Dear Janet, I just hope it doesn't become a habit to mention me on mails to Switzerland-L - I won't be able to answer all questions ;-). I will try in a special case like this (at least the specific questions). As part of the answers might be of general interest, I'm also responding to the list. BTW : I'm just a subscriber like you - not involved in the organisation of Switzerland-L ;-). SwissGen (the web site) and Switzerland-L (this mailing list) are not in any formal way related - they just share the common subject of genealogical research in Switzerland. But we are not competing either ;-)) ! We try to help all of you in different ways. Let's now turn to your questions : > ---------- > Von: Janet Crawford[SMTP:reojan@home.com] > Gesendet: Freitag, 21. Januar 2000 21:01 > An: SWITZERLAND-L@rootsweb.com > Betreff: [SWITZ] Verod in Gryon & Ormont-Dessous > > Dear Wolf, Here's another Newbie getting up the courage to jump in with a > request. I have been asked by a very elderly & ill cousin to do research > on his Mother's Verlod (Vurlod) family from Vaud. I have requested the > films for Gryon and Ormont-Dessous from LDS but they are yet to arrive. I > feel I am battling both time (he has had three major surgeries in the past > year) and language and regulations here. It is even more complicated as he > is in Chicago and I am in Seattle and the information is in Switzerland! > > I have three questions, please: First, Is it ever possible, under health > circumstances, to allow someone to give a Power of Attorney to get the > research on one's family? My cousin would never be able to travel to > Switzerland because of his age and health. Can a genealogical researcher > in Switzerland do this with a Power of Attorney? > Certainly - you (or your cousin) can grant a power of attorney to anyone : could be, but doesn't have to be a professional researcher. It surely should be someone familiar with genealogical research, though ! > Second, is it ever possible to do this by mail, again due to his age and > health? > Shouldn't be a problem. > Third, I would like to give him a gift of a subscription to the Swiss > Genealogical Society publication. Is a copy produced in English? If so, > how much is it and to what address do I send the check? I looked at the > web page and can't figure this out. > No - unfortunately no English edition :-((. The major articles in the Year Book will just have short abstracts in English. Articles will be in German or French - theoretically also in Italian, but I haven't seen an Italian article for years. May I use the opportunity for a bit of advertising ;-) ? SGFF (http://sgff.genealogy.net) has 4 publications per year - the Year Book plus three smaller Bulletins : this is covered by the membership fee of sfr 50 (some $ 32) - which might be somewhat higher for overseas members (postage); you'd also have to add some fee for cashing a cheque. If you are interested in the Year Book only, this can be ordered separately from the Document Sales Office (click on "Schriftenverkaufsstelle" on above page) for sfr 25 plus postage. Unfortunately all of this will be mainly German, some French, little Italian, and almost no English :-(. > Finally, if anyone reading this newsletter has any information on the > Verlod or Moreillon families, I would gratefully welcome the assistance. > > Janet Crawford reojan@home.com > Let's return to your research problem - Verlod/Vurlod and Moreillon families in Vaud. VURLOD is mentioned in Familiennamenbuch (http://swiss.genealogy.net/famnam-m.htm) for Ormont-Dessous (since prior to 1800) as only citizenship for that family prior to 1949 - but you know that already (you ordered the correct films). You've been to the Swiss Surname Directory (http://swiss.genealogy.net/surnam-m.htm) - so I wouldn't consider you "another newbie" in the first place ;-) ! There is no mention Verlod. MOREILLON hold old (prior 1800) citizenships in Bex, Gryon, Vevey (all in VD) - full data would have to be entered into the "Directory" upon request. Again, you have ordered Gryon films, so seem to be knowing where your line was at home. Unfortunately neither name is mentioned in the bibliography by Mario von Moos. I have no experience with research in Vaud (hardly speak any French either), so I cannot give any more specific advice - but a general question : what time frame are you looking for ? Both films you have ordered are dates prior 1875 only (like most films of Swiss church records) - are you that far back already ? Then you may not be interested, or at least would not have to rely on civil registry data - and consequently would not need any permission to do this research - nor would anyone else doing it for you. All this stupid new civil ordinance business with its restrictions applies only to civil registry data after 1876; these offices also hold few information prior to 1876 - usually from early to mid 19th century (as I said, I don't know the situation in VD) - and a lazy civil registrar might claim you would need a permission for those older information as well. I would recommend to contact the regional genealogical society (http://swiss.genealogy.net/ver/vdinfo-e.htm) - they ought to know what sort of information (how far back) can be expected in VD civil registry offices, and how the "average registrar" deals with pre-1876 information. I wish you good luck with your further research, and send my best regards - Wolf ---------------------- Wolf W. Seelentag, PhD, e-mail : wolf@swissmail.com Reherstr. 19, CH - 9016 St. Gallen, Switzerland Tel (home) : +41-71-2885121 Fax : +49-89-2443-91987 Tel (work) : +41-71-4942233