From roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com Tue Sep 5 07:57:18 2006 Received: from mail.rootsweb.com (mail.rootsweb.com [192.168.65.34]) by admin.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) with ESMTP id k85DvIjb031507; Tue, 5 Sep 2006 07:57:18 -0600 Received: from roots-l.rootsweb.com (roots-l.rootsweb.com [66.43.16.22]) by mail.rootsweb.com (8.13.4/8.13.4) with ESMTP id k85DvHLO001033 for ; Tue, 5 Sep 2006 07:57:17 -0600 Received: from roots-l.rootsweb.com (roots-l [127.0.0.1]) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.10) with ESMTP id k85BGOFI003130 for ; Tue, 5 Sep 2006 07:16:24 -0400 Received: (from roots-in@localhost) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.8/Submit) id k85BGOhe003129 for roots-approved@rootsweb.com; Tue, 5 Sep 2006 07:16:24 -0400 Received: from lists5.rootsweb.com (lists5.rootsweb.com [66.43.27.41]) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.10) with SMTP id k858rXFI002655 for ; Tue, 5 Sep 2006 04:53:33 -0400 Received: (from slist@localhost) by lists5.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) id k85BYED0021249 for roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com; Tue, 5 Sep 2006 05:34:14 -0600 X-Envelope-From: treviawbeverly@houston.rr.com Tue Sep 5 05:34:14 2006 Received: from mail.rootsweb.com (mail.rootsweb.com [192.168.65.34]) by admin.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) with ESMTP id k85BYEjb021240 for ; Tue, 5 Sep 2006 05:34:14 -0600 Received: from ms-smtp-01.texas.rr.com (ms-smtp-01.texas.rr.com [24.93.47.40]) by mail.rootsweb.com (8.13.4/8.13.4) with ESMTP id k85BYBMv006213 for ; Tue, 5 Sep 2006 05:34:11 -0600 Received: from oemcomputer (cpe-24-162-26-136.houston.res.rr.com [24.162.26.136]) by ms-smtp-01.texas.rr.com (8.13.6/8.13.6) with SMTP id k85BYAQ5021033; Tue, 5 Sep 2006 06:34:11 -0500 (CDT) Message-ID: <004101c6d0e0$742ebe70$6401a8c0@oemcomputer> From: "Trevia W Beverly" To: "MScheffler" , References: <200609020400.k8240IW2022734@lists5.rootsweb.com> <000e01c6d04f$0cc3f340$7b5c6fcc@donannd> <00e801c6d099$0d2cc790$6501a8c0@m1070n> Subject: Re: [ROOTS-L] Unanswered queries Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2006 06:43:05 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1807 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1807 X-Virus-Scanned: Symantec AntiVirus Scan Engine X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.52 on 192.168.65.34 X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.52 on 192.168.65.34 Sender: roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com > > i post queries on many sites with no replies at all lately >> Margaret, well said! and a good reminder to us all! A simple list of surnames is ignored by me, and I'm sure many others. Not that we don't want to help but they aren't mine - and as you say, unlikely that anyone would have the specific combination posted - and I have no time to write back every time asking for *when* and *where* that would be needed in order to help. Long postings with many names if useless. Please! Post only those you are having a problem with and give us full name, time period, at least a state! Usually when someone posts a list of name only, I presume that the person is just try to 'get all they can for free,' or, they are too new to genealogy to know how to post a query. As for looking up a census record, I think most of us will try but a *reminder* that before you post be sure you cannot do it yourself. Even if you do not have an Ancestry subscription, how about your local library .... 1) hopefully you have a library with a good genealogical collection that has census records on microfilm and perhaps a subscription to Ancestry (yes, it may mean that you have to go to the library) 2) if your library has an website and an online catalog, most likely they will have a subscription to Heritage Quest (often through the state library) that you can access from your home computer with your library card number. I am surprised every day by the number of people who do not use their library's online catalog nor know just what their library has to offer! a) do you know if your library is online? b) if so, do you *really* know what all that site has to offer? c) how often do you check it? the website rarely stays static; it continually adds new things... 3) if your local library does not have the service, then what about a nearby library that you can get a card from that does offer what you need? And for those unable to go to a library, or you're in a town too small to have a good genealogical collection - all is not lost! We often think we cannot afford an Ancestry subscription ... and I grant you it is not inexpensive ... but it cost to have all that information put at your fingertips. Save up and try for one. Think about what you save in time, gasoline, parking fees, etc. and swing that over to your subscription if you need to justify it. And ask your family to forego the birthday, anniversary and Christmas gift in lieu of funds toward a yearly subscription. But remember, the subscription is worth it only if you use it. If it sits there for days on end, idle, then forget it! Trevia Wooster Beverly Houston, Texas ----- Original Message ----- From: "MScheffler" To: Sent: Monday, September 04, 2006 10:11 PM Subject: [ROOTS-L] Unanswered queries > Ann and others with similar problems, > > Some people post multiple messages on various forums, message boards, > mailing lists and the like. At times one gets lucky and one does not. If > one is asking for census information for specific families in a particular > time frame, you can expect to get replies, because there are a number of > nice people who do look up census information for others and may even email > the pages. People may also check other Ancestry resources. > > BUT, the likelihood of finding very many people researching the same > closely related groups of families is unlikely. Every few months I might > meet up with someone new researching some of mine. But if I relied on > others rather than myself to find information, I would not have much. > > One may get some hints or clues resulting from some postings, and then > it is up to the individual researcher to contact libraries, churches, > historical societies in areas of interest to see if they have something > further to help. In most cases one should expect to pay copying and mailing > expenses for information found plus a few dollars per hour for the > researcher. > > The bottom line is one cannot do complete research online, no matter how > many people there are out there to read posted messages. > > For most of us research includes trips to libraries, national archives, > historical societies, cemeteries, etc. If we cannot travel at all, we are > limited and may not progress as quickly as someone with more opportunities > to check out a variety of resources. Someone with substantial funds MAY be > able to hire experts in a particular areas to find resources we cannot find > ourselves, but even lots of money to spend won't guarantee one can find > someone to do the research ones needs. It is not uncommon to question if the > documentation one needs even exists. > > One thing that is an equalizer for those who cannot travel far is to > research vital records, wills, land records, etc. through the records that > the LDS has microfilmed and can be rented and viewed at local history > centers. Most people have one of these centers relatively close to their > community and the cost to rent films reasonable. > > Personally I have found putting a database with notes and sources on > WorldConnect to be a good source of new contacts. Others looking for names > that are in my database may well contact me and then we can share ideas on > how to find more information on the families we share. But there again, if > I had to wait for others to help me, again the wait could be very long. > > So my advice is to post short succinct, easily understood messages with > as much information as possible and EXACTLY what you have and yet need, and > occasionally you may get help. It is quite unrealistic to expect a large > proportion of one's queries to be answered. But when any clue come, contact > places with possible new information and see if you can find more. > > Do remember that people posting a series of messages on the same or > similar families must repeat information in various postings. Most people > routinely read and quickly delete information that is not of use or interest > to them. So even a post an hour after the previous one should repeat the > details needed. Expecting the details to be remembered means one's message > may well go to the trash bin. > > Again post clear short messages stating what you know and exactly what > you need, and hopefully over time you will find someone researching the same > families. In the meantime explore every avenue you can explore on your own > other than online resources. > > Margaret Scheffler