Sunday, September 30, 2007

Bride & Dog

I'm told that this is a photo of my grandmother, Gillie Mae Hester, on her wedding day, 5 Aug 1917. She married my grandfather Irving Lee Lantz on that date. This photo has always made me wonder if her dog served as her wedding attendant. I used the scratch removal tool to get rid of a crease in this photo. (Actually, there is another arm to the side of the dog, so that was probably her real attendant, her mom, a cousin, or a guest.)

It's amazing to me that my grandmother even met my grandfather. He was quite a bit older than she was. They lived in different parts of the county. My mom tells me that he was delivering mail during that time and that is how they met. It's still difficult to fathom that he, a resident of Aberdeen, was delivering mail to an Amory route which would have been about 20 miles between the two homes. (It's about 16 miles between the two towns.) I guess they drove further to work in those days than one would think.

The marriage lasted for 54 years until my grandfather's death in 1971 at the age of 85. "Nanny" died in 1993 at the age of 96.

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Who is Cordeam(u) Merrill?

Today, I was indexing a page from the 1900 census of Carroll, Coos County, New Hampshire. As I was going down the page, I wondered whose household I was indexing because I was over half-way down the page and all of these persons were servants (except for two who appear to be children of servants). Turns out that it is a Cordeam (or Cordeamu) Merrill who is a hotel keeper. I wonder what hotel was so large to employ that many persons around the turn of the century. What is even more interesting is that the next household belonged to the hotel's watchkeeper, and he had several hotel servants residing with him. The Mount Washington Hotel was not built until 1902 so this was not the hotel. Was it Mount Pleasant House? (Better view here.) Would anyone know about which hotel this was or about the Merrill family?

History & Genealogy - Not Mutually Exclusive

Elizabeth Shown Mills pointed out some papers presented at the Midwestern Roots Conference a couple of years ago (in 2005) that are now online at the Indiana Magazine of History Web site. Teresa Baer's topic introduction is there and is entitled "History and Genealogy: Why Not Both? An Introduction to the Panel Discussion." Curt Witcher's "History and Genealogy--Why Not Both?" and Elizabeth Shown Mills' "Bridging the Historic Divide: Family History and 'Academic' History" are also available. All papers are in Microsoft Word format.

Friday, September 28, 2007

British Books Digitization

This is really exciting news coming out of England. More than 100,000 books are being digitized and made available to the public. These are mostly 19th century works whose authors died before 1936. It says they'll be free at British universities, but it doesn't say how or if they'll be marketed to other countries.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

New Resource for Researching Kansans

Now, I don't have a huge amount of Kansas ancestry, but my great-great grandfather Levi Lantz (of hula fame) did live there the last couple of years of his life and is buried in the Amish Cemetery in McPherson. The Kansas Memory Project is launching a huge photo project on October 16. I'm including the press release here:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 26, 2007

LARGEST ONLINE COLLECTION OF IMAGES AND DOCUMENTS FROM KANSAS HISTORY TO BE LAUNCHED OCTOBER 16

Former Kansas Governor John Carlin to be on hand at launch event

TOPEKA, KS—The Kansas Historical Society announced that former Kansas Governor John Carlin, who served as Archivist of the United States from 1995-2005, will return to Topeka for the launch of Kansas Memory on October 16. Kansas Memory is the Historical Society’s newest online offering, featuring the largest collection of photographs and manuscripts from Kansas history on the Internet, and can be accessed at kansasmemory.org. Carlin and other state dignitaries will be on hand at the Historical Society, 6425 SW 6th Avenue, for a launch event at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, October 16. The launch coincides with American Archives Month.

Kansas Memory offers unprecedented online access to Kansas history and includes thousands of items from the Kansas Historical Society’s collections of photographs, letters, diaries, and other historic items. Users can browse, search, or share images, and will eventually be able to purchase high-resolution versions online. The “My Memory” section allows users to customize a personal space, save searches, and create scrapbooks of items. Although it would be impossible to add every single item in the Kansas Historical Society’s collection to Kansas Memory, the Historical Society will actively continue to add images as part of its goal to make Kansas history more accessible to everyone. Visitors to the site can listen to dramatic readings in the Kansas Memory podcasts and subscribe to web feeds for the latest content.

