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I did try it (got nothing) and then realized they want you to "sign up" just like other sites. So, my opinion of these websites is the same. I think all this historical info should be free to everyone on earth. I do not believe it is their "right" to charge for this information, no matter how much time they spent gathering it. JMHO
Signing up doesn't mean you have to pay. But I'm not sure why you think all public records should be free. They are not normally free when you order them by mail from the organization they are held at. The people and organizations who make them available online have to pay for the scanning, the indexing, and the server hosting. How are they supposed to pay for that if you're not paying for the services they are providing? It's not just about the time they spend gathering, it costs them money and you expect them to just do that for you at no cost to you? That's very entitled.
Yes, probably is not a good attitude. I went to the Family History Center today here and asked about this from the LDS attendant who helped me with my genealogy.
She told me that even the LDS church has to PAY for these records from these companies (like Ancestry) in order to get them. Did not know that.
Signing up doesn't mean you have to pay. But I'm not sure why you think all public records should be free. They are not normally free when you order them by mail from the organization they are held at. The people and organizations who make them available online have to pay for the scanning, the indexing, and the server hosting. How are they supposed to pay for that if you're not paying for the services they are providing? It's not just about the time they spend gathering, it costs them money and you expect them to just do that for you at no cost to you? That's very entitled.
Just wanted to say I agree with the above.
There has always been a fee for these services.
If you want a no fee sort of experience, you won't get very far. I personally don't think many of the fees are all that expensive. I do think ancestry.com is too expensive now but I'm rather cheap lol. Familysearch.org, which the LDS church runs is free. You can also go to your local library and use their resources for free.
I'm lucky in that my family has lived in my local area since the mid 1800s and so I was able to find a lot of "free" information via both familysearch.org and via our local history room at the library. I do have to pay to scan or copy something though, most of the time, I'll just take a picture of whatever I'm looking at with my phone lol.
I have a French genealogy buddy who has been quite helpful to me over the years.
He sent this request to me about a year ago, and I have never had any luck locating any of the records.
Maybe someone here could have more luck than me??
Here is a copy of his request:
I should like to know whether you are able to help me. I am writing a genealogical history of my family and one of my aunts came to USA on the 20th of November 1909 at the Ellis Island harbour by the “La Provence” ship. Her name was Maria Allain born at Morieux in France on the 1st of October 1891. This woman married George Franklin Stevens at Washington on the 19th of January 1911. I should like to get a copy of her marriage act. On the Familysearch website, I found these references : film number: 2108512, digital file number 4259057, picture number 883. I don’t know if any else database exists. This woman divorced from George Franklin between 1912 and 1914. She married Mr Masson after the first World War. I should like to get her marriage act with that man, perhaps at Washington, perhaps at New-York. She died at New-York in july 1975 as it is said in the United States Social Security Death Index (nbr 081-44-4186) ; when she died, she was living at Brooklin Kings 11215 New-York . I should like to get a copy of her death act also.
I have a French genealogy buddy who has been quite helpful to me over the years.
He sent this request to me about a year ago, and I have never had any luck locating any of the records.
Maybe someone here could have more luck than me??
Here is a copy of his request:
I should like to know whether you are able to help me. I am writing a genealogical history of my family and one of my aunts came to USA on the 20th of November 1909 at the Ellis Island harbour by the “La Provence” ship. Her name was Maria Allain born at Morieux in France on the 1st of October 1891. This woman married George Franklin Stevens at Washington on the 19th of January 1911. I should like to get a copy of her marriage act. On the Familysearch website, I found these references : film number: 2108512, digital file number 4259057, picture number 883. I don’t know if any else database exists. This woman divorced from George Franklin between 1912 and 1914. She married Mr Masson after the first World War. I should like to get her marriage act with that man, perhaps at Washington, perhaps at New-York. She died at New-York in july 1975 as it is said in the United States Social Security Death Index (nbr 081-44-4186) ; when she died, she was living at Brooklin Kings 11215 New-York . I should like to get a copy of her death act also.
I don't know if you're from NY, or if what I bolded is a typo but it should read. Brooklyn. The word Kings just refers to the county in Brooklyn. I sent you a dm with a couple of FB NY gen sites that may be able to help you help your friend. I wasn't sure if I could post them here. There's also a Brooklyn Genealogy site on FB but I'm not a member so I can't see the posts so I don't know how helpful they are but it might be worth a try.
I have a French genealogy buddy who has been quite helpful to me over the years.
He sent this request to me about a year ago, and I have never had any luck locating any of the records.
Maybe someone here could have more luck than me??
Here is a copy of his request:
I should like to know whether you are able to help me. I am writing a genealogical history of my family and one of my aunts came to USA on the 20th of November 1909 at the Ellis Island harbour by the “La Provence” ship. Her name was Maria Allain born at Morieux in France on the 1st of October 1891. This woman married George Franklin Stevens at Washington on the 19th of January 1911. I should like to get a copy of her marriage act. On the Familysearch website, I found these references : film number: 2108512, digital file number 4259057, picture number 883. I don’t know if any else database exists. This woman divorced from George Franklin between 1912 and 1914. She married Mr Masson after the first World War. I should like to get her marriage act with that man, perhaps at Washington, perhaps at New-York. She died at New-York in july 1975 as it is said in the United States Social Security Death Index (nbr 081-44-4186) ; when she died, she was living at Brooklin Kings 11215 New-York . I should like to get a copy of her death act also.
Doesn't look like Maria's second marriage was in D.C.
Didn't find it under surname Allain or Stevens.
Also checked NYC marriages & didn't find anything for surname Masson with bride Maria or Marie Allain or Stevens.
NYC marriage index goes only to 1937 (after that it is private.)
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