The language suggested by Kinta is certainly better than nothing but a word of caution...As drafted it is not legally enforceable and is based on the assumption that the executor or executrix of the estate will honor the wishes of the decedent. But that is not always the case. Case in point: My late wife's brother had researched several lines of their family for years and had accumulated a respectable amount of data. And from time to time our discussions of family seemed to more or less end with his promise he would send me a copy but he never did. Some sixty days or so after his death I learned for the first time that he had indeed made a copy of what he had, put it in a large envelope and wrote my name on it with a note to please give it to me if something should happen to him. This was several years after my wife died, he was single, both parents deceased and no other brothers or sisters. He knew I was working on my wife's family for the sake of our grandkids. For several years his will provided that my oldest son would be Executor but my son and his family had moved from Texas to Georgia so a few days before my brother-in-law died for whatever reason he amended his will to name his first cousin Executrix. She cleaned house so to speak and to this day three years down the road I don't know what happened to the envelope of family data he had copied for me. Nor do I know what happened to the diary my late father-in-law kept while he was a POW for three years during WWII. But I did learn that the Executrix sold my brother-in-law's computer at a garage sale but only after she deleted all of his files and personal data. How kind of her. I have related this personal experience because I know first hand that what a person wants expressed generally may not happen. So my suggestion would be to back up your data on several CDs frequently, print out family reports and make copies and name one or more individuals and/or genealogy societies and/or libraries as a legatee by name. Then follow that provision in your will with the general wish paragraph to anyone interested. Contact your local genealogy society and library and find out the specific details of what they will accept and their preferred format. Also post all that you can on various message boards and share with family and friends. Otherwise all your work may wind up in the city dump. Rex -----Original Message----- From: bevepstein@optonline.net [mailto:bevepstein@optonline.net] Sent: Monday, February 06, 2006 1:12 PM To: SC-Genealogy-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: RE: [SC] Suggestions Thank you both so much for a reminder...we should all take this precaution. ----- Original Message ----- From: Charles Compton <cscompton@centurytel.net> Date: Monday, February 6, 2006 10:21 am Subject: RE: [SC] Suggestions > Kinta: > > EXCELLENT ! Absolute excellence! > > Charlie > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Kinta Delamain [mailto:kintad@charter.net] > Sent: Monday, February 06, 2006 9:10 AM > To: SC-Genealogy-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: RE: [SC] Suggestions > > > Peter, > Below is what our attorney put in our wills. > Hope it helps. > Kinta > > To my spouse, children, guardian, administrator and/or executor: > > Upon my demise it is requested that you DO NOT dispose of any or > all of my > genealogical records, both those prepared personally by me and > those records > prepared by others which may be in my possession, including but > not limited > to books, files, notebooks or computer programs. > > Please attempt to identify one or more persons who would be > willing to take > custody of the said materials and the responsibility of > maintaining and > continuing the family histories. I suggest that the persons contacted > regarding the assumption of the custody of these items be > _________________. She/he is aware of my wishes concerning all > > my genealogical work and has agreed to abide by them. > > In the event you do no find anyone to accept these materials, please > contact the various genealogical organizations that I have been a > member of > and determine if they will accept some parts or all of my genealogical > materials. (See attached list.) > > Please remember that my genealogical endeavors consumed a great > deal of > time, travel, and money. Therefore it is my desire that the > products of > these endeavors be allowed to continue in a manner that will make them > available to others in the future. > > > > Signature ___________________________ Date ___________ > > Witness ____________________________ Date ___________ > > Witness ____________________________ Date ___________ > > > > Now for my question: No one lives forever and when my time comes > ... What > happens to my family genealogy files? The reason for my question > is that no > one in my family has any interest in my hobby. What should I do > so that my > data is not lost forever? > Family research: Hutto, Lorick, Frick's of SC > Any suggestions? Thanking you in advance. > Ray Hutto (SC born) > RayHutto@Yahoo.Com > > > > > > ==== SC-Genealogy Mailing List ==== > To UNSUBSCRIBE > Write SC-Genealogy-L-Request@RootsWeb.com > Plain Text with just the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of letter > Change the "L" to "D" if you have Digest Mode > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn > more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > ==== SC-Genealogy Mailing List ==== Best Website around for South Carolina SCGenWeb - South Carolina Genealogy research http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/3837/ ============================== Census images 1901, 1891, 1881 and 1871, plus so much more. Ancestry.com's United Kingdom & Ireland Collection. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13968/rd.ashx
