Bill Bagley (bbagwill(a)smtp.sunflower.org) pointed out to me that the August
25th issue of RootsWeb Review includes some information about the WWI Draft
cards.
The RootsWeb Review is rather lengthy, so if you subscribe to it you usually
receive it as an attached text file. Since I don't want to pass that file
along to the list, I've copied below the part of this issue that deals with
the draft cards. This sounds like some of the information Linda Haas
Davenport posted on her site, although I haven't gone back to compare the
information below with her information. I'll leave it up to you to decide
whose information is most accurate and hopefully somewhere in all this is
enough information to help people use this resource!
Thanks, Bill, for pointing out the RootsWeb Review article on this issue.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
WWI DRAFT REGISTRATION CARDS AT NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS
ADMINISTRATION, SOUTHEAST REGION (Date Issued: August 23, 1999)
The following information is provided by the National Archives
and Records Administration, Southeast Region, in response to
recent postings on several list serves concerning World War One
(WWI) Draft Registration cards maintained at our facility.
Unfortunately, the original posting, and subsequent, altered
postings provided incorrect information about these holdings
and related reference procedures. To better serve the public
and the research community, we provide the following information
and guidance concerning the WWI Draft Registration cards:
1. The original cards, in excess of 24 million, were received
at our facility a number of years ago. Upon their receipt, they
were boxed and arranged by NARA employees. The original
arrangement was by state, thereunder by county or draft board,
and thereunder alphabetically by the registrant's last name.
The cause for arrangement by draft board instead of county is
due to the size of certain cities. For example, New York City
had in excess of 180 boards, Chicago had over 80. As a result,
we require a street address when searching for cards in most
large cities.
2. The cards were later microfilmed by representatives of the
Genealogical Society of Utah in the exact order they were
originally arranged; each NARA regional facility has a copy of
the microfilm for the states in the region that it serves. Any
patron wishing to use microfilm will find the cards arranged
exactly as they are in the box. The arrangement of the cards has
never been changed.
3. NARA, Southeast Region, has provided a request form for these
records for a number of years. The forms can be ordered via e-mail
(archives(a)atlanta.gov), telephone (404-763-7383), or in writing
(NARA, Southeast Region, 1557 St. Joseph Avenue, East Point, GA
30344).
4. At a minimum, the following information is required from the
requestor for NARA staff to conduct a search for draft
registration cards:
o Full name of registrant
o Complete home address at the time of registration
(to include county)
o Name of nearest relative
5. Additional information, if known, which can improve the
thoroughness of a search includes:
o Birth date
o Birthplace
o Occupation of registrant
6. In July, 1997 NARA established an updated fee schedule for
services provided to the public. The minimum mail-order fee for
photocopies for each WWI Draft card was increased from $6.00 to
$10.00, a fee which includes both sides of the card. Patrons
need not request that both sides of the card be copied, and
patrons need not submit a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE)
with their request.
Walk-in customers can make self-service photocopies of the
original records for $0.10 per side. Please contact individual
regions for their policies regarding microfilm copies. These
fees are copying fees only; there is no charge for searches
when a record is not located.
The staff of the NARA, Southeast Region, remains committed to
assisting our patrons in anyway possible, including the timely
and accurate dissemination of information concerning our
holdings and services. The WWI Draft Registration cards
represent only one of many significant collections of
historical records maintained by the Region that are invaluable
for genealogical research. For additional information regarding
our holdings and services, visit our home page at
<
http://www.nara.gov/regional/atlanta.html>.
JAMES J. MCSWEENEY, Regional Administrator
National Archives and Records Administration, Southeast Region