Talk about an interesting site, you can 'literally' spend hours hopping from one section to another. Sally The Food Timeline http://www.foodtimeline.org/ Ever wonder what the Vikings ate when they set off to explore the new world? How Thomas Jefferson made his ice cream? What the pioneers cooked along the Oregon Trail? Who invented the potato chip...and why? Welcome to the Food Timeline. Food history is full of fascinating lore and contradictory facts. Historians will tell you it is not possible to express this topic in exact timeline format. They are quite right. Everything we eat is the product of culinary evolution. On the other hand, it is possible to place both foods and recipes on a timeline based on print evidence and historic context. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com "If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried" List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Biographies: Site Index http://www.geneabios.com/1siteindex.htm <http://www.geneabios.com/1siteindex.htm> Example: Charles Albert BUNKER, son of Alfred and Mary Emerson (Hodgdon) Bunker, was "always born in Barnstead," New Hampshire, on July 21, 1840. He commenced his classical studies at Blanchard Academy, Pembroke, New Hampshire, and entered college at the beginning of the Fall term, August 24, 1860. Immediately after graduating, he went to Corinth, Vermont, where he taught school for the Fall term. During the Winter of 1864, he taught at Fisherville, New Hampshire; and in the Spring of 1865, he became Principal of the Academy at McIndoes Falls, Vermont, where he remained until the Fall of 1867. He then received a call to become Principal of the Caledonia County Academy, at Peacham, Vermont ; and considering it quite a loud call pecuniarily, he accepted the position, and has continued to occupy the situation until the present time. He says he has a good school, in a pleasant community, and is happy and contented. In the Summer of 1882, he took a trip West as far as Chicago, Illinois, and frankly confesses that he likes the West, and really would offer no serious objections to locate there. He received the degree of Master of Arts in course. He has been Superintendent of Schools in the town of Peacham for the past fourteen years, which is the only public office he has held, with the single exception noted below; though he wonders very much that his merits and capabilities in the direction of office-holding have been so long overlooked by his fellow-citizens. At the annual meeting of the Vermont State Teachers' Association, held at Montpelier, Vermont, October 24-27, 1883, he was elected President for the ensuing year. In his political views, he has always been faithless to the Democratic party. He was married May 20, 1869, to Miss Nellie S. Blake, daughter of Dr. Jeremiah Blake, of Gilmanton Iron Works, New Hampshire. This union has not been blessed with children, which is a cause of deep regret to the would-be parents, as they have peculiar ideas and theories in regard to the best way of rearing offspring, which would undoubtedly be of inestimable value to their fellow-men. ________________________________ Source: Memorialia of the Class of 64 in Dartmouth College, Compiled by John C. Webster, Shepard & Johnston Printers, Chicago, 1884.

GREAT site, if you are related to Edward Riggs. A lot of time and hard work went into the site. _____ RIGGS SURNAME STUDY: Notes on the Original Planters of Milford, CT, with special reference to the descendants of EDWARD RIGGS.. <http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~riggs/USAEdwCT.htm> http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~riggs/USAEdwCT.htm Sally Rolls Pavia <mailto:sallypavia2001@yahoo.com> sallypavia2001@yahoo.com "If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried" List Owner: <mailto:GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com> GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: <http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES> http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus" <http://us.adserver.yahoo.com/l?M=298184.6018725.7038619.3001176/D=groups/S= :HM/A=2593423/rand=395359988>

