The following was in the NEHGS newsletter this week. Please note, the identity theft was from CREDIT CARDS used to purchase items and NOT from any genealogical data. Bette Possible Identity Theft Affects Heritage Creations Customers Lee N. Meitzler, son of Heritage Creations owner Leland K. Meitzler, was arrested on Monday for alleged forgery activity. Heritage Creations is the Salt Lake City publisher of Heritage Quest Magazine and other genealogy products. Lee N. Meitzler was arrested after a Davis County (Utah), sheriff's deputy made a routine traffic stop of a car carrying two male occupants who were found to have warrants out for their arrest. Upon searching the car, the deputies found various drivers' licenses, Social Security numbers, passports, birth certificates, and a mobile methamphetamines lab. Upon further questioning, the two men led deputies to Lee N. Meitzler's RV trailer. According to Leland K. Meitzler, once there the deputies discovered drugs, files containing financial information, and receipts for some eBay sales completed last year by Heritage Creations, most of the latter having credit card numbers. Police also found much material about financial information apparently obtained from other companies. Because credit card information is involved, the FBI arrived on the scene shortly after the arrests were made. All three men are now in jail. One of Meitzler's associates was wanted as a fugitive on other drug-related arrests and is being held without bail. The FBI, the Davis County Sheriff's Office, the credit card companies, and Leland K. Meitzler have reviewed all credit card charges made recently. Meitzler, in a blog entry posted January 5 on the Heritage Creation website, wrote, "At this point, we have no reason to believe that anyone's credit card information was used fraudulently. It looked to me like there may have been a plan being put in place to try to do so, but it doesn't look to me like it happened yet." The full text of Leland Meitzler's blog entries may be found at http://genealogyblog.com/. Several people who have known the Meitzlers for years expressed shock at the possible security breach. NEHGS assistant executive director for technology Dick Eastman wrote on his blog that he had known Leland K. Meitzler for more than a decade. He also wrote, "I just spent a few minutes talking on the phone with Leland. ... I hung up the phone with a good feeling that this guy is going to take care of each and every one of his customers properly." Joe Garonzik of Genealogical Publishing Company said, "You can quote me as saying that I have known Leland for over twenty years. He's one of the nicest guys in the field, and his word is his bond." The Davis County (Utah) Sheriff's Department urges anyone who recently purchased items from Heritage Creations to call the Sheriff's Office at 801-451-4100, and to check their credit card statements carefully for unauthorized charges. ____________________________________________ Check out the Bunker Family Association. http://www.bunkerfamilyassn.org. If your name is Bunker and you are a male, consider joining our surname DNA project.

Have a 16 page list. If you're interested, just let me know and will send it right away. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com <mailto:sallypavia2001@yahoo.com> "Books permit us to voyage through time, to tap the wisdom of our ancestors." .. Carl Sagan List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com <mailto:GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com> Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Jonathan Bunker was born in 1736 in Charlestown, MA. He died at Bunker Hill, Charlestown, MA. He had a son named John b. in 1759 who served in the Revolutionary War. There are many descendants from this family and the wife of one just recently passed away (Bertha Younger Bunker, wife of William Bunker, Hays, Kansas). It would be really interesting to get a DNA test on one of the Bunker male descendants in this line. This is one of those lines we have been trying to figure out for years. Recently, we have solved several mysteries through the use of DNA testing. We learned that the Devon and Bedfordshire Bunkers are not related. James of Dover, NH, is Devon branch and the two George's are Bedfordshire branches. We learned that our President, Gil Bunker is a Bedfordshire Bunker. We learned that our prior genealogist Henry Bunker was a Devon Bunker. We know that the Modbury branch, which descends from Rattery, Devon, is related to James of Dover, NH. We learned that the descendants of Benjamin and Betsey Daniels Bunker of New London, NH (including our Puerto Rican Bunkers) are Devon Bunkers and probably, as suspected, descendants of James of Dover. We are still trying to figure out the Andrew Melville Bunker, of PA group. And this group that descends from Jonathan is also another mystery. If you are a male Bunker and would like to join our DNA project, go to the website at http://www.bunkerfamilyassn.org and click on the links to the DNA surname project. Signing up through our website gets you a considerable discount on the cost of the test. If you have any questions about the test, please contact me and I will try to answer them. We are looking for Charlestown descendants to be tested and will pay for the test for the first Charlestown descendant who signs up for the test. Bette ____________________________________________ Check out the Bunker Family Association. http://www.bunkerfamilyassn.org. If your name is Bunker and you are a male, consider joining our surname DNA project.

I am unable to find this Frances E. Bunker in our database. Does anyone know who she was married to or what her maiden name was or any other information that might help me find her? Thanks for your help and thanks Sally for sending the obit. Bette ____________________________________________ Check out the Bunker Family Association. http://www.bunkerfamilyassn.org. If your name is Bunker and you are a male, consider joining our surname DNA project. -----Original Message----- From: Sally Rolls Pavia [mailto:sallyinaz@cox.net] Sent: Sunday, January 02, 2005 7:12 AM To: BUNKER-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Frances E. Bunker, 96, of 4 Payville Rd., Saranac Lake, died Friday, Dec. 17, 1999 Frances E. Bunker - The Enterprise-Record Plattsburgh, NY Published 12/24/99 Frances E. Bunker, 96, of 4 Payville Rd., Saranac Lake, died Friday, Dec. 17, 1999 at Uihlein Mercy Center, Lake Placid. She was born Aug. 16, 1903 in Moira. Calling hours will be held Monday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday at 11:15 a.m. at St. Bernard's Church. Burial will be in Mountain view Cemetery, Gabriels. ==== BUNKER Mailing List ==== Post your information and queries. We love it. No BUNKER rock left untouched. Spelling variations ok - we don't "know" the original.

SALINA JOURNAL SALINA, KS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2004 Bertha B. Bunker, 90, Hays, died Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2004. Mrs. Bunker was born Bertha B. Younger on July 11, 1914, in Hays. She was a homemaker. She was preceded in death by a grandchild and a great-grandchild. Survivors include a son, William J. Bunker of Colorado Springs, Colo.; a daughter, Patricia Giebler of Salina; a sister, Josephine Karlin of Denver; 11 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and 24 great-great-grandchildren. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Joseph's Church, Hays. Burial will be in St. Joseph's Cemetery. There will be an Altar Society and Christian Mother's rosary at 4 p.m. Sunday and a parish vigil at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Brock's North Hill Chapel, 2509 Vine, Hays 67601. Memorials may be made to Hays Senior Center, the Hays Good Samaritan Center or for Masses. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday and 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. Monday at the funeral home.

Hays Daily News Hays, KS Dec. 23, 2004 Bertha B. Bunker, 90, Hays, died Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2004, at Hays Medical Center. She was born July 11, 1914, in Hays to John and Margaret (Stegman) Younger. She married William B. "Bill" Bunker on Oct. 6, 1931, in Hays. He died March 9, 1993. She was a homemaker, a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and St. Joseph Altar Society and Christian Mothers in Hays. Survivors include a son, William J. Bunker, Colorado Springs, Colo.; a daughter, Patricia Giebler, Salina; a sister, Josephine Karlin, Denver; 11 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and 24 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a grandchild, Anthony Giebler, and by a great-grandchild, Michael Anderson. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Hays; burial in St. Joseph Cemetery, Hays. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday and from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. Monday at Brock's North Hill Chapel, 2509 Vine. There will be an Altar Society and Christian Mother's rosary at 4 p.m. and a parish vigil service at 7 p.m., both Sunday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Hays Senior Center, Hays Good Samaritan Center or for Masses.

