Hello everybody, I would like to thank you all for your kind notes of appreciation for the list and my involvement with it. Perhaps it is appropriate here for me to say a few words concerning how this list began, as I haven't delved into that topic for quite some time now. It was in the Spring of 1999 when I signed up for a number of Rootsweb.com lists. Some of these were the lists for Lancaster County, Berks County, etc. After following the interesting exchanges on those lists, I thought to myself: "Why don't we have such a list for Centre County? I wonder how much work it would take to run it?" Not long after that I was home sick from school and I figured that it was time to pursue this. So I read the Rootsweb.com guide for mailing lists, and thought it would be an easy enough task. At that time Rootsweb was still struggling to operate on its own, free, and depended on donations from benefactors. It had not yet created those suites of mail lists and message boards. They came later in '99 or perhaps sometime in 2000; I can't now recall. I told my mother about my plan, borrowed her credit card and charged the $12 or whatever it was, and my list was activated: PACENTRE was born. It wasn't long before we had some subscribers; this has grown steadily ever since. And I must say I have enjoyed nearly every minute of it. Having been born and raised in Centre County, I've lived here all of my life (albeit a short one of only 17 years thus far). My family, on all sides, has lived in this county for countless eons. My relatives are buried in nearly every cemetery you can name, and many of them live around here. I can still boast having both parents, all four grandparents, 2 aunts, an uncle, 40 great-aunts and great-uncles, and 2 great-great-aunts (aged 95 and 89), along with a host of cousins. Having been educated in our local schools and having followed our county's government and goings-on for many years, I have a deeply vested interest in this county, its past, its present, and its future. I hope to spend the rest of my life here, as countless generations have before me, and do my part to keep this beautiful county that way, while enabling progress to lead us into the 21st century. This list is a love of mine, as I can talk with all of you about this glorious area that I call home, and the various families from all parts that have also called it "home" over the centuries. When I talk about most of these places, or these families, I usually have seen their gravesite, or the family farm, or at least the particular region of the township they lived in during my research and travels. It is always exciting to learn more about anyone who called Centre County home at one point or another. And that is just the point of all of this. Without the discussion, the series of queries you all provide, the helpful answers provided by those of you who so generously offer your time to do the look-ups, this list would be nowhere near what it is. It takes all of us working together to make this, as some put it, the "best list out there." I think it is worth it -- very much so. It is an honor to our county and our ancestors who lived here to maintain such an active and interesting discussion forum. I learn daily from all of you out there who post, and relish every minute. I therefore wish to extend a hearty Thank YOU to all of those out there who make this list work via their involvement and concern. You've helped fulfill a dream of mine in carrying on this discussion list about Centre County. I look forward to many more years of such interesting conversations. Justin Justin Kirk Houser Genealogist/Researcher of Central PA and Beyond Main Lines: Houser, Breon, Shawley, Ranio/Hrynio (and others) President, BAHS Class of 2003 Student Representative, BASD Board of Education Listowner, PACENTRE-L@Rootsweb.com Historian, Schürch Association of North America (specialty Central PA lines) Member, Valley View United Methodist Church "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature"