Riley, Sharp, Little, Copeland, Hines, and various others! I can't think of all of them at this time! Pool, Brooks,Hughes, Simpson, Keller, Boggs, Lambert, Maze, and that is all I can remember for now! John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Glenn Campbell" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, January 26, 2004 8:43 AM Subject: RE: [ILJOHNSO] Lower Salem Cemetery Pictures Available > Which names interest you? > > Glenn > > > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by Norton Internet Security > 2004 (http://www.symantec.com/sabu/nis/nis_pe/). Virus definitions > automatically updated. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: John Hines [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 9:06 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [ILJOHNSO] Lower Salem Cemetery Pictures Available > > Glenn; > > Sure would love to have the pictures that is where some of my > relatives are buried! > > John > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Glenn Campbell" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 5:12 PM > Subject: [ILJOHNSO] Lower Salem Cemetery Pictures Available > > > > I have some digital pictures of headstones for CAMPBELL, LITTLE, LEEK, > > PHENIX and COPLAND families that I would be glad to share. These were > taken > > in September of 2002 at the Lower Salem Cemetery Southwest of Karnak, > IL. > > Contact me if interested. > > > > R. Glenn Campbell > > > > > > > > > > ==== ILJOHNSO Mailing List ==== > > Visit the Official Johnson Co IL ILGenWeb Site! > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~iljohnso/ > > > > > > > > ==== ILJOHNSO Mailing List ==== > Do not send Virus warnings to this list. > "Problems with Johnson Co IL Mail List email Tim Casey" > [email protected] > > > > ==== ILJOHNSO Mailing List ==== > Do not send Virus warnings to this list. > "Problems with Johnson Co IL Mail List email Tim Casey" > [email protected] > >

jones, little, and copeland. -----Original Message----- From: John Hines [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, January 26, 2004 8:12 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ILJOHNSO] Lower Salem Cemetery Pictures Available Riley, Sharp, Little, Copeland, Hines, and various others! I can't think of all of them at this time! Pool, Brooks,Hughes, Simpson, Keller, Boggs, Lambert, Maze, and that is all I can remember for now! John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Glenn Campbell" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, January 26, 2004 8:43 AM Subject: RE: [ILJOHNSO] Lower Salem Cemetery Pictures Available > Which names interest you? > > Glenn > > > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by Norton Internet Security > 2004 (http://www.symantec.com/sabu/nis/nis_pe/). Virus definitions > automatically updated. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: John Hines [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 9:06 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [ILJOHNSO] Lower Salem Cemetery Pictures Available > > Glenn; > > Sure would love to have the pictures that is where some of my > relatives are buried! > > John > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Glenn Campbell" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 5:12 PM > Subject: [ILJOHNSO] Lower Salem Cemetery Pictures Available > > > > I have some digital pictures of headstones for CAMPBELL, LITTLE, LEEK, > > PHENIX and COPLAND families that I would be glad to share. These were > taken > > in September of 2002 at the Lower Salem Cemetery Southwest of Karnak, > IL. > > Contact me if interested. > > > > R. Glenn Campbell > > > > > > > > > > ==== ILJOHNSO Mailing List ==== > > Visit the Official Johnson Co IL ILGenWeb Site! > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~iljohnso/ > > > > > > > > ==== ILJOHNSO Mailing List ==== > Do not send Virus warnings to this list. > "Problems with Johnson Co IL Mail List email Tim Casey" > [email protected] > > > > ==== ILJOHNSO Mailing List ==== > Do not send Virus warnings to this list. > "Problems with Johnson Co IL Mail List email Tim Casey" > [email protected] > > ==== ILJOHNSO Mailing List ==== Do not send Virus warnings to this list. "Problems with Johnson Co IL Mail List email Tim Casey" [email protected]

Which names interest you? Glenn Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by Norton Internet Security 2004 (http://www.symantec.com/sabu/nis/nis_pe/). Virus definitions automatically updated. -----Original Message----- From: John Hines [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 9:06 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ILJOHNSO] Lower Salem Cemetery Pictures Available Glenn; Sure would love to have the pictures that is where some of my relatives are buried! John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Glenn Campbell" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 5:12 PM Subject: [ILJOHNSO] Lower Salem Cemetery Pictures Available > I have some digital pictures of headstones for CAMPBELL, LITTLE, LEEK, > PHENIX and COPLAND families that I would be glad to share. These were taken > in September of 2002 at the Lower Salem Cemetery Southwest of Karnak, IL. > Contact me if interested. > > R. Glenn Campbell > > > > > ==== ILJOHNSO Mailing List ==== > Visit the Official Johnson Co IL ILGenWeb Site! > http://www.rootsweb.com/~iljohnso/ > > ==== ILJOHNSO Mailing List ==== Do not send Virus warnings to this list. "Problems with Johnson Co IL Mail List email Tim Casey" [email protected]

Glenn; Sure would love to have the pictures that is where some of my relatives are buried! John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Glenn Campbell" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 5:12 PM Subject: [ILJOHNSO] Lower Salem Cemetery Pictures Available > I have some digital pictures of headstones for CAMPBELL, LITTLE, LEEK, > PHENIX and COPLAND families that I would be glad to share. These were taken > in September of 2002 at the Lower Salem Cemetery Southwest of Karnak, IL. > Contact me if interested. > > R. Glenn Campbell > > > > > ==== ILJOHNSO Mailing List ==== > Visit the Official Johnson Co IL ILGenWeb Site! > http://www.rootsweb.com/~iljohnso/ > >

Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois (c) Bill Oliver 25 January 2004 Vol 3 Issue: #04 ISBN: pending Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, Reading one of my Genealogical Newsletters this week I discovered an article describing what it was like back in the 1940s. That was the topic on which I was writing for this week's article. So I filed it on a "back burner". We planned a trip for today with our two resident grandchildren and their Mother to Sandusky, Ohio to visit the Merry-Go-Round Museum there. Therefore, I did a little preplanning about carousels and their history in the United States and further back. Memories of the Walbridge Street Amusement Park in the 1930s and early 40s came flooding back. Especially the "brass" ring which earned you a "free" ride if you "caught" it. Walbridge Park was at the end of the trolley line out Broadway Street in Toledo, Ohio. I can hear the "oom pa pa" as if I were there right now. The Sandusky Museum has a restored and working Allen Herschell Carousel. The Museum is quite unique in that it was once the Sandusky Post Office and the building has a round or rotunda entrance. It was built in the 1920s. American carousel figures are made in three primary styles of carving, painting and decoration. There is the "Philadelphia" Style of realistic looking horses, with legs in the galloping position. Veins and muscles are visible on their heads and necks. These figures were found on stationary machines. There is a fanciful style called the "Coney Island" Style. These figures quite often included cut "jewels" and other ornamentation. Elaborate carvings were displayed on the figure's profile and under the cantle or back of the saddle. This style also often displayed out of proportion bodies. Then there was the "Country Fair" Style which featured less ornate carvings and unnaturally out- stretched legs for easier transporting on machines that traveled with carnivals and fairs. This style lacked protrusions, such as forward pointing ears, which further helped packing for transporting. The expressions and features of these horses was much more simple. There was a decline in the manufacture of Merry-Go-Rounds in the United States due to the Great Depression of the 1930s and after effects of the two World Wars. However, from the middle of the 19th century through the 1920s, thousands of wooden carousels were carved by hand. The menagerie of animals waited for children to climb aboard for a "spin". We can trace carousel origins back 1500 years to the European-Mediterranian culture. On a Byzantine etching for that period riders were swinging in baskets tied to a center pole. There is some evidence that merry-go-round activities were experienced in ancient India and Central America, also. In Italian there is a word "garosello", while in Spanish it is "carosella". One can speculate as to which [or both] are the root of our word "carousel". Anyway the meaning is the same in both languages ... "little war". This was a game adapted from Arabian and Turkish horsemen, who tossed clay balls filled with perfume back and forth from horseback. One lost if a catch was missed and the ball shattered, spilling perfume which stayed with the loser for some days. The Crusaders brought this game back to Europe, where it was passed around. In the 15th century, the French, calling it "carrousel", transformed it into skilled horsemanship and pageantry. The paramont feature was a ring-spearing tournament where lances were used to spear small rings suspended between two posts while at a full gallop. It took much practice and experience to develop the skills of horsemanship, steady hand, and sharp eye necessary. Late in the 17th century someone had the bright idea of attaching to a center pole, legless wooden horses from which tournament trainees could spear the small rings. These were powered by servants, mules, or horses. Hence the birth of the carousel as we envision it today. As evolution transformed this device into a source of entertainment for children and ladies the supplying power was hand cranks. It wasn't until the steam engine was produced that these carousels really blossomed. The "legless" horses became more ornate figures and not necessarily horses. The ring-catching tradition of the French nobility was preserved by allowing a rider to reach out and "spear" or grab a ring. Hence, the brass ring tradition of my youth. In this country carousels have been know by names such as flying horses, whirligigis, steam riding galleries, carry-us-alls, flying jinnies, hobby horses, and merry-go-rounds. With the advent of the steam engine, evolution of the carousel took place. The power of the new engine allowed for the increase in size. Free-swinging figures were set on platforms suspended from arms from the center pole. Other innovations were menagerie figures and the up and down movement of the figures. A shortage of materials caused by World War I gave birth to the use of aluminum for part of the figures, especially of the head and necks. Though this gave all the figures a similarity in looks, the delicate parts of the heads were no longer breakable. With the depression of the 1930s and the turmoil of the Second World War, the "golden age" of hand-carved wooden carousels came to an end. Out of the new materials developed during that war and following it improvements to the figures appeared in the form of fiberglass. Fiberglass replaced the aluminum as the material of choice. Fiberglass molds could copy or replicate the master patterns created by the master carvers of the earlier ages. Besides the 18 or so restored working carousels in Ohio, there are others in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Michigan, Kansas and the Old Pioneer Village Museum in Mindon, Nebraska. The next time you accompany a youngster on a "carry-us-all", stand proudly next to them and tell them the history of this "dang-fangled-machine" and about catching the "brass ring". e-la-di-e-das-di ha-wi nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da. (May you walk in peace and harmony) Wado, Bill -=- PostScript: Other sites worth visiting: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/LittleEgypt/intro.html

I have some digital pictures of headstones for CAMPBELL, LITTLE, LEEK, PHENIX and COPLAND families that I would be glad to share. These were taken in September of 2002 at the Lower Salem Cemetery Southwest of Karnak, IL. Contact me if interested. R. Glenn Campbell

There was some Cole families that were from Smith Co. and one person said that my GGGGrandfather married one but not sure! If I can find out more will post it for you. John M. Hines, Sr. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gordon Cole" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 4:37 PM Subject: [ILJOHNSO] Cole family in Johnson Co, Ill > Does anyone have information on the following family siblings I found on a > March 14, 1853 Military Land Bounty for land in Johnson County, Illinois. > > William C Cole filed the bounty based upon the death of his brother Peter R > Cole who died during the Mexican War. The other siblings of William and > Peter that are listed on the warrent are James M. Cole, Rebecca Fielding, > Julia Ellinder, Eliza Hill and Mary Ann Frances. Their address were listed > as Smith Co, TN and Calloway Co, KY. Through Peter R Cole's military record > I have found that he was born about 1826 in Rockingham Co., NC and probably > his siblings were too. > > Thanks > Gordon Cole > > _________________________________________________________________ > Scope out the new MSN Plus Internet Software - optimizes dial-up to the max! > http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-us&page=byoa/plus&ST=1 > > > ==== ILJOHNSO Mailing List ==== > Do not send Virus warnings to this list. > "Problems with Johnson Co IL Mail List email Tim Casey" > [email protected] > >

Does anyone have information on the following family siblings I found on a March 14, 1853 Military Land Bounty for land in Johnson County, Illinois. William C Cole filed the bounty based upon the death of his brother Peter R Cole who died during the Mexican War. The other siblings of William and Peter that are listed on the warrent are James M. Cole, Rebecca Fielding, Julia Ellinder, Eliza Hill and Mary Ann Frances. Their address were listed as Smith Co, TN and Calloway Co, KY. Through Peter R Cole's military record I have found that he was born about 1826 in Rockingham Co., NC and probably his siblings were too. Thanks Gordon Cole _________________________________________________________________ Scope out the new MSN Plus Internet Software — optimizes dial-up to the max! http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-us&page=byoa/plus&ST=1

Hello, In my research on my Mann line I need to see if I might find "Donna Davis" <[email protected] Would it be possible to reach her ? Any one's help would be really welcomed. Thank you, Tonia

Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois (c) Bill Oliver 18 January 2004 Vol 3 Issue: #03 ISBN: pending Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, Is there anything worse smellin' than an old sweet ‘tater rottin' in a bucket full of garbage? What does a skunk do before drenching us with "Eau de Pole Cat"? Mephitis mephitis will usually fluff its tail, shake its tail, stamp the ground with its front feet, growl, stand on its hind legs, turn its head and spit before lifting its tail and spraying. Just a hint! I've heard tell that stinky skunks don't like other stinky smells ... such as ammonia. I've said before that I'm Yankee born with one foot north of the Ohio River and the other south of that river. Half of me says grits ain't just for breakfast. Can't repeat what the other half says. Grits is a southern dish, like pecan pie, and chicken. Grits and zucchini suffer the same distaste for me no matter what wonderful recipe you have for them. There are plain grits, cream of grits, grits soup, fried grits, baked grits, and grilled grits. Then there are grits as a main dish, grits as a side dish, biscuits and grits, cheesed grits, grits bread and even grits pie. Then there was Granny on the Beverly Hillbillies talking about possum grits. I was in Oliver's Hollow, Tennessee, one time and ordered my favorite two eggs, sunnyside up, bacon, sausage, home fried potatoes, and two hotcakes for breakfast. What I failed to notice was "also served with" a side dish of gritty looking mashed potatoes. Well, here's to my southern ancestors, they were incredibly tough, resilient and durable. I'll eventually get to the tonight's topic. :) Death has always been very much part of life. Back a century ago bad diet, poor hygiene and very limited medical attention didn't help to prolong life. Back then diseases — scarlet fever, whooping cough, influenza and such — took the lives of children. Hard work and childbearing took wives and mothers. Cemeteries will often show a man with two or three wives flanking him. With farms to run, crops to plant and kids to feed/raise, grieving time was short for men. Of course, burial customs have always depended somewhat on one's income and ethnic background. Queen Victoria made mourning a decade long affair for her Albert. Though there were funeral homes in the [large] cities, mostly all arrangements were carried out by the immediate family. Due to the lack of embalming, one can imagine that those arrangements weren't put off very long. The first arrangement was for the deceased to be carefully washed. They did have "deodorizing washes", but there was good reason to surround the deceased with lots of fragrant flowers. If there were no flowers in bloom, evergreen branches were used. If the eyes were open at death, coins were used to weigh them shut. They were usually silver coins because copper would discolor the skin. Superstitions have always had a part in our customs. Closing the eyes was important because it was believed that the "dearly departed" could see and if you were recognized, you could be "taken" with the corpse. Corpses were not buried with shoes. This could be just practical recycling, however, in some cultures is was considered bad luck. [I'm not sure for whom.] Men were usually buried in dark suits. Children were buried in white to signify their purity and innocence. Young women wore a white burial dress, middle aged women were often in gray, while older women were dressed in color. Orchid, light lavender were often used. Black was reserved for those who died in childbirth. Usually women prepared the body, while the men made the coffins. Premade coffins were not at all popular, so it was a task that waited for someone to need one. They were usually wide at one end and narrower at the other end. In the south, coffins often had an opening covered with mesh so that the mourners could see the deceased without the flies crawling over the body. A wooden plate was screwed down covering the opening before burial. Cotton was often used to pad and line the coffins. This was covered with cloth. Grandma Oliver once said that older quilts were sometimes used to pad a coffin. If there was a newspaper, families would place a death notice in them. Otherwise it was a practice to put notices on fences or posts. While the casket was being made and the body was being placed in it, the women would prepare the house. There was the draping the front door in black cloth. There also was the covering of all mirrors and photographs of the deceased with black cloth or veils. [The thought behind this was to prevent the deceased from seeing themselves.] All clocks were stopped. The filled coffins were placed on saw horses with the foot of the coffin toward the entrance of the house. If candles were lit they were to light the way to heaven for the deceased. Often a [last] picture was taken of the deceased for the family to have as a "keepsake". This type of "keepsake" was probably a technological advancement from the custom of making "death masks" of the deceased's face. This custom in my family seemed to be more paternal than maternal. Grandma Oliver had photos of her sisters who had died in their early adulthood, while there are none on Grandma Lester's side of the family. Kin and close friends would arrive by horse and buggy, the women to fix and prepare food, and the men to dig and later fill in the grave. In those days, when neighbors helped neighbors, doing these necessary tasks was seen as a sign of respect for the deceased and the family. No matter the wealth or status of the deceased, the food at the "wake" was much the same. It was usually simple, cheese and crackers, and gallons of coffee. Some families would also serve sausage with the crackers. Any hard liquor, though not served at a wake, was often brought by the men and shared outside on the porch or lawn. As in most family gatherings, the women usually congregated in the viewing room or kitchen, while the men, after paying their short respects would gather out on the porch and side yards. Funerals always brought some expenses. Thus, it was custom to place a bowl or basket by the coffin and folks were expected to put in a coin or two to defray those costs. We call them "funeral homes" today. When it was time, the casket lid would be screwed down and the casket would be placed in a wagon. Caskets were carried and loaded onto wagons feet first. They were transported to graveyards, for the term cemetery was unknown. In rural areas, the deceased could be buried in a family graveyard on the property or in a community/church cemetery. Whether the pallbearers carried the casket to the family graveyard or to the church cemetery the mourners walked behind the casket. Only in the cities were wagons, called hearses, rented to transport the casket to its final resting place. There they usually put a sign on the side of the wagon with the name, age, date of death and place of interment. In cities hearses were pulled by black horses, unless it was a youth, then the horses were white. City burials were usually some distance from where the funeral ceremony was held. Thus, caravans replaced the walkers to the gravesite. After the hearse, the procession next held the religious personages, followed by immediate family, then parents, grandparents, etc, with other mourners following in the order of degree of kinship. The horses pulling the hearse were trained to pull one step at a time. In New Orleans style funerals, this was usually to the sound of music. Following funerals it was the duty of the man to get on with the daily life, so there were very short periods of time for mourning for men. For women there was a much more rigid time line for mourning. First there was the first year and one day of "deep" mourning, then nine months of "second" mourning, followed by three months of "ordinary" mourning. All this was culminated with an additional six months of "half" mourning. During the "deep" mourning period a black veil reaching to the mid-calf was worn in public. This was called a "widow's mantle" or "weeping veil". During the "second" period the veil disappeared and a "bit" of white trim could be added to the black dress. When "half" mourning was reached colors such as lavender, gray, lilac, or white could be worn. Usually, if black was continued the woman was signaling that she would not marry again. There were other behavioral mandates for widows during the various mourning periods which I may take up in another article one day. However, this article is running a bit long, so I close. e-la-di-e-das-di ha-wi nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da. (May you walk in peace and harmony) Wado, Bill -=- PostScript: Other sites worth visiting: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/LittleEgypt/intro.html

Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois (c) Bill Oliver 16 January 2004 Vol 3 Issue: Special Edition #01 Addendum ISBN: pending Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, Yesterday I mentioned Milo Erwin's "The History of Williamson County, Illinois, From the Earliest Times, Down to the Present", Marion, Illinois, 1876. The response to that article was much more than I expected. A couple of cousins were aware of my meaning and wrote to tell me so. So did some whom I can't yet claim as cousins [except in spirit]. Two things impressed me about the various comments besides the expressions of sympathy. First, the comments taught me some things about my Father's natal land. This pleases me, for I DO learn many things by opening my "mail". And, that brings me to the second thing: others of you out there have that great curiosity that compels one to seek new knowledge. One of the comments wanted to know about the term "Bloody Williamson", as they had never heard that before. Many books about Williamson County mention that name, but it was so dubbed due to a series of events, the main being the Herrin Massacre of the 1920s. An additional reference is Paul M Angle's, "Bloody Williamson, A Chapter in American Lawlessness", Alfred A Knopf, New York, 1952. It is back in print in a soft cover. My cover has a picture of the Birger Gang. Mr Angle goes into much detail about the horrible event known as the Herrin Massacre, however, I would like to quote from his forward: "I do contend that in friendliness and hospitality the people of this region are unsurpassed. Walk along the street in any town in Egypt — the proud name of the southernmost quarter of Illinois — and most of the pedestrians you pass will smile and wish you good morning. Walk a block or two further, and a car will pull to the curb and stop. The driver, who has never seen you before, will ask whether he can't take you where you are going. ....." "This contrast between the people of Williamson County as I know them and their record of violence and lawlessness is one of the reasons why I decided to write this book. ...." [page xxiv] I love reading those words again and again, for it is the way my Dad expressed his memories of Little Egypt. By the Way, the pages of my copy of this book have long since come loose from their binding. <smile> e-la-di-e-das-di ha-wi nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da. (May you walk in peace and harmony) Wado, Bill -=- PostScript: Other sites worth visiting: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/LittleEgypt/intro.html

Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois (c) Bill Oliver 15 January 2004 Vol 3 Issue: Special Edition #01 ISBN: pending Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, I never pulled much that my parents didn't know about. It is not that I informed them, but years later when certain tales came out, they knew a lot more than I ever wanted them to know [at least at that time]. Well, there were stories about them that when they were told in family gatherings we children, grandchildren and cousins would giggle with glee and our eyes would sparkle. My Dad was born and raised [pre-teen] in "Little Egypt". His Dad in Sulphur Springs [Creal Springs, today] and his Mom in West Vienna [Boles]. One thing about that is that he never forgot his early childhood and had very strong feelings about the area and the people. Oh, he would say that they always called Williamson county "Bloody Williamson", however he'd add, "... not the folks I knew!" Since our daughter passed from this life between Christmas and New Year's just past, I was reminded of the above each time one of the family and/or friends mentions the wonderful things they remember about Sarah. Along with this, I found, in my readings this week, the following words which I quote sections of from, Milo Erwin's "The History of Williamson County, Illinois, From the Earliest Times, Down to the Present", Marion, Illinois, 1876, pages 87-88. "I was born a farmer, and am therefore independent." "I have known this people [Williamson County, IL folks] from childhood. I believe, sublimated by education, they are capable of attaining nobler hights than have usually been ascribed to the people of ‘Egypt.' I not only glory in my birth-place, but pass encomiums on the county, and say to the world that from my knowledge of the public spirit of our people, I can expect protection, honest dealing and liberty ...". "Linked to her by historic associations and proudly treasuring the memories of my fathers, ...",,, "... and invite an unsophisticated world to look with joy and pride upon a county redeemed from crime, and sparkling with brilliant gems of innocence and virtue. ...." "... and prove to the world that our community is not composed of outlaws and cut-throats, but of a highly intellectual, honorable and moral people." This was not said to hide or white wash what history has recorded. Our people were [and are] human and products of their times. Prejudices have changed and as have attitudes. The peoples who represent our enemies change with times and circumstances. The historian, like the Mr Milo Erwins, looks at the daily relationships of people and strips away some of the truly repugnant deeds done by the person/s who committed them. That which is left is the love for those who we call "kin" and "neighbor". This is good so long as we can remain aware of all of the facts. Williamson County must record the "Vendetta" in all its horrors, but remember that is was conceived by some leaders and carried out by fiendish emissaries, not the people themselves. My cousins and I must face some acts by kin who in today's judgments didn't act in ways we would, but they are kin and their everyday behavior had many good qualities just the same. Probably they weren't as "wicked" as volumes have been written about them, nor as "good" as my interpretations. e-la-di-e-das-di ha-wi nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da. (May you walk in peace and harmony) Wado, Bill -=- PostScript: Other sites worth visiting: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/LittleEgypt/intro.html

Bill, This reminded me of my Grandma, Nelle Carmody Lambert (not a Johnson Co. girl, but she had the sense to marry a Johnson Co. boy!). Born in 1887, she remembered hearing about the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk. And it was my great privilege to be with her and watch Neil Armstrong step out onto the moon's surface. Thanks for bringing that back, Nan Lambert Starjak ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2004 4:11 PM Subject: [ILJOHNSO] Little Egypt Heritage, 11 January 2004, Vol 3 #2 Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois (c) Bill Oliver 11 January 2004 Vol 3 Issue: #02 ISBN: pending Well, to continue, Grandma Oliver, born in 1885, flew in jet airliners and witnessed Neil Armstrong's step upon the moon.

Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois (c) Bill Oliver 11 January 2004 Vol 3 Issue: #02 ISBN: pending Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, There is a saying that we are not given more than we can handle. There is another one which goes something like this: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going". [I] Don't want "no" more; things are tough enough. <hugebroadsmile> I woke one day during this week to read a "day old" newspaper and discovered that the Mother of two of my cousins' passed away at 89 years of age. Bon Voyage, Aunt Helen. Aunt Helen had gotten a divorce and passed out of many of our lives in the late 1930s. There were nineteen of us "OLIVER" cousins. There are still thirteen of us "above ground" and most of us are scattered far and wide. That brings me to say a word or two about the pros and cons of our mobility. Grandma Oliver's sister, Fanny, migrated to "Canadee" in a Conestoga Wagon. With this type of travel one didn't often return to the "homestead". There are cases of "returning" east after disillusionments, especially in the Nebraska territory, but for the main, even communication between family members was lost when distance separated them. In my wife's family an Uncle went west to Iowa. The last known communication between brothers was sitting on the porch of the "staying" brother in Wood County, Ohio. He was quoted as saying, "Well, Will, I guess we won't be seeing much of each other." Well, to continue, Grandma Oliver, born in 1885, flew in jet airliners and witnessed Neil Armstrong's step upon the moon. What do I remember? Steam engine whistles. Long before they decided to build an "underpass" for our street I remember that the train engineers had to pull the cord on their steam whistle to notify drivers that they were near the crossing. My Mother's youngest sister had tuberculosis of the hip bone and was considered a "cripple". The engineers on those trains gave her a flashlight in which to signal them as they passed the house. There was a code of some sort, which was developed between the trainmen and my Aunt. I remember going o sleep to the sound of those steam whistles and hearing the clicking of the rails. How soothing. When we returned from Bermuda in January 1942, we stayed with my maternal Grandmother. They had moved and lived across a boulevard from a freight switching yard. The engines would pull and push and release cars on various side tracks to make up long freight trains. Here too, they used their whistles as they would block traffic on a near by street. However, the various sounds of the engine pushing railroad cars, releasing cars, the clacking of the wheels along the tracks, and the eventual crashing sound of cars connecting together lulled me to sleep. Those sounds meant things were "right" with my world. The third remembrance was riding the trains for long distances to get from one city to another, following my Father from [military] post to post. There was a romance to "riding the rails". It was the "click of the rails" and the slight swaying that could lull one into a peaceful sleep. It was a magnetic or hypnotic feeling. Mobility was certainly enhanced during the "great depression" of the 1930s. Somewhere I read that there was a quarter of a million American teen "hoboes" riding the rails. Those were just teens; we have all heard of the great movement of people during the depression using automobiles as Conestoga Wagons. As a reminder of those times, read or re-read John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" and/or Irene Hunt's "No Promises in the Wind". These past few days, humankind has sent its technology to Mars. The magnitude of that fantastic engineering accomplishment is more than some of us can grasp. Some of us can remember being awestruck when Armstrong stepped upon the moon. Those "giant steps for Mankind" just keep on "keepin' on. Gazing at a full moon on a bright night, it is difficult not to think about a verse from a song written by Guy Clark. It concerned a train that was "highballing" down the tracks through a small Texas town when he was a boy in the late 1940s. "It left 50 or 60 people, just sittin' on their cars "Wonderin' what it's comin' to and how it got this far!" Those were the days of the first Jet air-o-planes; at least ten years before the first monkey in space. One wonders if there will ever be a train that runs on our moon or on the planet Mars. Getting back to the Conestoga Wagon is a bit difficult with the mind out in space. The Conestoga Wagon was most common vehicle for hauling goods or freight. It was developed in Pennsylvania by German immigrants. They were large and heavy. They could haul up to about 5 tons, where smaller "farm wagons" could only carry about 1000 to 3000 pounds, depending on their length and depth. Though "Prairie Schooners" were referred to as land ships, the Conestoga Wagon had some similarities to ships. First their bottoms were slightly rounded. This was so that barrels wouldn't roll out while going up and down hills. The ends of the wagon beds were angled like the bow and stern of a boat. The watertight covering [hence the term "covered wagon"] extended out beyond the bow and stern of these vessels. These wagons were so heavy that it usually took teams of six to eight horses to pull such heavy freight. Oxen were sometimes used. Along the Sante Fe trail, horses were not practical due to the long distances between water holes. So, oxen and/or mules were used. Teams of as many as two dozen of these animals might be used depending upon the weight of the freight being hauled. Today we notice along our highways, and sometimes streets, truck traileers [wagon beds] in tandem. This is an adaptation of earlier days when a second wagon or "backaction" was sometimes hitched behind a lead wagon. Due to the impractability of these large heavy wagons on the Sante Fe Trail it was necessary to make adaptations Good ole Yankee Ingenuity altered the Conestoga Wagon to a smaller version. This became known as the "Prairie Schooner". The difference was the new Prairie Schooner, with tongue and neck yoke measured a bit less [about 23 feet] than the covering of the old style wagons [29 to 33 feet]. These wagons [both the Conestoga and the Prairie Schooner] were built in three main parts so that they could be repaired easier. These parts were the covering, the bed, and the undercarriage or "running gear". The "bonnets" or coverings were stretched over hardwood bows, which had been soaked until pliable, bent into U-shapes and allowed to dry. The bonnets themselves were usually homespun cotton doubled to make them watertight. The outward angled front and back allowed some protection to the contents of the interior. The wagon bed was made from hardwoods to minimize shrinking. The sideboards were about two to three foot deep and with a bit of tar, the bed was made watertight. The bed sat upon two sets of wheels of different sizes. The front wheels being smaller than the rear ones. This was to aid the maneuverability of the wagon. To protect the wooden rims, wheels had forged "tires". Though the wheels were made of hardwoods to reduce shrinking, and thus allowing the "tires" to come loose and leave the wheels. The wheels were often soaked in streams and creeks if available. "Jockey" boxes were attached either to the rear or sides of the wagon beds. These carried repair items such as iron bolts, linch pins, skeins, nails, hoop iron, any tools and a "jack" to lift the wagon bed for wheel repair or replacement. Wagon repairing was a good business along the trails, supplying a need for wainwrights and blacksmiths. Springs, except under the driver's seat, were unknown. Riding a wagon was not comfortable. There are stories written that some parts of trails were so rough that one could put cream in the butter churns and have constant supplies of fresh butter. The later wagons used by those in the "western movement" were adaptations of the Prairie Schooner, called "farm wagons". There were not as large, nor as well sheltered. Their bonnets usually were not cantilevered, front and back. Traveling by wagon was certainly a romance. <grin> e-la-di-e-das-di ha-wi nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da. (May you walk in peace and harmony) Wado, Bill -=- PostScript: Other sites worth visiting: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/LittleEgypt/intro.html