Frances E. Bunker - The Enterprise-Record Plattsburgh, NY Published 12/24/99 Frances E. Bunker, 96, of 4 Payville Rd., Saranac Lake, died Friday, Dec. 17, 1999 at Uihlein Mercy Center, Lake Placid. She was born Aug. 16, 1903 in Moira. Calling hours will be held Monday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday at 11:15 a.m. at St. Bernard's Church. Burial will be in Mountain view Cemetery, Gabriels.

Pamela sent this. Unfortunately, I cannot find the message regarding the original query. However, many of you might be interested in the site. In addition, there are many books about the Underground Railroad. There are not many names known of those who took part in the transportation of the runaway slaves. Mostly, it was kept a secret as even after the end of the Civil War, many people were persecuted because of their "sympathy" towards the Blacks. Levi Coffin and Eli Lundy were very well known. Others did not take such a chance but helped anyway. Bette **************************************************************************** Someone asked you of any involvement of Bunkers in the Underground Railroad. You thought I might know. I hope you still have that query. There are numerous references to the Underground Railroad in the "Historic Nantucket" quarterlies which I will eventually look for although don't think they mention Bunkers by name. At this site which I found fascinating http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=moa;idno=ABT8668 was the memoirs of Levi Coffin known as the "president" of the underground railroad. His family, who were Quakers, was from Nantucket and rem. to New Garden, SC in 1773. His grandmother was Ann Bunker dau. of William Bunker (a founder, or perhaps I should say half-share man, of Nantucket) and Ann Macy. I've been reading Coffin's memoirs on-line and they are fascinating. He moved between New Garden (many Nantucketers removed there during a time of Nantucket deprevations) and Indiana sending slaves on to Canada. He was an abolishinist by nature at a very young age. The part about the underground railroad really gets going about page 110 or 111. He and his wife are actually the ones who rescued the Eliza on the ice made famous in Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. Pamela ____________________________________________ Check out the Bunker Family Association. http://www.bunkerfamilyassn.org. If your name is Bunker and you are a male, consider joining our surname DNA project.

The following article appeared in the New England Historic and Genealogical Society newsletter this week. We have numerous Bunkers in Washington state. There are about 200 listed in the digital archives. Washington State Digital Archives http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/Index.aspx Washington State Archives http://www.secstate.wa.gov/history/search.aspx The Washington State Digital Archives facility and website was made available to the public in October 2004. Their website describes it as "the nation's first archives dedicated specifically to the preservation of electronic records from both State and Local agencies that have permanent legal, fiscal or historical value." The physical facility, located in Cheney, Washington, houses both the Eastern Washington Regional Archives (paper records) and the Digital Archives, a floor of computer workstations loaded with the same databases that are accessible at no charge to you on their website. The website features historical databases from various counties in Washington State. It is a work in progress and more databases will be added as time goes on. Currently available are the indexes to: * County censuses from 1847 to 1892 * Naturalization records from 1854 to 1988 * Records from two correctional institutions between 1877 to 1914 * Military records, including listings of residents from two veterans' homes and WWI serviceman cards * Death indexes of selected counties and cemetery records * Births from two counties and one city (1890-1914) * Marriages (plus images of some records) from three counties * The names of nearly 16,000 elected officials who took an oath of office between 1854 and 1978 * A listing of physicians who practiced in Washington State between 1872 through 1938 You may either perform a simple surname search on a single database or on all of them at once. There is also a Detail Search, which provides advanced search options. Each database contains different information, and the Detail Search is designed to follow the fields of each specific database. Interestingly, the State Archives hosts a separate website from the Digital Archives. The two websites appear to share the same indexed databases, but the State Archives site has more search and viewing options as well as scans of original unindexed records, and interactive features. To access the State Archives website, click on the Archives link at the bottom of any page of the Digital Archives site (or click the link above). Once on the home page, click on the Historical Records Search link under Research. Here you will see a full list of all databases on the website, an option that is not offered by the Digital Archives site. You can also select and search any combination of databases, as opposed to the "one or all" options of the Digital Archives site. While the Digital Archives site only has the indexes to select transcribed County Census records, the State Archives site provides scanned images of the censuses that have yet to be indexed. Each database name on the State Archives site is linked to an information page which includes introductory material, a citation, a browse option, ordering information, and links to additional information about the record type. Most interesting of all are the Share Information links that appear when a result page is accessed. Once you have found your ancestor, you are invited to submit additional information on the individual, which can be read by anyone. It is unclear why the State Archives and the Digital Archives would maintain separate websites, but it is interesting that while the Digital Archives project is getting all of the attention, the State Archives site is superior to it in every way. Both, however, are well worth a visit, especially if your New England ancestors went west to try their luck in the rough-and-tumble Washington Territory. ____________________________________________ Check out the Bunker Family Association. http://www.bunkerfamilyassn.org. If your name is Bunker and you are a male, consider joining our surname DNA project.

