CASANDIE-L Archives

From: "" <>
Subject: [CASANDIE] Weekly update pre-1905 project
Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 23:09:04 -0800

>Hi all;
>Weekly update time for the pre-1905 project. For those that are not aware
of the project, we are entering the vital statistic information for the
period of statehood (1850) to 1905 (time of CADI and CABI).
>
>First of all, I would like to thank those that have sponsored counties by
donating sufficient funds to acquire the copies of the death records for a
given county. This is greatly appreciate by not only those of us working on
the project, but soon will be appreciated by all those who will have the
records online. Thank you ever so much for your help.
>
>Secondly, I would like to thank all those that are volunteering on this
project. We now have close to 100 persons volunteering in areas of
acquiring records, transcribing records, working with county recorders,
etc; then there is my #2s, Steve and Laura who have been indispensible in
their undying work on the project, website and all the technical support
they have given. This project would not be as far along as it is if it
weren't for the two of them. We all owe them alot.
>
>Now, for what is happening on the project:
>
>We have acquired some of the records for San Francisco County. I have to
admit that I was totally dumbfounded when I realized the number of records
that are available for pre-1906 earthquake because I was under the
impression that alot of the records were gone and there was very little
available. This may be partially true in that alot of the records burned,
but the records that I have just gotten access to have changed my mind on
what is available. Let me explain. There are 6 microfilms of just death
records that I have acquired. In those films are records of over 200,000
deaths in San Francisco County for the period of 1863-1903. That is more
than in any other county in the state, and may be equivalent to all other
counties combined. This is alot and will take some time and lots of
donations to make all the copies. At 40 entries per page, that is over 5000
copies to be made at .35-.50 per page. That means the cost factor for San
Francisco county alone will be in excess of $2000.00 and that is before
postage costs to get these records to the transcribers. This means we will
need lots of donations. This is where we scream HELP, HELP, HELP. We need
your help on this. Donations are desperately needed. They can be sent to me
at the address below.
>
>As far as the other counties are concerned, we will be doing them
simultaneously to the time we are working on San Francisco. Although about
75% of our transcribers will be working San Francisco, the other 25% will
be working on the other counties. We have had some people sponsor some
counties and those copies will be made and transcribed. We have the
Genealogical Society that will be working on Santa Barbara County. We have
our precious Janie and Elaine who will be working Shasta County (in
addition to others if needed). We have a husband-wife team doing Butte
County, Beverly Stone working El Dorado County, Sharon Dulcich photoing and
transcribing Kern County, although she will be getting some additional help
in the transcription portion of this. Betty Vickroy has just finished Marin
County and book two will be online, probably this week. Modoc County has
been funded and will be in the transcription phase as soon as the records
come in (they have been ordered). Jacqui Marcela is transcribing Placer
County. Beverly Stone is working on accessing the Sacramento County
Records; Dee Sardoch is currently transcribing San Benito County; Barbara
Erden is transcribing San Luis Obispo; Laura Melton is transcribing
Siskiyou County; Elvina Fernandez is working on acquiring the ordered
Tulare County records which will be transcribed by her and the Sequoia
Genealogical Society; Steven Miller is transcribing Mariposa County and on
and on and on. We have gotten several genealogical societies that have
expressed interest in helping us with funding as well as with transcription
of records.
>
>Some of the counties that will be transcribed in the very near future,
pending funding or records orders coming in are:
>
>Shasta County
>Modoc County
>Del Norte County
>Fresno County
>Lake County
>Modoc County
>Monterey County
>Orange County
>Klamath County
>Santa Cruz
>and more....
>
>And these will all be done during the same time in which Los Angeles
County and San Francisco Counties (the two largest) are being done.
Counties are going online within 7-10 days of completion of the
transcription. We only started this project in January and already have all
or part of 8 counties online. That means there are 51 more to be completed.
>
>For those of you that have read the "History of the Project" on the
website, I would like to share this with you. I recently contacted Megan
Smolenyak, the original grantor of funds for the project, to give her the
website so that she could take a look at what she had started. I recently
got this reaction from her in regards to what has been done and wanted to
share it with you.
>
>
>"Hi Donna,
>
>All I have to say is wow, Wow, WOW!!! I just went and checked the link you
>sent and was blown away! You give me so much credit, but you're the one who
>deserves it! I can't believe how much you've done with so little. Thanks
>for inspiring me further in my grants. You can't believe how good it makes
>me feel to think that I had even a tiny role in nudging you! I'm going to
>add a brief update to my site, including a link.
>
>Thanks so much for telling me all this and for all your incredible efforts!
>The genealogical world needs more folks like you!
>
>Take care,
>Megan"
>
>Megan gives grants to genealogical projects of worth and thought this
project was worthy, back in the days when I was just talking about doing
San Diego County. She is a gift to the genealogical world. Not only does
she give out grants monthly, but she has written several articles for
Ancestry Magazine as well as others and speaks regularly on this topic.
This is only one of several "good words" that we have gotten on the project
and they are all appreciated.
>
>Finally, although not least, I would like to thank all of those that have
donated cash, checks, postage, etc. to the project. Although we are not
completely "out of the woods" on the project because of so much more that
we will be needing, we are now at least seeing a potential of getting all
the records that we need with your continued help in this area. Although I
hate to admit it, there was a time when I was trying desperately to keep
the project going with little to nothing to work with and depleting my own
finances in the process. Your continued support has made me see "a light at
the end of the tunnel" and we will make it with all that we need and desire
to do here. I cannot say thank you enough and pray for the continued
support of all. You have no idea how much your donations help, regardless
of the size. On an average, every penny you send adds one more entry online
for those who need it. We acknowledge all of you, both here and on your
special page on the website. You deserve an extra special pat on the back
for we could not do this without the financial support.
>
>For those wishing to donate to the project. Please make checks out to, or
send funding or postage to me at my address below. We keep a FULL
accounting of all funds updated daily which is available upon request.
Donations pay only for copy fees and postage. Steve and Laura Melton and I
are absorbing all other costs (phone calls, travel, programs, etc).
>
>The website can be viewed at:http://www.rootsweb.com/~cabf1905
>
>Thank you...and till next week...
>Donna Bradley
>Project Coordinator
>Pre-1905 California Project
>P. O. Box 391368
>Anza, CA 92539-1368
>
>
>
>

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