In a message dated 12/29/03 3:17:10 PM US Mountain Standard Time, MMDMA85208@aol.com writes: Marge Hoster, are you working on Jackson Co. also. Marge DeGear Sorta? I guess this is why I don't understand all the fuss about these biographies I mean I'd bet ALL of you have relatives that lived in this area and thus it would be extremely interesting! MY favorite Great Grandmother lived most of her life in Crawford County (Charter Oak Iowa) but .... Her parents arrived from Prussia just before she was born in Miles in 1874 and would have lived there until she was about 18 if I remember right. They weren't wealthy land barrons but poor people who spoke no English. She told us stories of how she'd climb into a tree to sneak magazines just to learn the language. How I'd love to hear that in one of these BIO'S a neighbor was good friends or farmed with Frederick Nipkow and his wife Whilimina or GEE WIZ maybe even played with Otto, Gusta, Albert and little Anna!