Here is an article from this week's RootsWeb Review. Wonder how many Bunkers might be listed throughout the US? Try it and see. Bette A Site Worth Seeing: Find Your 'Fortune' Online There's an Internet site that contains a database of names of those who have money due them by various states. This happens, typically, when bank accounts are dormant for an extended period of time or when there are unclaimed paychecks, money from wills, etc. After a period of time this money is turned over to the state where it stays until the rightful person claims it [or the legal time to hold it expires]. Visit National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. Click on "Find Property" link at the top left of that page. Then select the state desired. If you lived in several states, try them all. Instructions for obtaining the unclaimed property varies from state to state. Read the rules carefully. Good luck. http://www.unclaimed.org/mainframe.asp?VisitorType=owner * * * ____________________________________________ Check out the Bunker Family Association. http://www.bunkerfamilyassn.org. If your name is Bunker and you are a male, consider joining our surname DNA project.

The Sunday Times – Britain November 14, 2004 Heroes website deluged by hits Gareth Walsh and Peter Day A WEBSITE that lets families read their ancestors’ first world war medal records received more than 1m hits in the week before its official launch today, on Remembrance Sunday. An explosion of interest in genealogy has led to the site being deluged by relatives curious to uncover the poignant records of 5.5m servicemen. For more than 80 years countless individual acts of bravery, often by junior ranks, have lain forgotten because of the obstacles that faced amateur researchers. Until today they have had to travel to the National Archives in Kew, west London, to find the records. Now the National Archives internet database offers the first comprehensive roll-call of all soldiers and airmen who fought overseas. Royal Navy records may be added later. Among medal cards on the database are those of the future Duke of Windsor, Winston Churchill, Wilfred Owen, the war poet, and Ralph Vaughan Williams, the composer. The database also includes the details of 84 privates called Tommy Atkins. Previous sources usually concentrated on soldiers who died or on officers, sidelining the millions of other ranks who returned from the front. Medal cards reveal only basic details of service record and medals. About 60% of the full individual service records, which were stored separately, were destroyed by second world war bombing. Although the site was still running only on a trial basis last week, Nov 2004, it had received 1.5m hits, 30% from overseas. The charge for downloading an image of an individual’s card is £3.50, but few have done this. The site is at www.DocumentsOnline.nationalarchives.gov.uk

