Hi everyone, Quiet... that's what you all are! Sounds like a good challenge is in order. October... and Halloween... witches, goblins, ghouls... things that go 'bump' in the night ~ We all know about Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." Let's do a takeoff on that and make this a month of legends, customs and strange stories about our ancestors and/or families ~ a month of tales. Some ideas: ...does your family have any odd customs? sayings? ...was anyone in your family present when historic events took place? ...did any of your ancestors "just miss" a tragic event in history? ...why has your family deemed that particular early relative 'weird', 'odd', or 'strange'? ...the story goes that "Uncle (or Aunt or great-grandfather/mother) Soandso ...and was never heard from again." Don't like any of the above? How about... ...telling us about an ancestor who (ahem) stepped 'aside' the law ~ a villain, criminal, or miscreant? (This one might get you into the International Black Sheep Society of Genealogists [IBSSG].) That ought to get some discussion going here. :) Kindly remember though, that we do NOT discuss living people. (Of course, saying something like "my mother [or father] told me about..." is perfectly acceptable.) Colleen

You really hit me with your challenge. My paternal grandfather was wounded on July 3, 1863 at Gettysburg and lived past his 98th birthdayl His grandfather married and had a baby son. When that child was a few months old the Daddy left him with his grandparents and left for Tennessee. He was never heard from again. Talk about a brick wall! I keep wondering whether the Indians or a "bar" got him. Surely would love to know. BTW, they were both Howells, as am I. And I feel sure there are more of these happenings. Jo Howell Marquis