Teachers will find the multi-faceted browse feature especially helpful as it includes topics that help meet Kansas and U.S. history standards. Kansas Memory was developed in part with funding from the Information Network of Kansas.

During the month of October, Kansas Press Association member newspapers will have access to a special collection of photos from Kansas Memory for use in their publications. This partnership between the Association and the Kansas Historical Society celebrates National Newspaper Week, October 7-13.

For more information on Kansas Memory, visit kansasmemory.org or call Pat Michaelis, Kansas Historical Society State Archives & Library Director at 785-272-8681, ext. 270.

UPDATE: P.S. - Some of Levi's children and grandchildren remained in Kansas after his death.

Genealogy Book Sale

Now . . . if that doesn't get your attention, I don't know what will! Heritage Books is hosting its "Midnight Madness Sale." The dates are September 28 -- October 5, 2007, and you get at least 20% off your order.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Tired

I apologize for the lack of blogging this week. I'll try to get back with it tomorrow night. It's just been "one of those weeks."

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Stitching for Literacy

One of my other hobbies is cross-stitching. Our local needlework shop, One More Stitch (127 N. Daisy St., Morristown, TN) has joined up with Funk & Weber Designs in their Needle and ThREAD: Stitching for Literacy challenge. Basically, the shop is collecting hand-stitched bookmarks for children which will be presented to the Morristown Children's Library on November 12. It's a great idea! I'm sure other needlework shops around the country are also participating, so if you cross-stitch, I encourage you to get involved with this project! By the way, check out Funk & Weber's blog which has some great Alaskan photos as well as other interesting items. Maybe one of these bookmarks will not only inspire children to read, but perhaps it may inspire one of these children to make one of those nice samplers that we genealogists really like to have handed down from our great-great-great grandparents!

Saturday, September 22, 2007

African-American Catholics

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Office of African American Catholic Ministries is planning a booklet to help African-Americans with Catholic heritage.

Fred Thompson Related to Elvis

If the old adage that presidential candidates must be related to royalty to win is true, Fred Thompson is in good standing. He's related to the King.

The Cherokee

In the news . . .

A slow, lethal combination of external pressures including warfare, rather than a lack of natural resources, led to the demise of the Cherokee Indians, two new studies suggest.


Read the entire article.

Friday, September 21, 2007

"Imprisoned by Andros"

That phrase caught my attention as I was studying an article (pages 97-103) from a July 1899 (vol. 3, no. 7) issue of The Essex Antiquarian which gave an account of my Andrews line. I found the article entitled "Descendants of John Andrews of Ipswich" through my research membership at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, utilizing their online collections. In this account, the progenitor of this particular branch of Andrews, Lt. John Andrews, born about 1618, is said to have been "imprisoned by Andros." The Andros in question is, of course, Edmund Andros who was governor of the Dominion of New England from 1686-1689. It appears that my Andrews family were among the majority of people with whom he was not popular. I was curious about why he was imprisoned and found the answer in Google books. In The Memorial History of Boston: Including Suffolk County, Massachusetts, 1630-1880 edited by Justin Winsor, vol. II, The Provincial Period, (Boston: Ticknor & Company, 1881), page 10 tells us that the town of Ipswich "had refused in open meeting to comply with the law and to levy the new taxes." John Andrews, along with five other men who were town leaders, were imprisoned under charges of high misdemeanors. It appears they ended up with a rather stiff fine after the trial. A very interesting account of this can also be found by scrolling down to John Andrews' name near the bottom of this Forsythe Family web page.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Levi and Stephen Do the Hula


This was created at JibJab. Janice Brown over at Cow Hampshire has challenged all the Genea-bloggers to show our humor gene. Here's two gentlemen (my great-great grandfathers) from McLean County, Illinois doing the Hula. Stephen Taylor (1814-1881) is the dark-headed one. Levi Lantz (1811-1887), an Amish man, is the other.

If you are having trouble viewing it, try http://widgets.clearspring.com/o/46a8f95380ba919f/46f1c3f93d7f7754

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Nathan Dearborn Household in 1820

Betsey Dearborn's father was Deacon Nathan Dearborn. He was one of the early members of the Windsor Baptist Church in Windsor Township, Morgan County, Ohio. In 1820, he can be found right there in Windsor Township with his family. There is one male 26-45 (Nathan); one female 26-45 (wife, Lucy Perkins); one male under 10 (son, Henry Perkins); and two females under 10 (daughters Betsey and Elsina). The Dearborns have one son Samuel Ward Dearborn who was born and died in 1817 according to family members.

Sources: 1820 U.S. census, Windsor Twp., Morgan County, Ohio, p. 74, line 6, Nathan Derborn; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 September 2007); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M33, roll 92.

Robertson, Charles. History of the Windsor Baptist Church. Published online at Morgan County OHGenWeb <http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohmorgan/brick.htm>, accessed 27 Jul 2002. Originally published in History of Morgan County, Ohio (1886), p. 412.

Stearns, Ezra S. Plymouth New Hampshire Families. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield Company, 2001. Orig. pub. as vol. 2 of The History of Plymouth, New Hampshire (Cambridge, Mass., 1906), p. 199.

Filling in the Missing Gaps

Tonight I decided to begin the process of reviewing some of my data on lines going to New England to fill in any missing holes. I discovered that while I had most of the censuses for Stephen Taylor (1814-1881) and his wife Betsey Dearborn (1818-1899) that I was missing the 1840 one, at least out of my database. It is probably sitting in a file in a drawer that I haven't sorted through yet! However, I decided to make a quick check and discovered that while the couple had wed in Morgan County, Ohio on 8 Mar 1837 that they had already moved to McLean County, Illinois by the time of the 1840 census. Stephen is head of a household of three. One male, age 20-30 (obviously Stephen); one female, age 20-30 (obviously Betsey); and one male under 5 (Isaac, their son who was born in 1839 and who died in Memphis during the Civil War). It is interesting to note that Stephen's brothers Daniel and Sylvanus are both on this page as is Elisha Dixon who married a sister of Betsey. I also noted some of the Carlocks for whom the town of Carlock was later named on the page as well as the Denmans, namesakes of the Denman Cemetery where some of the Taylor family is buried.

UPDATE (9/21): I realize that I should specify that Elisha was not married to Betsey's sister in this census. She was married to her first husband Otis Lawrence at the time of the 1850 census. The marriage to Dixon took place in 1864.

Sources: Marriages in Morgan County, Ohio. Vol. A. April 1, 1819-February 4, 1841. s.l.: Morgan County Historical Society, 1983.

1840 U.S. census, McLean County, Illinois, p. 282, line 25, Stephen Taylor; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/; accessed 18 September 2007); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M704, roll 65.

32nd Carnival of Genealogy

The 32nd Carnival of Genealogy is online at Family Oral History Using Digital Tools. This edition's theme is "Family Wartime Stories." I must confess that I was tempted to blog about Hawkeye, Radar, Major Winchester, Klinger, and all the other M*A*S*H gang!

Friday, September 14, 2007

Gulf Ordnance Plant

The theme for the mid-September edition of the Carnival of Genealogy is to tell any story about a wartime event or soldier in your family. I've blogged extensively recently about soldiers and the military, so I thought I'd do something a little different. I thought I'd go with the "wartime event" category and discuss what was going on back in the states while the servicemen were in Europe and in the Pacific.



In the little town of Prairie, Monroe County, Mississippi was a plant called the Gulf Ordnance Plant during World War II. Basically, they made bombs which were used in the war. I had several relatives that worked there during the war. It was good employment for the area, and the company transported its employees from all over the area to the plant via bus. My grandfather was among those who rode the bus from Amory to the plant where he maintained the refrigeration. I have a copy of a pay stub of one living person who worked for the plant. The check came from the Proctor & Gamble Corporation.






What really makes my grandfather's service, even in this manner, interesting is that his father, having been a member of the Amish sect, was exempted from Civil War service. His father later married "outside the faith". While my grandfather was certainly old enough to serve during World War I and did in fact register for the draft (at age 32), he was not called upon to serve then. Many of the men who did not go to the war in the Monroe County, Mississippi area served their country by manufacturing the munitions that were used in the war. Many women were also involved in the making of bombs.