This is the only info that I could find online..... Janet Cheboygan Daily Tribune >> http://www.cheboygannews.com << Allan K. Bunker, 46 ALANSON Allan K. Bunker, 46, of Indian River, passed away Sunday, Dec. 19, 2004, in Alanson. A graveside service will be held in the spring at the Littlefield Township Cemetery in Alanson. Lintz Funeral Home in Indian River cared for the family. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bette" <betterichs@earthlink.net> To: <BUNKER-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, December 26, 2004 9:38 AM Subject: RE: Obit of Allan K BUNKER, d 19 Dec 2004, Cheboygan, MI |I don't have any information about this Allan K. Bunker. Does anyone know | any more about him? | | Bette | | | ____________________________________________ | Check out the Bunker Family Association. http://www.bunkerfamilyassn.org. | If your name is Bunker and you are a male, consider joining our surname DNA | project. | | -----Original Message----- | From: Sally Rolls Pavia [mailto:sallyinaz@cox.net] | Sent: Sunday, December 26, 2004 6:49 AM | To: BUNKER-L@rootsweb.com | Subject: Obit of Allan K BUNKER, d 19 Dec 2004, Cheboygan, MI | | | Name of Deceased: Allan K. Bunker | Age at Death: 46 | Birth Date: abt 1958 | Death Date: Dec/19/2004 | Newspaper Title: Cheboygan Daily Tribune | Newspaper Location: Cheboygan, MI, US | Obituary Publication Date: Dec/22/2004 | Locations Mentioned in Obituary: Alanson; Indian | | | Sally Rolls Pavia | sallypavia2001@yahoo.com | "Books permit us to voyage through time, to tap the wisdom of our | ancestors." | .. Carl Sagan | List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com | Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES | "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus" | | | | | | | ==== BUNKER Mailing List ==== | Post your information and queries. We love it. No BUNKER rock left | untouched. Spelling variations ok - we don't "know" the original. | | | | | | ==== BUNKER Mailing List ==== | Post your information and queries. We love it. No BUNKER rock left untouched. Spelling variations ok - we don't "know" the original. |

I don't have any information about this Allan K. Bunker. Does anyone know any more about him? Bette ____________________________________________ Check out the Bunker Family Association. http://www.bunkerfamilyassn.org. If your name is Bunker and you are a male, consider joining our surname DNA project. -----Original Message----- From: Sally Rolls Pavia [mailto:sallyinaz@cox.net] Sent: Sunday, December 26, 2004 6:49 AM To: BUNKER-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Obit of Allan K BUNKER, d 19 Dec 2004, Cheboygan, MI Name of Deceased: Allan K. Bunker Age at Death: 46 Birth Date: abt 1958 Death Date: Dec/19/2004 Newspaper Title: Cheboygan Daily Tribune Newspaper Location: Cheboygan, MI, US Obituary Publication Date: Dec/22/2004 Locations Mentioned in Obituary: Alanson; Indian Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com "Books permit us to voyage through time, to tap the wisdom of our ancestors." .. Carl Sagan List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus" ==== BUNKER Mailing List ==== Post your information and queries. We love it. No BUNKER rock left untouched. Spelling variations ok - we don't "know" the original.

Name of Deceased: Allan K. Bunker Age at Death: 46 Birth Date: abt 1958 Death Date: Dec/19/2004 Newspaper Title: Cheboygan Daily Tribune Newspaper Location: Cheboygan, MI, US Obituary Publication Date: Dec/22/2004 Locations Mentioned in Obituary: Alanson; Indian Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com "Books permit us to voyage through time, to tap the wisdom of our ancestors." .. Carl Sagan List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

