LATTA-L Archives

From: "greenwic" <>
Subject: Fw: W.Va. records sent to the dump!
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1998 14:55:16 -0500

Hello everyone, I'm forwarding the below info, about Marion Co., WV.
seems county commissioner has sent county records to the county dump. Read
for yourself below. Hope no other county decides to follow these foot
steps, with old records instead of letting the Historical Society take the.

Always, Imo

Searching surnames, ACUFF, BAYNES, CARD, GREER, LAMB
ODOM , RENFRO, SHOEMATE, THOMAS, BIRD, BARLOW

My Husbands: GREENWOOD, KITZMILLER, CULP

Imo Lee Card Greenwood

----------
> From:
> To:
> Subject: Re: WVA records sent to the dump!
> Date: Friday, June 26, 1998 11:23 AM
>
> This situation must be heart breaking to any genealogist/family
researcher,
> regardless of whether your roots belong to WVA. I suggest each person
pass the
> story to at least one other person, hopefully generating as many letters
as
> possible to the newspaper. Through the voices of concerned people, maybe
the
> books can still be saved.
>
> Alternatively, because of the wonders of the internet, family researchers
can
> voice their feelings to other local media too. E-Mail to local TV and
radio
> stations is an option. If you can afford a long distance phone call to
one of
> the local TV stations, a total of 200+ calls would focus a lot of
IMMEDIATE
> attention on the crisis. I do not have the TV stations for the area but
I can
> supply some info on area radio stations & other newspapers as follows.
>
> Fairmont WV is part of the Clarksburg-Morgantown-Fairmont marketing area.

>
> West VA Radio Corporation owns these stations within the market:
>
> WAJR-AM PHONE#304-296-0029 (NEWS/TALK FORMAT)
> WFBY-FM URL HTTP://WWW.WFBY.COM
> WKKW-FM PHONE# 304-296-0029
> WVAQ-FM ATTN: News Room
>
> And a list of all the area newspapers:
>
> Clarksburg Exponent Telegram
> P.O. Box 2000, Clarksburg WV 26302
> E-Mail ATTN: News Room
> URL http://cpubco.com
>
> Morgantown The Dominion Post
> 1251 Earl L. Clore Road, Morgantown, WV 26505
> E-Mail ATTN: News Room
>
> Fairmont Times West Virginian
> E-Mail ATTN: News Room
> URL http://www.timeswv.com
>
>
> In a message dated 6/26/98 10:48:45 A
> M Eastern Daylight Time, writes:
>
> > Here's a horror story I thought the group might be interested in.
> > <Mike Allen>
> >
> > ----------
> > From: BP2000-L-request
> > To: BP2000-L
> > Subject: [BP2000-L] SACK ROME, BURN THE LIBRARY IN ALEXANDRIA, DESTROY
THE
> > MAYAN CODICES...MANKIND'S WISDOM MARCHES ON IN WEST VIRGINIA
> > Date: Friday, June 26, 1998 7:31AM
> >
> > Yesterday I learned from Pam Mullinax <> that
a
> > County Commissioner in Marion County, West Virginia, recently sent
several
> > boxes of pre-Civil War records to the landfill/garbage dump. Now the
county
> > authorities are preventing any attempt to rescue the documents which
> > probably have significance for some of our lineages, especially
Lineage
> Six.
> >
> > Information below on writing a letter to the editor of the local
> newspaper.
> >
> > Ray
> >
> > >Subject: WV Times Publishes Part II of Marion County Commissioner's
> > Stupidity!
> > >Date: Thu, 25 Jun 1998 18:09:23 -0500
> > >To:
> > >
> > >Today's WV Times published a follow-up story today (Thursday) to the
> > >original story published on Sunday, as follows:
> > >
> > >* * *
> > >Dump off limits to historians
> > >
> > >By Theresa Haynes
> > >Times West Virginian Staff Writer
> > >
> > >FAIRMONT -
> > >Genealogists who wanted to dig through the landfill in search of the
> > >county's discarded pre-Civil War record books will not be allowed to
> > >excavate the dump. Ron Chrislip, a local historian who has researched
> > >Marion County's past for more than 30 years, said he and four other
people
> > >were prepared to go to the Meadowfill Landfill in Bridgeport to
search for
> > >the record books tossed last week.
> > >
> > >But landfill officials halted the group's plans at the request of the
> > >Marion County Commission.
> > >
> > >The day books dating back to 1842 were among several tons of outdated
> > >files, books and papers the commission removed from the historic
Jacob's
> > >building, which is undergoing renovation.
> > >
> > >Chrislip said he and other genealogists wanted to dig up the
historically
> > >valuable record books when they learned the books had been hauled
away to
> > >the dump, but the landfill told them there were confidential files
among
> > >the garbage.
> > >
> >
> > >Now local historians are concerned they will never see the priceless,
> > >handwritten books again.
> > >
> > >"I don't see how they will be retrieved," Chrislip said. "As a
historian I
> > >have to be realistic. Now hopefully the county will preserve what is
> left."
> > >Chrislip said the leather-bound books were particularly valuable
because
> > >they recorded everything from the county clerk's office.
> > >
> > >"Record keeping then was a very different process," he said. "We were
> still
> > >in Virginia and documents like that are very, very rare."
> > >
> > >The historian said the records gave insight into a lifestyle long
gone.
> > >
> > >"There is no oral history from that time, no photography and very
little
> > >written history. Through the day books we had a great deal of
information
> > >to interpret history," he said.
> > >
> > >Chrislip agrees with the county commission that the books had no
monetary
> > >value, but he said the county has lost something culturally valuable.
> > >
> > >He said 20 years ago he had searched for day books like the ones
thrown
> > >away and was told they did not exist. Years later he learned they
were in
> > >existence, but in "dead" storage.
> > >
> > >The historian said he and other people interested in genealogy would
have
> > >liked to have been given access to the books before they were
discarded.
> > >
> > >County Commission President James Sago and Starcher were not
available for
> > >comment Wednesday evening.
> > >* * *
> > >
> > >Again, if you'd like to write the Editor of the WV Times,
> > >
> > >The email address is:
> > >
> > >
> > >LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
> > >All letters for publication should be so stated.
> > >Requests for publication must include address & telephone number.
> > >phone: (304) 367-2500 * Fax: (304) 367-2569
> > >
> > >Or postal mail to:
> > >Times West Virginian
> > >PO Box 2530
> > >Fairmont, WV 26555-2530
> >
> >
> >
>

- ------------------------------
End of GREER-D Digest V98 Issue #137
************************************

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• Fw: W.Va. records sent to the dump! by "greenwic" <>