Thank you for sharing this terrific idea to get kids interested in genealogy! I've tried a lot of ideas to get my kids interested. This is one that will actually work. Thanks again, Lynn ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour

Captured! Stories in Revolutionary War Records By George G. Morgan Every beginning genealogist quickly learns that some informational sources are better than others. Granny's recollection and oral description of a family wedding that occurred forty to fifty years ago may be slightly incorrect because of the passage of time, or even because she only heard about it from another family member. Therefore, an exact image of the marriage license, the marriage return entered in the courthouse, a newspaper wedding announcement, or a descriptive letter written by a relative who attended the wedding (written immediately after the event) will all be more reliable resources. That is the case because they were created at or very near the time of the event. And even though there may be factual flaws, transcription errors, and other problems," these sources are essentially more reliable than Granny's story--even though Granny's account is most certainly a pointer toward the original sources. I recently had one of those revelations with one of my own ancestor's American Revolutionary War stories. Let me explain. John Swords My fourth great-grandfather was John Swords, born 19 March 1755 in York, South Carolina, and died 28 September 1834 in Anderson, South Carolina. He married Eleanor Swancey (Swancy) on 24 April 1782 in York, South Carolina, and they proceeded to have eleven children whom I have been able to reliably document. John was a participant in the American Revolutionary War. According to one printed source, John Swords enlisted while residing in York District and was in the Snow Campaign. During the spring of 1777, he served under Captain George Warley and Colonel Sumter. He was on the Florida Expedition and in the battles at Beaufort and Stono. He was in the siege of Savannah under Captain Boyce. After being taken prisoner at the Siege of Savannah, he was held two weeks before he escaped. Next, he was under Colonel Bratton and was in the battles at Rocky Mount, Hanging Rock, and Eutaw Springs. Revolutionary War Pensions Well, that was all very interesting. However, a number of years ago I had ordered his Revolutionary War Pension File from NARA (#W8773), which dated from 1818. The pension file was rich in information. John Swords signed his ‘X' on his affidavit sworn before the court. The affidavit attested to his having been taken prisoner at the Battle of Savannah. It was a fierce battle that commenced on 9 October 1789. Among the participants were Samuel Davis, father of future Confederate President Jefferson Davis; Polish Count Casimir Pulaski; and Major Pierce Charles L'Enfant, future architect of Washington. By the end of the day, 800 of the initial force of 5,000 American and French soldiers fighting the English lay dead. And, according to John Swords' affidavit, he had been taken prisoner. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-83 During this Memorial Day weekend, I spent some time exploring the vast collection of military records databases at Ancestry. One database that particularly caught my attention was the U.S. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 that includes the Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (National Archives Microfilm Publication M246, 138 rolls), and the War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records (Record Group 93; National Archives, Washington, D.C.). You must realize two facts about this database before you begin. 1. The records were indexed by Direct Data Capture, which probably generated their index by copying the index card file that exists to reference these files. These card files do contain transcription errors of names, and so you should try alternative spellings, initials, nicknames, and reversed given name/surname combinations. 2. A click on the View Record link will present you with the first scanned image of the roll of microfilm on which your ancestor's record is located. You'll therefore have to browse through each record until you find your subject. My ancestor's name is John SWORDS. However, my previous experience working with the index card file succeeded only when I "learned to misspell my ancestor's name" as SOARDS. When my first search for the surname "Swords" in the index failed, I remembered this alternate spelling. Sure enough, when I entered "Soards" in the surname box, the first entry in the list was John Soards, a private who served from South Carolina and whose record would be found in roll box 89. A click on View Record or the View Images icon took me to a record from which I clicked and went to the digitized image of the title page of Roll 89. There were 389 images on the roll, and I settled in with determination that I would find John Swords' record. These records are essentially muster roll and payroll records. The first image is the outside of the document, containing identifying information about the unit and a statement by the paymaster; the second image is typically an abstract of the payroll--number of individuals by rank and the amount paid. The third page is a list, in rank order (and often in alphabetical sequence), of every soldier, including details about his service and pay rate. Image 298 (see the blog version of this article to view the image) is the Pay Roll of Captain George Warleys company in the 6th Regimt of South Carolina continental Troops commanded by Colo Wm Henderson from the 1st of August to the 1st December 1779." Near the bottom of the page, I found John Swords, a private. His pay period commenced on 1 August 1779, with a subsidy on 13 August, and the pay was until 9 October 1779. His rate of pay and subsidy are listed, and a total amount of pay and subsidies in dollars is listed--what appears to be $32 and 30¢. Finally, however, is the corroborating evidence that so excited me. In the column labeled "Casualties is the notation "Missing 9 Octo Savannah." This certainly is a lot closer to the actual time of the event of John Swords' capture than is the affidavit sworn in 1818. I have no doubt that his being taken prisoner at the Battle of Savannah remained vivid in John's mind, but the date may not have been exactly recalled. In addition, I believe that the records maintained by the paymaster were quite meticulous. While this pay report was prepared almost two months after the Battle of Savannah, by its very nature I would place substantial weight on its accuracy. I now have another excellent piece of source evidence about my fourth great-grandfather. It took some perseverance and patience, but this is exactly the type of research I enjoy. Check the massive collection of military database records at Ancestry and you will not be disappointed. And, by the way, I especially recommend viewing the WWII newsreels. They are addictive too! Happy Hunting! George Listen to The Genealogy Guys Podcast each week for fun, entertaining, and informative genealogy discussions. George's brand new book, The Official Guide to Ancestry.com, is now available from his company's website, Aha! Seminars, Inc. at and personally autographed by the author. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Captured! Stories in Revolutionary War Records By George G. Morgan Every beginning genealogist quickly learns that some informational sources are better than others. Granny's recollection and oral description of a family wedding that occurred forty to fifty years ago may be slightly incorrect because of the passage of time, or even because she only heard about it from another family member. Therefore, an exact image of the marriage license, the marriage return entered in the courthouse, a newspaper wedding announcement, or a descriptive letter written by a relative who attended the wedding (written immediately after the event) will all be more reliable resources. That is the case because they were created at or very near the time of the event. And even though there may be factual flaws, transcription errors, and other problems," these sources are essentially more reliable than Granny's story--even though Granny's account is most certainly a pointer toward the original sources. I recently had one of those revelations with one of my own ancestor's American Revolutionary War stories. Let me explain. John Swords My fourth great-grandfather was John Swords, born 19 March 1755 in York, South Carolina, and died 28 September 1834 in Anderson, South Carolina. He married Eleanor Swancey (Swancy) on 24 April 1782 in York, South Carolina, and they proceeded to have eleven children whom I have been able to reliably document. John was a participant in the American Revolutionary War. According to one printed source, John Swords enlisted while residing in York District and was in the Snow Campaign. During the spring of 1777, he served under Captain George Warley and Colonel Sumter. He was on the Florida Expedition and in the battles at Beaufort and Stono. He was in the siege of Savannah under Captain Boyce. After being taken prisoner at the Siege of Savannah, he was held two weeks before he escaped. Next, he was under Colonel Bratton and was in the battles at Rocky Mount, Hanging Rock, and Eutaw Springs. Revolutionary War Pensions Well, that was all very interesting. However, a number of years ago I had ordered his Revolutionary War Pension File from NARA (#W8773), which dated from 1818. The pension file was rich in information. John Swords signed his ‘X' on his affidavit sworn before the court. The affidavit attested to his having been taken prisoner at the Battle of Savannah. It was a fierce battle that commenced on 9 October 1789. Among the participants were Samuel Davis, father of future Confederate President Jefferson Davis; Polish Count Casimir Pulaski; and Major Pierce Charles L'Enfant, future architect of Washington. By the end of the day, 800 of the initial force of 5,000 American and French soldiers fighting the English lay dead. And, according to John Swords' affidavit, he had been taken prisoner. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-83 During this Memorial Day weekend, I spent some time exploring the vast collection of military records databases at Ancestry. One database that particularly caught my attention was the U.S. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 that includes the Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (National Archives Microfilm Publication M246, 138 rolls), and the War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records (Record Group 93; National Archives, Washington, D.C.). You must realize two facts about this database before you begin. 1. The records were indexed by Direct Data Capture, which probably generated their index by copying the index card file that exists to reference these files. These card files do contain transcription errors of names, and so you should try alternative spellings, initials, nicknames, and reversed given name/surname combinations. 2. A click on the View Record link will present you with the first scanned image of the roll of microfilm on which your ancestor's record is located. You'll therefore have to browse through each record until you find your subject. My ancestor's name is John SWORDS. However, my previous experience working with the index card file succeeded only when I "learned to misspell my ancestor's name" as SOARDS. When my first search for the surname "Swords" in the index failed, I remembered this alternate spelling. Sure enough, when I entered "Soards" in the surname box, the first entry in the list was John Soards, a private who served from South Carolina and whose record would be found in roll box 89. A click on View Record or the View Images icon took me to a record from which I clicked and went to the digitized image of the title page of Roll 89. There were 389 images on the roll, and I settled in with determination that I would find John Swords' record. These records are essentially muster roll and payroll records. The first image is the outside of the document, containing identifying information about the unit and a statement by the paymaster; the second image is typically an abstract of the payroll--number of individuals by rank and the amount paid. The third page is a list, in rank order (and often in alphabetical sequence), of every soldier, including details about his service and pay rate. Image 298 (see the blog version of this article to view the image) is the Pay Roll of Captain George Warleys company in the 6th Regimt of South Carolina continental Troops commanded by Colo Wm Henderson from the 1st of August to the 1st December 1779." Near the bottom of the page, I found John Swords, a private. His pay period commenced on 1 August 1779, with a subsidy on 13 August, and the pay was until 9 October 1779. His rate of pay and subsidy are listed, and a total