This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/gAC.2ACE/2678.2.1.1.2.1 Message Board Post: The Frederick County Courthouse and records are in Winchester, VA It is located at 107 N. Kent Street County Courthouse Winchester, VA 22601-5039 Phone: (540)665-5600 Fax: (540)667-0370 The general county site is: http://www.co.frederick.va.us/ The Clerk of Courts is: 5 North Kent Street Winchester, VA 22601 http://www.co.frederick.va.us/courts/clerkcircuit.htm -or- http://www.winfredclerk.com/ ************** Both are in the same place really, and there is a parking garage right next door. If memory serves, the Handley Archives is just a few blocks (5?) away - definitely walking distance. ************** The Handley Archives are also in Winchester: http://www.hrl.lib.state.va.us/handley/about.asp?p=27 mailing address: Stewart Bell Jr. Archives Room Handley Regional Library Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society P.O. Box 58, Winchester, VA 22604 (540) 662-9041, fax (540) 722-4769 Street Address: Handley Library 100 W. Piccadilly St. Winchester, VA 22601 Phone Numbers: Phone: (540) 662-9041 Fax: (540) 722-4769 Email Contacts: email: [email protected] Hours: Monday - Wednesday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Thursday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Check their hours begore you go, they are not always open on some days. I have had good luck with Handley through e-mail, but be specific on who you want & what you are looking for. I found an obit I needed on their site, e-mailed for info, and for $1, I got it. I thought that more than fair, considering copy and mailing costs. I do know someone that asked for "John Smith" and got a lot - but not HER "John Smith", so again, be specific. They do ask for small donations, (probably tax deductible in most states), and I'm always glad to do it. You can also use Google (the search engine) to search on people and places. It helps to locate courthouses, archives, clerk of courts, records, etc. It takes a little practice, but you can find lots of info that way also. You can use a variation of spellings and combinations to search. I did a search on a name, and found a personal web page, and located another branch that way! Also, try to find origional documents if you can - a postmark can lead you to a place, and you might find records there (I did, along with a "lost" branch...). Details in a records can pinpoint other things as well. You might not know who signed a letter "Mary" - but details in the letter might help determine who Mary is. I had a letter where the man wrote his wife had been ill for the past few weeks, and 7 months later, my other records showed she gave birth to twins! I have a strong suspician why she had been ill! I ask connections for copies of any papers, not just gleaned information. Recently, I was able to look at origionals and found names that confirmed family ties, but since they had not been recognized by the owner of the document, they never shared those names with me before. Don't forget to document where you get information as well. It will help to know how reliable it is as you go further along and possibly get conflicting information. It will also help to know what records you have already searched. When I search records, I try to photocopy as much as possible - and decipher it later. It can help to plan 2 full days - one to get initial copies, then that evening, go through them & see where they lead you. The second day, follow up on the leads from the first day, and and new ones. Copying this way makes it much faster. If you have a helper (often a spouse or teen child that comes along for the trip) to just make copies for you, it is great! Searching in person lets you follow up on leads you find during the search. Good luck!