-----Original Message----- From: Rex Kirby [mailto:rex@tyler.net] Sent: Monday, February 06, 2006 4:43 PM To: SC-Genealogy-L@rootsweb.com Subject: RE: RE: [SC] Suggestions The language suggested by Kinta is certainly better than nothing but a word of caution...As drafted it is not legally enforceable and is based on the assumption that the executor or executrix of the estate will honor the wishes of the decedent. But that is not always the case. Case in point: My late wife's brother had researched several lines of their family for years and had accumulated a respectable amount of data. And from time to time our discussions of family seemed to more or less end with his promise he would send me a copy but he never did. Some sixty days or so after his death I learned for the first time that he had indeed made a copy of what he had, put it in a large envelope and wrote my name on it with a note to please give it to me if something should happen to him. This was several years after my wife died, he was single, both parents deceased and no other brothers or sisters. He knew I was working on my wife's family for the sake of our grandkids. For several years his will provided that my oldest son would be Executor but my son and his family had moved from Texas to Georgia so a few days before my brother-in-law died for whatever reason he amended his will to name his first cousin Executrix. She cleaned house so to speak and to this day three years down the road I don't know what happened to the envelope of family data he had copied for me. Nor do I know what happened to the diary my late father-in-law kept while he was a POW for three years during WWII. But I did learn that the Executrix sold my brother-in-law's computer at a garage sale but only after she deleted all of his files and personal data. How kind of her. I have related this personal experience because I know first hand that what a person wants expressed generally may not happen. So my suggestion would be to back up your data on several CDs frequently, print out family reports and make copies and name one or more individuals and/or genealogy societies and/or libraries as a legatee by name. Then follow that provision in your will with the general wish paragraph to anyone interested. Contact your local genealogy society and library and find out the specific details of what they will accept and their preferred format. Also post all that you can on various message boards and share with family and friends. Otherwise all your work may wind up in the city dump. Rex -----Original Message----- From: bevepstein@optonline.net [mailto:bevepstein@optonline.net] Sent: Monday, February 06, 2006 1:12 PM To: SC-Genealogy-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: RE: [SC] Suggestions Thank you both so much for a reminder...we should all take this precaution. ----- Original Message ----- From: Charles Compton <cscompton@centurytel.net> Date: Monday, February 6, 2006 10:21 am Subject: RE: [SC] Suggestions > Kinta: > > EXCELLENT ! Absolute excellence! > > Charlie > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Kinta Delamain [mailto:kintad@charter.net] > Sent: Monday, February 06, 2006 9:10 AM > To: SC-Genealogy-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: RE: [SC] Suggestions > > > Peter, > Below is what our attorney put in our wills. > Hope it helps. > Kinta > > To my spouse, children, guardian, administrator and/or executor: > > Upon my demise it is requested that you DO NOT dispose of any or all > of my genealogical records, both those prepared personally by me and > those records prepared by others which may be in my possession, > including but not limited to books, files, notebooks or computer > programs. > > Please attempt to identify one or more persons who would be willing to > take custody of the said materials and the responsibility of > maintaining and continuing the family histories. I suggest that the > persons contacted regarding the assumption of the custody of these > items be _________________. She/he is aware of my wishes concerning > all > > my genealogical work and has agreed to abide by them. > > In the event you do no find anyone to accept these materials, please > contact the various genealogical organizations that I have been a > member of and determine if they will accept some parts or all of my > genealogical materials. (See attached list.) > > Please remember that my genealogical endeavors consumed a great deal > of time, travel, and money. Therefore it is my desire that the > products of these endeavors be allowed to continue in a manner that > will make them available to others in the future. > > > > Signature ___________________________ Date ___________ > > Witness ____________________________ Date ___________ > > Witness ____________________________ Date ___________ > > > > Now for my question: No one lives forever and when my time comes > ... What > happens to my family genealogy files? The reason for my question > is that no > one in my family has any interest in my hobby. What should I do > so that my > data is not lost forever? > Family research: Hutto, Lorick, Frick's of SC > Any suggestions? Thanking you in advance. > Ray Hutto (SC born) > RayHutto@Yahoo.Com > > > > > > ==== SC-Genealogy Mailing List ==== > To UNSUBSCRIBE > Write SC-Genealogy-L-Request@RootsWeb.com > Plain Text with just the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of letter > Change the "L" to "D" if you have Digest Mode > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn > more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > ==== SC-Genealogy Mailing List ==== Best Website around for South Carolina SCGenWeb - South Carolina Genealogy research http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/3837/ ============================== Census images 1901, 1891, 1881 and 1871, plus so much more. Ancestry.com's United Kingdom & Ireland Collection. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13968/rd.ashx ==== SC-Genealogy Mailing List ==== South Carolina Resources Available at RootsWeb! http://resources.rootsweb.com/USA/SC.html ============================== Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. New content added every business day. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx