Also, contact the County Commissioners. My cousin was one in
Bozeman. His answer is that it is so costly to store these records. I
don't think they understand just how many people out there would be
willing to take the records, privately or as libraries and societies!!
It really isn't a matter of $$$, It's an effort to perserve history!
My cousin didn't fully understand either. Not sure he does even yet!
I'm trying though!!
Teri
On 15 Mar 2001, at 8:38, Corky K wrote:
I know that many of you have received this personally, but wanted
to
make sure that any of you who live in Montana and did not hear about
this had an opportunity to email the house of representatives. Please
take the time to send a note via the website mentioned "today" so
that they can see the need to preserve these records.
Thanks.
Corky
>From: "Patricia Marchington" <marching(a)avicom.net>
>
>Subject: Urgent--SB 443 Hearing update for 3/13/01
>Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 23:54:39 -0700
>X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.3110.1
>
>Genealogists & Historians,
>
>SB 443 had tons of opposition from the
>lobbyist for:
> The Clerk of District Court Assoc.
> The Clerk & Recorder's Assoc.
> The Treasurer Assoc.
>and opposition from the:
> The School Insurance Assoc.
> The State Fund for Workmen Comp.
> The State Historical Society Library
> The Secretary of State Brown's Office
>(I hope I didn't leave anyone out...)
>
>They brought up all kinds of things that twisted
>SB 443 into something that it wasn't.
>
>SB 443 only concerns Public Records that
>are being destroyed in County Courthouses...not
>anything to do with Workmen's Comp., School
>anything, etc.
>
>Only to give "Notice" to the Public...the State
>Historical Soc, Historical & Genealogy Soc.,
>down to the Public to have a chance to Preserve
>our MT History!
>
>I showed the House-State Admin. Committee today,
>3 Old Record Books originally from Park County Courthouse,
>that were thrown away. These are:
> 1897 Voter Registration Book (name, age, birthplace, &
> address were listed for each voter).
> 1889 Court Ledger Book...that on the last page
> has the old 1889 to 1890 marriage records.
> 1904 City of Livingston Census Book (has names of all
> family members, occupation of head of household,
> ages, & addresses).
>
>These books were "rescued" by a Historian that happened
>by the trash cans by the Courthouse and were "saved"
>in our local Yellowstone Gateway Museum here in
>Park County....But many, many other records have been
>lost forever.
>
>Our Park County has thrown away the old MT. Marriage Application
>Books...as many other counties have done, because the Clerk of
>District Court Assoc. has said they have to... (None of the MT Old
>Marriage Application Books from about 1865/1889 to 1960s have been
>copied!).
>
>No Courthouse is willing to tell exactly what records have
>been destroyed, how many, what they are, etc. We don't
>have an accounting on anything.
>
>I had really thought it would be a simple thing to just have
>the Courthouses to "post" on the wall of the Courthouse
>the list of Records that they didn't want (or had no room
>for). And since most Courthouses around MT have e-mail
>(with more coming on-line everyday), they could just
>e-mail the State Historical Society of that list of unwanted
>Records. The State Historical Society (that does not
>want these records) would look on their lists of local
>Historical & Genealogy Societies for the area in and
>around the County that doesn't want the records...and
>the Public & MT State Historical & Genealogy Societies
>would all be notified!
>
>Very little work on the part of the Courthouses.
>No cost to the County.
>After the listings of the local Historical & Genealogy
> Societies' e-mails on the State Historical Society
> Library Computer database...very little work (not
> compared to the priceless preserving of history).
>
>If Montana does not come up with a simple plan like
>this to preserve our MT History NOW....a lot more
>RECORDS WILL BE DESTROYED!!!!
>
>MT Courthouses do not have the space for these
>Records...they will not be expanding their Courthouse
>Buildings. They say Micro-filming is too expensive.
>
>The Montana Clerk of District Court & Clerk &
>Recorder Assoc.s will continue to hire their lawyers &
>lobbyist to tell the MT Researcher what Records we can
>see, what Records that will no longer exist, while they
>and all of the Courthouse clerks will be the only ones
>to have Access, BUT NOT THE PUBLIC.
>
>Please call or e-mail these House of Representatives
>on the House-State Administration Committee.
>
>House--State Administration Committee:
>Allan Walters, Chairman R - Hamilton
>Debby Barrett, Vice Chairman Majority R - Dillon
>Tom Dell, Vice Chairman Minority D - Billings
>Norma Bixby D - Lame Deer
>Dee Brown R - Hungry Horse
>Don Hedges R - Antelope
>Hal Jacobson D - Helena
>Larry Jent D - Bozeman
>Michelle Lee D - Livingston
>Larry Lehman R - Power
>Ralph Lenhart D - Glendive
>Gay Ann Masolo R - Townsend
>Doug Mood R - Seeley Lake
>Alan Olson R - Roundup
>Holly Raser D - Missoula
>Rick Ripley R - Wolf Creek
>Clarice Schrumpf R - Billings
>Frank Smith D - Poplar
>
>e-mail the House of Representatives:
>http://leg.state.mt.us/leg_msg.htm
>
>This House-State Administration Committee
>needs to hear from at least hundreds of
>MT Genealogists & Historians in the next
>couple of days!
>Please Support SB 443, we need everyone's
>help NOW!
>
>Patricia Marchington
>Member of Park County & the State Genealogy
>Society.
>marching(a)avicom.net
* * * * * * * *
Terry Phil 4:13
Teri PS 37:4-5
* * * * * * * *
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