Hi Diane and group. Thank you Diane for pointing out my silly error. It should have read that "Thomas/Edward Oak arrived in Boston in the early 1640's" vice 1840's. Thanks again. Paul

Good morning, all. The legend is: Nathaniel OAK, at age 15, swam ashore from a sunken boat from England in about 1660. The Boat/Ship sunk about 9 miles off of the coast and Nat Oak was the only survivor. Facts supporting legend: None. Story was told by Nathaniel and passed down through family. Could be true..but find no support for it. I personally believe he was either an escaped prisoner or the illegitimate son of Thomas/Edward Oak who arrived in Boston in the early 1840's. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Paul of San Diego

iso of any family born 9/25/60 birth mom 31 in 1960 birth father 45 in 1960 looking for older and possibly younger sibs no birth name yet. adopted birth cert issued in manhattan ny issued and witnessed on 11/61 italian looking petite big brown eyes have some photos of unidentified boy around age 7-10 dark hair with my sister in 1958 a female blond large boned around 7-10 in 1958 also and an 2 unidentified men. most photos taken in a large park in new york city i believe. Jo-Ann

Hello Everyone, Just wanted to take a moment and let you know that thanks to eveyone's help and advice i did send the letter to the man thought to be my Uncle. Well he is , he called me about an hour ago. He did not know he has siblings or even when grandpa died. We are planning on meeting. Thank god there was a bit of sunshine on this dark day. I got a phone call around midnight last night telling me my birth father had passed away. If any of you good people ever need a favor please ask...i owe you all. Faith

Hi, Here is the translation of the letter. I work with an individual from Germany who is fluent in both english and german written and verbal. He kindly translated for me. Best of luck! Deb Israelistche Cultus-Gemeinde Ludwigshafen A Rh Isrealean Culture Community Ludwigshafen on the Rhein Ludwigshafen A Rh 9 Januar 1890 .... Sehr Wohlgeboren Dear Sir, ==> this was the way to approach aristocratic people, means: "wellborn" Herrn Leopold Herz Mr. Leopold Herz Kochendorf Kochendorf (that's I guess the village) Nach Gemeindebeschluss respectiv durch deren einstimmigen unterschrieften After decision by the community authorities confirming by their signatures, wuerde Herr Cantor Stern zu Ludwigshafen am Rhein auf die Dauer von sechs Mr. Stern from Ludiwgshafen on the Rhein has been hired for the next 6 years Jahren mit einem fixen Gehalt von IMK [DMK???] 2000 jaehrlich engagiert. with a fixed annual salary of ???. (MK could stand for Mark but DMK is not Deutsch Mark!) (Cantor - I think is the music director position ) Ein laengerer Abschluss des Vertrags waere ebenfalls erfolgt wenn nicht mit A more detailed contract would have been worked out if Mr. Stein wouldn't be hired almost Ruecksicht auf baldige definitive Anstellung dass Herr Stern durch die immediately by the community. politische Gemeinde in Aussicht staende. Wass Person, Stellung etc dass Herrn Stern betrifft, glauben wir nich noetig We think that there is no further reason to discuss more about him as a person or his position, zu haben eine weitere Auseinandersetzung geben zu muessen, da die Taetigkeit since his work and he himself is well known in town and that this is the best certification for him. und Beliebheit dass Herrn Stern in der Hissigen Stadt zur Genuege bekannt und fur Ihn dass beste Zeugniss ist. Der Vorstand der Israelitischen Cultusgemeinde The Board of the Israelean Culture Community B Weingart B. Weingard (I guess the director/ or president)

