Dear Stewart Researchers: I'd like to wish you all a Happy New Year as we begin 2011. The archives for this list, if not the list itself, began on 15 June 1996; Benson Wills was the Administrator/List Owner. I have had the pleasure of being the Administrator of this list after Jim Petermann decided it was time to move on 20 September 2002. (Has it *really* been over 8 years now???!!) Over the History of the list there have been many lively discussions (and the occasional flame war!). However, in the last year or more I have seen things slow down to the point of most all of the posts to the Stewart list being generated by the gateway from the Stewart message board. I find this rather sad. I am considering releasing the gateway messages on a more regulated basis. Such as "Tuesday is Gateway Day" or some such. Yes, that can create a flood of messages in a single day, but if the timing is known, you will be better prepared to take a peek and trot on over to the message board to reply to those of interest. I am just mulling this over at the moment.... If you have an opinion on the matter please send it *privately* to my admin address ([email protected]). This is not a call for "votes" as there is no "vote" when it comes to the administration of lists at Rootsweb. However, it is an opportunity for you to share your opinion as I mull things over. You may have some valid points for me to consider. As my Admin address forwards to a different personal address, don't be surprised if the return address from me is [email protected] --- add it to your "accept list" so mail from it is not lost to your spammy filters and you feel ignored for lack of response! My challenge to you in 2011 is to help your fellow Stewarts to break down their genealogical brick walls. In turn, they will help you as they can. None can expect to have others do ALL of your genealogy for you. Unfortunately it does take hard work and most do not get their genealogy handed to them on a silver platter! Be certain to go and VERIFY with the most primary source documents the items shared by others. And be generous -- share what you find! It is only fair. I am going to start a series of "roll calls" to try to nudge this log jam and help you get started again. When you reply to them -- be sure to change the subject line to include the content of your message. If the level of mail gets a bit overwhelming to you, don't unsubscribe! If you are receiving single messages you can have your subscription changed to digest mode -- one email that captures several and releases them when they reach a certain size limit. I encourage you to take a look back through the archives to see what was being discussed. You may find a cousin or two that you have missed! If you are one of the authors of the posts you find in the archives and you've had updates/corrections/additions to your genealogy posted earlier --- please send messages to the list to share what you've learned. Include the URL from your old message(s) as a cross reference and state what's changed. STEWART List Archives are located here: http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/index/STEWART If you want to search the archives, rather than browse them, visit <http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/search?aop&path=STEWART> Currently the STEWART list archives contain 18,191 messages of the 37,343,850 documents in the entire collection in the list archives of Rootsweb. Perhaps you have missed a link to YOUR family! I have pasted in the listing of activity in the Stewart list archives. January 2011 5 messages -- so far! It is only before noon on January 2 December 2010 37 messages November 2010 33 messages October 2010 44 messages September 2010 30 messages August 2010 44 messages July 2010 51 messages June 2010 56 messages May 2010 47 messages April 2010 50 messages March 2010 69 messages February 2010 64 messages January 2010 66 messages December 2009 44 messages November 2009 48 messages October 2009 54 messages September 2009 74 messages August 2009 87 messages July 2009 100 messages June 2009 43 messages May 2009 47 messages April 2009 35 messages March 2009 78 messages February 2009 61 messages January 2009 63 messages December 2008 113 messages November 2008 74 messages October 2008 41 messages September 2008 20 messages August 2008 33 messages July 2008 68 messages June 2008 63 messages May 2008 93 messages April 2008 88 messages March 2008 76 messages February 2008 97 messages January 2008 96 messages December 2007 66 messages November 2007 59 messages October 2007 56 messages September 2007 142 messages August 2007 69 messages July 2007 81 messages June 2007 73 messages May 2007 77 messages April 2007 117 messages March 2007 74 messages February 2007 119 messages January 2007 125 messages December 2006 98 messages November 2006 81 messages October 2006 178 messages September 2006 94 messages August 2006 138 messages July 2006 191 messages June 2006 135 messages May 2006 139 messages April 2006 111 messages March 2006 199 messages February 2006 158 messages January 2006 274 messages December 2005 163 messages November 2005 212 messages October 2005 186 messages September 2005 258 messages August 2005 416 messages July 2005 115 messages June 2005 48 messages May 2005 174 messages April 2005 182 messages March 2005 88 messages February 2005 217 messages January 2005 188 messages December 2004 23 messages November 2004 43 messages October 2004 54 messages September 2004 110 messages August 2004 60 messages July 2004 60 messages June 2004 80 messages May 2004 105 messages April 2004 78 messages March 2004 57 messages February 2004 88 messages January 2004 176 messages December 2003 258 messages November 2003 110 messages October 2003 93 messages September 2003 175 messages August 2003 171 messages July 2003 223 messages June 2003 189 messages May 2003 185 messages April 2003 130 messages March 2003 187 messages February 2003 120 messages January 2003 125 messages December 2002 88 messages November 2002 171 messages October 2002 382 messages September 2002 256 messages August 2002 85 messages July 2002 31 messages June 2002 32 messages May 2002 52 messages April 2002 123 messages March 2002 62 messages February 2002 49 messages January 2002 74 messages December 2001 19 messages November 2001 69 messages October 2001 54 messages September 2001 53 messages August 2001 61 messages July 2001 38 messages June 2001 43 messages May 2001 54 messages April 2001 189 messages March 2001 215 messages February 2001 87 messages January 2001 103 messages December 2000 47 messages November 2000 82 messages October 2000 73 messages September 2000 68 messages August 2000 38 messages July 2000 57 messages June 2000 49 messages May 2000 51 messages April 2000 110 messages March 2000 92 messages February 2000 125 messages January 2000 92 messages December 1999 61 messages November 1999 134 messages October 1999 80 messages September 1999 78 messages August 1999 85 messages July 1999 103 messages June 1999 143 messages May 1999 115 messages April 1999 112 messages March 1999 155 messages February 1999 111 messages January 1999 154 messages December 1998 104 messages November 1998 197 messages October 1998 244 messages September 1998 84 messages August 1998 145 messages July 1998 102 messages June 1998 89 messages May 1998 132 messages April 1998 111 messages March 1998 200 messages February 1998 216 messages January 1998 208 messages December 1997 141 messages November 1997 154 messages October 1997 233 messages September 1997 111 messages August 1997 62 messages July 1997 150 messages June 1997 123 messages May 1997 128 messages April 1997 61 messages March 1997 65 messages February 1997 4 messages January 1997 60 messages December 1996 30 messages November 1996 36 messages October 1996 35 messages September 1996 46 messages August 1996 26 messages July 1996 52 messages June 1996 48 messages -- first month the archives became active February 1996 1 messages - actually after June 1996 March 1972 1 messages - actually after June 1996 January 1972 1 messages - actually after June 1996 Here's to the "best" year yet! Yours Aye, Lauren Lauren Boyd McLachlan Stewart List Admin since 21 September 2002 Rootsweb Volunteer since 1996 Ancestry Volunteer since 2000 (when they stepped up to save Rootsweb) 100+/- lists, 223 Message Boards -- including all Stewart resources, no matter the spelling