stralia - Records of Births, Marriages and Deaths Vital Records Around the World From Kimberly Powell Australia is a country of immigrants and their descendants. Beginning with the establishment of New South Wales as a penal colony in 1788, convicts were sent to Australia from the British Isles. Assisted immigrants (immigrants who had most of their passage paid by the government), coming primarily from the British Isles and Germany, first began arriving in New South Wales in 1828, while unassisted immigrants first arrived in Australia as early as 1792. Prior to 1901 each state of Australia was a separate government or colony. Vital records in a particular state typically begin at the time of the colony's formation, with earlier records (except for Western Australia) found in New South Wales (the original jurisdictional body for Australia). New South Wales: The Registry has civil records from March 1, 1856. Earlier church and other vital records, dating back to 1788, are also available, including a Pioneer Index 1788-1888. Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages 191 Thomas Street PO Box 30 G.P.O. Sydney, New South Wales 2001 ustralia (011) (61) (2) 228-8511 NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages offers an online, searchable Historical Index of Births, Marriages and Deaths which covers births (1788-1905), deaths (1788-1945) and marriages (1788-1945). Northern Territory: Birth records from August 24, 1870, marriages records from 1871, and death records from 1872 can be ordered from the Office of the Registrar. You can contact them at: Office of the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages Department of Law Nichols Place G.P.O. Box 3021 Darwin, Northern Territory 0801 Australia (011) (61) (89) 6119 Queensland: Records from 1890 to the present can be obtained through the Queensland Office of the Registrar General. Birth records arter 1905, marriage records for the past 75 years, and death records for the past 50 years are restricted. Check the Web site for current fees. Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Old Treasury Building PO Box 188 Brisbane, North Quay Queensland 4002 Australia (011) (61) (7) 224-6222 Birth, marriage and death records from 1829-1889 are available from the state archives: The Queensland State Archives PO Box 1397 Sunnybank Hills, Queensland 4109 Australia South Australia: Records from July 1, 1842 are available from the Registrar of South Australia. Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Office Department of Public and Consumer Affairs PO Box 1351 Adelaide, South Australia 5001 Australia (011) (61) (8) 226-8561 Tasmania: The Registrar's office has church registers from 1803 to 1838, and civil records from 1839 to the present. Access to birth and marriage records is restricted for 75 years, and death records for 25 years. Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages 15 Murray Street G.P.O. Box 198 Hobart, Tasmania 7001 Australia (011) (61) (2) 30-3793 The Tasmanian State Archives has several online vital records indexes, including an index to Tasmanian divorces and an index to convict applications for permission to marry. They also sell the Tasmanian Pioneers Index (an index to records of all births, deaths and marriages for the period 1803 -1899 which were created by the Tasmanian Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages) on CD-ROM. Victoria: Birth certificates (1853-1924), death certificates (1853-1985) and marriage certificates (1853-1942) are available from the Registry, as well as records of church baptisms, marriages and burials 1836 to 1853. More recent certificates are available with restricted access. Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages GPO Box 4332 Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia Victoria Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages also offers, for a fee, online indexes and digitized copies of Victoria Births, Marriages and Deaths for the above mentioned years. The Family History indexes are also available for purchase on microfilm or CD-ROM. Western Australia: Compulsory registration of births, deaths and marriages started in Western Australia in September 1841. Access to more recent records (births < 75 years, deaths < 25 years, and marriages < 60 years) is restricted to the named individual and/or next of kin. Western Australia Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages PO Box 7720 Cloisters Square Perth, WA 6850 The Western Australia Pioneers Index is accessible online for free searching of consolidated birth, death and marriage indexes for the years between 1841 and 1905. http://genealogy.about.com/od/vital_records/p/australia.htm?nl=1

Butcher, Baker or Candlestick Maker??? When surnames first came into popular use in 14th-century Europe, many people came to be identified by what they did for a living. A blacksmith named John, became John Smith. A man who made his living grinding flour from grain took the name Miller. Does your family name come from the work your ancestors did long ago? Last Name: BARKER Occupation: Shephard Barker comes from the Norman word barches, meaning "shepherd," the person who watches over a flock of sheep. Last Name: BLACK Occupation: Dyer Men named Black were cloth dyers who specialized in black dyes. In medieval times, all cloth was originally white, and had to be dyed to create colorful cloth. Last Name: CARTER Occupation: Delivery man A person who drove a cart pulled by oxen, carrying goods from town to town, was named Carter. Last Name: CHANDLER Occupation: Candlemaker From the French word 'chandelier,' this name referred to a person who made candles. Last Name: COOPER Occupation: Barrelmaker A cooper was someone who made wooden barrels, vats, or casks. Last Name: FISHER Occupation: Fisherman This occupational name derives from the Old English word 'fiscere,' meaning fisherman. For more names and information: http://genealogy.about.com/b/a/150138.htm?nl=1

Beginning Your Irish Research on the Right Foot Mention Irish research and many genealogists groan. That's because on 13 April, 1922, a disastrous fire in the Four Courts building (the Public Record Office) in Dublin, Ireland, destroyed virtually all pre-1901 Irish census records, wills, and Church of Ireland parish registers. The result is that Irish genealogical research is more difficult than research in the rest of the British Isles -- More difficult, but not entirely impossible in many instances. Because the loss of many Irish records, it is highly important that you start your Irish genealogical research in the country of immigration (for example, the United States, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand). Make a comprehensive search of available records in the country of immigration. Search out family traditions; birth, marriage and death records; obituaries; cemetery records; wills; Bibles; census records; plus immigration and naturalization records. Look for the full names of your immigrant ancestors; their dates of birth and/or marriage in Ireland; their place of residence in Ireland; their religion, occupation; dates of emigration, etc. This preliminary research will greatly increase the probability of actually locating Irish records. To have the best chance of success, it is necessary to know at least four things: . The name of the family . The parish or townland in which they lived . The approximate date . Religious affiliation A few records were saved from the conflagration and many records can be located at local levels. Reconstructing lost records has been the quest of both historians and genealogists, who have compiled substitute records, plus made available various indices, abstracts, and transcriptions of records that were created before the fire. Despite these gallant efforts, serious gaps in Irish records remain. In addition, the highly important registers of births, deaths and marriages, which are indexed by quarters, were not housed in the Four Courts building and so did not burn. Most of these vital records date from 1864. Records for births, deaths and Catholic marriages commenced in 1864. Records for non-Catholic marriages date from 1845. The quarterly indices are available on microfilm through the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Once a record has been located in an index, it can be ordered from either the General Register Office of Ireland (Dublin) or the General Register Office of Northern Ireland (Belfast). In addition, there is information available on the Internet. As with other research, you should know the surname, place or residence and approximate date so that you can effectively focus your search on pertinent Web sites. Here are a few Irish genealogy Internet links to get you started: . Cyndi's List - Ireland and Northern Ireland. Find useful links to 'How To' articles, county Heritage Centres, maps, gazetteers, censuses, cemeteries and more: http://www.cyndislist.com/ireland.htm . FamilySearch - Family History Library Catalog. Search the catalog by a specific place in Ireland to learn what records are available in Salt Lake City or that can be ordered through local Family History Centers. Search by surname to find compiled genealogies of your Irish ancestors: http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp . The General Register Office of Ireland: http://www.groireland.ie/ . The National Archives of Ireland. Learn how to research your family history and use the records held in the National Archives: http://www.nationalarchives.ie/index.html . The National Library of Ireland. Library material much used by family history researchers includes the microfilms of Catholic parish registers, copies of the important nineteenth century land valuations (the Tithe Applotment Books and Griffith's Valuation), trade and social directories, estate records and newspapers: http://www.nli.ie/default.asp . The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI). PRONI hold millions of documents which relate chiefly, but by no means exclusively, to present-day Northern Ireland. The earliest record dates from 1219, with the main concentration of records covering the period 1600 to the present: http://proni.nics.gov.uk/index.htm . The General Register Office of Northern Ireland (GRONI): http://www.groni.gov.uk/index.htm . IrishGenealogy.com. Over 200 MB of useful information and databases for Irish researchers: http://www.irishgenealogy.com . GENUKI: UK and Ireland Genealogy. A large collection of genealogical information England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man: http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/irl/ . Genealogical Society of Ireland. Articles and publications for Irish researchers: http://www.dun-laoghaire.com/genealogy . North of Ireland Family History Society. Geared to families with roots in Northern Ireland: http://www.nifhs.org . Ulster Historical Foundation. Research services and databases (for members): http://www.uhf.org.uk . The Irish Ancestral Research Association (TIARA). Searchable databases: http://tiara.ie . Origins.net - Irish Origins. An Irish genealogy search engine service: http://www.origins.net/cgi-local/redirect.pl?boxid=21&AID=5674051&PID=698882 . Irish Freeholders' Records Database. Freeholders' records are lists of people entitled to vote, or of people who voted, at elections. A freeholder was a man who owned his land outright (in fee) or who held it by lease: http://www.proni.gov.uk/freeholders/ . The Church of Ireland Genealogy and Family History. The archives of the Church of Ireland, and particularly parochial registers of baptisms, marriages, and burials, are a primary source for genealogists and family historians. Although many registers were destroyed in the fire in the Public Record Office of Ireland in 1922, many others have survived and are available to researchers: http://www.ireland.anglican.org/library/libroots.html . Resources pertaining to all of Ireland http://www-personal.umich.edu/~cgaunt/irish.html . World-Wide Genealogy Resources: Ireland, Island of http://www.genhomepage.com/world.html . Familia: The UK and Ireland's guide to genealogical resources in public libraries: http://www.familia.org.uk/textindex.html