Here's a change of pace: I have the murder victim's story, and want to find his family. Can you help?? In 1859, Peter Lassen was an early settler in NE Calif. Peter, Mr Wyatt, and Ed Clapper were on a prospecting trip when they were ambushed, in the Black Rock desert, north of Reno, Nevada. Mr. Wyatt faked being dead, and witnessed the shooting of his friends. When things cleared, he returned to Susanville, Calif, where he described the shooting, including the location of the wounds. His account is found in the later published History of Lassen county. Peter was apparently more known (the county was later named for him), and when a rescue party returned to the murder scene several months later, they retrieved the body of Lassen, but buried Ed Clapper at the site. No one has ever figured why, except that Clapper was less known to them. Over the years, no one was able to relocate the remote gravesite. In the early 1990's, persons out 'four wheeling' in the desert came across an eroded grave near a stream bed. Based on the still evident wound to the skull, it was determined that this was in fact the remains of Ed Clapper. The skull was sent to the Smithsonian, where a forensics expert created a computer aided reproduction of what Ed Clapper looked like. Following that, the Lassen county historical society made arrangements for a long delay proper burial (and funeral service, some 130 yrs after his death), and Ed Clapper now rests beside his friend, Peter Lassen. At that time, I managed to locate individuals researching the Clapper surname, and was also able to narrow down the likelihood that he may have come from the area near Stark county, Ohio. One lead was when old family photos sent to me by one researcher showed a striking resemblance to the computerized "photo". Also, another researcher in that area recalled hearing the familiar 'went west and was never heard from' story in their branch of the Clapper family, but she was unable to provide definite connection. I am looking for help in or near Stark county, attempting to find any probate file in the 1850-1870 time frame that could connect, or mentions an Edward Clapper. There was a second Ed Clapper in Stark county, who married ca 1870, it is not him. One intriguing clue: Ed Clapper had fillings in his teeth. Was there a Clapper dentist in Ohio prior to 1860? I have extensive files on branches here, but still need help. Even if he did not marry/have descendents, surely he had siblings who always wondered what happened to him? Wendy Dolphay

Faith, I occassionally help adopted people who want to make contact with their birth families. Lunaloba has given you good advice. I prefer the letter route because it gives the person a time to adjust. One minor addition, you might want to mention that you too were estranged from your father's family as that will be in common. A self-addressed, stamped envelope is a good way to prevent your uncle's procrastinating in responding. Good luck! Nancy -----Original Message----- From: lunaloba [mailto:lunaloba@texas.net] Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 1999 7:48 AM To: GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES] Lemaster Faith, I empathize with your situation. Perhaps you or a third party could contact this man by mail, explaining who you are and offering him the opportunity to contact you. Or you could do this yourself. A letter is less invasive and demands no immediate response like a phone call does. It also provides a safe distance from which to communicate at first. Before you contact him, you need to be really honest with yourself about what you want from him, and you must be prepared for the possibility that he may not want contact. You need to be aware that he may have had a very different life than your father and his siblings. While he may be family, he may not share your values or lifestyle. Please do not be alone with him until you know him well. You sound like a thoughtful, sensitive person. I'd say he'd be lucky to have you for a niece! Good luck in your search. Lunaloba ==== GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from digest mode, send a NEW message to GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-D-request@rootsweb.com In the body of the message, put the word "unsubscribe" (no quotes).

My husbond mother and father were killed when he was 7yrs old. We have been trying to find any info on them or on Johns birth certficate. His parents name were WesleyMonore and Mary OReagan . This happened in Slema as far as we can find out. It was some time in 1944 or 45. If anyone has any info please let me know the last name is Walford Barbara

Joseph Richard FOWLER of Ohio Co.,WVA was convicted of 1st degree murder on November 16th,1920 and sentenced to life imprisonment on Nov. 27,1920. He was pardoned on July 10, 1925. The WVA Dept. of Corrections at Moundsville states that all other pertinent records have been purged from their files. Surely there must be some newspaper account of this murder in Wheeling or other close by papers.Is someone willing to look at any extant paper archives in the time period involved to help me determine who the victim was and where the event took place. Chuck

I would always say to anyone - go for it or else you'll spend the rest of you life wondering. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Just take it one step at a time, carefully and if you expect disappointment then the opposite is the icing on the cake. Regards, K>, Robin Hood Country. ----- Original Message ----- From: Faith Poplin <FPoplin@prodigy.net> To: <GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: 02 November 1999 18:24 Subject: Re: [GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES] NEED HELP FINDING FATHER'S SISTER - WWII ERA > Faye, > It would be wonderful if you could find you dad's sister. I cannot imagine > what he has felt all these years knowing she is out there somewhere and > wanting to find her. Maybe someone somewhere will have something to suggest. > Sure wish i had some idea's for you. > Faith > > > ==== GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES Mailing List ==== > To contact the owner use, dwburgess@worldnet.att.net > >

Hello Everyone! I just wanted to take a moment and thank the people on this list for offering their opinions on how to handle my situation. You are a truly great group of people and i feel very fortunate to be a member of this list! I am composing a letter today and hope to get it in the mail. I'll let you all know, what the out come is. Thanks Again, Faith

Faye, It would be wonderful if you could find you dad's sister. I cannot imagine what he has felt all these years knowing she is out there somewhere and wanting to find her. Maybe someone somewhere will have something to suggest. Sure wish i had some idea's for you. Faith

Hello, I've just joined the list and I'm hoping someone can help me. My grandfather, Alfred Stern who was born in Ludwigshafen am Rhein in Germany in 1896, never spoke about his father Leopold Stern. According to my grandmother there had been a scandal. Leopold had acted as a guarantor for some of his cousins who formed an iron foundry which failed and then he had "run off with his wife's money". He then apparently committed suicide in either Montreal or New York in July 1901 at the age of 37. However my grandfather did always have a document which seems to have been a reference for his father who was Jewish and seems to have also been a municipal employee. I am still asking Ludwigshafen for information, but I was wondering whether anybody else could suggest what happened and the significance of this document. I have never been able to find out where my great grandfather committed suicide (he apparently drowned), although I have written to Montreal which seemed the most likely candidate. I do have just one photo which may be of Leopold Stern. It does look like my brother. My grandfather had it in a locket made from a watch chain. It also had a photo of his mother, Hedwig, in it. His photo has lasted, with his face clearly visible, while her's has faded. After Leopold's death, if indeed he died, she was known as "a schoolteacher's widow" (Lehrers Witwe) and when my grandfather married she went into a home. I have the document written to my great great grandfather Leopold Herz of Kochendorf, now Bad Friedrichshall, on the River Neckar in Baden Wuerttemberg. It is from Bernhard Weingart, whom I believe was head of the Synagogue committee in Ludwigshafen between 1886 and 1894. He obviously was also head of the Israelitische Cultusgemeinde. The document is dated 9 January 1890, four months before my great grandfather, Leopold Stern, of Heppenheim an der Bergstrasse in Hesse married my great grandmother Hedwig Herz. I would be very interested - and grateful - to anybody giving me a translation and what they think the document was for. I would especially like to know what is meant by "politische Gemeinde" in this context. The document is as follows (as far as I can tell reading old German Script): Israelistche Cultus-Gemeinde Ludwigshafen A Rh Ludwigshafen A Rh 9 Januar 1890 Sehr Wohlgeboren Herrn Leopold Herz Kochendorf Nach Gemeindebeschluss respectiv durch deren einstimmigen unterschrieften wuerde Herr Cantor Stern zu Ludwigshafen am Rhein auf die Dauer von sechs Jahren mit einem fixen Gehalt von IMK [DMK???] 2000 jaehrlich engagiert. Ein laengerer Abschluss des Vertrags waere ebenfalls erfolgt wenn nicht mit Ruecksicht auf baldige definitive Anstellung dass Herr Stern durch die politische Gemeinde in Aussicht staende. Wass Person, Stellung etc dass Herrn Stern betrifft, glauben wir nich noetig zu haben eine weitere Auseinandersetzung geben zu muessen, da die Taetigkeit und Beliebheit dass Herrn Stern in der Hissigen Stadt zur Genuege bekannt und fur Ihn dass beste Zeugniss ist. Der Vorstand der Israelitischen Cultusgemeinde B Weingart What can I say? It's all a mystery... Alice Josephs Loughton Essex UK

