This was posted on a list I am on also, and the fee for the copies is more like $10 PLEASE check it out before sending a request that will not be met because of insufficient money enclosed. -----Original Message----- From: Maggie Rail <mrail@pacnw.com> To: WALEWIS-L@rootsweb.com <WALEWIS-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Sunday, October 03, 1999 12:22 PM Subject: [WALEWIS-L] Search tool >This came from my cousin Pat, and in my haste to clean it up, >I deleted the author who shared it with the list Pat is on.... > >Prior to the US's entry into WW1 (approx. 1917-1918) every male >between the age of 18 and 40 was required to register for the draft. >The information found on the card was provided by the individual >himself. The registration cards vary in information depending on the >individual draft board. But by and large the cards include: The full >name of the person (this means first, full middle name, any additional >middle names and last name); the current address of the man; his age; >his birthdate (some include his place of birth); whether he is a US >citizen or a naturalized citizen (some ask if his father was a >naturalized citizen and his father's race); his race; his occupation; >where he is employed (name of employer); address or location of >employment; name and address of his next of kin; some cards ask if the man >is married or single and how many people he supports. The card is signed by >the draftee. On the back of the card his physical >description is noted: Height is broken down by short, medium, tall >although some cards give the actual height in feet and inches; Build >by slim, medium, stout although some cards list actual weight along >with the build; color of eyes and hair; any deformities or injuries >are listed (such as one arm missing, blind in one eye, etc); the name >and address of the draft board and the date. > >When these original cards were transferred to the East Pointe NARA >branch the LDS spent about 3 years microfilming these cards. There are >hundreds and hundreds of boxes and the LDS opened one box at a time and >filmed them - in state order. However, within each state the >cards were filed by draft board, not by county or by draftee. This >makes the searching of the microfilm difficult to say the least. > >The good news is that the Friends of the National Archives took each >box after it was filmed (and checked) and sorted all of these >thousands and thousands of cards into - state and then COUNTY order and >then in alphabetical order by surname and put then in new boxes. The >Friends deserve all the kudos we can give them for this monstrous task. > >So ... rather than spending hours and hours searching the LDS >microfilm you can order copies of the original cards from NARA. if you know >the county your ancestor lived in between 1917-1918. > >And BTW - Ancestry.com lists WW1 Draft cards in their searchable data >bases, however I know for a fact that there are 22 cards for the >surname WHITE found in McIntosh Co, OK and Ancestry only gave me 4 of them >so don't depend on that site. I was told yesterday that some reps from >Ancestry had visited the archives a couple of weeks ago to talk about >filming the cards, took one look at the hundreds and hundreds of boxes and >simply left. > >For copies: Send a letter requesting copy(s) to: NARA >Southeast Region >1557 St. Joseph Ave >East Point, GA 30344 > >In your letter be sure to say you want copy(s) of the WWI Draft >application Cards. Include the name of your ancestor and his race, the >state and the county. If you want copies of ALL of the cards with a >given surname, ask them the cost of the copies and send a SASE for >them to let you know the copying cost. In your letter be sure and say >you want a copy of the FRONT and BACK of the card. Be sure to send a SASE >for the return of you copies. > >The cost for the copy is 50 cents - 25 cents for the back and 25 cents >for the front. If you only want one copy send a buck and say the >difference is to be given to the Friends of the Archives, because >after all they did all this wonderful hard work for you <VBG> > >And feel free to pass this on to any of the lists you are on. >