Who Are You? Where Did You Come From? The National Genealogical Society provides their Top Five Secrets to finding the answers 1. The 27th Annual National Genealogical Society Conference in the States program lists 130 specific research topics, more than 100 international vendors of products and services, 15 research society luncheon and banquet topics, and 11 in-depth labs and workshops. Do you want to find out more? Read all about this June 1-4, 2005 event in Nashville online at www.eshow2000.com/ngs/conf_program.cfm Don’t Miss Out! This Tennessee Crossroads conference also features experts and resources for research in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Read the program and see for yourself. 2. Join the Pre-conference Sunday phone CHAT on May 29 from 2-4PM EST to learn what the experts recommend. Participants will also be entered in a drawing for a free NGS membership! Register for this telephone CHAT at www.ngsgenealogy.org/Random/signup.cfm Take Advantage! Experts in the field and experienced conference attendees will share their excitement and reveal why genealogy conferences save researchers time and money. Ask questions and learn where to find the newest technology and resources for research in the US, Ireland, England and Wales, Scotland, Germany and Eastern Europe. Are the pre-conference phone CHATs free? Yes! Only a phone call away. 3. Subscribe to the National Genealogical Society (NGS) free newsletter “UpFront with NGS” and browse the past issues for more tips and tricks at www.ngsgenealogy.org/upfront.htm Find Out More! Search the UpFront archives for a research topic, digital camera or scanner tips, reunions and other topics of interest in the four years of archives - a free public service from NGS. 4. Become a member of the National Genealogical Society online at www.ngsgenealogy.org/member.htm Save Money! NGS member benefits include discounts for the Annual NGS Conference in the States, Research Trips, the NGS Bookstore, NGS Research Services, the AMA Deceased Physician Research, Copy Services, German Immigration. Other member features include quarterly issues of the NGS NewsMagazine and NGS Quarterly and access to the Members-Only section of the NGS site. 5. Come to Nashville June 1-4 for The 27th Annual National Genealogical Society Conference in the States. Registration information is at http://www.eshow2000.com/ngs/registration.cfm Don’t Miss Out! Confused by conflicting sources? Tired of dead ends and brick walls? Overwhelmed by the Internet maze? Meet the people who can help you at the Tennessee Crossroads conference. NOW you can find out who you really are and where you came from! Is it fun? Yes! Still have Questions? Don’t miss the chance to join the Pre-conference Sunday phone CHAT on May 29 from 2-4PM EST. Learn what the experts recommend. Register for this telephone CHAT at www.ngsgenealogy.org/Random/signup.cfm

Hello Everyone, Found a few old photos while out today and thought I'd share. Some of these are hard to read so if you have a name close feel free to give me a holler and I'll email it to you. These were all taken in Mayfield, Graves County, KY Harmon? Gay age about 16 years Catherine Colin??? (could be Colinson/Colenson) Osborne Jordan ( taken in Wingo) Pearl (last name is unreadable ) Mr. ??n Wallis (could be Leon Wallis) Aunt L?a and Baby (could be Lua) also looks like "Ina Lois" written over to the side. Vernon Hayden Bridges Vernon Kinsey (all on same photo) Noble Me??on (could be Melton) There are also several unknown photos in this group. For those of you who belong to my Yahoo Group you will find them all in the "Graves County" folder later tonight, for those who are not just give me a holler and I'll email them to you as i get them scanned in. Enjoy!! Don Howell West Kentucky Genealogy Research Books & Materials

Hi all-- Thanks to everyone who helped me with tips on the research I'm doing on the pre-Civil War baby casket that was found in 1960 in Cottage Grove. I've started following up on them--The article will be in Paris! magazine in the coming months. Thanks-- Shannon McFarlin

Thanks for all who responded on Henry Wirz. I have connected him to my Pinner family (no blood relation) via Sevells/Savills. An interesting connection to add to the family tree. Dean Egner

I just finished watching the biography on Captain Henry Wirz and Andersonville GA. The only information I could find was he was born ca 1823 in Switzerland and married a Mrs.. Wolfe in KY and then moved to LA in 1855 and can be found in the 1860 LA census. I was just curious if anyone knew where in KY he resided and married Mrs.. Wolfe? Dean Egner Covington, GA