Brent Coleman, former police chief of Aberdeen, Mississippi, has written extensively on the Gulf Ordnance Plant. Much of his research was published in a special issue of TomBigbee Country Magazine. (Sorry , I would provide contact information, but their web site's pricing information is outdated, so I'm pretty sure they aren't currently maintaining this site which is full of popups because it is housed on a free site.) [The full citation for this is: Coleman, Brent. The Gulf Ordnance Plant at Prairie (MS), 1942-1945, The Gulf Ordnance Story: A Special edition of TomBigbee Country Magazine. Aberdeen, MS: TomBigbee Country, 2002. ]

A Very Interesting Book

As many of you know, I'm a librarian. As I was cataloging some of our newest additions, I came across a very interesting little book entitled The Walker Sisters of Little Greenbrier by Rose Houk. This is a delightful little full-color book of about 60 pages that talks about the lives of Margaret, Polly, Martha, Nancy, Louisa, and Hettie Walker who lived in the settlement of Little Greenbrier which is inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park today. Some of you may have visited the Little Greenbrier schoolhouse inside the park. It's "chock full" of family photos, family household item photos, and a nice little history of the family that is interesting because it includes stuff from their daily lives and environment. There are even some poems that Louisa wrote included. I may have to purchase my own copy!

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Podcast & Blog

I love this blog that I just discovered via a link on the Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association's site.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

New Book

I'm glancing through the September 2007 issue of Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries. There is an advertisement for a title being released this month called Some Family: The Mormons and How Humanity Keep Track of Itself by Donald Harman Akenson. It appears to be an evaluation of what the Mormons have done in support of genealogy. I'd love to see some reviews of the book!

Trying Out Comments

I'm trying out enabling comments. If I find that I spend too much time cleaning up comment spam, I'll disable them. Comment spam has always been my fear of including the comments feature.

Monday, September 10, 2007

Oliver Update

He's still into lock-picking, and some folks are making special stops at the park just to see Oliver.

Saturday, September 08, 2007

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Freddie for President

His given name was Freddie . . . but he changed it to Fred at the advice of his wife's uncle.

P.S. - I'm glad I was a girl. If I'd been a guy, I'd have been changing the first name my parents had chosen too!

Popcorn

With everyone commenting on microwave popcorn's alleged negative side-effects, I thought I'd weigh in as well. Those little bags are expensive. There's a better alternative. It's called the Presto PowerPop microwave popper. With a jar of Orville Redenbacher kernels, some cooking oil, and a little salt, you can have delicious popcorn for a lot less. You can use butter instead of oil if you have to have yours buttered. You can even make tasteless air-popped popcorn if that is your desire. You have to purchase reusable Popcentric filters for the bottom of the popcorn, but they make it through several uses before needing to be disposed. Clean-up is easy.

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Carnival of Genealogy #31

A very interesting Carnival -- it's all about debunking family legends.

Did He Really Do That?

Have you ever been reading a history book and happened upon a name that rang a bell with you? That's what happened last night as I was reading The Eastern Frontier: The Settlement of Northern New England, 1610-1763 by Charles E. Clark. It came as no surprise to me to find a reference to Rev. Stephen Bachiler (also spelled Batchelor or Batchelder, etc.) as he was the founder of Hampton, New Hampshire and is quite notorious. However, the name I ran across a chapter or two later in the book was a name I recognized from some of the materials I'd studied when doing some preliminary work on my lines. While I haven't proven all the relationships back to this particular ancestor, I have it proven back far enough that I feel comfortable based on the quality of other people's research that have worked on the line in question that he is actually my 8th great grandfather. Some of you probably know the story far better than I since this was a new one for me and caught me completely by surprise as I was reading last night. I had to grab the notepad and paper. You see Edward Gove, my 8th great grandfather, was an assemblyman in the province of New Hampshire back in the 1680s. Around 1683, the English apparently sent a new governor to the New Hampshire and within a few days he'd removed a couple of folks from power that really made Edward Gove angry. The gist of it is that Gove (who apparently was very popular among the citizens of the area) led an armed revolt against the governor. He was tried and convicted of treason. He was sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered. Somehow instead of such a drastic measure, he was shipped off to the Tower of London where he was imprisoned for about 3 years before being pardoned and returned to New Hampshire. I was hoping the Provincial Papers of New Hampshire were on Google Books, but they didn't have the volume I need. I can't wait to get my hands on this and see what really happened. I need to find other things to support this "story" that I read, but it has my attention. I've found a few things online, but I've not had time to really print and read them yet. If you have more information on Edward Gove, feel free to email me at lorithor@yahoo.com. I really had not worked on this Gove line, but I at least recognized the name when I ran across it.