My heart reaches out to you and your father. I pray that you will have answers to your questions soon. Gail Shearin-Dupree Faye Ball Edwards wrote: > Greetings from a North Carolina genealogy hound! I have had very little > trouble finding ancestors, but I do have a big mystery in the current > generation ... You'd think it would be easier to find someone born after > legal record-keeping started! > > Am searching for my father's sister. She was last known to be in > California in the late 1940s or early 1950s. > She was born September 8, 1923 as Annie Lee Ball in Vance County, > (Henderson), North Carolina to Stephen and Mamie Ball. She was the > youngest of 8 children. In 1924, her father, Stephen Ball died and her > mother, Mamie, gave all the children away to be adopted or fostered. > > Annie was adopted by Lew and Pearl Finch of neighboring Granville > County, (Oxford), North Carolina. They changed her name to Mary > Elizabeth Finch. Though adopted, her new family allowed her to visit > with several of her siblings during her childhood. Unfortunately, the > people who raised my father never allowed him to see or socialize with > any of them. > > In his adulthood, my father found all of them and formed family > relationships with them. All except Annie (Mary Elizabeth). By the time > he found out where what happened to her, the following scenario had > taken place: > > She grew up and married a man named Curtis Smith of Franklin County > (Louisburg) North Carolina in the late 30's or very early 40's. > Somewhere near the start of World War II, she and Smith divorced and she > joined the WAVES or WACs, possibly as a nurse. I have been led to > believe that she trained somewhere around Indianapolis. Rumor has it > that her adopted father told her if she divorced Smith, that he would > disown her. So she left and they never heard from her again. > > It is believed that she contracted polio during her military tour which > left her with some disability. It has been said that she was sent to the > Ozark mountains after her sickness. > > In the very late 1940s or early 1950s, someone contacted an uncle of > mine (one of her blood brothers) and said that she had been involved in > an automobile accident in California. My uncle chose not to act on this > information for personal reasons not known to us. Because he didn't > forward this information or check into it, no one knows what the outcome > of that "automobile accident" was. Did she live? Did she die? Where is > she? Did she remarry? Was there really an accident, or was this her way > of trying to reach her real family? I shudder to think that she was > trying to reach the only people that she thought cared, only to be > ignored. > > My father, on the other hand, has spent his entire life asking only that > someone find his sister for him. I didn't have the heart to tell him > that she had contacted his brother so many years ago, but that he kept > it a secret. He is now 80 years old, and the only surviving sibling. > Even if we find that she is deceased, he would find relief in knowing > what happened to her, and could begin to fit some pieces of her > life together. It took him many years to come to terms with what his > mother did, but I don't think he'll ever be completely at peace until he > > finds his siter. > > A wonderful lady looked up Mary Elizabeth Finch/Smith in the California > Death Index. However there are approximately ??? hundreds of them, and > ironically, none of them have an NC issued SS #.I am certain that Mary's > SS was issued here. I have written to military personnel in St. Louis. > After months of waiting, they sent me a request for records form that I > had to fill out and return. Again I have waited several months and have > no reply to date. > > I figured I might as well post to the list while I am waiting. > > Does anyone know what happened to Mary Elizabeth Finch Smith? Any ideas? > I do hope to find closure in this situation soon. > > Many Thanks and Happy Hunting to All of You! > Faye Ball Edwards > Henderson, North Carolina > > ==== GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES Mailing List ==== > To get another copy of the Welcome Message send New mail to > GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L-request@rootsweb.com . > In the subject of the message type, > "archive" without the quotes. In the body of the message type, > "get welcome.txt" without the quotes.

Faith, I empathize with your situation. Perhaps you or a third party could contact this man by mail, explaining who you are and offering him the opportunity to contact you. Or you could do this yourself. A letter is less invasive and demands no immediate response like a phone call does. It also provides a safe distance from which to communicate at first. Before you contact him, you need to be really honest with yourself about what you want from him, and you must be prepared for the possibility that he may not want contact. You need to be aware that he may have had a very different life than your father and his siblings. While he may be family, he may not share your values or lifestyle. Please do not be alone with him until you know him well. You sound like a thoughtful, sensitive person. I'd say he'd be lucky to have you for a niece! Good luck in your search. Lunaloba

My Mom always wanted me to find out what happened to her Uncle George H. James, born 18 June 1879, Madison Co., Indiana, son of Charles R. and Tabitha(Morton) James. George married 1. Mary O'Calahan; married 2. a Grace, surname not known. He was living in Stockton, CA in 1906 and possibly in 1919. Do not know if he had children. Any help appreciated. I have checked the CA Death Records but have not found a George that fits. Thanks, Dorcas