Hi all-- I'm writing an article on a pre-Civil War baby casket that was washed up in Cottage Grove (TN) in 1960. I have a photograph of the casket and it was metal, shaped like a papoose. The casket must have been airtight because the baby was perfectly preserved. There was a glass opening in the front and you could see the baby's face and neck. I'm trying to research burial customs from before the Civil War. Does anyone have any leads for me? Does anyone know if metal, papoose-like caskets were the norm for caskets in those days? Or was that unusual? Thanks Shannon McFarlin

My friends - Today, we are returning to our review of the narratives of Dr. Gordon Wilson, in his delightful book, "Fidelity Folks". Fidelity is better known to us as New Concord in Calloway County, where Dr. Wilson was born and grew to adulthood, after which he taught school for a time in Fulton County and later moved on to Western Kentucky University, where he became the Chairman of the Department of English. He was a well known and superb story-teller, as we have found in our reviews of his narratives. Today's item is entitled "Feeling Big." -B +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Feeling Big -Dr. A. Gordon Wilson "Fidelity Folks" Children of today probably feel as big when they are allowed to do things slightly above the level of their ages as we used to at Fidelity; the only difference between them and us is that the styles have changed, and, consequently, the things that made us feel grown up now appear insignificant to our children. I have tried to remember this feeling of importance and have not always succeeded, even with myself, who used to do all these important-seeming things. When there was a working--barn-raising,wheat-threshing, log-rolling--we small boys were allowed the great privilege of acting as water boys. Elsewhere I have suggested that a monument should be erected to the water boys of all time, from the building of the Pyramids to the present. When Father salted the meat after supper on hog-killing days, the small boy was allowed to carry the lantern and hand salt from the barrel or joints of meat from the tables or shelves on which they had been cooling. Then when we went across the fields to sit till bedtime at some neighbor's,again the boy was given the enviable task of carrying the lantern. The drum major of a college band may step higher than we did, but he feels his importance no more. We felt large when we could collect the eggs and take them to the country store, especially if Mother permitted us to buy some candy on what would be due us. Every boy liked to make up orders, and the girls were even more skillful than the boys in selling things to people who did not want them. Father usually finished out the order by purchasing all the left-overs that no good-natured neighbor would buy. But we got our reward, in the shape of a ring that left a green band around our fingers or a water pistol or some other contraption that worried the family until a few days of use destroyed the much-sought-after prize. Work on the farm sometimes brought us our first chance to earn something. I made my first fifteen cents by dropping tobacco plants and felt rich and important. After I got a little larger and dropped plants as a matter of course, without any prospect of immediate reward, somehow the poetry of the task faded. A similar experience came when I took the "down row" in gathering corn. I have always wondered whether my older brothers really could not hit the wagon with their corn or deliberately threw the ears so I would have to pick them up. Before long the down row became monotonous and even hateful. It came to be a symbol of a small boy. A friend of mine once said that an acquaintance of ours should not have come to college but should have been kept on the farm to take the down row in Corn-gathering. Since corn can be gathered only at one season, we finally compromised by suggesting that the young man could drop tobacco plants in spring, build smudge fires in summer to keep the gnats and flies off the cows while they were being milked, and pick up chips for winter kindling. Distasteful as all these tasks ultimately became, they were alluring at first, The element of daring that sometimes entered into feeling big left many a scar, for the small boy was not always able to carry out his plan. Climbing trees against parental advice was fine and daring so long as one got back down without any disasters; when a torn shirt or pants or skinned knees revealed the offender, somehow the big feeling vanished. Similarly, chewing one's first tobacco gave a large feeling that shrank pretty fast when the nicotine took effect and the world started going around. Maybe life among grownups is, after all, a sort of daring to do what was never done before - a grown-up version of feeling big. ====================================================================