Those of you who are searching in the U.S. - this is a wonderful overview of the History of the U.S. . http://www.animatedatlas.com/movie.html Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com "If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried" List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

You know it's time to collect your family's health history, but it may seem difficult to do. Now you can download a form from the internet that makes it easy to fill in several generations worth of medical info, for the official government form, go to: http://www.hhs.gov/familyhistory/ Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com "If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried" List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

http://www.ancestorhunt.com/surname_search.html Surname Search Portal A genealogy search engine that searches genealogy records and datahbases across the web for your surname. Includes: BMD (birth, marriage and death records), census records, immigration records, international records, military records, message boards, family trees, and mailing lists. =~=~=~= http://from-ireland.net From Ireland a site that has descriptions of Irish civil parishes c.1837 - census records - civil registration (vital records) - Irish history, culture, poetry and more - coming out of Ireland. =~=~=~= http://www.bearcreekmt.com Bearcreek Montana Information about Bearcreek, Montana, including its history, includes a profile of all 74 miners killed in the 1943 Smith Mine Disaster and an index of all those buried at the historic Bearcreek Cemetery. Glory Gospel Group http://glorygospelgroup.homestead.com/Welcome.html Cades Cove Preservation Site http://cadescovepreservationtn.homestead.com/welcome.html Cades Cove,TN Site http://cadescove.homestead.com/cadescove.html -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.4.0 - Release Date: 2/22/2005

If you haven't checked for your surnames among the 4.5 million marriage records, you can for a few more days. Free at Ancestry for a few moew days..... Here's the link: Genealogy Directory http://www.gendirectory.com SHARING works.... try it..... just once... you could reap the benefits ! ! ! ! !.

Hi Wendy: Thanks for sharing that information. I watched a program about the first biological warfare attack on the US the other night and it was about a little town called Antelope, Oregon and was instituted by a cult located there. Very interesting, so now I have located it on my map and with this information, know a bit more about it. Thanks again Roberta

