As you know, I feel it is the time to turn this list (which I may say has a number of its original subscribers from 5 or 7 years or so ago!) over to other hands. Kathleen Burnett has agreed to take on the responsibilities of this list. I have assured her it is a fine list of capable persons. I do know you folks take your data seriously and have done so, in a number of instances, for decades -- whenever possible "laying your hands (or at least your eyes) upon original documents, etc. Some of you have gone overseas in the pursuit of such. There are premier databases to be found among a number of those subscribed to this list. I won't get too deeply into matters, but suffice it to say, some of you will remember when this list was not even a Rootsweb list at all (a few of you probably wish it still wasn't, but we won't go there). In fact, I forget the original server name... It was a small list. First 1, then 2, 3, a small handful, etc., growing and growing in a fairly short period of time. The oddest thing of all is that my concept of the list was only only a mere mental sketch, and I had no idea how popular a topic it really was. In fact, I am one of the least qualified to have formed such a list, as my connection is really quite slim! Its formation was closely tied in with Robert James Hardie, now deceased. You who are the oldtimers of this list will remember that. He wanted his data to go online. He died very shortly before he was to gain computer access for the first time in his life. After the growth came along nicely, a homepage was added by Liese Uptegrove Ade (and a fine one it is -- visit it if you have not already, at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~original13/ ) It now is a healthy, mid-sized list of about 300 members. I leave the list administration with Kathleen, but not because of problems or discontentedness... Doubtless, Kathleen will soon introduce herself to you folks. My best to you, Vince Summers