Actually there's a book about this, believe it or not! Psychic Roots (by Henry Jones) is all about the influence of coincidence and serendipity on genealogical research, the chance combination of events over which the researcher has no control but which nevertheless guides him to a fortuitous discovery. Certainly chance or dumb luck sometimes leads us straight to a record kept in an improbable place, to an ancestor's second wife we didn't know anything about, and so on. Is it luck? Coincidence? Karen "Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia." Charles M. Schulz ----- Original Message ----- From: <BRUINSWOOD@aol.com> To: <angus@rootsweb.com>; <personal@dorrit41jbd.bbmax.co.uk> Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 2:20 PM Subject: Re: [ANGUS] Happy accidents! >I have had too many accidents, like Marilyn Arnold, a cousin from Wash, Dc > showing up at the same archive as me. (it was my first and only visit). I > now > think of them as "invisible" means of support as Joseph Campbell called > therm. > "If you follow your bliss (the actions you REALLY love) you will find like > minded people who are following their bliss, and unexpected WONDERS will > come to you, by invisible means! The happy, but things that seem too good > to be > an accident. Or maybe a lot of happy accidents you can't quite explain. > > But before people taking me for a "Kook", maybe faith plays a part! Divine > help, lucky accidents, or incredible good fortune... Just enjoy the > moment, > as we (who have brick walls) and know how it feels when one falls. Hurrah > for > you!! > > Mary in Oregon > > > My daughter Jameela has decided to help with England, so I now have a > student and best friend to do this with! My other family member's eyes > glaze over > when I say the word "genealogy". they want copies of my results but don't > want > to hear how I got them....very sad. The work has been the journey of my > life... not a destination! But only brothers and sisters on these lists > can > understand: both trials and triumphs! What a ride it is! > > > > > > **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 > easy > steps! > (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1218822736x1201267884/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fwww.freecreditreport.com%2Fpm%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fsc%3D668072%26hmpgID > %3D62%26bcd%3DfebemailfooterNO62) > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > ANGUS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message >

All: Delete this now if you don't want to read about other by-chance family connections. I'll have to read this book you suggested, Karen, as meeting cousin Mary by accident is not the first time this has happened to me. I came to know this man who lives about 6 miles from me via social gatherings. His family is from the Boston area. I said I came to that area outside Boston frequently because I had family there and many of my ancestors were from that area and I did genealogy. He revealed that his family was really into genealogy and provided names of his family. We both had BLAKEs in the family, but in the Boston area this is a common name. We continued to talk, and he (not a genealogist) said, "and there is this family named Childs." I just got goosebumps and the hair on my back stood on end. I told him to look at my arm (he is an ER physician) because my hair on my arms was just electrified, and the goosebumps were visible. James H. Childs the missionary? James Childs the minister? Wife Susan? He and I are 3rd cousins, and this helped me connect w/the last of my Mom's cousins that she couldn't really name (and information was conflicting). I said your grandfather lived on XX Elwood Street in ZZ, New York, and he had five children -- 4 girls, one no longer living, and a son of the same name -- he was astounded ... how did you know that??? Well, I've been looking for your family for 4 years! Pretty cool! I went to their family reunion a few years ago in CO. Lots of fun! I brought a pix of our GGG-GF and other pix of the family, as well as letters from about 1850 to 1900 or so, describing our ADAMS and LONGFELLOW ancestors' service in the Rev War. As to ANGUS. My cousin and I managed to find our Dads' 2nd cousin, Jim Low in Dundee 45 years after my grandparents had visited them there in the 1960s. The address came from my grandmother's 1st cousin (unrelated to the Scotish folks) (from CA) travelled with my grandparents at that time and kept information on MY family as well as hers, even the bus routes that stopped near the houses, still having it 45 years later!! And, she and I were connected by common descendants of my DAVIES family in England, so that was quite a bit of "chances" that allowed us to meet Jimmy! Life is good! Marilyn Falls Church, VA ----- Original Message ----- From: "ksteel" <ksteel@optonline.net> To: <angus@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 4:45 PM Subject: Re: [ANGUS] Happy accidents! > Actually there's a book about this, believe it or not! > > Psychic Roots (by Henry Jones) is all about the influence of coincidence > and > serendipity on genealogical research, the chance combination of events > over > which the researcher has no control but which nevertheless guides him to a > fortuitous discovery. Certainly chance or dumb luck sometimes leads us > straight to a record kept in an improbable place, to an ancestor's second > wife we didn't know anything about, and so on. Is it luck? Coincidence? > > Karen > > "Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already > tomorrow > in Australia." Charles M. Schulz