Dear Citizens of Paducah and Metropolis: My brother and I just returned from a trip to your cities. We came to do some family tree research. We stayed nearly a week, and visited the genealogy sections of both libraries. We haunted lots of cemeteries in your area. We visited Joppa, Round Knob, Brookport, and Lone Oak. We also traveled to Paris, TN, and Anna, IL. Special thanks to Linda Dunlop at Henry County, TN, Genealogical Society. We didn't get to meet her, but she did research for us before our trip. Thanks to the volunteers there as well. A debt of gratitude also to the security staff at Choate (formerly Anna State Hospital) who took the time to walk off the old cemetery to help us locate the burial spots of two of our ancestors. We were both delighted with the kindness and warmth of those we came in contact with. So many people went above and beyond the call of duty to help us and make us feel welcome. This was a subject of discussion several times in our travels. We met with several people related to our family lines. We are researching Holliday/Halliday and related lines in Massac County, IL, and Simmons in McCracken and Graves Counties, KY. (Not related to Don Simmons' line, we heard his name several times, but unfortunately didn't get the chance to meet him.) Ann Laird at Massac County Gen. Society spent hours digging through the vaults of Massac County Courthouse basement. We thank her profusely. Vera Rodgers generously shared her information with us, and even trusted us to copy, and return her information. We met Larry De Journett at the Special Collections section of the library at Paducah. We have communicated by e-mail. His wife has a connection to our Simmons line. He brought along their aunt, Mary Waltman, who remembers some of our ancestors. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Metropolis, IL. The staff there came to feel like friends. Thanks to each and every one of you. The staff at cemeteries, the waitresses, all the people who made our stay pleasant and memorable. Donna Holliday Sena, Chico CA Dennis Holliday, Denver, CO