My ggreatgrandmother was Sarah Frances Byrd b.1838 Tn. daughter of Jethro L. and Elizabeth Haywood Byrd married William A. Lynn 1860 in Lovelaceville, Ky. He had a post office/drug store in Charleston, Mo. I'm not sure when they moved back to Western KY. "Billie" died in Milburn in 1904 and Sarah Frances died in 1926 in Kevil. They are buried in Milburn Cem. They had the following children: Maude Lynn m. Richard Reddick, Annie Laurie Lynn m. Lloyd Gholson, John Merritt Lynn m. Willie Lou Burris, Tom Byrd Lynn died as infant. Jethro L. Byrd b. 1808 Va. d. 1847 Ballard Co. Ky. married Elizabeth J. Haywood (b. 1805 Va. d. 1894 Ballard Co. Ky.) in Obion Co. Tn. in 1833. Both are buried on a farm on Blandville Road. Children: Mary Byrd m. ? Ederington, Sarah Frances Byrd, Thomas Haywood Byrd m. Mary Elizabeth Moore, John W. Byrd m. Alice Sandidge, Jethro L. Byrd, Jr. Family information says that Jethro L. Byrd, Sr. was a Presbyterian minister. I am interested in any information about any of the above people. Who were the parents of Jethro L. Byrd or Elizabeth J. Haywood? I would be happy to exchange any information that I have about these families. Thanks for you help. Georgia Bengel Tatum _GATATUM@aol.com_ (mailto:GATATUM@aol.com) Odessa, Tx. "A people who are not proud of their forebears will never deserve the pride of their descendants." -- John E. Gratke Researching: Ashe, Bengel, Bird/Byrd, Burris, Carson, Cotton, Curry, Dowdle, Ford, Haywood, Huffer, Johnson, Lovelace, Lynn, Miller, Owens/Owen, Parmer, Petrey, Rowland, Sadler, Tatum, Trawick, Tyler, Walston, Wolfe

Are there any surviving records from Harmony Baptist Church of Graves County, KY. The church is located in Graves County just a little south of Farmington. Thanks Greg

I would like to correspond with anyone who is researching the Davis families who were connected with the Colgate Scott family, William Davis who married a Jane ? family who was in his 60's in 1860 in the above counties. I have a feeling that my Nathan Davis and wife, Mary Scott are connected maybe by being a brother to William Davis. They all live in the same area along with the Rickards family. I would like very much to find out who Nathan's father and mother were. This is a BIG brick wall for me. Thanks to all who will correspond with me. Jeanne L.

Thanks to all who contacted me on Sirena. I have the 1900 census information. What I am looking for is information on Sirena BEFORE she was married - who were HER parents? I have found an Emily S Thompson in Scott County TN in 1880 under a Jane Thompson and it says she is married but no husband is listed. Jennifer

Hello, Please, would someone volunteer to look for two obituaries for me? I would greatly appreciate a scan via email of them, or I will gladly pay the costs of copying and postage if necessary. They were most likely in the Mayfield newspaper, and I can not find it online. The obits are for: Mary Clementine (Brann) TAYLOR; died 22 Jan 1922. Martha Clementine (Brann) OLIVER; died 8 Jun 1964. Thank you, Sandy

Looking for my husband's great grandmother, Emily Sirena "Si" THOMPSON. Their daughter was Dollie LILIKER PURSELL and Dollie's obituary says she was a native of Graves County but I can't find her in any census (born about 1896). Jennifer

