Hi folks, ------------------> SNIP >----------------------> > We know other sources exist. What we don't know is whether or not the >original document still exists, since the records are in such bad shape >since the flood and the movement of the originals to the old school. >If it shows up in another source, it doesn't necessarily mean you will >be able to get a copy of the original record. But if it shows up on >Mickey's list. Its still there. >And she was nice enough to offer to make copies of the originals for >you if you asked. ------------------> SNIP >------------------------> I would like to pass on an important lesson that I learned early on when I started researching. If two different people write a book and some of the time frames overlap, believe it or not, but for that time period both books will not show the same marriages. Either because the transcriber couldn't read the writing and didn't take the time to really decipher it or the page/loose paper with the info was misfiled/missing. I have found this to be true in more than one instance. You might go to the courthouse and not find the record even though you know "whatever" did occur in that county, check ALL and ANYTHING WRITTEN or FILMED. I did meet someone who had gone to the courthouse and had spent hours going through books but couldn't find anything, she came to the archives and just decided to check the microfilm of the same records. Guess what, she FOUND the info she had been looking for. In the case of GRAINGER County records it is important to know what still exists today, as we have had several list members who have said that they were told they could take the original records after they had been microfilmed, and I remember one person actually saying, "if I'd known that, I would have taken all of my relatives' records". Very IRRESPONSIBLE on the part of the clerk and ANYONE taking original info or for that matter cutting pages out of books. YES! that happens also. Personally, I always try to see ORIGINAL records because I may read a name one way and you might read it another way. An example of this is misreading David and Daniel. There are many others because we are not familiar with the old styles of handwriting. Actually, I have to be very careful if I have anyone type anything that I have written because they always misread my "r" as an "n" because I was not educated in the U.S. Off my soapbox. Happy Hunting, Donna ------------------> SNIP >----------------------> > We know other sources exist. What we don't know is whether or not the >original document still exists, since the records are in such bad shape >since the flood and the movement of the originals to the old school. >If it shows up in another source, it doesn't necessarily mean you will >be able to get a copy of the original record. But if it shows up on >Mickey's list. Its still there. >And she was nice enough to offer to make copies of the originals for >you if you asked.