Sunday, March 2, 2008

Rootbound in the Hills #9:
17 Nov 1987

by Rocky Macy

Dear Mr. Macy,

I am currently researching the SHERMAN family history.

In the October 27, 1987, edition of your newspaper, I read your article concerning surnames listed in the 1860 McDonald County Census.

Could you send me any entries you have in the SHERMAN name? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Sandra SHERMAN
Rt. 2, Box 2540
Anderson, MO 64831

Sandra, there is only one SHERMAN family listed in the 1860 census of McDonald County. They resided in the Elk River Township (Noel area). (The number and letters following each name refer to age and state of birth.)
Abner (33, OH)
Mary (32, KY)
Mo (11, MO)
Danl (6, MO)
Sarah F. (3, MO)
Mary E. (7/12, MO)

Abner and his wife, Mary, are buried at Cummings Cemetery. There are also SHERMANs buried at these other McDonald County cemeteries: Pineville, Tracy, Lanagan, New Bethel, May, and Anderson.

I checked the Goodspeed's 1888 History of McDonald and Newton Counties for SHERMAN entries. There were none in McDonald County, but Newton County had a biographical sketch on William H. SHERMAN who was superintendent of the Newton County Poor Farm at that time.

If you'll let us know who your specific SHERMANS are, some of our readers may be able to help. Thanks for writing.

I have received a couple of phone calls this week about where to write for copies of birth or death certificates. For those of you who would like to have called but didn't, the following area states are provided:

Arkansas:
Division of Vital Records
Arkansas Department of Health
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
Birth Certificate: $2.00
Death Certificate: $3.00

Kansas:
Bureau of Registration and Health Statistics
Kansas State Department of Health and Environment
6700 South Topeka Avenue
Topeka, KS 66620
Birth or Death Certificate: $3.00

Oklahoma:
Vital Records Section
State Department of Health
Northwest 20th Street and Stonewall
P.O. Box 53551
Oklahoma City, OK 73152
Birth or Death Certificate: $2.00


Rootbound Noise:
In 1980 when I was just getting serious about genealogy, copies of Missouri death certificates were $1.00. Two years later the state legislature kicked that fee up 400%. California, in 1980, was $4.00 per certificate. Today their fee is $11.00. I have become wary of politicians who vow to never raise taxes. It seems like when a legislative hand is pulled from one pocket, it slips quietly into another. When licenses and fees go up, we are, in effect, paying more taxes.

I guess if there's a moral to this story, it would be to get out and acquire your genealogy documents today before our Midwestern legislators follow those from California - out into the sunset and over the brink!

Happy hunting!

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