I have been trying to find information on my grandfather, James Pinklin (Pinky) Jones. James married Dora E. Stephens in Wetumka Oklahoma in 1900. They had several children together: Edgar, Eva, Lester, William, Lester, Rufus, Schuler, Pauline and Irene. Pauline and Irene were the youngest born 7/11/1920. They were twins. (a seperate myster involves an older woman telling me that they were not really twins, but that my grandmother had one girl and another unwed woman in the family turned her daughter over to my grandmother to raise). In the 1920's my grandfather left Clayton, Oklahoma with his oldest son and no one knows where they went. My grandmother on her death bed confessed to my aunt that they hadn't really deserted the family, but that the plan was for her to meet him in Texas and she just chose not to go. In 1935 she did take the family and move to Texas until my uncle Schuler was shot in a robbery attempt in 1936 in Dallas. She brought her family back to Clayton Oklahoma and stayed until her death in 1965. Does anyone know who my grandfather is?

Greetings from a North Carolina genealogy hound! I have had very little trouble finding ancestors, but I do have a big mystery in the current generation ... You'd think it would be easier to find someone born after legal record-keeping started! Am searching for my father's sister. She was last known to be in California in the late 1940s or early 1950s. She was born September 8, 1923 as Annie Lee Ball in Vance County, (Henderson), North Carolina to Stephen and Mamie Ball. She was the youngest of 8 children. In 1924, her father, Stephen Ball died and her mother, Mamie, gave all the children away to be adopted or fostered. Annie was adopted by Lew and Pearl Finch of neighboring Granville County, (Oxford), North Carolina. They changed her name to Mary Elizabeth Finch. Though adopted, her new family allowed her to visit with several of her siblings during her childhood. Unfortunately, the people who raised my father never allowed him to see or socialize with any of them. In his adulthood, my father found all of them and formed family relationships with them. All except Annie (Mary Elizabeth). By the time he found out where what happened to her, the following scenario had taken place: She grew up and married a man named Curtis Smith of Franklin County (Louisburg) North Carolina in the late 30's or very early 40's. Somewhere near the start of World War II, she and Smith divorced and she joined the WAVES or WACs, possibly as a nurse. I have been led to believe that she trained somewhere around Indianapolis. Rumor has it that her adopted father told her if she divorced Smith, that he would disown her. So she left and they never heard from her again. It is believed that she contracted polio during her military tour which left her with some disability. It has been said that she was sent to the Ozark mountains after her sickness. In the very late 1940s or early 1950s, someone contacted an uncle of mine (one of her blood brothers) and said that she had been involved in an automobile accident in California. My uncle chose not to act on this information for personal reasons not known to us. Because he didn't forward this information or check into it, no one knows what the outcome of that "automobile accident" was. Did she live? Did she die? Where is she? Did she remarry? Was there really an accident, or was this her way of trying to reach her real family? I shudder to think that she was trying to reach the only people that she thought cared, only to be ignored. My father, on the other hand, has spent his entire life asking only that someone find his sister for him. I didn't have the heart to tell him that she had contacted his brother so many years ago, but that he kept it a secret. He is now 80 years old, and the only surviving sibling. Even if we find that she is deceased, he would find relief in knowing what happened to her, and could begin to fit some pieces of her life together. It took him many years to come to terms with what his mother did, but I don't think he'll ever be completely at peace until he finds his siter. A wonderful lady looked up Mary Elizabeth Finch/Smith in the California Death Index. However there are approximately ??? hundreds of them, and ironically, none of them have an NC issued SS #.I am certain that Mary's SS was issued here. I have written to military personnel in St. Louis. After months of waiting, they sent me a request for records form that I had to fill out and return. Again I have waited several months and have no reply to date. I figured I might as well post to the list while I am waiting. Does anyone know what happened to Mary Elizabeth Finch Smith? Any ideas? I do hope to find closure in this situation soon. Many Thanks and Happy Hunting to All of You! Faye Ball Edwards Henderson, North Carolina

