Family History Libraries called Ancestral File. I don't know exactly when it started, but I believe it was in the early 1980's. They asked initially members of their church, and then they expanded it to anyone who was interested, to submit their genealogy pedigrees with as much information as possible on birth, marriage, death, parents. At the outset they said they (the Church) would not be verifying the information. They were offering their services to collect data so people could access it and perhaps locate other people working on the same lines so they didn't have to duplicate their efforts. Thus if someone was in Mississippi and someone else was in Belgium trying to trace the same family, and if they both submitted their information to the Ancestral File, they could then contact each other and share sources and information and perhaps split up the research so one was checking in one area, and the other person could check in another area. Until the information submitted to the Ancestral File is verified by others who access it, there is no guarantee it is correct, but at least it is a place to start. They receive thousands and thousands of additional names all the time, and it takes a lot of work to incorporate it into the File. They try to update the AF as often as they can, but sometimes it is 1-2 years. While there are some people working at the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City who are paid employees and others are paid by the Church to travel world wide making microfilms and obtaining books and other records, the VAST MAJORITY of those involved in genealogy in the LDS Church are amateurs and volunteers. They cannot and will not be able to go in and change every single entry that has an error. The other source being made available is their IGI or International Genealogical Index. The LDS Church arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. Almost immediately the members of the Church were encouraged to gather records of their ancestors and current families and make the information available to the Church. Up until 1970 the individual submissions were typed BY VOLUNTEERS on index cards and filed in a section called the Temple Index Bureau. After 1970 most of the submissions were entered into the computerized IGI. The members were asked and are still asked to be as accurate as possible. I, for one, am not perfect. I have checked every available source I could on some of my family and thought it was right, only to finally find an official document, such as a birth certificate, marriage license, etc., that showed I had a misspelled name or incorrect date all along. This happens on the IGI, too. However, everyone tries to be accurate. Because there are literally MILLIONS of entries, and because most of the people involved are volunteers, they cannot go back and change every one of the mistakes that people catch. That is what we have to do in our own records and then make a note of what is verified and what is not. The LDS Church also has an extraction program where they go around the world and make microfilms of official parish records, land records, civil records, family histories, biographical books, etc. and then VOLUNTEERS read every entry of the parish record and extract the births and marriages one by one, transfer them to a card, then someone else comes along and does it again to see if they read it the same way, and then another volunteer enters it on to a computer program, and another comes along and enters it again to see if it matches. Then these entries are also added to the IGI increasing the huge base of information available to EVERYONE who has an interest. I am greatful for the tremendous service they have made. My wife's family comes from Berlin. There are about 19 parishes in that city alone, and there was no rule that you had to have all your children baptized in the parish you physically lived in, and there are 100's and 100's of microfilms for Berlin alone. As each update of the IGI comes out we have tried to find missing names and occasionally we succeed because someone took the time to volunteer to do the extraction and found the baptism or marriage we needed in one of those 19 parishes rather than us trying to read all those films. (They don't extract the deaths, just births and marriages). An extension of the extraction program has been done in recent years where thousands and thousands of volunteers in the LDS Church have been entering the Temple Index Bureau data from the index cards onto the computer to appear in the IGI again making more and more information available to us all. On one of the mail lists someone complained because they saw an entry that just said someone was "of" a place and had only an approximate year of birth. Many of those types of entries are from the early days when the Church put things on index cards. The early members of the Church listed their ancestors as best as they knew them. Many did not have records with them, so they had to do it from memory. Sometimes they knew where an ancestor lived, but not necessarily where they were born, so they just said they were "of Boston" or "of Paris" or "of Barcelona", etc., etc. My ancestors 1st submitted one early ancestor as Mrs. Jack Griggs, because that is all they knew. Then someone else remembered her name was Ann, so it was turned in again as Mrs. Ann Griggs. Finally someone found a record showing she was Ann Hills, so it was done again. They were from Dover, Kent, England, so the cards usually said "of Dover". That is what the living descendants at the time remembered. Only after parish records became available did we find out Ann HILLS was actually born in Sandwich, Kent, England, on 10 Dec 1784 and christened in St. Clement's in Sandwich on 3 Jan 1785. But someone who thought they were being thorough turned it in with 3 Jan 1785 as the birth date, when it was actually the christening date. So this ancestor is on the IGI 5 or more times with varying amounts of information. Now that the parish records are on microfilm I can find her exact name, her exact birth date and place, her exact christening, the correct date and place of her marriage, etc. Although the early listings put in by my ancestors were incomplete and even wrong, at least I knew where to start looking thanks to their efforts. Give the new program a chance. If you get one new piece of information, you have been helped. Sure there may be errors. That is the fun part--you get to check it out. We all need to complain less and be more appreciative for the work others have done to help. I thank each and every one of the people on all these mail lists who have helped me dig a little deeper into my heritage. I hope this will help everyone understand a little better what is being made available on the LDS site. I also hope I don't get a ton of replies on this. I already get 200 or more e-mails on some days just because I belong to all these lists. I really don't need many replies. Just try to be patient and sift through their information and glean what you can and be glad they care enough to be willing to help and share. Ed Scriven Layton, Utah

Rooters, I just found out that the traffic director at the corner of Lenkner Street and Cyberspace Avenue has been into the cooking sherry and has not been delivering the mail correctly and promptly even from PAALLEGH unless Clare fired me. Honest Clare, I didn't make any kid jokes. If anyone sent me mail that I requested or that required an answer, please resend. I just checked with Stargate Tech and the problem is not in my mailbox. Watch out for that cooking sherry. Mac

This message was posted on PAMERCER-L: Linda Stevens wrote: > > I'm hoping to locate others who might have information concerning JAMES C. > GAUT/GAULT. He was born in 1783, likely in Fayette Co. PA.. > > JAMES C. married MARGARET CHAIN. > > Both died in Mercer Co. PA.. > > My major interest is in the middle name of JAMES C. GAUT/GAULT. I believe it > to be either CHAIN or CUNNINGHAM. > > Any information would be appreciated. > > Thanks, > Linda I tried to respond to it but wasn't able to contact Linda. Linda, if you receive this, please contact me. I have info on your James Gault/Chain line. Also I want to find out if you have any info on any Gault family in Mercer County. Thanks Lyman Carpenter Lymanc@aol.com Yuma, AZ

Hello fellow list members: The 1870 census entries for DEER CREEK Township have been transcribed. As with the COOL SPRING entries, I've put together an "index". The list includes surname, first name, and age, but this time the surnames are in alphabetical order (families are grouped together, but there are no divisions between families of the same surname). If you see families for which you would like the entire census entry, just let me know. I have recieved several requests for name searches. I'd love to have the time to do that, but frankly, just transcribing the darn thing is difficult enough. I must ask that you request the "index", then search for your names. If you find them, I'm more than happy to e-mail the entire entry. And I must again include a warning: this has NOT been proofread. There may be mistakes. Regards, John MacDonald

Hi everyone. I was at the Buhl-Henderson Library last Tuesday doing some research for my mother-in-law. Someone inadvertantly, I hope, picked up my blue folder full of my master copies for my genealogy forms. I don't mean to pour out my dirty laundry but I can't afford right now to replace them as my husband and I are seeking a new position as a pastor and we have no income. If someone picked up my forms, PLEASE return them to me. E-mail me and I will send you my snail mail. I would appreciate it very much! Pam gennut@nauticom.net "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" Romans 8:1 http://www.nauticom.net/www/gennut/ http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/b/e/l/Pamela--Bellanca/

Can anyone tell me where I might get a list of the men who served in the Civil War in the 100th and the134th Regiments that were from the Mercer area? I have photos and would like to put names to the pictures. Thanks to all for any help. Donna

Dear Fred, I seem to be having a little email problem today. I am Linda and don't get second looks, maybe there is another Linda on the list that has heard of this family, I have not. Linda Doyle Genik Livonia, MI Fred C McCutcheon wrote: > If I were a Linda, I would not get a second look. I think you punched > the wrong address, old pal. > > Lymanc@aol.com wrote: > > > > Dear Linda, > > My gr gr grand mo was Mary Dowling Atchison Gault. She was born in 1802, > > probably in Mercer County, PA. She married Matthew Atchison and had 6 > > children, one of which was my gr grand fa, Thomas Calvin Atchison. Matthew > > died in 1836. She then married Thomas Gault and had 3 more children. Thomas > > died ?? before 1850 as she is a widow in the Jo Daviess County, IL federal > > census in 1850. > > Do you have any info on any children born to James Gault?? I know very little > > about Thomas Gault other than his name. > > I would appreciate any info you might have. > > Sincerely, > > Lyman Carpenter (Lymanc@aol.com) > > Yuma, AZ > > ==== PAMERCER Mailing List ==== > > Any questions/problems regarding the Mercer County, Pennsylvania list, > contact the listowner, Michael L. Hebert mailto:mhebert@stlnet.com > > Visit the Mercer County, Pennsylvania Genealogy web site at: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~pamercer/ > > This list is sponsored by the RootsWeb Genealogical Data Cooperative. > Please help support Rootsweb: > http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/how-to-subscribe.html

List::::: I found this announcement on the LDS.ORG site - Media announcements and it was dated April 01, 1999. Thought it might be of interest to all! Beverly Liston, President, Mercer County Genealogy Society bliston@infonline.net Public Test of New Genealogical Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has begun a brief public test of a new genealogical service on the Internet. The developmental test is open to anyone with Internet access, and the site can be found at www.familysearch.org. No special password or clearance is required. Present plans are for the test site to be available over the next few weeks. Due to test requirements, the site may be unavailable at times or experience periods of slow response. The Church believes that once the test is completed and the service is formally launched, it will greatly enhance the way people trace their family history. Depending on evaluations of the test, the full service may be launched this spring or summer. At that time, but not until then, a detailed explanation will be made of the site and its various elements. The Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is an international leader in genealogical research with the world's largest collection of family history records made available to the public through a system of 3,200 Family History Centers™ located around the world. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

Here is a link to it. You can't always get thru. It is very busy!!! Sorry...couldn't get thru. to send link. (Server to busy.) It is http://www.familysearch.org Good luck, Bob McKeon