Have you run across any stories re/Hardy Johnson, Peter Johnson, Jasper Johnson or any of the Harrells of Johnson Co. Illinois??? Maurice Sherman > [Original Message] > From: Bill <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Date: 1/11/2004 2:09:00 PM > Subject: [ILJOHNSO] Little Egypt Heritage, 11 January 2004, Vol 3 #2 > > Little Egypt Heritage Articles > Stories of Southern Illinois > (c) Bill Oliver > > 11 January 2004 > Vol 3 Issue: #02 > ISBN: pending > > Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, > > There is a saying that we are not given more than we can > handle. There is another one which goes something like > this: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going". [I] > Don't want "no" more; things are tough enough. > <hugebroadsmile> > > I woke one day during this week to read a "day old" > newspaper and discovered that the Mother of two of my > cousins' passed away at 89 years of age. Bon Voyage, Aunt > Helen. Aunt Helen had gotten a divorce and passed out of > many of our lives in the late 1930s. There were nineteen of > us "OLIVER" cousins. There are still thirteen of us "above > ground" and most of us are scattered far and wide. > > That brings me to say a word or two about the pros and cons > of our mobility. Grandma Oliver's sister, Fanny, migrated > to "Canadee" in a Conestoga Wagon. With this type of travel > one didn't often return to the "homestead". There are cases > of "returning" east after disillusionments, especially in > the Nebraska territory, but for the main, even communication > between family members was lost when distance separated > them. In my wife's family an Uncle went west to Iowa. The > last known communication between brothers was sitting on the > porch of the "staying" brother in Wood County, Ohio. He was > quoted as saying, "Well, Will, I guess we won't be seeing > much of each other." Well, to continue, Grandma Oliver, > born in 1885, flew in jet airliners and witnessed Neil > Armstrong's step upon the moon. > > What do I remember? Steam engine whistles. Long before > they decided to build an "underpass" for our street I > remember that the train engineers had to pull the cord on > their steam whistle to notify drivers that they were near > the crossing. My Mother's youngest sister had tuberculosis > of the hip bone and was considered a "cripple". The > engineers on those trains gave her a flashlight in which to > signal them as they passed the house. There was a code of > some sort, which was developed between the trainmen and my > Aunt. I remember going o sleep to the sound of those steam > whistles and hearing the clicking of the rails. How > soothing. > > When we returned from Bermuda in January 1942, we stayed > with my maternal Grandmother. They had moved and lived > across a boulevard from a freight switching yard. The > engines would pull and push and release cars on various side > tracks to make up long freight trains. Here too, they used > their whistles as they would block traffic on a near by > street. However, the various sounds of the engine pushing > railroad cars, releasing cars, the clacking of the wheels > along the tracks, and the eventual crashing sound of cars > connecting together lulled me to sleep. Those sounds meant > things were "right" with my world. > > The third remembrance was riding the trains for long > distances to get from one city to another, following my > Father from [military] post to post. There was a romance to > "riding the rails". It was the "click of the rails" and the > slight swaying that could lull one into a peaceful sleep. > It was a magnetic or hypnotic feeling. > > Mobility was certainly enhanced during the "great > depression" of the 1930s. Somewhere I read that there was a > quarter of a million American teen "hoboes" riding the > rails. Those were just teens; we have all heard of the > great movement of people during the depression using > automobiles as Conestoga Wagons. As a reminder of those > times, read or re-read John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" > and/or Irene Hunt's "No Promises in the Wind". > > These past few days, humankind has sent its technology to > Mars. The magnitude of that fantastic > engineering accomplishment is more than some of us can > grasp. Some of us can remember being > awestruck when Armstrong stepped upon the moon. Those > "giant steps for Mankind" just keep > on "keepin' on. Gazing at a full moon on a bright night, it > is difficult not to think about a verse from a song written > by Guy Clark. It concerned a train that was "highballing" > down the tracks through a small Texas town when he was a boy > in the late 1940s. > "It left 50 or 60 people, just sittin' on their cars > "Wonderin' what it's comin' to and how it got this far!" > > Those were the days of the first Jet air-o-planes; at least > ten years before the first monkey in space. One wonders if > there will ever be a train that runs on our moon or on the > planet Mars. > > Getting back to the Conestoga Wagon is a bit difficult with > the mind out in space. The Conestoga Wagon was most common > vehicle for hauling goods or freight. It was developed in > Pennsylvania by German immigrants. They were large and > heavy. They could haul up to about 5 tons, where smaller > "farm wagons" could only carry about 1000 to 3000 pounds, > depending on their length and depth. > > Though "Prairie Schooners" were referred to as land ships, > the Conestoga Wagon had some similarities to ships. First > their bottoms were slightly rounded. This was so that > barrels wouldn't roll out while going up and down hills. > The ends of the wagon beds were angled like the bow and > stern of a boat. The watertight covering [hence the term > "covered wagon"] extended out beyond the bow and stern of > these vessels. > > These wagons were so heavy that it usually took teams of six > to eight horses to pull such heavy freight. Oxen were > sometimes used. Along the Sante Fe trail, horses were not > practical due to the long distances between water holes. > So, oxen and/or mules were used. Teams of as many as two > dozen of these animals might be used depending upon the > weight of the freight being hauled. > > Today we notice along our highways, and sometimes streets, > truck traileers [wagon beds] in tandem. This is an > adaptation of earlier days when a second wagon or > "backaction" was sometimes hitched behind a lead wagon. > > Due to the impractability of these large heavy wagons on the > Sante Fe Trail it was necessary to make adaptations Good ole > Yankee Ingenuity altered the Conestoga Wagon to a smaller > version. This became known as the "Prairie Schooner". The > difference was the new Prairie Schooner, with tongue and > neck yoke measured a bit less [about 23 feet] than the > covering of the old style wagons [29 to 33 feet]. > > These wagons [both the Conestoga and the Prairie Schooner] > were built in three main parts so that they could be > repaired easier. These parts were the covering, the bed, > and the undercarriage or "running gear". > > The "bonnets" or coverings were stretched over hardwood > bows, which had been soaked until pliable, bent into > U-shapes and allowed to dry. The bonnets themselves were > usually homespun cotton doubled to make them watertight. > The outward angled front and back allowed some protection to > the contents of the interior. The wagon bed was made from > hardwoods to minimize shrinking. The sideboards were about > two to three foot deep and with a bit of tar, the bed was > made watertight. The bed sat upon two sets of wheels of > different sizes. The front wheels being smaller than the > rear ones. This was to aid the maneuverability of the > wagon. To protect the wooden rims, wheels had forged > "tires". Though the wheels were made of hardwoods to reduce > shrinking, and thus allowing the "tires" to come loose and > leave the wheels. The wheels were often soaked in streams > and creeks if available. > > "Jockey" boxes were attached either to the rear or sides of > the wagon beds. These carried repair items such as iron > bolts, linch pins, skeins, nails, hoop iron, any tools and a > "jack" to lift the wagon bed for wheel repair or > replacement. Wagon repairing was a good business along the > trails, supplying a need for wainwrights and blacksmiths. > > Springs, except under the driver's seat, were unknown. > Riding a wagon was not comfortable. There are stories > written that some parts of trails were so rough that one > could put cream in the butter churns and have constant > supplies of fresh butter. > > The later wagons used by those in the "western movement" > were adaptations of the Prairie Schooner, called "farm > wagons". There were not as large, nor as well sheltered. > Their bonnets usually were not cantilevered, front and back. > > Traveling by wagon was certainly a romance. <grin> > > e-la-di-e-das-di ha-wi nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da. > (May you walk in peace and harmony) > > Wado, > > > Bill > -=- > > PostScript: > > Other sites worth visiting: > > > > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC > http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/LittleEgypt/intro.html > > > > > > ==== ILJOHNSO Mailing List ==== > Do not send Virus warnings to this list. > "Problems with Johnson Co IL Mail List email Tim Casey" > [email protected]

Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois (c) Bill Oliver 4 January 2004 Vol 3 Issue: #01 ISBN: pending Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, An acquaintance wrote, "Always remember, family is still family, and Family History is not a burden, but a labor of love." [Thank you, Derek] Another, very distant acquaintance, wrote that newspapers articles should not be posted to lists. Well, HAPPY NEW YEAR, anyway, folks. This is a brand new year. Last year ended with the passing of a daughter; this year began with her memorial service. And, this is the time for making New Year's Resolutions. My resolutions are to eat everything fattening and disgusting in sight, sit around more and watch tv, fight with my wife and remaining children, and work as little as I can. I further resolve not to spend 2 hours every day reading in the bathroom, but rather to come out to do my reading, not to develop a regular daily routine, not to stop and smell the roses, not to slow down and remember what is important in life [family and family history] and not to remember my daily blessings. Now don't ask me as to whom to blame for New Year's Resolutions. Since we are sure that there were New Year celebrations way back in the Babylonian era, it is probable that that "whomever" didn't have an e-mail address. Well, historically speaking, the Babylonians didn't celebrate New Years the same way we do. First it was in March, rather than January, and it more coincided with the spring planting of crops. Thus, if you can't seem to get a good start on your New Year's Resolution(s) you can start again in March. Actually, new year celebrations have always been a time for reflecting upon the past, yet forward to coming times. It is that wishful thinking time for contemplating the changes we want [or need]; it is the forward motivational spirit. Tradition has it that what one does on the first day of the New Year will effect the rest of the year. So make your first day observations carefully. Also, deliberate what you resolve to do ... it can be "tough" to stick with. The literature tells us that the most oft broken resolution is about losing weight, and exercising more. I can believe it, because during the period between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day I'm sure that I consume my weight in chocolate. Certainly, we don't know exactly when the first resolution was broken, however, I would wager that it closely followed the first resolution made. So, if you must break your resolution(s), do so with the knowledge that you are upholding a long standing tradition. Rest assured that resolution breaking dates back to ancient times; that you are in good company. Be it assured that I have already broken every resolution made above, especially the one about not stopping to smell the roses. Our Sarah grew them. I will forever appreciate the sight of daffodils, for she gave a bouquet of "home grown" to her mother every year. On a bit different tact, on January 6, 1933 Calvin Coolidge died. His outstanding record included never being defeated for an Office. He was known as a man of few words. This played a big part in his career. He was noted for waiting for circumstances to shape his destiny. He listened, he assimilated, and he waited until there appeared what seemed to be the soundest course. He did not try to make circumstances; but, when they appeared in the right configuration, he acted. Otherwise he waited. Coolidge was a lawyer, the first of his line to leave the New England "farm" in three centuries. He did take his family's frugal way of living out with him. He was our thirtieth president of the United States and shared with the first President the distinction of retiring before the nation was willing to let him do so. His outstanding characteristic was his ability to wait in silence. At first it made him a subject of ridicule. His opponents offered his career as a proof that if a man keeps his mouth shut long enough, something fortunate is likely to happen to him. Eventually his silence was regarded as a heroic manifestation and became a legend. Another great legend that I admired was Dizzy Gillespie, the trumpet player. He was a major player as a founding father of modern jazz. His signature moon cheeks and bent trumpet made him one of the world's most instantly recognizable figures. He died at Englewood Hospital in Englewood, N.J. On 6 January 1993. HAPPY NEW YEAR! May your genealogical brick walls come tumbling down in 2004. e-la-di-e-das-di ha-wi nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da. (May you walk in peace and harmony) Wado, Bill -=- PostScript: Other sites worth visiting: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/LittleEgypt/intro.html

Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois (c) Bill Oliver 24 December 2003 Vol 2 Issue: #44 ISBN: pending Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, An acquaintance wrote, "Always remember, family is still family, and Family History is not a burden, but a labor of love." [Thank you, Derek] Three weeks ago was my Dad's birthday. Two weeks ago was Pearl Harbor Day. [For me there is a connection between the two.] Maybe it is because I have lots of silver color in my hair that someone always asks me where I was on the Seventh of December in 1941. I remember. I was sitting on a hill overlooking the Harbor area and beyond, on the Island of Bermuda, with a family friend. We were watching a German U-boat tender supplying submarines. They were probably the same ones that followed us, almost four weeks later, back to New York harbor. This rather sets the mood for this week's article of "this and that", or "Things I learned while catching up on my reading." Just after the Civil War the SS Republic, a steam side paddle wheeler, with tall masts, sank during a hurricane off the shores of Georgia. Amazingly the cargo and coins were well preserved in the frigid waters in 1700 feet of water. The ship from New York was bound for New Orleans was loaded with a mixed cargo to help that city recover from the War Between the States. This included $400,000 in gold and silver coins minted before 1865. An estimated value of 150 million in today's market. I've seen what vintage ship museums do with river boats cargo. They do "resurrect the spirit of forgotten ships and eras." Those items include pepper sauce, pickles, champaign, mustard and patient medicines. I remember such a museum in Kansas City, Kansas. Besides the reconstruction of the stern wheeler, there were tools of all types, clothing, boots, bolts of material, wines, etc. I was more than amused to learn that things I attributed to Abe Lincoln, were not, after all, said by the sixteenth President. He is credited with "The strength of the nation lies in the homes of its people." Hmmm, the article I read says that the closest statement like that was said in 1928 by Herbert Hoover ... "The foundation of American life rests upon the home and the family." The one I really like is: "There's no honorable way o kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war except its ending." Though attributed to Lincoln by anti-war protestors this year, the statement was actually made by an actor portraying Lincoln in an episode of Star Trek. Speaking of Presidents, ... I learned that there was only one true Presidential bachelor ... President James Buchanan. The one just before Lincoln. He never married. In 1819 he called off his engagement to Ann Coleman before the wedding. He appointed his niece, Harriet Lane, to be the official White House hostess. Grover Cleveland was a bachelor, but he married Frances Folsom in the White House in 1886. Earlier, John Tylor married, while President, Julia Gardinier as his second wife; his first wife, Letitia Christian died in 1842 during his term as President. The current National Geographic has a set of pictures of galaxies and other heavenly bodies. They are gorgeous pictures. I remember recently seeing another picture of the recent Sun storms. It was an image collected by NASA coronagraph. It was a "cool" green in color. Recently, nested on the front page was a picture of a soldier, just returned from Iraq, planting a big kiss on his daughter's cheek. This little one looked as if she wasn't quite sure who this soldier was. The expression on her face was a bit different than my sister's when our Marine Corp Dad came home for a short visit before World War II. My sister displayed a smile which ran across the entire picture. But then she was at least three years old. It's tough on young children when their parent[s] are sent to some foreign shore for long periods of time. At some time during this holiday period, all of our children will have visited the old homestead, and we are so grateful. One Granddaughter has helped "Grandma" fix some of the food for Christmas dinner. She's five now and a "cook of the world". She knows how to stir, even though she gets a bit excited sometimes. Oh, they are so enthusiastic when they are so young. Children of all ages can help cook and bake. They can measure ingredients. They can mix with the electric mixer without getting things outside the bowl ... not like Grandpa. Grandpa "smashes" the potatoes all over the counter; the wall; everywhere. Hey, those kids shape dough, spread the frostings on thickly, and sprinkle the sprinkles. These are the traditions that make ant holiday. Hey, I remember Grandma making buttery buttery German Spritz cookies and three bean salad with onions. Cranberry sauce with walnuts was another favorite. Pumpkin pie for desert; dumplings on the side. Rhysie would love to make "thumbprint" cookies ... just use your thumb and make an indentation in the cneter of each cookie. Works every time! Cooking makes for a good family fun time with plenty of flour all over faces, hands and the floor. Be sure that you take advantage of it every chance you get. You'll not regret it. Merry Christmas 2003! e-la-di-e-das-di ha-wi nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da. (May you walk in peace and harmony) Wado, Bill -=- PostScript: Other sites worth visiting: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/LittleEgypt/intro.html

