MIWASHTE-L Archives

From:
Subject: Re: County record changes
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2004 13:26:41 EST

My husband and I have had contact with a few other Michigan counties, either
in person, or by mail. Ionia, Mecosta and Menominee counties have been
"genealogy friendly."

I live in Cook County, Illinois. Here we can receive uncertified copies a
little cheaper. It's been a while since I got any, so do not know current
costs. Most of us genealogists do not care about the certification, just want
whatever info we can find.

Making records available is admirable. There is another concern: keeping
those records safe. That may mean not allowing the public to handle the records.
This was brought home to me in two ways: first as a long time church
secretary. I solved that by looking up what anyone would want, but not allowing them
to handle the books themselves. A few people were unhappy. Second was being
disappointed to find an empty probate file folder in the county where my
great-grandparents died. Empty because of mis-filing? Or empty because for many
years anyone could look in the files? Would a looker be so selfish as to have
taken the records and just returned the empty folder?

Just my two cents worth.

Lois Mack Schill

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