Too many people are like this one! Horrors!! \ > > > >Dear Cousin, > > In response to your letter, I am sorry to inform you that grandpa > "Fred" > >died some time back and the stuff you asked about is not available. > > The personal property the family did not want was sold at an estate > >sale. All those boxes of junk did not interest a single buyer. We were able > to > >salvage several binders for the kids homework after we sent all the paper > to the > >incinerator. The kids really complained about havingto lug all that paper > and > >pictures of those ugly old folks to the dumpster. An old family Bible from > the > >1840's did bring $ 5.00. The one from the 1870's did not sell. > > There also was a bunch of floppy disks that we were able to > reformat and > >download some games for the kids to play on their new playstation. At > least > >SOMEBODY got some good from the threegenerations work. > > I saw the fellow at a flea market a couple of weeks ago and he said > he > >threw the Bible in the trash after nobody was interested in it. He said he > got > >an offer for fifty cents for it, but would rather burn it than give it > away. He > >seemed to be having a lot of success with some very nice Elvis paintings > at his > >booth. > > The two aunts you asked about are also dead. They were such a > delight > >and could talk all day long about the things papa had written about. I > remember > >them saying something about some records that were copied from two > courthouses > >that later burned. Neither ever wrote down a single thing. > > The letter you referred to was one he typed up and sent to lots of > folks > >who wrote him. He laughed about them never getting any of his hard work as > well > >as his Fathers and Grandfather who was in the Civil War . He guarded all > the > >information carefully to the bitter end. > > I wish I could remember some of the things to help you, but I was > bored > >to tears listening to them talk about the family members who were in the > civil > >war and those silly pieces of paper he showed so proudly. I vaguely > remember > >they had some beeswax seals and something to do with the land grants that > were > >destroyed in the courthouse fires. I wish I could remember the story about > his > >grandfathers evening with Jefferson Davis when he was on the run. There are > also > >some very juicy stories that were handed down, but I don't remember them > very well. > > Another thing I remember after he got sick was some fellow calling > him > >and he agreed to let him come down and copy all his material. He told him > he > >would call him back when he felt better. Papa mentioned something about > letting > >the society the man was from have all his work since nobody in the family > cared > >anything about a bunch of people who had been dead for 200 > >years. Papa died the next week. > > I am so sorry papa and the two generations wasted so much of their > life > >on such worthless hobbies and hope your family will follow something more > >interesting. We enjoy Bingo and bowling very much here in Pleasantville. > > I really enjoyed hearing from a long lost cousin and would like to > hear > >back if you find anything important. The kids need the computer for their > games > >and I need to watch the "Millionaire" show. > > > > > > >