On Sun, 24 Jan 1999, Joyce Wans wrote: > Greetings, all, > > Doris asked why she only got one piece of paper, a bill of sale, when > she ordered land records from the National Archives. Previously for > another landowner she had received 22 pages of documents. > > Well, Doris, without even looking, I can guess that your relative bought > the land and the other fellow homesteaded or at least he started that > way but may have ended up buying. > > A couple of years ago I was at the National Archives and decided to look > for the land files for my great-great-grandfather. > > To get the records you have to talk to an archivist (which involves a > very interesting trip through the stacks to their offices -- there are > two, a military archivist office and a non-military archivist office). > I explained the records I wanted to see and the archivist pulled up some > other information on her database for the neighbors, as I wanted to see > them, too, if possible. In the end I ordered 20 files. They were to be > brought down to the reading room in two hours so I went to read film for > a couple of hours. > > When I got to the Reading room, with nothing but a pencil and my > researcher card, they pulled out my cart -- I almost fell over. <snip> > > Joyce Wans > Mukilteo WA USA Joyce, that's one of the reasons I take driving vacations. I want to stop at the various courthouses between here and Wisconsin or Illinois. Seeing those original records, and talking with the record keeper, help to know more of the history. Most archives have e-mail access today. For those that have limited time, making a request for information first might help to know what's to be seen in person for a later trip. Doris, sometimes the problem might be communication. Since the last person only wanted one item they might assume you wanted only one item. That is why I like to do my own digging, if they will let me. John You wanna discuss it? Try: INDIAN-HERITAGE discussion list *====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====* # John Wm Sloniker <johnwms@serv.net> Seattle, WA # # (206) 789-6663 7323 - 19th Ave NW 98117-5612 # *====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*====*