amount of pay and subsidies in dollars is listed--what appears to be $32 and 30¢. Finally, however, is the corroborating evidence that so excited me. In the column labeled "Casualties is the notation "Missing 9 Octo Savannah." This certainly is a lot closer to the actual time of the event of John Swords' capture than is the affidavit sworn in 1818. I have no doubt that his being taken prisoner at the Battle of Savannah remained vivid in John's mind, but the date may not have been exactly recalled. In addition, I believe that the records maintained by the paymaster were quite meticulous. While this pay report was prepared almost two months after the Battle of Savannah, by its very nature I would place substantial weight on its accuracy. I now have another excellent piece of source evidence about my fourth great-grandfather. It took some perseverance and patience, but this is exactly the type of research I enjoy. Check the massive collection of military database records at Ancestry and you will not be disappointed. And, by the way, I especially recommend viewing the WWII newsreels. They are addictive too! Happy Hunting! George Listen to The Genealogy Guys Podcast each week for fun, entertaining, and informative genealogy discussions. George's brand new book, The Official Guide to Ancestry.com, is now available from his company's website, Aha! Seminars, Inc. at and personally autographed by the author. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

The year was 1869 and in the town of Taylorville, Illinois, it is remembered As the year that it rained--not cats and dogs--but amphibians. Following Days of heavy rain, local residents found strange serpent-like creatures in Every ditch, brook, puddle, and pool." Scientists believe that it was the Lesser Siren" that rained down on the town, and that the creatures had been Sucked into the atmosphere via a waterspout and carried on the jetstream for An hour or two before landing in Taylorville. Later that year a more traditional, but deadlier storm struck the areas Surrounding the Bay of Fundy, including New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Parts of Maine. Known as the "Saxby Gale," a combination of weather factors And a lunar high tide conspired to create a devastating storm surge that Caused extensive flooding that drowned both people and farm animals, and Winds that grounded boats around the Fundy Basin. In the U.S., east and west were finally connected by rail. On 10 May 1869 The last spike was driven in the transcontinental railroad at Promontory, Utah. (Click through to the blog to see a photograph of the event.) With the Joining of the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad the Trip from the Missouri River west to the Pacific was reduced from four to Six months to six days. Another transportation route was opened in 1869 with the opening of the Suez Canal. The canal created an all-water route from the Mediterranean Sea to The Red Sea, allowing easier access from Great Britain and Europe to India And east Africa. A New Jersey physician and dentist, Dr. Thomas Branwell Welch launched the Fruit juice industry with the pasteurization of Concord grapes into Unfermented sacramental wine." The beverage that would eventually be known As Welch's Grape Juice earned nationwide popularity at the 1893 World's Fair In Chicago. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

[Just checked this out and it's a really good idea; could keep kids busy for hours. Sally] Recently I've been mulling over how to present the Genealogy I've done on our family so that it would grab my 9 year old grandson's attention. My good friend Illya of Genealogy Today suggested I use a baseball or hockey card Format with one ancestor per card. I loved the idea and created cards 6 cm x 9 cm. Each card Features one ancestor's picture or a picture representing That ancestor. The back of each card has ancestor stats - Their relationship to my grandchildren, date and place of Birth, date and place of death, spouse's name, parents' Names and a tiny blurb about that person (hopefully Something unique or of interest to an 9 year old!) After laminating the cards, I presented them to my grandson And granddaughter (who is 7) when they came for their Annual summer week long holiday with us. They loved them And not only read every bit of information about each Ancestor, they began figuring out who was the oldest Ancestor.... Who died at the oldest age... Who died at the Youngest age... Which parents went with which ancestor.. And so on. (math and genealogy combined - what could be Better?) Then they decided to play a game, which we called simply "Ancestor Game". They each chose an ancestor card and Played it, with whoever had the furthest back ancestor Winning both cards. The next day they begged me to make More cards!! I now have 48 cards made for them with many More to go. To add even more interest I also created cards That were not direct ancestors, but had some small claim to Fame or something historical or interesting to a child. Thank goodness for FTM which tells me if a person is a 3rd Cousin 5x removed or something else! We decided I should also make double cards wherever Possible, that is, two cards for one ancestor but with Different photos or representative pictures on each one. Then they can play "Go Fish for Ancestors". I thought I'd like to share this in case you are looking For something to capture your little one's interest, Because it was fabulous and my grandchildren loved it! If you want to see some photos of what we created, just go To http://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com/ and look for "Ancestor Cards for Children" Lorine -- Lorine McGinnis Schulze * Olive Tree Genealogy (Ships Passenger Lists) http://olivetreegenealogy.com/ * Naturalization Records http://naturalizationrecords.com/ * Images of Ships Lists http://www.rootsweb.com/~ote/ships/ otg@csolve.net or olivetreegenealogy@gmail.com __._,_.___ Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic Messages **Navigation Tip** Be sure to check my list of FREE databases uploaded since Jan. 2003 at http://olivetreegenealogy.com/freedata.shtml For Free Items on the 'Net, visit my page at http://olivetreegenealogy com/freegenealogy.shtml Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Recent Activity 14New Members Visit Your Group SPONSORED LINKS Genealogy family tree Genealogy family tree maker Family photo Olive tree Family photo album Yahoo! Groups Moderator Central Connecting a world Of moderators Official Samsung Yahoo! Group for Supporting your HDTVs and devices. Real Food Group On Yahoo! Groups What does real food Mean to you?. __,_._,___

The latest issue of Digital Genealogist is about to be sent by e-mail. If you don't receive it, or have trouble receiving files of about 4MB, you can download it from http://www.digitalgenealogist.com/pubs/dgjulaug07.pdf. Digital Genealogist Elizabeth Kelley Kerstens, CG, CGL, Editor http://www.digitalgenealogist.com Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

King James II of England, unlike his profligate brother, Charles II, was extremely religious, and his religion was that of Rome. The large majority of the people of England were Protestants; but they would have submitted to a Catholic king had he not used his official power to convert the nation to Catholicism. From the time of James's accession, in 1685, the unrest increased, until, three years later, the opposition was so formidable that the monarch fled from his kingdom and took refuge in France. The daughter of James and her husband, the Prince of Orange, became the joint sovereigns of England as William and Mary. This movement is known in history as the English Revolution. Louis XIV, the king of France, was a Catholic and in full sympathy with James. Moreover, he denied the right of a people to change sovereigns, and espoused the cause of James; and war between the two nations followed. This war was reflected in America, as King William rejected an offer of colonial neutrality, and it is known as "King William's War." The English colonies had long watched the French encroachments on the north; the French determined to hold the St. Lawrence country, and to extend their power over the vast basin of the Mississippi; and each was jealoous of the other concerning the fisheries and the fur trade. To these differences must be added an intense religious feeling. The English colonies were almost wholly Protestant except Maryland, and even in Maryland the Protestants were in a large majority. New France was purely Catholic, and the two forms of Christianity had not yet learned to dwell together, or near together, in harmony. King James had not confined his designs to the home country; he had not only revoked some of the colonial charters and sent the tyrant Andros to domineer New England, but he had instructed his Catholic governor of New York, Dongan, to influence the Iroquois to admit Jesuit teachers among them, and to introduce the Catholic religion into the colony. It was at this time that Leisler seized the government of New York, and called the first colonial congress. Exasperated by these things, the English colonists were eager for the conflict, while the French Canadians were equally ready to grapple with them. King William's War was very different in aim and meaning in the colonies from what it was beyond the Atlantic. In America it was the first of several fierce contests, covering seventy years; or, it may be said it was the beginning of a seventy years' war with intervals of peace, for the supremacy in North America. The war began by a series of Indian massacres instigated by Frontenac, the governor of Canada. The first of these was the destruction of Dover, New Hampshire, a town of fifty inhabitants. One night in July, 1689, two squaws came to the home of the aged Major Waldron and begged a night's lodging. Being admitted, they rose in the night and let in a large number of Indians who lay in ambush. Waldron was put to death with frightful tortures, the town was burned to the ground, about half the people were massacred, and the remainder were carried away and sold into slavery. In the following month Pemaquid, Maine, met a similar fate. In February, 1690, a body of French and Indians, sent by Frontenac, came to the town of Schenectady on the Mohawk. For nearly a month they had faced the wintry blasts, plowing their way through the deep snow on their mission of destruction. At midnight they fell with dreadful yells upon the sleeping village. In a few hours all was over; the town was laid in ashes. More than sixty were massacred, many were taken captive, a few escaped into the night and reached Albany. The towns of Casco and Salmon Falls soon after met a similar fate. The war spirit was now aroused throughout the colonies. It was determined, through Leisler's congress,1 to send a land force against Montreal by way of Lake Champlain, and a naval expedition against Quebec. The expenses of the former were borne by Connecticut and New York, and of the latter by Massachusetts. Sir William Phipps of Maine, who had this same year, 1690, captured Port Royal in Nova Scotia, commanded the naval force. He had thirty or more vessels and two thousand men. But the vigilant Frontenac, in spite of his fourscore years, was on the alert. He successfully repelled the land force, which turned back disheartened, and then hastened to the defense of Quebec. But here he had little to do. Phipps was a weak commander, and the fleet, after reaching Quebec and finding it well fortified, returned to Boston without striking an effective blow. The people of Massachusetts were greatly disappointed at the failure of the expedition. The debt of the colony had reached an enormous figure, and to meet it bills of credit, or paper money, were issued to the amount of £40,000. Phipps was soon afterward sent to England to seek aid of the king and a renewal of the old charter that Andros had destroyed. King William was hard pressed at home, and he left the colonies to fight their own battles; he also refused to restore the old charter, but he granted a new one, as we have noticed, and made Phipps the first royal governor of Massachusetts. The war dragged on for several years longer, but it consisted only in desultory sallies and frontier massacres. The towns of York, Maine, Durham, New Hampshire, and Groton, Massachusetts, were the scenes of bloody massacres, and hundreds of people were slain.2 In 1697 a treaty of peace was signed at Ryswick, a village near The Hague, and the cruel war was temporarily over. Acadia, which had been prematurely incorporated with Massachusetts, was restored to France. But this treaty was only a truce. The English and French nations had not learned to love each other, and the questions in dispute had made no progress toward settlement. After the death of William and Mary the crown of England was settled (1702) on Anne, the sister of Mary. James, the exiled king, died in 1701, and his son, known as James the Pretender, was proclaimed king of England by the French sovereign. This act alone would have brought another war, but there was another provocation. King Louis of France placed his grandson, Philip of Anjon, on the throne of Spain, and thus greatly increased his power among the dynasties of Europe. This was very distasteful to the English, and the war that followed was known as the War of the Spanish Succession. In America however, it was styled Queen Anne's War (1702). Footnotes 1See supra, p.141. [return] 2Many were the heroic deeds of those days of savage warfare. One of the most notable was that of Hannah Dostin, the wife of a farmer near Haverhill, Massachusetts. She saw her home burned by the savages and her infant child dashed to death against a tree, while she and a neighbor named Mary Neff were carried away captive. It was not long till she planned her escape. To prevent being followed, and to avenge the murder of her babe, she reached a desperate resolve. Twelve Indians, nine of whom were men, lay asleep about them when she and her companion and a boy, who was also a captive, rose at midnight, and with well-directed blows killed ten of them, sparing only a squaw and a boy, made their escape, and returned to their homes. Mrs. Dustin had scalped the dead Indians, and she received a bounty of £50 for the scalps. Source: "History of the United States of America," by Henry William Elson, The MacMillan Company, New York, 1904. Chapter VIII p. 162-165. Transcribed by Kathy Leigh. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Another good one from Pam. http://civilwarwomen.blogspot.com/2006/11/female-soldiers-of-civil-war.html Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Check this one out. http://www.polsci.wvu.edu/wv/wvlinks.html Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Welsh Mariners … An on-line index of 20,000 Welsh merchant masters, mates and engineers active from 1800 to 1945. www.welshmariners.org.uk/search.php London Metropolitan Police Orders Database ... This site helps family historians trace records of relatives who served in the metropolitan police Service. www.externalserver.me.uk/musimgns.nsf/menu Kent, England Churchyard Monumental Inscriptions & other notes www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/Research/Libr/MIs/MIslist.htm Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Thanks, Pam. Always appreciate it when you post an interesting site. Sally http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/index.htm

To view your eCard, choose from the options below. Click on the following link. www.bluemountain.com/view.pd?i=170383950&m=2440&rr=y&source=bma999 Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

One week after launching a massive invasion of the USSR, German Divisions make staggering advances on Leningrad, Moscow, and Kiev. Despite his signing of the Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin knew that war with Nazi Germany--the USSR's natural Ideological enemy--was inevitable. In 1941, he received reports that German forces were massing along the USSR's eastern border. He ordered A partial mobilization, unwisely believing that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler would never open another front until Britain was subdued. Stalin was thus surprised by the invasion that came on June 22, 1941. On that day, 150 German divisions poured across the Soviet Union's 1,800-mile-long eastern frontier in one of the largest and most Powerful military operations in history. Aided by its far superior air force, the Luftwaffe, the Germans raced Across the USSR in three great army groups, inflicting terrible Casualties on the Red Army and Soviet civilians. On June 29, the Cities of Riga and Ventspils in Latvia fell, 200 Soviet aircraft were Shot down, and the encirclement of three Russian armies was nearly Complete at Minsk in Belarus. Assisted by their Romanian and Finnish Allies, the Germans conquered vast territory in the opening months of The invasion, and by mid-October the great Russian cities of Leningrad And Moscow were under siege. However, like Napoleon Bonaparte in 1812, Hitler failed to take into Account the Russian people's historic determination in resisting Invaders. Although millions of Soviet soldiers and citizens perished In 1941, and to the rest of the world it seemed certain that the USSR Would fall, the defiant Red Army and bitter Russian populace were Steadily crushing Hitler's hopes for a quick victory. Stalin had far Greater reserves of Red Army divisions than German intelligence had Anticipated, and the Soviet government did not collapse from lack of Popular support as expected. Confronted with the harsh reality of Nazi Occupation, Soviets chose Stalin's regime as the lesser of two evils And willingly sacrificed themselves in what became known as the "Great Patriotic War." The German offensive against Moscow stalled only 20 miles from the Kremlin, Leningrad's spirit of resistance remained strong, and the Soviet armament industry--transported by train to the safety of the East--carried on, safe from the fighting. Finally, what the Russians Call "General Winter" rallied again to their cause, crippling the Germans' ability to maneuver and thinning the ranks of the divisions Ordered to hold their positions until the next summer offensive. The Winter of 1941 came early and was the worst in decades, and German Troops without winter coats were decimated by the major Soviet Counteroffensives that began in December. In May 1942, the Germans, who had held their line at great cost, Launched their summer offensive. They captured the Caucasus and pushed To the city of Stalingrad, where one of the greatest battles of World War II began. In November 1942, a massive Soviet counteroffensive was Launched out of the rubble of Stalingrad, and at the end of January 1943 German Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus surrendered his encircled Army. It was the turning point in the war, and the Soviets Subsequently recaptured all the territory taken by the Germans in Their 1942 offensive. In July 1943, the Germans launched their last major attack, at Kursk; After two months of fierce battle involving thousands of tanks it Ended in failure. From thereon, the Red Army steadily pushed the Germans back in a series of Soviet offensives. In January 1944, Leningrad was relieved, and a giant offensive to sweep the USSR clean Of its invaders began in May. In January 1945, the Red Army launched Its final offensive, driving into Czechoslovakia and Austria and, in Late April, Berlin. The German capital was captured on May 2, and five Days later Germany surrendered in World War II. More than 18 million Soviet soldiers and civilians lost their lives in The Great Patriotic War. Germany lost more than three million men as a Result of its disastrous invasion of the USSR. http://www.history.com/tdih.do Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Year Founded: 1682 Founded By: William Penn Motivation for Founding: William Penn founded Pennsylvania with a land grant that was owed his deceased Father. His goal was to create a colony that allowed for freedom of religion due to his desire to protect himself and fellow Quakers from persecution. Significant Events: The colony was well-advertised and by 1700 was the third biggest and richest colony in the New World. Penn allowed for a representative assembly elected by landowners. Freedom of worship and religion was granted to all citizens. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Wow, Sally, this is really interesting. I look forward to more of "The Year Was..." if you have them. Thanks for sharing as it gives a great historical picture of events happening during our ancestors' lives - as well as good history lessons! Debi Coe ----- Original Message ----- From: Sally Rolls Pavia <sallypavia2001@yahoo.com> Date: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 9:31 am Subject: [GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES] The Year Was 1827 To: Genealogy Bits and Pieces <GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L@rootsweb.com> > The year was 1827 and in Finland, the city of Abo (Turku in > Finnish) was > destroyed by fire. According to The Times (London, England) of 30 > October1827, "14 persons have perished on this melancholy > occasion, and 789 houses > have been reduced to ashes." It goes on to say that, > > "From this eminence the city now only presents to the view of the > observer a > vast field of ruins, an awful forest of [chimneys?] is all that > remains of a > city which not long since was [situated?] by the industry and > activity of 14 > 000 inhabitants, of which 11,000 are now without an asylum." > > In Ireland, the population had grown from around 2.3 million in > 1754 to 6.8 > million as counted by the 1821 census, and the Penal Laws, which > didn'tallow Catholics to buy land, and which restricted them in > many other ways, > encouraged this group in particular to emigrate. In 1827, legislation > restricting emigration was lifted and in the ensuing ten years > nearly 400 > 000 Irish emigrants left for foreign shores. > > Across the ocean in America, the railroad industry was in its > infancy. The > Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was incorporated to transport people > and freight > and would begin construction in 1828. The initial stretch would be > completedin 1830 and a trip down the thirteen-mile stretch took > fifty-seven minutes > pulled by the first American-made locomotive, nicknamed the "Tom > Thumb." > > Another railroad built in 1827 used gravity to transport coal from > the mines > of Summit Hill, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, to the Mauch Chunk > (now Jim > Thorpe, Pennsylvania). The fast ride downhill quickly attracted thrill > seekers and soon the area became a tourist destination. The Switch- > back, as > it became known, is credited with being the inspiration for the roller > coaster industry and the tourist rides outlasted its use in > hauling coal. > Click through to the blog to see a photograph of the Switch-back > from the > Library of Congress Photo Collection, 1840-2000 at Ancestry. > > Americans were also moving westward, and in 1827, Cantonment > Leavenworth(later, Fort Leavenworth) was established. Soldiers > from the fort would help > escort parties along the Santa Fe trail and monitor Native > American activity > in the area. > > Back in New York, for the first time, African-Americans were > making their > voices heard through print as the first African-American owned and > publishednewspaper came into existence. Freedom's Journal, as it > was called, was > founded by John Russwurm, and in addition to news and current > events, it > included editorials, birth, marriage, and death listings for the > African-American community in New York, and biographical sketches on > prominent African-Americans. > > > > Sally Rolls Pavia > sallypavia2001@yahoo.com > List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com > Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES

The year was 1827 and in Finland, the city of Abo (Turku in Finnish) was destroyed by fire. According to The Times (London, England) of 30 October 1827, "14 persons have perished on this melancholy occasion, and 789 houses have been reduced to ashes." It goes on to say that, "From this eminence the city now only presents to the view of the observer a vast field of ruins, an awful forest of [chimneys?] is all that remains of a city which not long since was [situated?] by the industry and activity of 14 000 inhabitants, of which 11,000 are now without an asylum." In Ireland, the population had grown from around 2.3 million in 1754 to 6.8 million as counted by the 1821 census, and the Penal Laws, which didn't allow Catholics to buy land, and which restricted them in many other ways, encouraged this group in particular to emigrate. In 1827, legislation restricting emigration was lifted and in the ensuing ten years nearly 400 000 Irish emigrants left for foreign shores. Across the ocean in America, the railroad industry was in its infancy. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was incorporated to transport people and freight and would begin construction in 1828. The initial stretch would be completed in 1830 and a trip down the thirteen-mile stretch took fifty-seven minutes pulled by the first American-made locomotive, nicknamed the "Tom Thumb." Another railroad built in 1827 used gravity to transport coal from the mines of Summit Hill, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, to the Mauch Chunk (now Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania). The fast ride downhill quickly attracted thrill seekers and soon the area became a tourist destination. The Switch-back, as it became known, is credited with being the inspiration for the roller coaster industry and the tourist rides outlasted its use in hauling coal. Click through to the blog to see a photograph of the Switch-back from the Library of Congress Photo Collection, 1840-2000 at Ancestry. Americans were also moving westward, and in 1827, Cantonment Leavenworth (later, Fort Leavenworth) was established. Soldiers from the fort would help escort parties along the Santa Fe trail and monitor Native American activity in the area. Back in New York, for the first time, African-Americans were making their voices heard through print as the first African-American owned and published newspaper came into existence. Freedom's Journal, as it was called, was founded by John Russwurm, and in addition to news and current events, it included editorials, birth, marriage, and death listings for the African-American community in New York, and biographical sketches on prominent African-Americans. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

