Hello Folks, For along time now I have been doing things my way, which I know is an old song but that is what I do. I do not apologize for things i do that do not have a direct bearing on what i do. I have gotten several messages asking why I spendso much time on the Civil War. Why not the Revolution or the War of 1812. I have been also criticized for leaving people out of my heritage. Folks I was born and raised in Lackawanna county Pa. My whole family to this day lives there. I lived there till 1989 when i moved to Arkansas. I have grandparents that where from New york and New Jersey. My Grandfather came from there and settled in Pa. You see there is a difference in knowing and seeing. I have know Idea what those grandparents in NY or NJ did but, I do know what those grandparents that came to Pa did. And i could walk the same ground they farmed. I can sit by them in a cemetery and talk to them. I can see and feel all that they accomplished good or bad. I have a Grandfather that was in the Revolution, I have also had 8 family members in the Civil War, And I would also like to add that my Grandfather died in a Rebel prisoner of war Camp. And for those who have sent messages to me critici8zeing me let me say this. Ever since this nation began some body in my family has served and died for it's freedom that we all enjoy. up an till 1990 i was the last in my family to serve in the military and I retired after 24 years service to my country a long tradition going back to the beginning of our country. Now I have neice who has step up to take her place in the ranks of the military for our country. I have said this before and I will say it again, and I hope you all will understand where i am coming from. I do not know who wrote this but it is something that has always been a part of me and my search for family. "Life is finding those we didn't know, caring and loving those we do know, and cherishing those who are know longer with us It is a wonderful thing to find those long ago people, no matter what land they came from, but it is only those people that came to Pa that made me what I am, and it is those peoples footsteps I want to walk in, it is their land I want to see the dirt that they tried to scratch a living out of. I want to feel there joy and sorrow, but I also want to walk in a cemetery where I can sit along side them and embrace them and to tell them Thank You for making this land a great place to be from and to belong to. That is what makes our searching so rewarding. Just to be able to sit and tell them how much they have been missed and loved. Ted