Some of you are maybe already familiar with this one. http://www.placesnamed.com is a modern "geographic encyclopedia." When you put in a place name, it will give you the various choices... this is the town I grew up in: 1. Fithian is the 30,430th most popular last name (surname) in the United States; frequency is 0.000%; percentile is 81.792 [SourceCBN] 2. Fithian, Illinois, United States [Populated Place] is in Vermilion County; location is 40°6'50"N 87°52'23"W; elevation is 659 feet [SourceGSP] 3. Fithian, Illinois, United States [Village]; population was 512 in 1990; housing units was 208 in 1990; location is 40°7'N 87°52'W; land area is 0.39 square miles (248 acres); FIPS code is 26233 [SourceCBP] 4. Fithian, Illinois, United States Postal Service Zip Code is 61844 [SourcePSZ] It's mainly a US reference, but it can be helpful in determining what county a town lies in. (So long as you remember that county lines have changed through the years.) It's also fun to put in surnames to see the frequency it occurs in the US population. Wendy Boughner Whipple http://www.DianasLegacy.net -- Without genealogy, the study of history would be lifeless. -- John Fiske (Without history, the study of genealogy would be pointless. --WABW)

Google has a new service: Maps. You can get to it via the following URL: <http://www.maps.google.com> http://www.maps.google.com Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com "If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried" List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: <http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES> http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

Bunny I think if its a Sears house you can find the floor plans and numbers on file. Seems I have heard that on HGTV. There are lots of them all over the Nation and were a wonderful affordable home at the time. The home I grew up in was a modified Sears plan. It was then built by local builders. My grandpa used a plan from a friend and modified it to suit hm, so its not a true Sears home. Sue Ellen "Life is what happens while you are making other plans" -- Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.8.7 - Release Date: 2/10/05

Hi Sally.... This sounds real interesting. I've been doing some research about my house. One of the neighbors said it's a 'Sears' home. Please send me the five pages.. Thanks, Bunny Subject: [NEWGEN] Genealogy .. House Histories Tracing the Genealogy of Your Home or Other Building by Kimberly Powell Have you ever wondered about the history of your house, apartment, church or other building? When was it built? Why was it built? Who owned it? What happened to the people who lived there? Or, my perennial favorite question as a child, does it have any secret tunnels or cubbyholes? Whether you're looking for documentation for historic status or are just plain inquisitive, tracing a property's history and learning about the people who have lived there can be a fascinating and fulfilling project. When conducting research on buildings there are usually two types of information that people search for: 1) architectural facts, such as date of construction, name of architect or builder, construction materials, and physical changes over time; and 2) historical facts, such as information on the original owner and other residents through time, or interesting events associated with the building or area. A house history may consist of either type of research, or be a combination of both. To learn more about the history of your home or other building .. Contact me and I'll sent the 5-page article. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com "Act your age, not your shoe size." List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com

Tracing the Genealogy of Your Home or Other Building by Kimberly Powell Have you ever wondered about the history of your house, apartment, church or other building? When was it built? Why was it built? Who owned it? What happened to the people who lived there? Or, my perennial favorite question as a child, does it have any secret tunnels or cubbyholes? Whether you're looking for documentation for historic status or are just plain inquisitive, tracing a property's history and learning about the people who have lived there can be a fascinating and fulfilling project. When conducting research on buildings there are usually two types of information that people search for: 1) architectural facts, such as date of construction, name of architect or builder, construction materials, and physical changes over time; and 2) historical facts, such as information on the original owner and other residents through time, or interesting events associated with the building or area. A house history may consist of either type of research, or be a combination of both. To learn more about the history of your home or other building .. Contact me and I'll sent the 5-page article. Sally Rolls Pavia sallypavia2001@yahoo.com "Act your age, not your shoe size." List Owner: GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L-request@rootsweb.com Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES "All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus"

