RootsWeb: AMREV-HESSIANS-L Updated tags for AMREV-HESSIANSHello Hessian researchers; This year did not start very well with me - actually, the last year did not end too well either. Besides of old age problems, health problems, family problems, plus being cheated by book buyers (bounced checks, etc.), unexpected deaths in family and friend's circles, one low blow after the other, my wife's purse was stolen while sitting in a hospital room while visiting just last week, while I was home in bed nursing a stubborn flu, so bad that I had to cancel a speaking engagement in Ameliasburg, Ontario, something I had been looking forward to. Actually this is my first time reading my messages of last week, and I have a few very impatient almost nasty one's in between. Here I have always been trying to help, gave advice, and in this particular case I did just the same. But when I tell somebody to check the list archives, and they keep asking me again and again the same question, for which they could easily find the answer in the archives, I shake my head and give up. So, you should not be wondering when you read my new tagline #9 - > Tag 9: > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > The subject of this list - Hessian Soldiers of the American Revolution > No other wars - no other German immigrants. Please stick to the subject. > WANTED: Person with knowledge and time to run this list - no financial costs involved, only time and patience - talk to John Merz. --------------------------------------------------------------- All my material is gone to either the S.A.R. in Louisville, Kentucky as far as Hessian soldiers in the United States of America is concerned, and for the Canadian Hessians, the research material is in Ameliasburg, Ontario. All I kept for me was a copy of each of my own books I wrote, but all other sources are in those two places. I cannot do any more research, that's why I forward all mail to the list, and hope the list will respond. One thing I know, I need help, and the list needs help - Why don't you get together and form some kind of organization who elects someone to take this list over and run it in the interest of all HESSIAN SOLDIERS. Or would you rather I drop the ball? I love and respect you all, John Helmut Merz (Incidentily, my QUEBEC-HESSIANS-L mail list is in excellent hands, I am extremely happy that Dominique Ritchot fulfils more than my expectations, thank you so much, Dominique)

John, It is just too bad that people will not take the time to look in the archives. Why do they think they are there is the first place? So that people do not have to keep repeating the same thing. It seems that too many people do not want to put time and effort into their research. I think the right thing is to tell everyone to read the archives. You have donated so much of your time to this list. Frequently you answer questions you have already answered in previous email. I am sure you are tired and could use a good rest. You have generously sent your materials to libraries. So why not just make an email form that says read the archives. And don't forget that there are those on the list who continue to read and study about the Hessians and can often offer suggestions as well as information. When we get past 75 a lot of us do not have the energy to keep repeating the same thing; or even keep doing those things we did before. Do take care of yourself and may we eventually find more on our cousins the Westfalls. Cousin Peggy

Dear Mr. Merz, I'm sorry to hear about your problems. I sincerely hope you'll find someone (maybe a team effort) to manage the AMREV-HESSIANS list so you you can enjoy a happy and fulfilling retirement. You put so much efforts in this endeavour it would be a shame for it to be lost in cyberspace. There are enough knowledgeable people on this list to help. A much as I agree with other posters asking subscribers to put a little bit more effort in their search (I can understand the frustration we can feel), we also have to remember that not everybody is as confortable with the Net as some of us are. But, yes, researchers should always search the list's archives before asking a question ! That can't be stressed enough. Thanks for the kind words, Dominique Ritchot Montreal (Quebec) > RootsWeb: AMREV-HESSIANS-L Updated tags for AMREV-HESSIANSHello Hessian > researchers; > > This year did not start very well with me - actually, the last > year did not end too well either. Besides of old age problems, > health problems, family problems, plus being cheated by > book buyers (bounced checks, etc.), unexpected deaths in > family and friend's circles, one low blow after the other, my > wife's purse was stolen while sitting in a hospital room while > visiting just last week, while I was home in bed nursing a stubborn > flu, so bad that I had to cancel a speaking engagement in > Ameliasburg, Ontario, something I had been looking forward to. > > Actually this is my first time reading my messages of last week, > and I have a few very impatient almost nasty one's in between. > Here I have always been trying to help, gave advice, and in this > particular case I did just the same. But when I tell somebody to > check the list archives, and they keep asking me again and > again the same question, for which they could easily find the answer > in the archives, I shake my head and give up. > So, you should not be wondering when you read my new > tagline #9 - > > > Tag 9: > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > The subject of this list - Hessian Soldiers of the American Revolution > > No other wars - no other German immigrants. Please stick to the subject. > > > WANTED: Person with knowledge and time to run this list - > no financial costs involved, only time and patience - talk to John Merz. > --------------------------------------------------------------- > > All my material is gone to either the S.A.R. in Louisville, > Kentucky as far as Hessian soldiers in the United States > of America is concerned, and for the Canadian Hessians, > the research material is in Ameliasburg, Ontario. > All I kept for me was a copy of each of my own books > I wrote, but all other sources are in those two places. > I cannot do any more research, that's why I forward all > mail to the list, and hope the list will respond. > > One thing I know, I need help, and the list needs help - > Why don't you get together and form some kind of > organization who elects someone to take this list over > and run it in the interest of all > HESSIAN SOLDIERS. > > Or would you rather I drop the ball? > I love and respect you all, > > John Helmut Merz > (Incidentily, my QUEBEC-HESSIANS-L mail list > is in excellent hands, I am extremely happy that > Dominique Ritchot fulfils more than my expectations, > thank you so much, Dominique)

