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    1. [Tri-Counties] Dewing photos/videos
    2. Shoemaker, Robert (SYR)
    3. This maybe sound like a crazy request, but after my question I will tell you a success story that is astonishing. My grandfather was Robert E. Dewing, his father was Fred Dewing, son of Andrew and Esther. My grandfather died in 1985. My mother and him would attend the Dewing Reunions in Warren Center. In 1988 I went to my first reunion and took my video camera. I have Mary and Nellie (Fred's sisters) on video, and Carl Dewing (Robert's brother). Did any of you ever take photos or videos of the reunion prior to 1985. I would love to have any images of Robert Dewing. This maybe reaching, but let me tell you my story now... About three years ago, my Uncle Robert Thomas (Tom) Dewing visited my mother and father at their house on Old State Road in Binghamton. They live on the land that was owned by Fred and Robert, and Uncle Harry. To make a long story very short. A conversation was stirred up by me wishing that I had audio of grandpa's voice. My uncle informed me that about 30 years ago, he and a friend signed out camera equipment for a place in Binghamton. They video taped the farm and interviewed my grandfather. Being a family history buff, I pressed my Uncle into a hundred questions. Each one being...."Rob, that was 30 years ago. The tape is long gone." I begged him to make some phone calls. Well...imagine our surprise. The director of the studio that signed out the cameras (30 years ago) was still the director and he said he has hundred of tapes (old 1/2 reel to reel) in his garage, but most are damaged and brittle. I called him throughout the next three years just keeping us on his mind. One day I walked into work to find an email....."Rob, I found the tape!" So, we sent the tape down to NYC to have it converted and saved (the odds were not in our favor). When the tape came back, I was afraid of what was on there. Was it blank, was it not our tape? Soon my grandfather's farm and sounds filled the air, and soon my grandfather sitting at the table eating breakfast and being interviewed graced the faded screen. After 18 years of silence after he died, his voice echoed into our hearts again. Nothing short of a miracle. So, hopefully there will be more tapes or photos out there to share with my children and their children. Please let me know. Thanks to you all. Robert Shoemaker

    03/04/2004 03:22:45