Hi, Folks . . . I apologize for being remiss in introducing myself as your new List Administrator but would like to remedy that now. I'm Kathleen Woodside Freiburg, currently of Phoenix, Arizona but a native Pennsylvanian. I was born, raised and married in Pittsburgh and resided there through age 33 when we relocated to the desert for my husband's health. My family, WOODSIDE, were among the early settlers of Chester County near Philadelphia. Our oldest progenitor, Archibald WOODSIDE, arrived in the Colonies in 1728 at New Castle on the Delaware. He was 8 but no record of his parents has yet been found. Archibald hailed from Londonderry, Northern Ireland but was a Scot by descent, his family having migrated to the Ulster Plantation during the Presbyterian Covenants in Scotland in the 17th Century. Since then the family has helped settle and spread throughout at least 12 of Pennsylvania's counties and into even more States, as I am an example. I have been engaged in genealogy over 25 years; my specialty being Pennsylvania . . . surprising that, huh? I'm happy to help anyone as much as I can and do have many resources here that I can reference. But you have to speak up. While I can do many things, I cannot read minds; a skill I never mastered. I haven't been a member of the Lawrence County List but two weeks now but I've not very little activity. Surprising for such a beautiful area of the State. I'm not going to ask for a Roll Call. I personally don't like them but I think a good starting point is for each of us to repost our Surname and Area interests to the List. Keep it simple: Names, Area and Time Period. If you have any anecdotal stories about your family or research that you think others might enjoy . . . by all means include it. As to List rules . . . you'll find I'm very loose and easy. Anything less stifles free sharing of information and ideas. For now the points in the Welcome Message you each received upon subscribing will prevail. To that I'll add simply: Be nice; consider how you might feel if what you are able to post was written to or about you. All topics relating to genealogy; the people and their history in Lawrence Count are welcomed. Memory discussions or exchanges are acceptable but should not overwhelm the List. Use good common sense and treat others as you would like to be treated and we'll all get along fine. Now . . . To bore you a little more, I'll start off with my favorite Census research story. ______________________ I had a grandfather (Good that. Didn't we all?) Well, I spent untold time pouring over one reel of microfilm at Carnegie Library in Oakland after another. Week after week . . . and he was no where to be found. Told my mother (his daughter) she was hatched because he must have been but a figment of someone's imagination. If he lived in Pittsburgh with his immigrant parents from England, he was hiding under the bed when the Census Man came. I was so very frustrated and all of this at the very beginning of work on my history. It was so disheartening, I nearly through in the towel and said (Well, fill in the blanks. You've got an imagination.) It was, I thought, a simple name, not too hard to misspell. His grandparents were there, sure enough, the GRACE Family from Birmingham, England; in the 1870's they'd come. But no Harold HUDSON anywhere; other HUDSONS, yes but not old Harold J. In 1900 he was but 5 years and the population of the City substantial by then. Can you imaging the hours I spent on every Pittsburgh, then Allegheny County reel? One Sunday we'd joined my parents for dinner at their house. After another long Saturday of eye-crossing census search at Carnegie, I was thoroughly turned off by the very idea of family research. Picture it. I was sitting there moaning, the old "whoa is me" thing and get out the violins. When my father, between bites of food, nonchalantly said: "Kathleen, have you considered the accent. The parents were fresh from England." I looked at him totally stunned. Called in sick (bad thing, that) Monday and high-tailed it back to Carnegie to give it another go. I don't think I would have lasted until the weekend. Within an hour, there is was. Bold as life. One: ERROL UDDSEN. no less. With tears running down my cheeks and feeling completely foolish, all I could say was "They were English, you idiot. Harold HUDSON. ERROL UDDSEN. No wonder . . . and the rest has been history since then. ______________________ Well, now that I've rambled on with on story of naivety, who will be next? There must be more stories out there. Maybe our tales will buck up the new guys who where I was so many, many years ago. I'm looking forward to meeting you folks so let's talk away. -- Kathleen List Admin _____________________ Kathleen Woodside Freiburg -- woodside.1728@home.com List Admin for the LAWRENCE COUNTY, PA List at RootsWeb