Mailing List

THE TOOL BOX

Mailing Lists - How to Write A Query - Message Boards - How to Research

Mailing Lists exist for each Georgia county and are supplied by the server folks @ Rootsweb, who are owned by Ancestry.com. These mailing lists are manned by a volunteer coordinator that has specific rules for each list, and they vary. Some list managers do not allow selling of merchandise, or advertising of merchandise, while others are more lenient. Some list managers do not allow messages that tell about page updates, etc. Don't feel unkindly towards them, they simply have large lists where people get multiple email messages pertaining to the same thing and it gets very difficult for them to manager all the messages of the same message, therefore complaints are turned in to the list manager and a solution must be reached. Your solution to this is to bookmark pages that you visit and check back frequently to see if there are updates. You will find that you probably will find different items to pique your interest. If you sign up for a mailing list (Subscribe), please understand that the list mode will give you a copy of each message going to the list, and that digest mode will put them into one message as attachments and send it to you via email usually every 12 hours. If a list is busy, the list mode may not be for you if you don't like alot of scattered messages, so think about which one will work best for you. I have listed the counties above with their links to their pertinent information so you can choose which one to sign up for, just click on the county link and go from there. You might want to browse through some of the messages to see the discussions, and you can also search the list for previous years and see if you can find any of the folks you are interested in. Note also that the Message Boards at Ancestry.com will also (in some cases), be set to post to the mailing list, so you will see those messages on many lists as well. If you are unsure what to post to the list -- read the list rules that you received when you subscribed, and go from there. You can find information below on how to write a good inquiry, the most important thing is to "post" and provide good information so someone can help you. Good Luck!

WRITING A GOOD INQUIRY OR QUERY

Example:
SUBJECT LINE: LEONARDO, ROBERT Cherokee, Co., GA 1838-1900

BODY: Robert LEONARDO was born in Cherokee County, Georgia on January 13, 1838, he married Elizabeth STEINZ (Pike County, Georgia, the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (MARTIN) STEINZ) on Dec. 13, 1852. Robert was a tailor and owned a shop in Atlanta, GA on Lucky Street, he died while crossing the street (which was not so lucky for him), on Dec. 21, 1900. I am searching for the siblings of Robert and information on his parents. He is listed in the census for Cherokee County, Georgia in 1900 and shows a Nina living with them that is 83. Who was Nina?

I will appreciate any help in the above, and I am willing to share my information with others as well.

Your Full Name
Email Address (XXX @xxxx.com)

A query should focus on one or two surnames. Once contact is made with someone researching in the same area additional information may be solicited.

Essential information to anything more than a "I got lucky" strike: 1) submit as complete a name as possible; 2) submit as accurate a time frame as possible; and, 3) submit as good a location as possible.

Several short, specific queries are preferred over a long, involved inquiry. This should elicit more positive responses.

The subject line of your electronic query should include the surname in all CAPITAL letters, the country and/or state abbreviation to attract the attention of the recipient(s).

Be courteous; use a salutation and closing to your query, as well as a full name. Some people object to the use of just nicknames or "handles". The more professional your query looks the better.

If you can't remember the above, just limit the length of your query; limit the scope; include name, place, time frame; and above all, be courteous and kind, the person you smile at today may be the only smile they get. <Smiles to You>.

P. S. DO NOT USE ALL CAPITALS WHEN WRITING EMAILS -- IT IS CONSIDERED RUDE AND IN A SHOUTING TONE.

MESSAGE BOARDS

Basically message boards are like a giant corkboard, they house messages sent from far and wide in reference to many subjects about each county, people, sites, etc. The http://boards.ancestry.com message boards at Ancestry have specific sections set up for Queries, and specific records. You can view those by clicking on the drop down menu box for that county.

Georgia
List Boards \| Add Category To Favorites

Counties

Historical Counties

You can search for messages, post messages, etc. for different counties, surnames, etc. I have included above the listings for Georgia, so you can click from here to reach the Georgia counties page. There is also an administrator for each message board, contact them if you have any problems posting, etc., and they will assist you.

Summary:

I would strongly urge you to make use of these tools at least one time to post your inquiry so that people will be able to reach you if they are researching the same. Make sure to update your listing if your email address changes.

Good luck in your research.

The GeorgiaGenWeb.org Project Team