----- Original Message ----- From: Elizabeth Whitaker <elwhitaker@ftc-i.net> To: <ROWANROOTS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, December 12, 1999 11:22 PM Subject: Re: census > The alphabetical reports were indexes. These are *not* as reliable as > getting your data directly from the microfilm. > > Elizabeth Whitaker Elizabeth, I for one know the difference between census indexes, census microfilms, and copies of microfilms. In some cases the names on the census microfilms had been alphabetized - probably by the census taker. An example of this is page 580 of the 1800 Mecklenburg Co. Census. The following 18 names are listed in this order: Robert COCHRAN, Ephraim COX, Nathaniel DUNBAR, Frederick EZEL, James M. GIBBONS, Francis GIBBONS, John HOUSTON, James HOUSTON, James HENINGER, Thomas LEWIS, Mark LIMMONS, David MOORE, Thomas M. KIBBINS, John MCROSIE, William MCLOY, James McCAUSLIN, Robert PARKS, and John PASTORI. Richard A. Bain dickbain@primeline.com