Dear John, I am a list aministrator already, I could do the list.. fixing the bounces, watching that it stayed on subject; BUT I have no knowledge of the Hessians other then my own and only that because of you and this list. So as last resort let me know... It would be much better if someone with knowledge of the sources and where to find them.. But I sure can tell some one where to go... opps I mean to go read/search the archives... Do you have the boards too?? Nelda Nelda L. Percival nee Gilpin, IBSSG Beatty #005 & #10; Graves #231 & #105 http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~bonsteinandgilpin/ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~gillock/ http://www.doodleartgraphics.com/

Hi John; Sorry to hear about your misfortunes. Seems 2004 was not a good year for some of us. Surely, as you wrote, there must be enough individuals who are knowledgeable of Hessians and who could get together as a team to run the list. I think everyone knows, or should know, the time and effort that you have put into setting up and running this list, in addition to the QUEBEC-L and the QUEBEC-HESSIANS list. Having replaced you a couple of times on the QUEBEC-L list a few years back, I know the time and effort that goes into administering the lists, answering questions and sparking discussions when things slow down. And not all the messages to the list administrator, unfortunately, are polite so that makes it doubly difficult. But then, I think people in some cases expect too much from you. Perhaps they think you have all the answers, plus the time to look it up if you don't. And perhaps it's because you DO know so much about the Hessians, that the expectations are so high. We all appreciate your commitment, or we should if we don't, and I hope that you find a fitting replacement in short order. Unfortunately, time catches up, but it's hoped that someone else will be willing to carry on in your place. Best regards and thanks for your valuable contribution to this cause. May 2005 turn out to be better than 2004, despite the bad beginning. Frank Watters ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Merz" <hessian@sympatico.ca> To: <AMREV-HESSIANS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2005 5:14 PM Subject: [HESSIAN] Updated tag #9 - Wanted - Person with knowledge. > RootsWeb: AMREV-HESSIANS-L Updated tags for AMREV-HESSIANSHello Hessian > researchers; > > This year did not start very well with me - actually, the last > year did not end too well either. Besides of old age problems, > health problems, family problems, plus being cheated by > book buyers (bounced checks, etc.), unexpected deaths in > family and friend's circles, one low blow after the other, my > wife's purse was stolen while sitting in a hospital room while > visiting just last week, while I was home in bed nursing a stubborn > flu, so bad that I had to cancel a speaking engagement in > Ameliasburg, Ontario, something I had been looking forward to. > > Actually this is my first time reading my messages of last week, > and I have a few very impatient almost nasty one's in between. > Here I have always been trying to help, gave advice, and in this > particular case I did just the same. But when I tell somebody to > check the list archives, and they keep asking me again and > again the same question, for which they could easily find the answer > in the archives, I shake my head and give up. > So, you should not be wondering when you read my new > tagline #9 - > > > Tag 9: > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -- > > The subject of this list - Hessian Soldiers of the American Revolution > > No other wars - no other German immigrants. Please stick to the subject. > > > WANTED: Person with knowledge and time to run this list - > no financial costs involved, only time and patience - talk to John Merz. > --------------------------------------------------------------- > >> > One thing I know, I need help, and the list needs help - > Why don't you get together and form some kind of > organization who elects someone to take this list over > and run it in the interest of all > HESSIAN SOLDIERS. > > Or would you rather I drop the ball? > I love and respect you all, > > John Helmut Merz > (Incidentily, my QUEBEC-HESSIANS-L mail list > is in excellent hands, I am extremely happy that > Dominique Ritchot fulfils more than my expectations, > thank you so much, Dominique) > >