Thank you for the "funny", MargoBelle. We need them once in a while to keep us from getting "too" serious about our "hobby". The following is not as good as yours, but I think it's pretty good too. The Smiths were proud of their family traditions. Their ancestors had come to America on the Mayflower. They included Senators and Wall Street Wizards. They decided to compile a family history as a legacy for their children and grandchildren. They hired a fine author. Only one problem arose - how to handle that unwanted information that great-uncle George had brought to the Family Tree .... when he was executed in the electric chair!!! The experienced author said, "No problem", he could handle the story tactfully, and so he did!! The book was published, and here is what it said: "Great-uncle George occupied a chair of applied electronics at an important government institution and was attached to his position by the strongest of ties, and, indeed, his death came as a great shock." ----- Original Message ----- From: <MargoBelle@aol.com> To: <DAVENPORT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2000 10:20 PM Subject: [DAVENPORT] Rewriting our Family History > While I know we don't usually post humorous stories on the list, I thought we > could all relate to this one. > > "You are working on your family genealogy and for sake of example, let's say > that your great-great uncle, Remus Davenport, a fellow greatly lacking in > character, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889. > > A cousin has supplied you with the only known photograph of Remus, showing > him standing on the gallows. On the back of the picture are the words: > > "Remus Davenport: Horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison, 1885. > Escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times. > Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged, 1889." > > Pretty grim story for our family history book, isn't it? But let's revise > things a bit. We simply crop the picture, scan in an enlarged image and edit > it with image processing software so that all that is seen is a head shot. > > Then we edit the text: > > "Remus Davenport was a well-known cowboy in the Montana Territory. His > business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and > intimate dealings with the Montana Railroad. Beginning in 1885, he devoted > several > years of his life to service at a government facility, finally taking leave > to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a > vital investigation run the by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In > 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor > when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed." > > Ha ha--sounds much better, doesn't it? > > MargoBelle > >