I just upgraded the BFA database in The Master Genealogist (TMG). This program can do just about anything except cook dinner. They are probably working on that now! :-) In addition, I added GenSmarts which does such nice research suggestions. It now works in conjunction with TMG. This is what I got when I was in the file of Gertrude Bunker. The following makes for a long message but I wanted you to see what this does. I will be happy to look up anyone in the BFA file and do the same for you. I also highly recommend that you purchase both programs. TMG now has a component for beginners that makes it easier for those just starting out. You can always switch later to a more complete program when you think you can handle it. You can now purchase both programs at http://whollygenes.com and get GenSmarts at half price. And now to Gertrude Bunker: Researching the Strafford New Hampshire Marriage Records makes sense because she was married on 18-MAR-1890 in Dover, New Hampshire (Strafford County). Some background on Gertrude Elsie BUNKER [6432]: She was born on 28-AUG-1872 in Kittery, York Co, Maine, and she died on 3-JUL-1949 in Washington, DC (District of Columbia County). She married John Lewis SHORTRIDGE [12512] on 18-MAR-1890 in Dover, New Hampshire (Strafford County), and had the following child: Arnold [511548] (1893). Her parents were Benjamin Franklin BUNKER [5430] (b. 12-SEP-1847 in Kittery, Maine, d. 11-OCT-1926 in Kittery, Maine), and Jennie Levine BLAKE [10782] (b. 18-JUL-1850 in Kittery Me, d. 5-AUG-1918 in Kittery, Maine). Here is a recap of some of the people and places that might be involved in searching a Marriage Records State: New Hampshire County: Strafford Person: BUNKER, Gertrude Alt Spellings: BANKER Spouse(s): John Lewis SHORTRIDGE [12512] Inlaws: Parents: Benjamin Franklin BUNKER [5430] and Jennie Levine BLAKE [10782] Brothers: Winfred Herman BUNKER [6431], Walker Ervin BUNKER [6433], Ralph Warren BUNKER [6435], Fred Garfield BUNKER [6436], and Eugene E BUNKER [6439] This record can be researched at the following location: 1) Houston TX This information can be found on 4 Books at the Clayton Library Center For Gen. Res.. The volumes for these are: Call No: R646 STRAF NH Title:Farmington, New Hampshire vital records Call No: R646 STRAF NH Title:Milton, New Hampshire vital records Call No: R646 STRAF NH Title:Barrington, New Hampshire vital Recs Call No: R616 STRAF NH Title:Vital Recs New Durham Middleton Researching the York Maine County Birth Records makes sense because she was born on 28-AUG-1872 in Kittery, York Co, Maine. NOTE: The years covered by this record set is unknown to GenSmarts, so you may want to first verify that coverage is appropriate via a card catalog or other source before pursuing this suggestion further. Here is a recap of some of the people and places that might be involved in searching a County Birth Records State: Maine County: York Person: BUNKER, Gertrude Alt Spellings: BANKER Spouse(s): John Lewis SHORTRIDGE [12512] Inlaws: Parents: Benjamin Franklin BUNKER [5430] and Jennie Levine BLAKE [10782] Brothers: Winfred Herman BUNKER [6431], Walker Ervin BUNKER [6433], Ralph Warren BUNKER [6435], Fred Garfield BUNKER [6436], and Eugene E BUNKER [6439] This record can be researched at the following location: 1) Houston TX This information can be found on 5 Books at the Clayton Library Center For Gen. Res.. The volumes for these are: Call No: E12 YORK ME Title:Vital records of South Berwick Call No: R311 YORK ME Title:Recs First Second Churches Berwick Call No: B369 YORK ME Title:Vital Recs Biddeford Call No: 974.1 B633 ME Title:Vital records of York, Maine Call No: 974.1 A547 ME Title:Vital Recs Kittery, Maine to year 1892 Researching the York Maine County Birth Records makes sense because she was born on 28-AUG-1872 in Kittery, York Co, Maine. NOTE: The years covered by this record set is unknown to GenSmarts, so you may want to first verify that coverage is appropriate via a card catalog or other source before pursuing this suggestion further. *********************************************************************** In addition, when I go to GenSmarts to get suggestions it lists about 20 possible sources including marriage records, census records, burial records, etc and it tells me if they are online and if so, whether I have access to those websites. It gives the addresses of the place where these records are kept so that you can write if you do not have internet access. Bette ____________________________________________ Check out the Bunker Family Association. http://www.bunkerfamilyassn.org. If your name is Bunker and you are a male, consider joining our surname DNA project.

Yahoo was just not the real me, so I am going back to the stonemedia address. So please change it to: bbunker@stonemedia.com There have been too many changes in our lives lately for me to concentrate on the changes necessary to learn a new system. So back to the old familiar. Sorry for causing any inconvenience. Betty B.