Monday, September 03, 2007

North Dakota Genealogy Seminar

This press release is a bit out of the usual scope of this blog, but it was sent to me, and I don't know what else to do with it.

CONTACT:
Cathy A. Langemo
Bismarck-Mandan Historical & Genealogical Society
205 E. Arbor Ave. #108-G
Bismarck, ND 58504-5717
701-527-7948
cathyl@bis.midco.net

Bismarck/Mandan group plans 2008 genealogy workshop

The Bismarck-Mandan Historical and Genealogical Society will host its bi-annual genealogy workshop on April 12, 2008, at Horizon Middle School, Bismarck.

Saturday’s luncheon speaker will be Dr. John Philip Colletta, one of America’s most popular genealogical lecturers and a renowned author. Entertaining, knowledgeable and experienced, he lives in Washington, D.C. and conducts workshops for the National Archives and teaches courses for the Smithsonian Institution and local universities. One of Colletta’s most popular publications is They Came in Ships: A Guide to Finding Your Immigrant Ancestor’s Arrival Record.

His luncheon topic on "Only a Few Bones: How to Turn a Juicy Family Story into a Book…and a Career!" not only entertains and informs, but also gives the conference participants an insight into who Colletta is and how he came to do genealogical lecturing and publishing.

He will also present three workshop sessions, including:
  • "Libraries, Archives and Public Record Offices: Understanding Resource Repositories;"
  • "Lesser-Used Federal Records: A Sampling for Fresh Research Ideas;” and
  • "Breaking Through Brick Walls: Use Your HEAD!"

On Friday evening, April 11, Colletta will present one of his favorite topics, “Is Any Body There?–Tracking Ancestral Remains.” Beginning at 7 p.m. at the State Heritage Center, Bismarck, the Friday presentation is free and open to the general public.

His collection of anecdotes from his own research and travel experiences is very popular with genealogical and non-genealogical audiences. The stories are true, funny, shocking and touching. All genealogists can identify with them, and non-genealogists will get a sense of the fun and excitement of genealogy.

Colletta will hold book signings on both Friday evening and on Saturday.

Other Saturday workshop speakers will include:
  • Marit Lucy, Scandinavian Research;
  • Madeline Heer, “Beginning Genealogy - Roots and Raspberries;”
  • Beth Bauman, “Census Records;”
  • Donovan Feist, LDS Family History Center;
  • Patrice Hartman and Nancy Englerth, Internet research;
  • Jo Ann Winistorfer, “Tracing Your Dakota Roots,” possibly with an emphasis on homestead records;
  • State Historical Society of North Dakota staff members, sessions on State Archives and Historical Research Library and preservation of photos and documents;
  • funeral home records; and
  • Native American research.

As during the 2006 workshop, the BMHGS will again have folk artists displaying and demonstrating their traditional work of inkle weaving, tatting, knife making, quilt making and bead working.

The BMHGS workshop committee welcomes the participation of area ethnic, heritage and historical groups, as well. Organizations interested in sharing information about their group, along with exhibiting and selling items unique to their organization, are welcome to call contact BMHGS Steering Committee member Nadine Sheets at 701-355-1091 or at nksheets@bis.midco.net.

Mary Bakeman, with Park Genealogical Books, will be available in the vendor area. Bakeman carries a wide variety of historical and genealogical materials geared toward North Dakota’s ethnic groups. She will also be selling Dr. Colletta’s books. The State Historical Society of North Dakota gift shop staff will also be on hand with some of their wares.

The BMHGS is grateful for the generous financial grant support from the State Historical Society of North Dakota and the North Dakota Council on the Arts.

The BMHGS has been promoting and aiding in family research since 1971. Its goals are to promote and encourage active interest in genealogy and history throughout the region and beyond by retrieving and preserving historical and genealogical records, improving the availability and access to public records and fostering education and training in genealogical and historical research.

For more membership or workshop information, visit http://www.bmhgs.com/ or call 701-223-6273.

Interesting Indexing

Among some of the batches I indexed today were two batches from Alaska's 1900 census. These were smaller than normal censuses at 25 records apiece; however, there were more fields which required indexing. The first batch had a lot of blanks in it, but it was a passenger list for arrivals in June 1900. The second batch was in an Eskimo village. None of the inhabitants had surnames. I think there was a Marsha in just about every family. That must have been a popular Eskimo (or Inuit) named back then.