My friends - Today, we are continuing our review of the circuit court cases in the 1850-1870 time frame in Hickman County. Most of these cases occurred in the 1861-1871 period. There are no "Commonwealth cases"(felony level)in this particular group. These all appear to be civil matters. As before, a fair number of them will be matters pertaining to unpaid notes and minor matters, but one never knows until the case file is examined. We will continue our review of these cases, in Hickman as well as other JP counties, as we go along. We have had some new subscribers join us in the past week, and we extend our welcome to them, and invite them to post their research interests in the JP region to this List. We currently have 753 subscribers, a number which has been the average for about the past year. Among those joining us in the past few days is one of the nation's pre-eminent professional genealogists, whom I have known for some years, and we extend a welcome to that individual as well. I will be back with another selection from the Gordon Wilson narratives within the next day or two. -B +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Hickman County - Circuit Court Cases - 1850's - 1860's - Part 2 J.C.Harkins vs. J.W.Wilhoit Martin & Brothers vs. James P. Walker S.C.Mitchell vs. J.P.Walker J[ames] B[ryson] Husbands [attorney of McCracken Co] vs. Walker & Bullock John D. Harlan vs. --- Wilkinson, et al Allison & Hawes vs. S.K.Caldwell Stewart & Company vs. George W. Jordan John C. McConnell vs. W.H.Moss McKean & Hubbard vs. Thomas Goldsmith William E. Curd vs. Dawes & Brothers Heslip & Merrell vs. J.H.Dickey et all [steamboat case] Mary Nelson vs. Thomas H. Gordon T.A.Slayden vs. W.B.Davis J.F.Traver vs. W.B.Davis Roberts et al. vs. Thomas Grayhair, Administrator of David Grayhair J.C.McConnell vs. T.B.Green E.R.Ray vs. R.H.Emerson John A. Smith vs. S.K.Caldwell W.H.Stokes vs. J.A.Cross E.Rambo vs. P.S.Moore W.A. Parrent, Administrator of Abram Zook[Cook?], vs. Gray & Wright ~to be continued~ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Family Archive CD was used as a source on a website . What is Family Archive? Is it copied from an original source? Does one have to purchase it to check out the source? It is genealogical in nature, correct? Thanks Gabby Hayes Copylogist need not reply, thanks.

Dear List, Is anyone aware of a list of the men who were in the Kentucky "CO. E. 20th INFANTRY" in World War I? I have received a copy of an "Award of Compensation" to MINNIE SNOW WEST which says, "You are hereby notified that as the dependent mother of LEOTIS WEST, Sgt. Co. E. 20th Inf., who died on January 1, 1924 as a result of disease received in the line of duty in the military service of the United States, you are awarded compensation in the amount of Twenty Dollars per month, from the 9th day of October, 1925 in accordance with the Act of Congress of October 6, 1917, and the amendments thereto." I do know that LEOTIS WEST died on January 1, 1924 in Arizona and his death certificate states that he died of Pulmonary Tuberculosis as a result of the military service. What I don't know is whether LEOTIS was a part of the Kentucky "CO. E. 20th Infantry" - I would like to get a copy of his military record from NARA. Thanks for any and all help. Janis SNOW Mundy Reno, NV

Hello Everyone, I'm still out here looking for these old treasures but they seem to be getting harder to find. My newest find is a Old photo of a lady named "Ada Buckner Hickman, KY" but the photo was taken in Charleston, MO. It's a very beautiful old photo it's worth a look even if your not related...lol.. For those interested i just added it to my Yahoo Group . You'll find it in the Fulton Co. folder and on the group front page . http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JacksonPurchaseKentucky/ Enjoy! Don Howell

Hello Everyone, Tonight I'd like to offer to everyone my newest CD of old records from the Calloway & Marshall Counties. The first 3 CD's were loose records, but Vol.4 is what is left from a Old Court Record Book from Calloway County. There are 64 pages to this book and some are in very bad shape but most are ok and readable. The oldest date in the front is 1840 and in some cases refers to even earlier years such as 1834,1835. As for the type of Record Book I'm not sure all i can say is it was with the other records i purchased from the Sterling Price-Locke Estate. I can say the columns across the top are named as such: persons name....judgment.....cost....witness name....when issued....to whom delivered? Each image is 300 DPI so you can "zoom" in for the details they are also in "living color" stains and all...lol..no black and white Xerox copies here. A few (not all) of the names i see are: Spelled as seen Eley,Green,Hodges,Curd,Smith,Wilkins,Nicols,Strow,Hiett,Boland,Frizzell,Peay? Martin,Fagan,Nunley,Reeves,Thomason,Thompson,McElrath,English,Griffith,Short, Watson,Reed,Bohanon,Roberts,Cannup,Hanks,Holmes,Ford,Cole,Walker, McManus,Atwood,Culp,Williams,Brown,Heath,Riley,Miller,Chapman. Just to name a few :) If anyone is interested in this CD send 10.00 plus 2.00 shipping to: Don Howell 739 CR 1127 Arlington, KY 42021 Be sure to say you want Vol.4 :) For those who might be interested in the first three CD's feel free to ask! Don Howell West Kentucky Genealogy Research Books & Materials