1864 : BATTLE OF KENNESAW MOUNTAIN On this day in 1864, Union General William T. Sherman launches a major attack on Confederate General Joseph Johnston's army at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in Georgia. Beginning in early May, Sherman began a slow advance down the 100-mile corridor from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Atlanta, refraining from making any large-scale assaults. The campaign was marked by many smaller battles and constant skirmishes but no decisive encounters. Johnston was losing ground, but he was also buying time for the Confederates. With Sherman frustrated in Georgia, and Ulysses S. Grant unable to knock out Robert E. Lee's army in Virginia, the Union war effort was stalled, casualty rates were high, and the re-election of Abraham Lincoln appeared unlikely. In the days leading up to the assault at Kennesaw Mountain, Sherman tried to flank Johnston. Since one of Johnston's generals, John Bell Hood, attacked at Kolb's Farm and lost 1,500 precious Confederate soldiers, Sherman believed that Johnston's line was stretched thin and that an assault would break the Rebels. So he changed his tactics and planned a move against the center of the Confederate lines around Kennesaw Mountain. He feigned attacks on both of Johnston's flanks, then hurled 8,000 men at the Confederate center. It was a disaster. Entrenched Southerners bombarded the Yankees, who were attacking uphill. Three thousand Union troops fell, compared to just 500 Confederates. The battle was only a marginal Confederate victory. Sherman remained in place for four more days, but one of the decoy attacks on the Confederate flanks did, in fact, place the Union troops in a position to cut into Johnston's rear. On July 2, Johnston had to vacate his Kennesaw Mountain lines and retreat toward Atlanta. Sherman followed, and the slow campaign lurched on into the Georgia summer. 1944 : US TROOPS LIBERATE CHERBOURG, FRANCE On this day in 1944, the Allies capture the fortified town and port of Cherbourg, in northwest France, freeing it from German occupation. Hitler had for all intents and purposes anticipated his own defeat when, in contrast with the analysis of his advisers, he accurately predicted that the D-Day invasion would be focused on Normandy. He knew the Allies needed to take a large port-and Cherbourg fit the bill. (The Brits had actually handpicked Cherbourg as the target for a "Cross-Channel" landing back in 1942.) Once the Allies actually landed on Normandy beaches June 6, the fall of Cherbourg was only a matter of time. 1950 : TRUMAN ORDERS U.S. FORCES TO KOREA: On June 27, 1950, President Harry S. Truman announces that he is Ordering U.S. Air and naval forces to South Korea to aid the Democratic nation in repulsing an invasion by communist North Korea. The United States was undertaking the major military operation, he Explained, to enforce a United Nations resolution calling for an end To hostilities, and to stem the spread of communism in Asia. In Addition to ordering U.S. Forces to Korea, Truman also deployed the U.S. 7th Fleet to Formosa (Taiwan) to guard against invasion by Communist China and ordered an acceleration of military aid to French Forces fighting communist guerrillas in Vietnam. At the Yalta Conference towards the end of World War II, the United States, the USSR, and Great Britain agreed to divide Korea into two Separate occupation zones. The country was split along the 38th Parallel, with Soviet forces occupying the northern zone and Americans Stationed in the south. In 1947, the United States and Great Britain Called for free elections throughout Korea, but the Soviets refused to Comply. In May 1948 the Korean Democratic People's Republic--a Communist state--was proclaimed in North Korea. In August, the Democratic Republic of Korea was established in South Korea. By 1949, Both the United States and the USSR had withdrawn the majority of Their troops from the Korean Peninsula. At dawn on June 25, 1950 (June 24 in the United States and Europe), 90,000 communist troops of the North Korean People's Army invaded South Korea across the 38th parallel, catching the Republic of Korea's Forces completely off guard and throwing them into a hasty southern Retreat. On the afternoon of June 25, the U.N. Security Council met in An emergency session and approved a U.S. Resolution calling for an "immediate cessation of hostilities" and the withdrawal of North Korean forces to the 38th parallel. At the time, the USSR was Boycotting the Security Council over the U.N.'s refusal to admit the People's Republic of China and so missed its chance to veto this and Other crucial U.N. Resolutions. On June 27, President Truman announced to the nation and the world That America would intervene in the Korean conflict in order to Prevent the conquest of an independent nation by communism. Truman was Suggesting that the USSR was behind the North Korean invasion, and in Fact the Soviets had given tacit approval to the invasion, which was Carried out with Soviet-made tanks and weapons. Despite the fear that U.S. Intervention in Korea might lead to open warfare between the United States and Russia after years of "cold war," Truman's decision Was met with overwhelming approval from Congress and the U.S. Public. Truman did not ask for a declaration of war, but Congress voted to Extend the draft and authorized Truman to call up reservists. On June 28, the Security Council met again and in the continued Absence of the Soviet Union passed a U.S. Resolution approving the use Of force against North Korea. On June 30, Truman agreed to send U.S. Ground forces to Korea, and on July 7 the Security Council recommended That all U.N. Forces sent to Korea be put under U.S. Command. The next Day, General Douglas MacArthur was named commander of all U.N. Forces In Korea. In the opening months of the war, the U.S.