The Harper's New Monthly Magazine Vol. 45 Issue 265 June 1872 pg. 158 Uncle JOHN VERNAM, of Livingston County, New York, had a droll way of expressing his views, and evidently had some practical ideas about ministerial commissions. Every Christmas he sent each clergyman in the village of Mount Morris a first-class ham of liberal dimensions. Some years ago a new preacher settled in the town, and started a new sect. When Christmas came the old settled clergymen received their large hams, but the new apostle was favored with a small shoulder. Meeting Uncle John, he asked why he gave to the brethren a "big ham" and to him a "little shoulder." "Oh," said Uncle John, with a twinkle in his eye, "that's all right, all right. You come about as near to a minister as a shoulder does to a ham." -- Cindy Amrhein Town of Alabama Historian Genesee Co., NY ********************** Historian's Page - Alabama, NY http://www2.pcom.net/cinjod/historian/ Experience the town of Alabama in Genesee County, New York. History, tombstone inscriptions, census records, history of the Tonawanda Seneca Indians and the Iroquois. Enjoy a good murder mystery? Read about the murders of Polly Frisch. APHNYS (The Association of Public Historians of New York State) http://www.tier.net/aphnys/ Genesee County, NY website. Includes History Department, (under "Historian") http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/ The Genesee Area Genealogy Society lists the names and addresses for all the Genesee & Wyoming County Historians http://www.rootsweb.com/~nygags/hist.htm