Faith, We've had a very similar experience in my family! I grew up hearing that my dad had fathered a son before he'd met and married my mother, but he didn't elaborate too much on the circumstances. Basically, all we knew was that the child was born in France. After a near-death experience, my father started trying to search his memories for a way to locate his son, but his illness and subsequent long recovery had erased part of his memories. I'm sure he was also a little ambivalent about how he would be received after all these years. After my father's death, we requested a copy of his military service record. A huge stack of papers was sent to us. There was a copy of every document that had pertained to my dad's 20 years of service. One piece of paper, though, held the key. At one time, my father had authorized an allotment to his son. This piece of paper had the address to which the allotment was sent in France. We contacted the Salvation Army's Locator Service and gave them the address. They contacted the current resident of the address, who just happened to be my half-brother's aunt. She provided them with the address of her sister here in the US. She had never told my brother about the circumstances of his birth, although he knew that the man who'd raised his wasn't his biological father. She explained the circumstances and told him that he had half-sisters and a half-brother who were trying to contact him. The Salvation Army's Locator Service gives people the option of "not being found." He agreed that we could have access to his address and phone number, and then they informed us! Before my Dad had passed away, they'd lived less than an hour apart! We contacted him--each of us wrote him a letter and he wrote back. My brother and 2 of my sisters went to meet him. (I was in Germany at the time!) They meeting went okay. We didn't want to force a relationship on him...especially since it was all so new for him! We left it open-ended. We would gladly welcome him if he chooses, but as of yet, he hasn't. Of course, we'd like things to be different, but we feel that we did what my Dad would've wanted us to do. Mystery solved! Can't say that it was a happy ending, but it wasn't a sad one! Check out the Salvation Army's Locator Service! They charged a very low fee for their service, and everything was done quickly. Pruning the family tree ISN'T allowed! (Mainly a note to MY relatives!) Tricia Kuner Smith Pruning the family tree ISN'T allowed! (Mainly a note to MY relatives!) Tricia Kuner Smith

Hello! Well here is my mystery, actually it is only a partial mystery now. I guess i am posting this to get some opinions. I had heard as a child that my grandpa Harry B. Lemaster had another son that none of his children had met. But being young i guess i never thought to much about it . A few years ago when i started my genealogy research, my father got out my grandpa's bible so that i could look at the names and dates grandpa had written in it. Under births it listed my dad and his siblings and the last name on the page said Lloyd J. Lemaster 11/8/49. When i questioned my dad he said that could be the brother he was supposed to have, that lived here in Ohio. I thought it was pretty ironic that he might live just 20 minutes from here. Unfortunatly my dad could'nt tell me anything more. I also questioned another Uncle and he too had heard about the possiblilty of a this brother, but nothing besides that. I guess grandpa did'nt talk about it and they did'nt ask. I do know that the puzzel pieces fit though, my dad told me that my grandpa was here in Ohio building some Military barracks around the! time that this man was born. No one has any idea who his mother is or was . I put some queries out and someone was kind enough to look in the records at Lexis-Nexis and found an address for this Lloyd J. Lemaster. The birth date matches so i believe this is the man i am searching for. The address is also in the town that my dad had said he thought the man was living in. Here is the part i am having trouble with. How do i even begin to approach this man? I started to send him a letter but don't know even where to begin, what to say, or how to say it. I also do not want to barge in to his life and cause him any unnessary hurt. I also know he might not want to be contacted if he is the person i seek and i can respect that. It really bugs me to think i might have family out there i don't know. I guess since my dad passed away in July this has been eating at me even more, even if he did'nt want to be in contact at least i would know one way or the other if he is family. Who! know's on the positive side of this maybe he'd want to meet the three brothers he has......maybe not This situation hits pretty close to home, my birthmother died when i was three months old and i was raised by her brother and his wife, in 1994 i found my birthfather and 7 half siblings. Only two of my siblings knew anything of me and they along with my dad thouht i'd died as a baby ( i was a premie born at 6 month, weiging 2lbs & 1 1/2 oz) not expected to make it. My story is a long one, so i won't go in to it here. In the beginning there was a lot of hurt for my siblings and yes myself too, but in the end i am glad i found them all. So i guess this explains why i am having a difficult time trying to decide how to handle this. Anyone have an opinion they like to share?? I just don't know where to go from here. Faith(Lemaster) Poplin