[My father worked for AT&T system from before WWII until he retired in 1972, at the age of 57. This included 15 years on overseas jobs with Western Electric. It would be a shame to lose any of these historical documents. My first job, while still in High School, was as a long distance operator. Sally] Are AT&T archives on the line? SBC merger leaves future of telecom pioneer's vast collection hanging Sunday, February 13, 2005 By KEVIN COUGHLIN Star-Ledger Staff More than jobs may be at stake when the SBC Communications broom sweeps through the halls at AT&T. AT&T has long touted its archives in Warren as the nation's largest and oldest repository of corporate materials, which tell the story of modern communications. This unassuming warehouse is a geek's treasure trove, with holdings ranging from Alexander Graham Bell's 1876 patent for the telephone to hair-thin strands of fiber-optic cable. What happens after SBC's $16 billion planned takeover of Bedminster-based AT&T could be a different story. SBC officials say it is too early to speculate about the fate of the archives, but some technology mavens worry the history of telecom could land on the curb. "They'll drag in the Dumpster," says A. Michael Noll, a communications professor at the University of Southern California and former scientist with AT&T's Bell Labs in Murray Hill. "One thing we know about mergers -- the survivor has to destroy the DNA of the victim. They have to destroy that identity. You can't have people thinking they're still part of AT&T. They're part of SBC." SBC says it expects to slash 13,000 jobs and other "redundant" operations in creating the country's biggest telephone company. "I'm very concerned what will happen to those archives," says Louis Galambos, who teaches business history at Johns Hopkins University and used the archives for scholarly research in the 1980s. SBC spokesman Walter Sharp says it is too early to say what will become of the archives -- though he noted SBC has preserved collections from prior takeovers. But with AT&T staff cuts already crimping scholars' access to the company's gems, some historians see SBC -- a former part of the Bell network -- as a potential savior. "SBC has demonstrated a commitment to the history of telecommunications," says Sheldon Hochheiser, AT&T's historian until a downsizing last year. While AT&T won't discuss archive staffing, company spokesman Andy Backover says AT&T still views its collection as an asset, for itself and the industry. Michael Riordan, whose book "Crystal Fire" traced the transistor's invention at Bell Labs, calls the AT&T archives priceless because they document the birth of technologies "that defined what it is to be modern." These include miniature electronics and microwave relays, solar cells and satellite communications -- ironically, creations that would overwhelm Ma Bell by spawning today's cheap digital communications. With more than 700,000 artifacts, the archive would span more than eight and a half miles if everything were stretched end-to-end. "AT&T would be a crown jewel in our collection," says Bill Caughlin, SBC's corporate archivist. "SBC is the logical custodian. We share the same history, basically." SBC houses materials from Southwestern Bell, Pacific Telesis and Ameritech in a 10,000-square-foot San Antonio facility modeled after the National Archives. The oldest items date to 1878. Another SBC pickup, SNET, gave its historical material to the University of Connecticut. Caughlin toured the AT&T archives in 2000. He says he has room for AT&T documents -- but he isn't sure if big artifacts such as radar antenna would stay in New Jersey. AT&T's keepsakes from Bell Labs include vintage phones, 1890s brochures for long-distance service ("500 miles and back in five minutes") and some nifty notebooks. "Value gain 100, Power gain 40," reads a 1947 entry from Walter Brattain, who later shared a Nobel Prize for inventing the transistor. A hoarier tome documents the first phone conversation: "Mr. Watson, come here, I want you." Lucent Technologies, which was spun off from AT&T, now owns Bell Labs, but retains access to the AT&T archives. A Lucent spokesman says he can't predict how the SBC deal might change that. Galambos says history sometimes is a casualty of mergers. He still laments pharmaceutical archives lost after Merck acquired Sharp & Dohme -- a half-century ago. A Merck spokesman said the company retained some of the archive materials, but couldn't offer specifics. Noll says he expects AT&T will go the way of Pacific Bell, a household name for generations on the West Coast. He says Pacific Bell's identity has been replaced by SBC's -- right down to the name on the San Francisco Giants' ballpark. Most corporate archives have survived the bean-counters so far, says Leslie Simon of the National Archives and the Society of American Archivists. IBM shut its archives in lean times, then reopened them. Archives can help the bottom line in subtle ways: Cigna's archives helped that insurer plot its business strategy in the former Soviet Union, says Simon. Archives can help defend lawsuits and boost brands, too. When New York's Museum of Modern Art tapped the collection for an exhibit on AT&T's role in making movies talk, it told the world: "Here is a company that does all kinds of interesting things to improve your life that you don't even think about," Hochheiser says. Among those rooting for SBC is the Smithsonian Institution's Bernard Finn, who says AT&T cutbacks have "virtually shut down" the archives. Finn says the Smithsonian would be interested in absorbing the vast collection -- but it might have trouble fitting it all. Taking control of archives isn't for the faint-hearted. It took Delaware's Hagley Museum & Library five years to catalog much smaller holdings from MCI, according to the museum staff. Exxon Mobil is paying the University of Texas $300,000 to house 17 tractor-trailer loads of material, including early gas pumps, kerosene lanterns and letters from John D. Rockefeller. The school will bear future costs. "When you take on somebody's archive, it's a permanent thing, not an ephemeral thing," says Don Carleton, director of the university's Center for American History in Austin. "There has to be interest and commitment on the part of the institution to maintain it over the long haul." Some companies clean their attics to forget their pasts, no matter how fabled. Western Union, once synonymous with telegrams, delivered its archives to the Smithsonian in the 1970s to shed its "old- timey" image, Finn says. Western Union later asked to borrow back its artifacts -- to remind customers of its "firm roots." "As we know," Finn says, "this didn't save the company." Kevin Coughlin covers technology. He can be reached at kcoughlin@starledger.com or (973) 392-1763.

