Carolyn, This explains your absence for some time. I have missed you and wrote asking what was occurring. Now, you have set the concern aside. Thanks. What you have suggested is what I have tried to do on my own for some time. I have focused first on linking family members with family members--this man was the father of that man, and of that man; this woman was the mother of that woman, and this woman. If that is all one seek, well and good. Blessings on those who can stop with that and go on to other interests--often harder to do than to say. I also think one must include religious and economic aspects of those long ago people. In my lineage fthe movement was from the Episcopalian to the Quaker to the Baptist to the Presbyterian to the churches of Christ and tho who know what others. These links give insight into the movement of individuals in religous settings, vitally important to most folk--especially so now since September 11. Then, the shifts in economic condictions: worn out land in Virginia due to growing too much tobacco too often; leaving worn out land to find new places, but what to do about the Indians in the Ohio Valley and in the southland? Comes the wars and the victories, then the sale of land, the movement of the early birds, then the rest. Kentucky and Tennessee, then Georgia, Alabama, the the Louisian Purchase, then Texas, the to the Pacific, to Oregon.. All this linked with wars, with migration patterns, with means of movement from walking and horse riding to wagons to the Conestoga wagon, the steamboats, on and on. Of course, we will never learn it all. But, so much more is available than just that John and Mary were the parents of Bob and Suzy, and Bob and Suzy married Jane and Dick. Well, so much. I understand the goals you seek and wish you well. In spite of all that is there on internet, it also seems to me we must not forget that genealogy ultimately involves the patient perusal of deeds, wills, court proceedings, marriages, perhaps jails and related events in the lives of ordinary people. Too few, it seems to me, have opportunity or take the time and pay the expense to go to a rich area where their families once lived, see the hills and valleys they loved, see the creeks where they fished, and all the rest. Then we can almost see these folks. That, I feel, is genealogy. Well, glad you are back. Best wishes, William Woodson ----- Original Message ----- From: Carolyn McDaniel <cmacdee@centurytel.net> To: <AMXROADS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2001 9:19 AM Subject: [AMXROADS] State of State of the Art > Dear Cousins! > I have returned from the Eastern verge of civilization, and am > back once again on the Western verge! I find it's always good to go > away > and always good to return home once again. This trip was special for > several reasons: First, our new baby in Maryland, born on my > birthday. Then, the trip enabled me to meet with several > persons I hadn't met before, but wanted very much to see, and finally, > the ostensible purpose, to attend the GENTECH 2002 convention! > Victoria, our baby, is wonderful. Of course! What a joy for > a > Grandma whose other two grandchildren are in Australia. It was nice > to visit with my wonderful daughter Andrea and my wonderful son-in-law > Daniel. (They're a matched set, the three of them!) I also got to > see my son Doug and daughter-in-law Lynn. > While still in Maryland, one big present was getting to meet > one of our newer list members, Cousin John O. Pennington. I had > hoped to do more research, but wasn't feeling up to par so meeting > John made up for some of the missed agenda. Also got a chance to > visit my long time co-searcher Sybil Hampton. > On up to Boston, and the convention, then a chance to meet our > Cousin Isabel and hubby Dick for Maine Lobstah! I spend two of the > most > lovely days with them. Another cousin, Ric Blake and his wife > Dianne, whom I've been hoping to meet for several years now drove me > around Boston and then on up to Iz and Dick's place. Folks, genealogy > is most about just this: > meeting relatives and making connections with real people. What a > complete joy. This trip has provided me with family connection, > networking, and the meaning of community: Everything I've hoped to > promote with American Crossroads. It's been one of my happiest in a > very long time. > At the convention I gave my speech on the "State of State of > the Art." It's a much needed topic. It is increasingly clear to me > that > the state of the art is pretty poor in our sphere of interest: > Genealogy, History, and Technology. The internet has provided > access > to so many resources and possibilities, but people are not learning > how to employ old standards within the new technologies to evolve new > methodologies. How to improve? > GENEALOGY: Improve the state of the art by employing more > History (local, regional) in one's search. Copying down names, dates, > and events for one surname does not produce the results one needs when > in pursuit of the elusive frontierspeople from which most of us seem > to descend. When we study details about the other people of the > regions, > their motivations (and records) become clearer. Isabel has loaned me > several books, and one illustrates this concept: Petter Stebbins > Craig's book "The 1693 Census for Swedes on the Delaware." This > book spells out and interweaves the genealogy and history of this > unique area which spawned so many of us. The online pages of the > Swedish Colonial Society > has much to offer that emulates the tenor of the book. > http://www.colonialswedes.org/ > http://www.colonialswedes.org/Forefathers/FFPro.html > You may also find it interesting to visit the Historic Elk Landing > site for ideas about your own local preservation efforts, and the need > to search out local history in order to find your roots. John Hans > Steelman was an early hunter and trader. Some of the Hollingsworths, > who lived nearby, were among those migrating to Virginia, the > Carolinas, and on, always on. > http://www.elklanding.org/ > http://www.trellis.net/steel/steelman/johnhan.htm > HISTORY: I think "Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways," by > David Hackett Fischer is an excellent example of how including > genealogy in writing history would provide a more accurate picture of > the topic. For instance in Albion's Seed, the Delaware River > "folkway" is very skewed, as Fischer seems to have forgotten the > impact of the Swede/Finns, the Germans, the Dutch and many other > central Europeans. Again, in following the "Scotch Irish" into the > Virginia backcountry Fischer ignores the same infusion of these > "Others" on the "folkway." Genealogical studies would have pointed > up his fallacies. > TECHNOLOGY: There is so much wrong with the state of the art > in technology, it's hard to know where to begin. I believe that the > worst is the continual focusing on software which merely herds lineage > based families into one "improved, updated " (read more expensive) > version after another. Best is the the "Deed Mapper" type software > which enables us to plot with accuracy where our ancestors lived and > their proximity to people and places which gives us added, needed > insight into fresh interpretations about them. > These ideas will be expanded over the next month or so while I > try to improve communication about the focus and goals of American > Crossroads. I hope to be able to undertake more articles in other > mediums, establish a newsletter or some other type of American > Crossroads publication, and possibly even begin undertaking other > speaking engagements. If you have suggestions, on any of these > ideas, especially speaking opportunities, Iz will tell you, if you > make lobster and Indian Corn Pudding, I will come! > > Love, your Grateful Cousin, Carolyn > Carolyn McDaniel cmacdee@centurytel.net > ========================================= > To subscribe to the American Crossroads Discussion List: > Send a message to: AMXROADS-L-request@rootsweb.com > with the single word subscribe in the body of the message > --- Visit American Crossroads --- > http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~amxroads > > > > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 >