Keeping the Cats Indoors

Apparently there is a coyote problem in New Hampshire. I'm glad that my cat chose to be an all-indoor cat because I hear those coyotes at night here in East Tennessee too. Of course, I live less than a mile from a state park so some of the ones I hear are probably there. Still, Amy's advice is good. Keep the cats indoors at night.

Tennessee Counties by Population Rank - 2006 Estimates

Full data is available in Excel or comma-delimited formats from the U.S. Census Bureau.

From largest to smallest population:

  1. Shelby County
  2. Davidson County
  3. Knox County
  4. Hamilton County
  5. Rutherford County
  6. Williamson County
  7. Sullivan County
  8. Sumner County
  9. Montgomery County
  10. Blount County
  11. Washington County
  12. Wilson County
  13. Madison County
  14. Bradley County
  15. Sevier County
  16. Maury County
  17. Anderson County
  18. Putnam County
  19. Greene County
  20. Robertson County
  21. Hamblen County
  22. Carter County
  23. Tipton County
  24. Hawkins County
  25. Roane County
  26. Cumberland County
  27. McMinn County
  28. Coffee County
  29. Jefferson County
  30. Gibson County
  31. Dickson County
  32. Loudon County
  33. Monroe County
  34. Bedford County
  35. Franklin County
  36. Lawrence County
  37. Campbell County
  38. Warren County
  39. Cheatham County
  40. Dyer County
  41. Fayette County
  42. Cocke County
  43. Weakley County
  44. Lincoln County
  45. Obion County
  46. Henry County
  47. Claiborne County
  48. Rhea County
  49. Giles County
  50. Carroll County
  51. Marshall County
  52. Hardeman County
  53. Marion County
  54. Henderson County
  55. Lauderdale County
  56. Hardin County
  57. McNairy County
  58. White County
  59. Hickman County
  60. Grainger County
  61. Scott County
  62. Macon County
  63. Overton County
  64. Morgan County
  65. Haywood County
  66. Union County
  67. Smith County
  68. Humphreys County
  69. DeKalb County
  70. Johnson County
  71. Unicoi County
  72. Fentress County
  73. Wayne County
  74. Benton County
  75. Chester County
  76. Polk County
  77. Grundy County
  78. Crockett County
  79. Cannon County
  80. Bledsoe County
  81. Sequatchie County
  82. Stewart County
  83. Meigs County
  84. Lewis County
  85. Decatur County
  86. Jackson County
  87. Houston County
  88. Clay County
  89. Trousdale County
  90. Perry County
  91. Lake County
  92. Hancock County
  93. Moore County
  94. Van Buren County
  95. Pickett County

Sunday, September 02, 2007

Boomsday

Today is Boomsday in Knoxville. I wish it were still held on Labor Day as it was until a couple of years ago. Boomsday is labeled as the largest Labor Day fireworks show in the United States. They close down a bridge or two for most of the weekend to set up for the show. They tell us that the first few minutes will be quite spectacular this year. When it was held on Monday, I used to go with some friends down to watch it. Now I just watch it on TV.

Saturday, September 01, 2007

Congratulations to App State

Congratulates to our neighbor over in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina on their win over Big Ten powerhouse University of Michigan. I checked . . . and Blue Ridge Blog has already posted some photos of the victory.

It's Football Time in Tennessee

Kick-off is in about 30 minutes. Last year at this time, I was watching the game at a restaurant in Boston with a fellow Tennessean beside me. On my right side was an ESPN free-lance broadcaster who was currently covering baseball but would later be covering football. On our left was a couple from South Carolina who were taking their daughter to college in Boston. They had graduated from the college of our opponent on that day, University of California (Berkeley). The opponent is the same today as it was last year except that the game is in California instead of Knoxville this time. We won last year. I hope the outcome is the same once again. Ainge has a broken pinky. Everyone expects to see our backup quarterback Jonathan Crompton on the field at some point, but they say Ainge is playing. GO VOLS!

End of Saga

Ancestry.com claims that the Internet Biographical Collection is gone for good, and they've apologized to Janice for using her blog. It's time to move on. They offer some wonderful databases. They have some great competition coming along. Genealogists will have the best of both for the foreseeable future.