Dear List, Just thought I would share an interesting situation with you all. I live near Chicago and work as a portrait artist in Chicago area malls. This weekend I was in Chicago Ridge Mall when a lady came up to me and we began to talk. And we talked... and talked! We really hit it off... She happened to be African American and I happen to be Caucasian, but that was neither here nor there. We talked about everything, and when we had been at it for quite some time, she mentioned that her mother had moved back to Arkansas... I asked where she lived, and she said Cotton Plant, near Pine Bluff! I don't know about Cotton Plant, but I did recognize Pine Bluff, and told her that my family was from Warren, not far from Pine Bluff... Then, I asked her if she knew what her family names were down there.... The first name out of her mouth was Hairston, (pronounced just like a true Arkie- "Harston"! I let her know that my grandmother was a Hairston, and that I have many relatives descended from that family. We laughed it up because we realized that either my ancestors owned some of hers or we might even be related! She said her mother's family have always considered themselves white, but her father was Creole, so she looks African American. Her grandfather was Darcy Simon- a Jewish man in Cotton Plant. His wife, her grandmother, was born a Hairston- just like my own grandmother. What a small, small world we live in when I can be in a huge city like Chicago, so far from Arkansas, and run into another Hairston descendent from that same area! Thought I would share this. Anne Jones daughter of Earline Forrester White daughter of Versie Mae Hairston Forrester daughter of Arthur Lee and Rebecca Temple Hairston In a message dated 1/19/2008 4:30:24 P.M. Central Standard Time, jann_woodard@yahoo.com writes: The sixth annual Hairston family reunion was held in Oakland Park in Pine Bluff, Sunday, July 29 [1962]. Among the forty-seven members of the family attending were Mrs. Euna Watt and Lawrence Wallace of Pine Bluff; Mrs. Ina Grider and R. J. Grider of Fort Worth, Texas; Richard Grider of Monroe, Louisiana; Mr. and Mrs. Larry Creel of Magnolia; Mr. and Mrs. Aubert Dean Hairston and Rita, Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Hairston and Lathan, Mr. and Mrs. Billy Gene Hairston, Rober and John, Mrs. Hazel McRae, Lana and Glenn, Miss Betty Thompson, Mrs. Susie Hairston, Mrs. E. L. McGehee and Wilbur of Warren; Mr. and Mrs. Dewell Blakley, Connie and Marcus of Bryant; Mr. and Mrs. Byron Hairston and Jeri Sue of Lonoke; Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Wallace, Anne, David, Susan and Allan of Gould; Mr. and Mrs. Herman Hathcoat, Mr. and Mrs. Arlie Hancock, Richie Hairston, Leo Scheebee and P. H. Green of Benton; Thomas McFalls of San Antonio, Texas; Mrs. Laura Hairston of Palmyra and Benny Leval of Star City --------------------------------- Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ARBRADLE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message **************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489