Dear Cousins! Today is my birthday, and don't ask! I'm at the age when I don't want to admit to how many. Too many fingers to hold up and so many candles the cake would fry! I was feeling pretty down in the dumps this morning, but my son-in-law Daniel called this morning to announce the early arrival of my Granddaughter -- tentatively Victoria -- but I have suggested Victoria Carolyn instead. Daniel said his brother Ron suggested Ronald. I don't know what that means, but probably that they're not going to name her Victoria Carolyn. This is a small miracle in our family. Andrea and Dan have been married 18 years, (longer than both of my failed marriages) and had finally consulted a fertility specialist in order to conceive. Our baby was supposed to be due the 16th of January, after I arrived in Maryland! I said she's showing my characteristics already -- she arrived when she decided it was right. I am so elated. What a blessed gift. The next news is the addition of the Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers at Ancestry.com. I suggested this work several years ago after I first subscribed to Ancestry, and also suggested that if they indeed published them, they should award me copies of the 4 volumes work. (They haven't yet!) This is an indispensible tool for the Virginia researcher. Mr. Valentine copied records for 34 core Virginia families: Allen, Bacon, Ballard, Batchelder, Blouet, Brassieur, Cary, Crenshaw, Dabney, Exum, Ferris, Fontaine, Gray, Hardy, Isham, Jordan, Langston, Lyddall, Mann, Mosby, Palmer, Pasteur, Pleasants, Povall, Randolph, Satterwhite, Scott, Smith, Valentine, Waddy, Watts, Winston, Womack, and Woodson. In providing the records for these families Mr. Valentine's research also gives records pertaining to a variety of allied families and neighbors. The Virginia family I believe is MY Smith family is Mr. Valentine's Smith family which he researched so diligently until his early death in 1908. His collection was published posthumously, to the very great benefit of untold descendants of these families. I disagree with Mr. Valentine's conclusions regarding Francis Smith's family, but have not yet completed the research. I hope to publish a paper on this research, for this family is at the heart and soul of the Virginia Frontier families. Francis Smith's daughter Susanna married William Preston, whose position, influence, and family touched literally every early Frontier Virginia settler from the mid-1700's to the end of the century. In turn, their descendants became judges, governors, state and federal office holders into the 20th century. Your Virginia (and beyond!) research will be greatly enhanced through examining Mr. Valentine's massive, (nearly 3000 pages, including the index,) brilliant work. (You may need to copy and then paste this address) http://www.ancestry.com/search/locality/dbpage.htm?t=2&c=49&co=0&y=0&dbid=6058 Love, Your Cousin, Carolyn