Mickey, Congratulations on the success of your effort. Count me in on financial contributions, just let me know how to do it. Perhaps there are some business people in Rutledge or the county that might be interested in the records preservation that might have some space available. Maybe some of the real estate people in Grainger might know of some property owners that have vacant buildings/houses that would be willing to offer them temporarily or permanently -- could be a tax write off. Great job. Richard Soard At 02:41 PM 11/9/99 -0500, you wrote: >Yesterday (Monday) I had the opportunity to talk to Grainger Co. Executive >Mickey Hammer. He wasn't in the office when I was at the courthouse but his >secretary took my cell phone number and had him call me. He was very >interested in my concerns for the old records. He hasn't been in the old >school in a while but I did inform him that part of the ceiling had fell. He >understood that the records needed to be preserved but the county didn't have >the funding to hire someone to sort the records nor did the county have a >place to store them once they were sorted. I ask him about the house that the >city of Rutledge had been given and he said he hopes that they could at least >have a room for the records but will have to wait until it is restored to >see. The county is planning a new justice center so there will be room in the >present courthouse to store the records. At this point it's just wait and >see. I ask him about myself and my (friend) helper getting started on sorting >the records. He said there was no funds available. I told him we would do >this at no cost to the county. He was very appreciative and ask what the >county could do to help. I told him all I needed was permission to get to the >records and the permission to take the records to a place where I could work. >He said anything I needed such as file folders and boxes the county would >furnish. The thrift store you have to go through is closed on Mondays so I >couldn't get in yesterday but I made another trip to Rutledge this morning. >We collected 4 large boxes of wills and we will start working on them >immediately. I took pictures of the building on the outside and pictures of >the auditorium where the records are stored. You can tell people have went >through boxes because there were records just laying on top of other boxes. I >ask Mr. Hammer (if at all possible) not to let just anyone into the boxes >that we get in order. I know alot of genealogist wants to look at wills and >marriage records but alot of them don't take the time to put them back where >they belong. I feel that once we get these 4 boxes sorted and filed in order >they will not go back to the auditorium. I will take them to Mr. Hammer and >request that they be put in a safe place. He was very nice and understanding >so I have faith at these will be put in a safe place. When we get these in >order I will type up an index if anyone is interested they will be able to >purchase a copy. This will help fund our work in Grainger Co. If anyone has >any questions please contact me privately so it will not upset anyone on the >list who doesn't want to hear any more about the records. rsoard@mindspring.com