Since I have quite a few, I was thinking of putting these in the recycle bin, but maybe some of you might want them. If so, just email me and I’ll send my address so you can send a business letter size SASE. (That is, Self Addressed Stamped Envelope: what genealogists used to do before the Internet and email!) For my email address, click on the Loy website link under Loy Links at right and I’ll send my snail-mail address. With your SASE, just tell me which ones you want and how many. When all are gone, I’ll edit this post and set the count below to zero.

Papers are as follows and number of copies I have are in parenthesis:

(40) Goodspeed’s History of East Tennessee, 1887, pg. 1179. Bio sketch on John W. Loy, son of Jacob Loy, son of “Fisher” John Loy, son of George Loy, son of Martin Loy.

(35) Herringshaw’s American Blue Book of Biography, 1914, pg. 618. Has four-line, two-sentence bio on F.W. [Ferdinand W.] Loy, son of Thomas M. Loy, Sr., son of John Henry Loy, son of Henry Loy, son of Martin Loy.

(35) Effingham County [IL] History, 1910, pp. 807-809. These pages include bios on the following Loys:

Calvin C. Loy, son of John Henry Loy Jr., son of John Henry Loy, son of Henry Loy, son of Martin Loy.

James H. Loy, son of James B. Loy, son of Joseph C. Loy, son of John Henry Loy, son of Henry Loy, son of Martin Loy.

John H. Loy, son of Joseph C. Loy, son of John Henry Loy, son of Henry Loy, son of Martin Loy. This is my ancestor, and note that bio gives wrong year for his father’s birth (should be 1809), for when his parents married (should be 1828), wrong date for his first marriage (should be 28 August) and wrong birth year for son Fidellos (should be 1879).

(40) [UPDATED COUNT 24 Sept]  History of Effingham County, Illinois, pp. 203-211, missing pg. 205. These mention the Loys. UPDATE: 24 Sept: I found more papers!! This book is digitally available on the Online Books section of the Loy website, too.

(35) A one-page newsclipping from 1988 on Solomon Loy kiln excavation. Solomon son of Henry Loy, son of John Loy, son of Martin Loy. 

(25) The next (oversized) photocopy is a rarity because I obtained the original record myself. Folded in half, it’ll fit in a 9×12 envelope. It’s the Orange County, NC land sale record from 1814 of land bought by George Foust from the heirs of Margaret Loy (widow of Henry, son of Martin): George Sharp, Mary Sharp [daughter of Margaret Loy and wife of George Sharp], John Loy, and Elizabeth Loy. [At that time Elizabeth was married to Henry Edward Caley, but Margaret's will, if any existed, was probably under Elizabeth's maiden name, so that's why she had maiden name here.] Margaret’s younger son Daniel had died by then, so wasn’t listed. There are two sheets of paper to this record.

(35) Veteran’s Day Tribute (1 page) telling of USS Loy Christening and Commission, with short bio on Jackson Keith Loy, for whom it was named. “Jack” was 2nd cousin to my grandmother, Susan (Loy) Walls, while Jack’s sister Freda married my grandpa Jesse (”Jack”) Walls’ 2nd cousin Chris Walls. I corresponded with Freda for several years and she lived in same apartment complex as my dad’s sister.  A cousin sent me this article when I first started tracing the Loys in my teens. Unfortunately, at that age, wasn’t always citing my sources. As a result, I don’t have name of publication this page is from, other than it was on “page 7.” If anyone knows, please tell me!!

For my first entry, I thought I’d start with a poll, where you can respond in the comment field, regarding the second edition of The Complete Loy History, Featuring Descendants of Martin Loy (to America 1741).

As the first book in 1998 weighed in at 10 lbs., I planned the second version to be in PDF format. However, about ten years ago a distant cousin suggested I put the book online instead, charging a subscription for viewing. At the time, I could find no online databases suitable for the book to be in online format. None offered large amount of text space for details about each person. But finally, last week, I found a program that seems to have most of the features I’d need.

So, I’ll present the pros and cons of each type, PDF or Online, to you…

PDF Pros: In a CD format, the PDF file is portable where you don’t have to be online to read it, such as at family reunions. E-book readers are able to read PDF files, so the book could even be read in that manner. And being like a book, it could be printed from your printer like book pages.

PDF Cons: This would involve my having to invest in CDs, mailers, and postage. Not to mention numerous trips to post office to mail your order, which would take several days to receive. PDF versions change over the years, so there may be a chance of it being unreadable by your computer in the future. As large as this book will be, it may need to be divided into about three PDF files. Although PDFs have a search feature, it will be made more difficult having to search multiple files for a name rather than just one. Being in a CD format, like the book, you won’t have access to additions/corrections. If your CD is lost or damaged, it would need replaced.

Online Pros: Once you order it, data would be available immediately. Info would be constantly updated, so you would have instant access, instead of having to wait for a third edition of the book. Even if I had to re-typeset the book manuscript into this database, most could be a copy and paste and not involve too much retyping. And, you could view information as I’m inputting. Not having to wait until I fully complete the PDF book in order to see any of it. And as for features, the search would be so much easier and more accurate. You could search by who was born in same town, find who was born on this date or shares your birth month and day, search everyone with same first name…the list goes on and on. 

Online Cons: To view, you’d always need Internet access. I would have to purchase this online software and maintain my own web domain. Since the software is only $30 (plus more for needed upgrades) and I already “rent” my own web domain, it wouldn’t be too much out of pocket. Still, considering I’m currently among the unemployed, barely covering rent and Internet access each month, it may take some time to afford the software.

As I’ve been researching since a teen in the 1980s, much work has gone into this. What do you all think would be a fair “suggested donation”? Anyone who owns the first edition of the book knows the information in it is quite extensive. And I currently have about 3 or 4 times that now, having gleaned most of the census as current as 1930 for most of these generations. The manuscript includes transcribed census for each household 1790-1930 for most people living in that era. (Plus census page numbers and residence, so you can check it out yourself on the unindexed census microfilm roll.)

I know many of you are like me, pinching pennies. To make it available for everyone, instead of charging a set price for access, I feel donations is only fair. For the 1998 book, I had asked for $80, the full cost of producing the book. (Yet went “in the hole” from not properly calculating postage!) With less out of pocket this time, it will cost less to produce and, in turn, be more affordable.

So, what’s your opinion??

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