Hi, I signed on to the mailing list but have not received anything except the welcome message. So I decided to send this to whoever is out there and maybe kick off some interest. The Fourth of July has always been a favorite for my family and this year was no exception. My wife and I hosted a cookout and seating to watch the fireworks display at the local park. There were 3 generations represented last night, although the group was small. The fireworks were spectacular and the smaller fireworks that the kids had were just as pretty. Everyone had a great time and we all enjoyed the food, especially the red, white and blue cheesecake that my wife made. My family appears to have originated in Hampshire County, Romney, West Virginia. Most of the people in my family tree have their roots in that area. I currently live in Martinsburg, West Virginia. I have not being able to find many folks that connect to the original family although I keep looking. If you have interest in the people that are in my "tree", please respond to the list. Maybe we can help each other discover more of our history. Regards to all, Bernie Cookus