[Someone requested info on carvings on gravestones, must have deleted in error. So, am posting to entire mailing list. Sally] Cemetery Iconography - George G. Morgan Cemeteries have always held a certain fascination for me. They are restful, reflective places filled with a sense of timelessness. They also are the site of much genealogical research. Roaming through older cemeteries, I am often struck by the carvings on gravestones or the statuary there. Perhaps you, too, have asked yourself the meaning of a particular carving. In "Along Those Lines . . ." this week, I want to discuss cemetery iconography-the meanings of some of the images found in the graveyard. A Very Brief History of Death Customs and Images Humans have long marked graves and commemorated their dead. At some point, prehistoric man began the custom of burying the dead. Stones were used to prevent wild animals despoiling the gravesite. Later, seashells, tools, beads, clothing and other items were piled atop the grave or buried with the dead and funereal rites began. The ancient societies of Egypt, China, and others are particularly noteworthy for their funeral customs, the building of elaborate tombs, and the development of unique types of funerary art and sculpture. When you think of Egypt, the images of mummies, elaborate pyramid tombs, hieroglyphic paintings, and other death-related objects immediately come to mind. The ancient Romans interred their dead in niches beneath the city in what are known as the Catacombs. In fact, studies of all human civilizations reveal that, to some degree or other, they have developed some ritual customs for dealing with death and with the remains of their dead. These include mound building, cremation, launching the dead out to sea in boats, sacrifices (human and otherwise), body painting, hair cutting, keening and wailing, erecting huts or tomb buildings, placing simple or elaborate markers at the death and/or burial site, and a wide variety of other customs. European cultures developed in similar fashion. Pictorial images have been used to commemorate death, with a wide variety of images used. Religious symbols and icons were used and perpetuated by the various sects. Other images came into use during less than cheerful circumstances. The death's head and the dancing skeleton, for instance, became common representations for life's brevity during the epidemics of the plague in Europe. As the centuries passed, more and more graphic representations came into use. During the Victorian era in both Europe and the United States, exceedingly elaborate tombs, gravestone carvings, statuary, funerary clothing and other paraphernalia evolved to commemorate the dead. They also allowed the living to share their sorrow and mourning with one another and for posterity. And entire cemeteries, planned as rural recreational parks, were developed. Graven Images and Icons Cemeteries and grave markers are big business. The stonemason and the sculptor have had plenty of work over the centuries because of the dead. In some cases, two or more generations of a single family carried on the business. They developed their own stone shapes and carving styles, but the use of graven images became something of a standard. As you roam through a cemetery, you are likely to see the same image again and again. The survivors erected markers to commemorate the dead and used icons to communicate something about the deceased. Do you know what some of these icons represent? Let's examine some common ones. A weeping willow tree indicates mourning or natural grief. Clasped hands signify farewells said at death, while a hand pointing upward indicates the pathway to heavenly reward. An urn represents immortality, just as the Egyptians believed that removing and enclosing the viscera in canopic jars preserved the deceased's vitality for eternity. An angel blowing a trumpet indicates resurrection, as does a flying dove. Wheat sheaves represent the divine harvest, and a wreath signifies victory over death. Statuary in cemetery is common. The Victorians adored their children, and the death of a child was considered a catastrophic