Sally sent me this site. It is really interesting. It has articles about numerous different aspects of genealogy. This is not the site to search for your ancestors but you might accidentally run across a history of one of the towns your ancestors settled in. http://www.genealogysearch.org/news/index.html Bette ____________________________________________ Check out the Bunker Family Association. http://www.bunkerfamilyassn.org. If your name is Bunker and you are a male, consider joining our surname DNA project.

Monday, October 18, 2004 Coffin Plates - A Great Source of Birth and Death Dates Brian C AncestorsAtRest.com http://www.ancestorsatrest.com/ <http://www.ancestorsatrest.com/> The history of Coffin Plates or casket plates is a long, but not very well documented one. Generally made of a soft metal like pewter, silver, brass, copper or tin, coffin plates are decorative adornments attached to the coffin that contain information about the deceased. These plates are an overlooked free genealogical resource. They often contain the Birth date and Death date and can be used as a substitute for vital records. The oldest ones that I have seen date from the 17th century (1600~1699) and were reserved for people of some stature, in other words people who had money. As time went on more people were able to afford the luxury of a Coffin Plate and with the coming of the industrial revolution the cost of the plates went down so much that by the middle of the 19th century almost every family could afford them. At the same time that coffin plates were increasing in popularity the practice of removing the plates from the coffin before burial increased. The coffin plates were often removed to be kept as mementos by the loved ones of the deceased. This practice peaked in the late 19th century (1880~1899). In rare cases the plates are removed when the grave is disturbed for some reason like cemetery relocation. This is more common in Europe were space for graves is at a premium. Unfortunately these valuable resources are scattered and there has not been a single repository for this valuable free genealogy resource until now. It is my intention to create a coffin plate database and a home for the unwanted plates themselves. You can see the start of this project at http://www.ancestorsatrest.com/coffin_plates/ In some rare cases the plates can contain even more information like place of birth or the occupation of the deceased. If you want to know more about what things qualify as a true Vital Records there is a good article Genealogy Without Sources is Mythology! at the Olive Tree at http://olivetreegenealogy.com/articles/myth.shtml <http://olivetreegenealogy.com/articles/myth.shtml> Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com "We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds." List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Presenting family history data on the Internet does not always have to be based on complex HTML formatted pages. Recently, genealogists have been experimenting with different ways to deliver data on the web, and I'm no exception, as my data base includes Bradts, Brotts, Bunkers, Winslows, Williams, Roblees and others galore. Wouldn't you know it, but the most heavily used surname in my data base is Archer. Based on a recent article in Richard Eastman's genealogy newsletter, I decided to try a program called The Next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding ©, written by Darrin Lythgoe. The program permits the genealogist to export family history data (an old-fashioned GEDCOM file), then import the file and convert it to a data base (in this case a MySQL data base on my web site, which runs under Linux). Information is delivered to the web site visitor by PHP scripts. Although it helps to know SQL and PHP, you don't have to (I certainly don't) if you know basic data base principles. If you'd like to see how it works, please visit my site at: http://www.greencity.org/TNG/index.php Any feedback is appreciated. You can also visit Darrin's site at: http://lythgoes.net/genealogy/software.php ______ Doug Detling

Colonial Love and Marriage By MYRA VANDERPOOL GORMLEY, CG C 1990, 2004 Scarcity breeds demand and women were scare in early America. No women accompanied the settlers who established Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. And when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620, only 28 women numbered among the 100 or so passengers on the Mayflower. In a rich new world, marriageable white women remained rare - and eagerly sought. Between 1620 and 1622, about 150 "pure and spotless" women arrived in Virginia and were auctioned for about 80 pounds of tobacco to future husbands. But, by 1625, men still comprised three-quarters of Virginia's white population, and, by mid-century, the situation had worsened. Eligible ladies obviously remained hard to come by. On the other hand, the free women of 17th-century America found their position enviable. Regardless of looks, wit, or wealth, they had no trouble finding husbands. For the remainder of the article: www.genealogymagazine.com/coloandma.html Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com "We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds." List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"