Thanks Brenda for acknowledging the presence os hunches when seeking info, its happened to me too. My old genealogy master used to have an uncanny knack at locating info in this way, I have seen that book advertised and thought of buying it before, let me know how you like it, okay? Your story of Martha Stewart is a great one! Cyber-serendipity. I have the same feeling about being onto something special~I think its because its still kind of new to me. I recently had 2 tremendous breakthrus on other lines, and the strong feeling of success is just the best~better than anything. I found an overland trail journal of a great great uncle who was joining his brother in California during gold rush, he wrote something in his diary everyday and its fascinating (my Hamrick line). And I broke open my Rhoads line, which was a total deadend, with 6 new generations. Both happened online, one found me from my websites, and the other I found by posting a query for the thousandth time. One thing, when I find something new on my maternal lines I have so many interested cousins now, after my reunion that I have to send out 46 packs of info, this last time I asked for help! That's all for now, Jill ---------- : From: [email protected] : To: [email protected] : Subject: Re: [ONEALL-L] Success stories~How you became interested in Family History : Date: Thursday, November 05, 1998 4:38 AM : : Hello List Cousins, : : Just wanted to add another "story". We obtained a computer about four years : ago, after my son became so interested in them in middle school. We basically : did so, for the benefit of his school work. However, one evening I was : 'playing around' on the Internet and typed in "Martha Stewart" - no not an : ancestor - but the Martha Stewart guru of crafts, cooking, growing plants, and : just about everything a super human could do around the home and whom we see : all over the television, magazines, etc. : : Well, low and behold, what should turn up as the one and only "hit", but a : Marriage List from early Reynolds County, Missouri. This is where my mother's : parents were from and where I had visited many times in the summers of my : youth. I am related to nearly every past resident of that county and the : names on that list were nearly all familiar to me! Well, that did it! I've : never been the same since - and no one else in the family ever gets the : computer, much as I'm always on it! Oh - I forgot all about Martha Stewart's : web site, and wouldn't have time now, for any of those projects anyway as all : my spare (and not so spare) moments, are spent on my family history search. : : I truly believe this was an event of "serendipity". I mean, what are the odds : that on the entire Internet, and out of all the counties in the entire United : States, this county would surface! And there wasn't even a "Martha Stewart" : on that marriage list! Down right spooky! For anyone who has had such an : experience, or is interested, I just got the book Psychic Roots, Serendipity : and Intuition in Genealogy, by Henry Z Jones, Jr. (there's a sequel, too) : from the library. Can't give a review or recommendation as just obtained it, : but thought I would pass this along. It can also be purchased from the : publisher, Genealogical Publishing Co. (this is where I saw it listed and no, : I have no connection, in any way, to this book, author or publisher). : : Sorry to make this so long, but I really feel we are into something very : special. Why it only comes or 'bites' certain of us, is a question. : : An O'Neal cousin in Kansas, : Brenda : [email protected] :