Since I was a child, I knew that my ancestors speak to and through me. It is not mystical or magical, it is simply a part of being, period. I can almost feel them nearby when I get on the internet in search of another lead. Maybe in another 50 years or so, we will know which little string of DNA we inherit which gave us this unquenchable urge to uncover the secrets of the past. Back in the 70's on the way to Overton County, TN in search of a trail on another line, I had driven through Monterrey, TN. North of Monterrey, on the way to Livingston, a morning mist was hanging along the ground. The mist suddenly parted and I found myself being serenaded by birds. The songs were coming from the woods on each side of the road. I pulled to the side of the road, thanking God for the sense of joy and homecoming I felt. I drove on into Livingston, TN, and 2 days later returned to those woods, to hug the trees and kiss the ground where my gggg's had built their one room cabin in 1811. I had come searching for them but they found me first. One of my finds on that trip was the confirmation that at least some of my ancestors thought they were Cherokee. I returned home and while visiting the Chattanooga Public Library, was talking to the librarian about it. She introduced me to Shirley Hoskins, who just happened to be in the library that day, and was in the process of compiling some books on the Cherokee Court of Claims applications. Shirley helped me find my great grandmother's application number and to get a copy of the actual application. (Shirley was one of those wonderful angels we blindly stumble into in our research, and I will always be grateful to her.) The claim was denied, but it gave me 3 generations further back to my great grandmother's great grandfather, a Revolutionary War soldier. All her children's names, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles were on the Cherokee application. My Walker County lines are: WHITE (2 separate lines of these) - EVITT/EVATT - BELL - MOORE - FORTUNE. Just wanted to share that. Bonnie

Bonnie, that is so well put, I can tell we are sisters of the earth. When I picked up those pieces of coal, it was like holding diamonds, when I was told that Durham Rd was still there, I couldn't wait to get there, I think its just part of the spirit and the soul of our ancestors, as me and my dad had it, we could feel with our souls, and not any of my siblings have that, they can't understand my searching for the past, they don't seem to realize that our ancestors determined our present - Me and Mr Harmon picked blackberries off the vine and ate them, I would of gone off into the woods if he had not told me to wait - there was a small creek that was down in the curve and it was so clear, I waded barefoot, I was like a child wanting to know everything, I can't wait to get back up that way. delilah evans At 22:22 3/16/01 -0500, you wrote: >Since I was a child, I knew that my ancestors speak to and through me. It is >not mystical or magical, it is simply a part of being, period. I can almost >feel them nearby when I get on the internet in search of another lead. Maybe >in another 50 years or so, we will know which little string of DNA we >inherit which gave us this unquenchable urge to uncover the secrets of the >past. > >Back in the 70's on the way to Overton County, TN in search of a trail on >another line, I had driven through Monterrey, TN. North of Monterrey, on the >way to Livingston, a morning mist was hanging along the ground. The mist >suddenly parted and I found myself being serenaded by birds. The songs were >coming from the woods on each side of the road. I pulled to the side of the >road, thanking God for the sense of joy and homecoming I felt. I drove on >into Livingston, TN, and 2 days later returned to those woods, to hug the >trees and kiss the ground where my gggg's had built their one room cabin in >1811. I had come searching for them but they found me first. > >One of my finds on that trip was the confirmation that at least some of my >ancestors thought they were Cherokee. I returned home and while visiting the >Chattanooga Public Library, was talking to the librarian about it. She >introduced me to Shirley Hoskins, who just happened to be in the library >that day, and was in the process of compiling some books on the Cherokee >Court of Claims applications. Shirley helped me find my great grandmother's >application number and to get a copy of the actual application. (Shirley was >one of those wonderful angels we blindly stumble into in our research, and I >will always be grateful to her.) The claim was denied, but it gave me 3 >generations further back to my great grandmother's great grandfather, a >Revolutionary War soldier. All her children's names, brothers, sisters, >aunts and uncles were on the Cherokee application. > >My Walker County lines are: WHITE (2 separate lines of these) - >EVITT/EVATT - BELL - MOORE - FORTUNE. > >Just wanted to share that. > >Bonnie > > > >==== GAWALKER Mailing List ==== >If you wish to subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Walker Co., GA list, use >[email protected] or [email protected] if >you are on the Digest list. >To learn more about my world visit http://dwp.bigplanet.com/kburnett > >