Kudos again! (And this has been a great experience) Marsha picked up an improtant item, but she got the wrong son attached to the record. It was not Monty Smith who was from Virginia Beach, but Kevin Smith. But yes, Kevin Smith did have a distinguished service record in the Us. Navy Airforce. Excellent that she picked up on this, but got the names confused. This is, AGAIN, just an experiment and I know that not everyone is paying close attention. I am very grateful for all who have commented. As an experiment so far, it has been great. (And I know a lot of you think you will be hung out to dry if you answer...NOT SO). EVERY SINGLE RESPONSE HAS GIVEN ME SOMETHING NEW TO LOOLK AT AND THINK ABOUT, even though I know all of the people mentioned. GREAT!!!!!!! I promise by New Years Day I will solve the riddle. but actually this experiment is creating a new riddle. I am very grateful for everyone who has thus far particaptated. Best to all, Craig on 12/25/05 2:26 PM, Marsha Ensminger at [email protected] wrote: > Sorry for chiming in so late - we've been busy with church services... > > Based on all material available to datae, I conclude that > > 1)Thomas SMITH the elder was probably married at least once. > > 2) Thosmas SMITH was survived by four sons; there may have been more > children who either pre-deceased him or were disinherited by the will. > > 3) Kevin SMITH may be the oldest son. > > 4) Monty SMITH is probably a distinguished member of his country's > military. > > 5) Which leads me to wonder - is there a Navy base in Virginia Beach? > And why would anyone want to leave the charms of St. Louis for > Defiance, MO. Maybe there's a military tradition here? > > 6) Adding the information about five nameless grandchildren makes me > wonder more about the possiblity of a now-deceased former Miss SMITH. > > 7) What else is in that obituary? > > Merry Christmas to all, from foggy Southern California! > > > > > > --- Craig Kilby <[email protected]> wrote: > >> If you were presented with the following will, and knew nothing else >> of the circumstances than what the will told you, what would be your >> conclusions?: >> >> Will of "Thomas Smith" >> Signed 28 AUG 1987, proved sometime in 1996. >> >> The will names no wife and no grandchildren, but only names four >> sons, all to share equally: >> >> 1. Kevin Smith >> 2. Cary Smith >> 3. Tommy Smith >> 4. Monty Smith >> >> All four to serve as executors in the order given above. The >> obituary says that Thomas Smith died 24 July 1996, that he was >> interred in Memorial Park Cemetery with no services, and was survived >> by four sons: >> >> 1. Kevin Smith of Virginia Beach, VA >> 2. Monty Smith of Heidleberg, Germany >> 3. Cary Smith of St. Louis, MO >> 4. Tommy Smith of Defiance, MO >> >> Given this information, how would you input this family into your >> data base, and on what conclusions. >> >> (Answer to this quiz will follow, but this is just for fun to see how >> we all analyze the data we have at hand). >> >> >> Craig Kilby >> [email protected] >> EarthLink Revolves Around You. > > > > > __________________________________________ > Yahoo! DSL – Something to write home about. > Just $16.99/mo. or less. > dsl.yahoo.com > > > ==== MO-STLOUIS-METRO Mailing List ==== > If you haven't visited Dave Lossos' "Genealogy in St. Louis" website > (http://genealogyinstlouis.accessgenealogy.com/) you might want to take a > look. >