Seeking location in the Wickliffe area of Ballard County of the 1861 & 1862 location of the Union fortification of Fort Holt. As the newspaper article below indicates it was somewhat across the Ohio River from Cairo, but actually was more closely across the Mississippi River from Bird's Point. Thanks Greg FRANK LESLIE'S ILLUSTRATED NEWSPAPER New York, NY October 12, 1861 ____________________ FORT HOLT, KENTUCKY. Cairo being the point d'appui of our Western military operations necessitates the establishment of other points to protect it. Hence Cape Girardeau on the north, Bird's Point on the west, Paducah on the east, and Fort Holt on the south. This latter fort is situated on the Kentucky side of the Ohio, and almost immediately opposite Cairo. It is named in honor of that noble Kentuckian, Joseph Holt, who during the short time he held the War Department after the defection of Floyd, endeavored to repair the damage caused by his fraudulent predecessor. Our readers will perceive that Fort Holt is rapidly becoming as impregnable as Cairo, which city it at once protects and is protected by. With Fort Holt and Paducah in our possession, troops can be thrown into any part of Kentucky to crush Secession and assist the Unionists. Our larger picture represents the troops landing on the Kentucky shore to commence the building of Fort Holt. The rapidity with which they have proceeded with th! eir arduous task reflects the highest credit on their industry and skill.

My friends - I was made aware a few days ago of budgetary cuts recommended for FY 2006 that will directly affect our ability to continue to see further advancements in digital conversion of all types of records(including those related to genealogy and history). This will affect the National Archives & Records Administration, as well as the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, both of which are mainstays in the efforts to preserve and make available our national, state and local records. Below is the news release on this matter. You can see that some very influential groups, including the American Society of Archivists, of which I was a member for a number of years, are reacting to this budget cut proposal. While I rarely suggest on any list which I host that our subscribers become involved through the petition route or by other means, this situation is one that must be corrected before it occurs. The means and sites to express your opinion, if you care to do so, is included in the message below. -B ==================================================================== The President's budget recommendations for Fiscal Year 2006 slash or eliminate more than 150 federal programs. In that budget, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) has been targeted to receive NO funding. This includes no funds for the grants program and no funds for staffing to support the NHPRC programs. It effectively eliminates NHPRC. The Council of State Historical Records Coordinators, the Society of American Archivists, and the National Association for Government Archivists and Records Administrators are working collaboratively to address this threat to NHPRC and NARA. Archivists across the U.S. are rallying to save NHPRC while also ensuring that NARA has sufficient funding to sustain its current programs and continue to advance in areas that benefit all archival repositories and every citizen of the United States As part of our efforts to continue to express to Congress interest in restoration of funding for NHPRC, we have created an online petition. Please consider signing this petition, and please forward it to any listservs, e-mail groups, or organizations and people you feel would be interested in helping with this effort. It is a quick and easy way for many people to assist. The petition will be forwarded to the House Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee on Treasury, Transportation, HUD and the Judiciary in late May. The petition can be access at: www.savearchives.org Click on the "petition" button. If you have not received a previous action alert on this issue, we encourage you to also write a letter to your members of Congress. For information on writing letters of support, see any of the following websites: www.savearchives.org www.coshrc.org www.archivists.org Thanks for your efforts to save this important program for archives! Members of the NHPRC Joint Advocacy Task Force Council of State Historical Records Coordinators: David Carmicheal, Sandra Clark, Kathleen Roe Society of American Archivists: Nancy Beaumont, Peter Gottlieb, Rand Jimerson, Joan Krizack, Richard Pearce-Moses National Association of Government Archivists and Records Administrators: Timothy Slavin