Eventually almost every researcher is faced with the challenge of finding the county his or her ancestor called home and learning as much about that county as possible. With county records holding the key to so much valuable information on these ancestors, there is little wonder that knowledge of that county is so important. But finding an actual source for that information is frequently a huge challenge.

This month a research standard on county histories is being offered for the first time in paperback. A Bibliography of American County Histories provides a state-by-state listing of all published county histories of any significance up to 1984. The original hardback was published in 1985.

Compiled by P. William Filby, the work provides information on the titles, authors and place and dates of publications. It includes details on the editions, reprints and indexes. Its intended use was to give historians and genealogists an overview of what was available at a glance and it serves this purpose masterfully.

County histories reached their hey day in the 1880s and 90s. After that date the trend seemed to move to including biographies of prominent men and soon the pure county history itself had simply disappeared. Mr. Filby found there was a great surge of county histories in the late 19th century and the first 20 years of the 20th century and a smaller surge around the Bicentennial.

He estimates approximately 5,000 works of note are now available and that number has increased very little since 1919. Since comparatively few county histories (a book devoted to lists of vital records, narratives of early explorations and settlements and biographical sketches) are printed today, this book should remain the standard bibliography for years to come.

This work is based on findings in the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, published state bibliographies, and submissions from librarians in each state. Using these sources, Filby was able to almost double the number of county histories previously listed by the Library of Congress and the New York Public Library….quite a feat by any measure.

The late Mr. Filby was a world-renowned scholar, bibliographer and cryptologist. He authored or compiled some 20 additional books including works on calligraphy, genealogy, and immigration. His best known works in bibliography include the monumental American & British Genealogy & Heraldry (1983) and Passenger and Immigration Lists Bibliography, 1538-1900 (1981).

This volume includes the entire U.S. with the exception of Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico and clearly makes an outstanding research tool which belongs is every genealogical collection or library.

The 449-page volume may be ordered from Clearfield Company, Inc.; 200 E. Eager St.; Baltimore, MD 21202; 410-625-9004; or at their website www.genealogical.com. The list price is $35 with postage and handling of $4 for the first book and $1.50 for each additional one.

DOES ANYONE KNOW Š

Š Ralph Poor (3440 S. Brookshore Place, Boise, Idaho 83706; email-

poorehouse1@msn.com

; 208-331-2023) is looking for veterans who knew his father, RALPH E. POORE, or who served in one of the units below during World War II. His father served with the liaison unit of the Headquarters Battery, 29th Field Artillery (FA) Battalion in the 4th Infantry Division. As a member of the liaison unit, he was often on the front line with the forward observers for the 8th Infantry Regiment. His father enlisted in January 1941 from LAUREL, MS, and trained at Fort Benning and Camp Gordon, GA, before going to England in preparation for the D-Day invasion. He served in all major engagements until Germany’s surrender. He died in Mobile, AL, in 1976. If you knew this man or knew some members of the 29th FA liaison units, please contact Mr. Poore.

Š Josephine Randolph (

jxr143@penn.com

) is seeking information on SAMUEL CLARK FIELDS, her grandfather, who was allegedly born around Vicksburg, MS, about 1868. He had two siblings but she has no other information available. Can any reader help with information about Mr. Fields?

Please send your announcements and queries to FAMILY TREES, 900 Main St., Natchez, MS 39120 or email

FAMTREE316@aol.com

. All queries are printed free of charge. We look forward to hearing from you.