Hello to the list: Does anybody know the new on-line address for access to the LDS library archives that has been opened to Internet search? I understand that it has been opened in the last month? Thanks, Charlene

If I were a Linda, I would not get a second look. I think you punched the wrong address, old pal. Lymanc@aol.com wrote: > > Dear Linda, > My gr gr grand mo was Mary Dowling Atchison Gault. She was born in 1802, > probably in Mercer County, PA. She married Matthew Atchison and had 6 > children, one of which was my gr grand fa, Thomas Calvin Atchison. Matthew > died in 1836. She then married Thomas Gault and had 3 more children. Thomas > died ?? before 1850 as she is a widow in the Jo Daviess County, IL federal > census in 1850. > Do you have any info on any children born to James Gault?? I know very little > about Thomas Gault other than his name. > I would appreciate any info you might have. > Sincerely, > Lyman Carpenter (Lymanc@aol.com) > Yuma, AZ

Dear John What an undertaking you've begun! And how kind you are to offer us a sneak peek of the 1870 census in Mercer Co. The grand parent I hope to find on that census is my father's mother, who is one of those geneological nightmares, a JONES. i have looked in the 1880 census without much luck, because I do not know the names of my grandmother's parents. My grandmother, MARGARET JONES, was born in Sharon, Pa. in 1875, so it is impossible she would be on the 1870 census. However, she did have 2 sisters and a brother (that I know about). They may have been older. You can see that my information is woefully lacking on this line. The two sisters were MARY JONES (whom I believe married ELIAS REESE. I'm told they raised ponies in Hubbard, Ohio.) and ?SARAH JONES (I'm not sure of the first name.) The brother was WILLIAM JONES who never married. I would be greatful for any JONES or REESE references you come up with. When there are only straws to clutch at, straws look pretty good. Thanks, Nancy Hagen-Liddle (nhagenliddle@compuserve.com)

I've taken on the task of transcribing the entire 1870 census of Mercer County for the GenWeb Census Project. Before being posted on their web site, it will need to be transcibed (about a year's worth of work) and then proofread (another 3 - 6 months). But I am reluctant to keep it out of researchers hands until then. So, as I finish each Township, I'll make it available to list members, BUT, please understand that it will not have been proofread. If anyone is interested, I'll send an edited version of the census (family and dwelling number, name,and age). If you find someone your interested in, I'll then send the completer census entry (which also includes occupation, net worth, place of birth, foreign birth of parents, school attendance, etc). I have finished the first township, Cool Spring. Contact me if you'd like the edited list of entries for this township. Regards, John MacDonald

Hi All, My Mercer county names include HARPER,MILLER,INK,BALL,and WALTON. I am particularly looking for info on Daniel Harper(1753-1831)+Elizabeth Miller(1765-1833) and their ancestors and children. Will share info on other names mentioned. William L. Slager Email: jiggys@silcom.com

Forgive the multiple posts: I sent a post the other day offering to do lookups in the following pamphlets but forgot to list one. If I already looked in the 1781, 1783, and 1785, please contact me to check 1773 for you. Let me know that I already checked the others so I don't waste time looking again. Also- these are only names of land owners, or heads of households- no other info is available. And I have limited time so may take a day or two to get back to you. Donna Westmoreland in 1773 Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (compiled by Iscrupe, William L., Southwest Pennsylvania Genealogical Services) Listing of Inhabitants in 1781 Washington County, Pennsylvania (compiled by Iscrupe, Shirley G. M., Southwest Pennsylvania Genealogical Services Westmoreland in 1783, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (compiled by McQuillis, Shirley G.; Southwest Pennsylvania Genealogical Services) Listing of Inhabitants in 1785 Fayette County, Pennsylvania (compiled by Hays, Allen; Southwest Pennsylvania Genealogical Services) Researching in Fayette, WMLD, Washington, Beaver, Lawrence, Mercer and surrounding areas: Book, Cunningham, Evans, Fetters, Glenn, Hennon, Hilliard, McConahy, Morrow, Mohney, Nelson, Platter, Riddle, Van Eman, Wilson, Williams

Took a ride to the Haywood Cemetery in West Middlesex PA today. Went looking for Armstrong/Freeman site for someone on this list. No luck today, but I'll keep looking. We personally know the person who holds the cemetery records. He told us records only go back to 1920. Went and checked on the dates on our family graves but also took walk through the older section right inside the entrance. Many names including: Risher, Morrison, Kemp, McBurney, Messich, McIntyre, Postlewaite, Veach, Robison/Robeson, Haywood (of course), Finsthwait, Gundy. These names had good size plots (there were many others also). And there were names more common now even to the area, Mitchell, Mitcheltree, Canon, etc. I may not make it there for a few weeks, but if there are any names anyone would like me to keep my eyes open for, let me know. The graves in the older section were from various years in the 1800s. Joanne

Not sure how useful this will turn out to be, but ICQ now has a bit on Geneology. Here is the URL. http://www.icq.com/family/ Enjoy! Becky -- Volunteer for Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness at http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnraogk/index.htm mailto:btgool@swbell.net