Anyone searching Elijah G. Hunt and Cynthia E. Simmons? Contact me. Greg Simmons

We have all twenty five of Ebenezer Morse's DNA markers now confirmed. Now that we have Ebenezer's genetic signature, so to speak, our next task is to try to find others with the same markers indicating they share a common ancestor with Ebenezer. Our best chance of that is to find descendants of some of the other Morse/Mosses who lived near Ebenezer and Agnes at various times. We are looking for men who were in Prince William Co when Ebenezer was there; Sylvester Moss, Mathew Moss; Obadiah Morse who was there in 1751; another Ebenezer who was there in 1733; and Ebenezer and Obadiah Morse in Westmoreland Co. We are still looking for descendants of John Morse of Augusta GA whose son was in Caldwell and Livingston Co; James, Drury and Garrott Morse who were in Greenville Co, SC; the "other" James Morse who was married to Emily (ancestor of Betty Dill) from Spartanburg; and Mason Morse whose son was in Weakley County, TN in the 1830s and 1840s.. Ebenezer was proved not to be related to Hammond and Travis Moss who were in South Carolina or the Travis who was in Pope Co IL. We have 10 sets of results back now. Seven of them are very different from those of Ebenezer Morse's descendents. We are working to try and find connections for those men. If anyone on this mail list knows of a descendent from any of the individuals mentioned in paragraphs 2 and 3, would you kindly contact us with their e-mail address or their phone number? We are very close to making early connections for a number of our participants and your help would be appreciated. Colleen Norman and Debbie McArdle Morse-2 DNA Group Administrators

Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois (c) Bill Oliver 30 November 2003 Vol 2 Issue: #43 ISBN: pending Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, In opening, I have another example to the question: Are you doing the "write" thing? :) A day doesn't go by but what I am reminded that the "write" time is always with us. My life partner has for years maintained a part of her small notebook for things said by our children and grandchildren. And, this week as I think about a very brave young lady, struggling to breathe, "sitting" in a hospital bed at the University of Michigan's Hospital in Ann Arbor, I remember some of the sayings she made as a very young lady. And, I dedicate tonight's article to her with so very much love. My memory is going "south". I was sure that Art Linkletter used to say that "Children say the darndest things!" Web researching says that it was a show hosted by Bill Cosby. Well, whomever said it, he was never wrong in that department. During the aftermath of a short "Tid-Bit" article I published on the e-mail lists that I administrate, I received one response which did my story at a minimum, "one better". My story went: Our youngest grandchild is a five year old granddaughter who has begun her school career. She is so eager to learn to read and write that she really bugs me to use the ‘spare' computer to write. Anyway, the other day her Mother found ‘writing' on the garage siding. When asked why there were marker marks on the garage, our very precocious grand answered, "Well ... I ran out of paper." Marilyn, the respondent, wrote: [When our great granddaughter was about three years old] ..."she and her mom were living with our daughter, her grandma, for awhile. Grandma went to the child's room one day and found a pencil drawing on the wall. The following conversation ensued. "Did you draw on the wall?" "Yes." "Why did you do that?" "Well, I asked myself if I wanted to draw on the wall and I told myself ‘Yes', so I did." Well, further research on Art Linkletter vindicates my memory. The phrase "Kids say the darndest things." is attributed to him. Bill Cosby did have a TV show titled "Kids say the darndest things." Art Linkletter is the author of "Old Age is Not for Sissies" and "Kids Say the Darndest Things". I don't know what he said in the first book mentioned, but I'm going to agree with him anyway. Further Mr Linkletter is quoted as saying, "The two best [interview subjects] are children under 10 and people over 70," Linkletter explained. "For the same reason: they say the first thing that comes to their mind. The children don't know what they're saying and the old folks don't care."* He is also attributed to saying, "And keep a sense of humor," he advised. "It doesn't mean you have to tell jokes. If you can't think of anything else, when you're my age, take off your clothes and walk in front of a mirror. I guarantee you'll get a laugh."* At three years old, our daughter would stomp her foot on the floor and so emphatically tell her brothers to "keep out of my constersation!" Or, that her doll, "Snuggles", needed four blankets, because she had the "flus". Or, she would ask, "Do you always put your coffee in a furnance?" We guess that the microwave must have furnished the energy to heat coffee. Actually, in this case it was a matter of "sound" adjustment, for she meant "thermos" and not "furnace". Children can be so very intense in their activities. At such times and when her brothers would tease and torment her, she would announce, "Don't nervous me; I'm writing!" Everyone has their favorite entertainment shows. The boys had theirs ... HopAlong Cassidy and Buck Rogers. She would say to us, "I want to watch TV. How about ‘Truth or Quences'?" Chocolate chips for cookies were an ever a favorite to snack on. Her question: "Can I have another helpful of that?" They became such a favorite that "Mom" would hide them. One of the hiding places was the washing machine. Now what child would ever come near a washing machine ... after all that was "work". The washing machine only worked for a short while. Not quite three, she announced that she could sing "Yankee Doodle". [Be sure to keep the timing when you read this.] "Yisten," she said, "Yankee Doodle, hmmmm, hmmmmm, hmmmmm. .... Yankee Doodle, that's the part I know!" Daddy's have their "little girls" who know exactly which strings to pull to get what they want. Once I announced that I had to go to the store. And, to a Daddy's great delight came the reply ... "Wherever you go, I go!" When she was no more than seven, she exhibited some rare insight: "My stomach hurts, but I'll just forget it, ‘cause I know you love me." We sure do, Sarie, we sure do .... e-la-di-e-das-di ha-wi nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da. (May you walk in peace and harmony) Wado, Bill -=- PostScript: This article is posted a week later than it was written. At the time I had no e-mail access to post it. In addition, November 30 was the date my Father was born in Marion, Illinois. The year was 1910. Other sites worth visiting: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/LittleEgypt/intro.html