I believe that I have uploaded most of the films that were in the 
individual files in RANCHOS2.  Can those of you who have files there 
check and let me know if I missed some...

I guess the next step is to put the IGI/VRI batch numbers associated 
with the films.  If anybody has these for one of the towns that is 
already there, please add them.

I have ordered three Sagrada Mitra films as well.  I will report back 
on what those films are like.  I imagine they have a wealth of 
infomation.  FYI in case you want me to do a lookup of a citation that 
you have found from Luz Montejano's book...  these are the films I 
requested...

0167992
0168004
0168006

Wow! The messages have been amazing the past few days. Thanks to all 
who have shared their insights regarding research.
(Confession: I am really bummed - I was writing this message, and had 
written quite a bit, then accidentally hit the wrong key, and lost 
the entire message. Now I am going to try to reconstruct, and hope I 
don't leave anything out.)
One of the things stressed by Dr. George Ryskamp at the recent 
Hispanic Family History Symposium held at the National Archives in 
Washington, DC, was the importance of knowing/understanding the 
locality of your ancestors. Learn about the geography, community, 
economy, culture, etc. Get to know about the jurisdictional concepts 
for your locality: political, ecclisiastical, judicial, military, 
etc. He highly recommended the preparation of a written locality 
report.
In another presentation he mentioned the National Archives of Mexico -
 it sounded amazing. Has anyone in this group been there?
BTW, his bibliography was quite

Victor, thank you for your tips, I've been told Legacy is the 
Cadillac of genealogy softwear and I will keep it in mind as my next 
purchase of genealogy tools. My computer skills are limited and it's 
a learn as I go project.  I just started using the Family Tree 
program that allows me to put in people who are not related to each 
other so that when I can tie in a line I only have to merge them, 
what a blessing that has been!
thanks again, Linda

--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, "v.h.villarreal" 
 wrote:
>
> Linda,
> 
> I have developed a somewhat similar system but I make use of a
> function built into my genealogy software (Legacy) where I print 
out a
> "source citation report".  Of course this requires that everytime 
you
> find a record on the IGI and make an entry in your genealogy 
database
> that you record the batch number AND the date of the event as a 
source. 
> 
> With your source citation report on hand you just sort by
> chronological order the

Linda,

I have developed a somewhat similar system but I make use of a
function built into my genealogy software (Legacy) where I print out a
"source citation report".  Of course this requires that everytime you
find a record on the IGI and make an entry in your genealogy database
that you record the batch number AND the date of the event as a source. 

With your source citation report on hand you just sort by
chronological order the entries grouped by source (batch number). 
Then, when you get a chance to review the microfilm of each batch
number you just locate each date from your report in a forward
sequence, take a picture (or transcribe the manuscript) and move to
the next, etc.

The ideal thing would be to read the whole book from start to finish
but the circumstances usually make it impractical if not impossible. 
This is a very efficient method to get your records fast.  Let's say
you need some 20 or 30 records from a microfilm you can get them in
about an hour.

Hope this

I have started using the batch numbers to do the groundwork before 
going to the FHC to read the actual films.  There are so many 
entries that are smeared or too light to read that having them read 
by someone else has been a Godsend. In doing marriage records for 
Tamazula the online batch # gave me a marriage for my ancestor 
Benito Gutierrez that I never would have been able to read on my 
own. I allow for misspelled names and missing dates.  There are 
times when I know I will have to order the film a second time but 
when time is an issue pulling all the surnames I'm researching with 
the % and a surname has saved the day more than once. Now when I go 
to read the film I've already started my record with dates and names 
in sequence so I do them first and then go back and do the complete 
record a second time. I always order at least 2 films because one 
usually is being used by someone else and I've waited up to 2 months 
for a film to arrive or as little as 8 days. 
My husband

I went to Zacatatecas and visited a number of towns. Fortunately, I was able to take a 
long-lost relative to Valparaiso, Zacatecas, where he showed me around, including taking 
me to the Iglesia of that city. He knew somebody there at the church but that person was 
not available. He then took me to directly to a small office located adjacent to the church, 
where all the baptism/marriage/death records were kept. We asked if we could review 
baptism records but we received only a cold stare, not a no and not a yes. I got the 
definite impression that it was not allowed. My friend and I kept talking in Spanish, being 
friendly, and dropping a few apellidos here and there; I imagine the entire town is related 
directly or indirectly if you go back far enough.

Anyway, after a little more chit-chat, I told her exactly what years and types of records I 
wanted to see, e.g. 1890-1895 baptisms. Amazingly, she brought out the INDEX to those 
baptisms, which included dates, names

There are a whole set of records from the original Franciscan Convent 
set up in Colotlan in 1591 that are supposedly at the Colotlan 
church.  These include baptismal and marriage records prior to the 
foundation of the actual church in 1720 (all of these on FHC 
films)... These are the ones I really want to look at.

I imagine that since the civil registry has to have mechanisms to 
obtain copies of documents in their possession, they can be more 
reticent about letting people see the originals... plus I have heard 
that documents created since the time civil registry was instituted 
in Mexico are in worse shape than the old baptismal records because 
of printing on non-acid-free paper, whereas old records were written 
with much more durable inks on much more durable paper.

We will see.  I am looking at writing to the parish head before I 
head down and perhaps getting a local historian to vouch for me. 

--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, Alicia Carrillo  wrote:
>
>

Joseph, the films with no name are simply films with batch numbers 
next to them, so that they can more easily be searched in IGI and 
VRI.  The database was originally for batch numbers and it has only 
recently been updated to include permanent loan information.

Thus the missing permanent loan info on some and missing batch info 
on others.


--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, Joseph Puentes  wrote:
>
> great thanks and whose's films are those that don't have names in 
the 
> permanent loan column?
> 
> does anyone know?
> 
> joseph
> 
> ps: they look like mine but I didn't enter them so they aren't
> 
> 
> 
> Arturo Ramos wrote:
> 
> >I have uploaded David Serna's and Rosalinda Ruiz's films to the 
> >database.  Most of them do not have batch numbers but they are 
listed 
> >so you know who has them at their local FHL.  I will try to add 
batch 
> >numbers to them and try to upload Joseph's and some others as I 
have 
> >time.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > 
> >Yahoo! Groups