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Archiver > ESSEX-UK > 2002-08 > 1028606094


From: Chris Collin <>
Subject: Re: Essex records on the IGI
Date: Mon, 05 Aug 2002 23:54:54 -0400
References: <003301c23b66$d3a23080$a2b654d2@ethelcowbottom>


Terri K wrote:

> Can anyone enlighten me as to why there are so few records available for this area? i.e. records lost, or simply not yet recorded by the LDS.

Terri,

I have also wondered about why Essex is so under-represented on the IGI etc. I was fortunate to work with a gentleman who was very involved wth the Mormon Family History Centre here in Ottawa Canada. I posed the question to him, and the answer was interesting!

Apparently, the Mormons approach churches, and offer to make complete copies of the church records. They provide these copies free to the churches, which helps to preseve those records, as many churches do not have adequate archive facilities - many are simply in a box in the rectors's house, or even stuffed away somewhere in the church, collecting mold and damp. In return, the Morman's will make copies for their own use.

It is this second feature that some object to, as some have objections to the beliefs and practices of the LDS church . As the Morman's require permission to gather the records, only those churches where permission is granted are recorded. It turns out that a huge majority of churches in Essex declined the offers from the LDS church in the past, while in other areas, the percentage of acceptance was much higher. Other churches are "worse" than the CofE - if I recall correctly, Roman Catholic churches are far more reticent, which is why England (primarily
CofE) is covered by the IGI so much better than some countries where the main church is Roman Catholic.

I believe there are other reasons as well. Simply, if a Morman researcher has not connected in your family (yet), it will likely not be recorded in the IGI. The IGI is a database of "found" relatives (of LDS church members). The database grows, much like our own, as more information becomes apparent. Their mandate is to find their own relatives, not ours. When their lines or research cross ours, we get lucky. They are also very good about sharing the data that they have with the general public (frequently at a financial loss). I think that is great,
and a wonderful service to those of us not connected to their church, but it must be remembered, the data is being collected for their purposes, not ours.

Not, we just have to hope to those on this list who live in Essex will convince their local rector to allow the Mormans in to peek at the records. Most of the one's I've met are really pretty friendly!

Chris Collin
Searching COLLIN NW Essex 1400-1900, and
MISKEW, Ukraine and Canada.


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