I returned this week from a trip last week to Union Parish looking for family. I thought I would share some of my notes with this list. I only wish that those of you who are not familiar with Union Parish or who have never visited or it has been a long time could see springtime there. I was amazed at all the different shades of green as trees were leafing out and meadows and lawns were getting their spring covering. I made a pot of coffee every morning and sat in the porch swing and watched the birds and squirrels play for at least a couple of hours. The wildflowers were wonderful! There is an underlying sadness because I can see that most of the young people are leaving and there is not a great deal of economic incentive to live there. For those of us who live in the city, this is a wonderful place to let go of the stresses, rid your body of the city pollutants, and get ready to back and "fight the dragons" one more day. I hope to see a lot of you at the reunion - I'll even invite you to come sit on my porch with me! I visited the library at Louisiana Tech in Ruston and looked at microfilm of the Farmerville Gazette from 1894. They have the reels for 1894-1895 and 1897-98 I believe. I do know that there are only four years. There are other newspapers from the area also. The staff and student volunteers are very knowlegeable and very helpful. I spent almost one whole day and did not make it through 1894 but am looking forward to going back. I did not expect to find much information on my family but the history of the time made the trip worthwhile. Be sure to visit but be sure you do not park by a curb that is painted blue! I visited the library at Farmerville and there is a small family history section but I did find some gems there. I found that someone had copied the minutes of the First Baptist Church of Spearsville from 1849 to 1900 and hit gold on some family members. I found the book late and did not have time to read it all so am planning another trip to do that. Lastly, I would encourage - strongly - everyone to be sure that you document all your data. If you find information from other sources be sure to note it and also let others know that you personally may not have found the proof. I found two family histories that have erroneous information about my grandparents. This IS my family and I do know the names and birthdates and who married where and when but I also have documentation in my notes concerning marriage record books, family bibles, cemetery records, etc. I realize that none of us is ever going to be perfect but please be as careful as you can in getting your information out to the rest of the world, especially in this age of electronic media. If you have not signed up for the Reunion, I encourage you to do so. Union Parish is a fascinating place where many peoples of all backgrounds came together to make a better life for themselves and future generations. Ruth Stout