> We have a joke going on down at the N.C. Archives of why there were so >many marriages between first cousins in the early years of our state. > > Pa plowed with the mule all day, both the mule and Pa rested after >sundown. Junior wanting to "court" the young ladies, had to walk every >where he went, so usually the first chimney that had smoke coming out of it >was where he always stopped...and who lived in that house, of course, his >kin folks! So his cousins were his dates, and who he married! > And all this time I thought the reason was that my German speaking ancestors would only court someone who spoke German. Live and Learn.<g> Larry Noah - lrnoah@tripod.net My Genealogy is at - http://members.tripod.com/~lrnoah Florence Co, SCGenWeb - http://www.rootsweb.com/~scfloren Orange Co, NCGenWeb - http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncorange