Be Sure to Visit my new 1900 Galveston Storm Website at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootseb.com/~barnette 

CODE IDENTIFIES OBITUARIES

 David W Dole is 85 years old and pushing hard to have every newspaper in the world adopt a code he invented. The code will immediately identify the source of any obituary. Using his eight digit Publishers Genealogical Coding Service code, a genealogist would be able to identify the date of the obituary, as well as, the name and city of the publishing newspaper.

  Dole's quest began after finding too many clipped obituaries with no information as to when or where they were published. In many cases, the obituaries mentioned vague dates and places, such as,  "Susie Smith died Tuesday night at her residence. She will be buried Friday in the City Cemetery."

 Dole's code system has the endorsements of  numerous genealogical and historical societies, including the Council of Genealogical Columnists, The Association of Professional Genealogists, The Federation of Genealogical Columnists and the National Genealogical Society.

 What Dole seeks is the grass roots support of local genealogists and their societies. He has written most newspapers in the United States at least once. However, he laments, he is one person and lacks the ability to persistently call on local newspaper management to sell them on his idea.

 The initial registration cost to a newspaper to obtain the PGCS code is very minimal. Once the newspaper's code has been registered it could be used into eternity to identify the source of obituaries published by that newspaper.

 Dole maintains a website at http://www.obituarycoding.com/ with more information explaining the PGCS coding system and information on how to approach editors. His e-mail address is dwdole@fishnet.com and his mailing address is 8102 Highwood Drive #B-125, Bloomington, MN 55438-1406

   GENEALOGY CHAT ON INTERNET

 HoustonChronicle.com, the Chronicle's online website and TalkCity.com , a national chat hosting website, will sponsor a genealogy chat from 8 PM to 9 PM (CST) on Monday January 24. Mic Barnette, author of this column, will be the guest.

 To join the Genealogy Chat go to http://www.talkcity.com . A greeting on the website will prompt chatters to sign-in as a member or as a guest and will give further instructions on how to join the fun. Both members and guests are able to see all the action  and ask questions. Those that sign in as members on the Chronicle's website will receive the Chronicle's Weekly Online E-Newsletter with schedules of other chats and activities.

 Chatters who use AOL as their only means of access to the Internet will need to have either  a) a full version of Netscape or Microsoft Explorer 3.0 or higher installed separate from the "mini-browser"  that comes with AOL, or b) upgrade to AOL 4.0 which does allow the AOL browser to reach Talk City.

OBITUARY LINKS PAGE

 Bill Cribbs maintains a website called the Obituary Links Page located at http://geocities.com/cribbswh/obit/. His website links together webpages from across the Internet that contain obituaries or lists of obituaries.

 Some of the hyperlinks on this website attach to newspapers with  current obituaries while others link to websites where obituaries are archived or compiled in lists and databases.

 The Archive Search Engine at http://www.cribbs.net/obitsearch/ is a sister site of the Obituary Links Page. It, too,  is maintained by Cribbs. Those looking for obituaries of relatives or ancestors should check these websites periodically to see what new information and links might be added.

NEWS FROM THE BOOK SHELF

 N. Dale Talkington and Deone K. Pearcy have compiled a two volume book,  OKLAHOMA DEATH NOTICE and OBITUARY INDEX  to THE DAILY OKLAHOMAN. The first volume covers the years 1947 to 1961 and volume two covers 1962 to 1971. Both volumes combined consist of nearly 1600 pages and references to approximately 87,000 individuals and sell for $75 each. The Daily Oklahoman has been considered a statewide newspaper since 1907.

 The books are divided into chapters. Each chapter is an alphabetical index for a given year. Included in the reference is the date of the obituary and the page and column where it appears in the newspaper.

 N. Dale Talkington has, also, compiled a uniquely compiled cemetery book, A TIME REMEMBERED: The Verden, Oklahoma Cemetery. The Verden Cemetery is located in far west Grady County, Oklahoma. The earliest known burial in the cemetery is 1900, seven years prior to statehood.

 The beginning of the book lists, if known,  the name, age, date of birth, date and place of death, name of spouse, grave location and any other remarks found on the tombstone or in an obituary for each person known to be buried in the cemetery.

 The second portion of the book consists of photocopies of  obituaries of many persons buried in the cemetery. Obituaries of persons whose graves are unmarked or their locations are unidentified are so noted. The book sells for $55, postpaid.

 These books may be purchased from Talkington at 10119 Olympia Drive, Houston, TX 77042-2929 call 713-974-4737 or email daletalkington@hotmail.com.