Well, OK, now that we're on a roll, here goes: I sit here in my own little corner of the world researching away, and I could do that for hours on end in perfect solitude, and it doesn't even have to be my own family lines. Once I get started, I can't stop until I'm satisfied. As Lanita says, we have a passion. But it is people like Lanita, Nancy, Jackie Wood, Kathleen Burnett, Betty Tucker, and many others, who STEP OUT and host these websites and mailing lists, which besides allowing us to share, also allows us to validate our research. And, as you all know, theirs are some of the very best sites around! Now, that is REAL PASSION. Frankly, I don't have the smarts to do it, but I am surely grateful for those who do! You keep me going. Ps - Lanita - you're right - I do deny being the authority on the BELLAH family. I've only been researching for five years, but it just so happens that I still live in the area where at least 6 generations of my BELLAH line lived, as well as many of the BELLAH ancestors, or at least came through for a while on their way west, so I have access to a lot of documentation. But if it weren't for the generosity and guidance of older BELLAH researchers, I wouldn't have even known what or where to look. A sweet little lady in Texas named Ruth Ann Gardner (descendant of Henry Gregg HUDSON and Elizabeth BELLAH, who passed away two years ago tomorrow) got me started in the right direction. Shortly after meeting Ruth Ann, I met Tom Rodgers (many of you have met Tom), who provided more direction. Ruth Ann told me WHAT to look for, Tom told me WHERE. And, very recently, I "met" the cousin who got Ruth Ann started many years ago, whom I consider to be the REAL expert on the BELLAH/HUDSON lines. He was under my nose all the time, but I had to guess at his identity, because he doesn't go by his first name, and just quietly watches over us infants. I finally put two and two together and wrote to him privately asking if he was who I thought he was (I'm star-struck??), and my, what rewards. He does agree on many of my assumptions on my and your BELLAH lines, but alas, no documentation as of yet, so still assumptions. I don't believe I was born with this passion, since I just started five years ago - but surely we all have these personal heroes who helped us develop it? Peggy Brooks Cannady [email protected] -----Original Message----- From: Lanita Sconce Smith [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2005 8:43 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [MO-OREGON-HISTORY] researchers I think, as we go along, we come across knowledgeable researchers who we trust to know that they have done indepth research on a particular family. I for one, have depended a great deal on Peggy Cannady's info because I consider her the authority on the BELLAH family. I know that she will probably protest that 'label', but she has the overwhelming amount of documentation that she has sent me. I try to do the same, but when it comes to BELLAH, I have sited her and her shared documentation numerous times! She has set me straight on a couple of misleadings that I would/might have taken.. that was a time saver for me, and I will always be grateful! There are others who are the experts... Ann JOBE BROWN for her JOB[E] line, our own Nancy MILSAP for her MILSAP line [I know all of the above have other lines they have researched, but when particular surnames come to mind, that's who I think of] .....I would consider myself the expert on the area DETHROW, SCONCE, and my direct lines for JUSTICE, TAYLOR, BENNETT, and a number of other area families when it comes to my direct line... I have NO PROBLEM sharing with the above mentioned ladies.... they have gone and still go above and beyond the normal... but, the above ladies, through the years, have become friends of mine... we have shared, so much... I just don't share with 1st time contacts all I have until I establish a relationship. I think also, the general label of "family associations" is misleading as well... that was my fault! I had come across a couple of real 'stinkers', and started thinking of them all as the same. Peggy had previously shared her positive finds that she had found with her experience.. that put a new perspective on things... so, when it comes to "Family Associations", be your own judge. Be aware, though, that not all are the same. We all have been burned by those who harvest our information only to resell it ..... we also have been burned by sharing alot, and then no mention of our work or generosity when we find it online by the person we have shared it with... that's just rude and unethical! But, in our learning, we have also come across people who make the others look pitiful! Generous people who are only in it for the love of the research. We have a passion, that only others of the same breed, can understand. We will continue to share, but as the Bible says, being aware of the 'lions in sheeps' clothing', are out in cyberspace making it needful for us to be "innocent as doves but wise as serpents"!! I would like to thank all of those who have helped me! Without the Peggys, the Anns, the Nancys, the rest of us would be lost and stuck in our maize of confusion. For their sharing and generosity, I am very grateful! Thanks, gals!! Lanita ==== MO-OREGON-HISTORY Mailing List ==== http://www.oregoncountyhistory.net/

I just had to respond to this comment. My heroes are my parents who "saved everything" even as they were made fun of for doing so. Without those pictures and letters and other information, I would not have been able to get as far as I have with my research. Catherine Cannady wrote: > surely we all have these personal heroes who helped us >develop it? > >Peggy Brooks Cannady >[email protected] > > > > >