tragedy. While a status of an urn draped with a drape or shawl indicates deep mourning or sadness for an adult, there are examples of children's statuary. Some of these include: the lamb, a figure signifying purity; a small chair or cradle, representing the emptiness caused by young loss; a doll, a rattle or other toy, indicating the premature end of childhood; a sleeping baby, picturing the eternal rest for an infant; praying hands, signifying the hope that the child is now in God's care. While some of these images may seem self-explanatory, others may be more cryptic. Flowers represent the fragility of life and plucked flowers indicate the early severance of a life in bloom. A lion is indicative of courage and an arrow represents mortality. A snake with its tail in its mouth indicates everlasting life in heaven, while a coiled snake indicates sin. Roosters are common in some cemeteries, representing resurrection. The pelican represents redemption through Christ, while ants indicate Christian industriousness. Scales are indicative of the weighing of justice for the judgment of the dead. Sometimes there will be Latin phrases carved on stones. "Memento mori" means "remember death." "Tempus erat" means "time is gone." There are many other such phrases that can be interpreted with a simple Latin dictionary. Using Iconography in Research Remember that the icons were used for a reason. They were sometimes selected in advance of death by the person whose grave the stone was to adorn. Usually, however, they were chosen by the surviving family. These carved icons or statuary, taken with epitaphs, scripture, and other carvings, can often provide another insight into the nature of the person and/or his family. There are some excellent Web sites you may use for your reference. The Olive Tree's "Graven Image" site can be found at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ote/grave.htm There is also a site there called "Grave Symbols" at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ote/grave_initials.htm containing abbreviations found on gravestones indicating membership in an organization. Another site which contains symbols of various beliefs can be found at: http://www.cem.va.gov/hmemb.htm. The Association for Gravestone Studies has a Web site at http://apocalypse.berkshire.net/ags/. The site contains a good collection of links to cemetery-related materials, but their publications in their online book store and gift shop are excellent. These include some kit collections of very informative leaflets at a good price and the best selection of cemetery reference books in one place on the Internet. Think about the graven images on the tombs and gravestones the next time you visit an old cemetery. Understanding the graphics and icons can help you read between the lines and perhaps learn more about the natures of the people interred there. It adds another dimension to your research and enjoyment there in the cemetery. Happy hunting! George Copyright 1999 George G. Morgan. All Rights reserved. "Along Those Lines . . ." is a weekly feature of the Genealogy Forum on America Online (Keyword: ROOTS). The article originally appeared in the Genealogy Forum on America Online. You may send e-mail to alonglines@aol.com. George Morgan would like to hear from you but, because of the volume of e-mail, is unable to personally respond to each letter individually. He also regrets that he cannot assist you with your personal genealogical research. Visit George Morgan's new Web page at: http://members.aol.com/alonglines. George is also the author of The Genealogy Forum on America Online, which is available in the Ancestry Online Store at: http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog/ product.asp?pf%5Fid=1101046&dept%5Fid=10102000.

SETTLERS AND INTRUDERS ON CHEROKEE INDIAN LANDS 1801-1816 (and a few other goodies) Abstracted from the Records of the Cherokee Agency in Tennessee: Correspondence and Miscellaneous Records. National Archives Microcopy M-208, Rolls 1-7, 13 Transcribed by Janelle Swearingen 1989 http://shorl.com/bemivyvalofre

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