-led U.N. Forces rapidly Advanced against the North Koreans, but Chinese communist troops Entered the fray in October, throwing the Allies into a hasty retreat. In April 1951, Truman relieved MacArthur of his command after he Publicly threatened to bomb China in defiance of Truman's stated war Policy. Truman feared that an escalation of fighting with China would Draw the Soviet Union into the Korean War. By May 1951, the communists were pushed back to the 38th parallel, and The battle line remained in that vicinity for the remainder of the War. On July 27, 1953, after two years of negotiation, an armistice Was signed, ending the war and reestablishing the 1945 division of Korea that still exists today. Approximately 150,000 troops from South Korea, the United States, and participating U.N. Nations were killed In the Korean War, and as many as one million South Korean civilians Perished. An estimated 800,000 communist soldiers were killed, and More than 200,000 North Korean civilians died. The original figure of American troops lost--54,246 killed--became Controversial when the Pentagon acknowledged in 2000 that all U.S. Troops killed around the world during the period of the Korean War Were incorporated into that number. For example, any American soldier Killed in a car accident anywhere in the world from June 1950 to July 1953 was considered a casualty of the Korean War. If these deaths are subtracted from the 54,000 total, leaving just the Americans who died (from whatever cause) in the Korean theater of operations, the total U.S. dead in the Korean War numbers 36,516. 1968 : US FORCES BEGIN TO EVACUATE KHE SANH The U.S. Command in Saigon confirms that U.S. Forces have begun to evacuate the military base at Khe Sanh, 14 miles below the Demilitarized Zone and six miles from the Laotian border. The command statement attributed the pullback to a change in the military situation. To cope with increased North Vietnamese infiltration and activity in the area, Allied forces were adopting a more "mobile posture," thus making retention of the outpost at Khe Sanh unnecessary. The new western anchor of the U.S. Base system in the northern region would be located 10 miles east of Khe Sanh. The siege of Khe Sanh during the 1968 Tet Offensive had been one of the most publicized battles of the war because of the similarities it shared with the battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954, in which the communist Viet Minh forces had decisively defeated the French and forced them from the war. Many in the American media had portrayed the battle for Khe Sanh as potentially "another Dien Bien Phu." The battle began on January 22 with a brisk firefight involving the 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines and a North Vietnamese battalion entrenched between two hills northwest of the base. An incessant barrage kept Khe Sanh's Marine defenders--which included three battalions from the 26th Marines, elements of the 9th Marine Regiment, and the South Vietnamese 37th Ranger Battalion--pinned down in their trenches and bunkers. During the 66-day siege, U.S. Planes, dropping 5,000 bombs daily, exploded the equivalent of five Hiroshima-sized atomic bombs in the area. The relief of Khe Sanh, called Operation Pegasus, began in early April as the 1st Cavalry (Airmobile) and a South Vietnamese battalion approached the base from the east and south, while the Marines pushed westward to re-open Route 9. The siege was finally lifted on April 6, when the cavalrymen linked up with the 9th Marines south of the Khe Sanh airstrip. In a final clash a week later, the 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines drove enemy forces from Hill 881 North. Gen. William Westmoreland, commander of U.S. Military Assistance Command Vietnam, contended that Khe Sanh played a vital blocking role at the western end of the Demilitarized Zone, and asserted that if the base had fallen, North Vietnamese forces could have outflanked Marine defenses along the buffer zone. Various statements in the North Vietnamese Communist Party newspaper suggested that Hanoi saw the battle as an opportunity to re-enact its famous victory at Dien Bien Phu. There was much controversy over the battle at Khe Sanh, as both sides claimed victory. The North Vietnamese, although they failed to take the base claimed that they had tied down a lot of U.S. Combat assets that could have been used elsewhere in South Vietnam. This is true, but the North Vietnamese failed to achieve the decisive victory at Khe Sanh that they had won against the French at Dien Bien Phu. For their part, the Americans claimed victory because they had held the base against the North Vietnamese onslaught. It was a costly battle for both sides. The official casualty count for the Battle of Khe Sanh was 205 Marines killed in action and over 1,600 wounded (this figure did not include the American and South Vietnamese soldiers killed in other battles in the region). The U.S. Military headquarters in Saigon estimated that the North Vietnamese lost between 10,000 and 15,000 men in the fighting at Khe Sanh. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Behind the Name http://www.behindthename.com/ Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

http://www.archivesindex.sc.gov/Archives/search/default.asp The following databases are online: - Combined Index to 30 Record Series ca. 1675-1929 : 172,703 items - Index to Will Transcripts 1782-1855 : 11,059 items - Confederate Pension Applications 1919-1938 : 10,242 items - Plats for State Land Grants 1784-1868 : 51,809 items - Legislative Papers 1776-1877 : 52,802 items - Criminal Journals 1769-1776 : 2,087 items - Insurance File Photographs : 2,662 items - National Register Properties : 311 items. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Massachusetts annexed Maine in 1652 as a buffer against French and Indian attacks, and the area remained in the commonwealth of Massachusetts until it achieved statehood in 1820. Remember that year when researching Maine ancestors: Before then, records may be grouped with those of the commonwealth, so be sure to check the Massachusetts state archives' Maine holdings, http://www.sec.state.ma.us/arc/arcgen/genidx.htm. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"