Stan, I apologize for thinking that you were LDS. I wont make excuses about why I thought were LDS. I will just say that I am sorry. I dont have an ax to grind with anyone. Liking or not liking LDS members is not the same as disliking some of their behaviors or their church philosophy, which interferes with my own family beliefs, as well as my ancestors beliefs. I too have had numerous friends who were LDS members and have even been able to joke with them about coming to work looking like prunes after being baptized by proxy so often. They would usually respond with something about my WV (hillbilly)accent. Stan, I prefer not to get into private discussions about what happens on the list (which is the only public mailing list to which I belong). I am physically limited as to how much I can type. You chastised me for making assumptions about your religion. Well, we all know what happens when we assume. Again, I apologize for thinking you were LDS. It was not an assumption- It was what I believed, based on something I had been told. I was wrong for accepting what someone else said about you before I checked it out for myself, so for the third time, I will say I am sorry and ask that you forgive me for (psychologically?) abusing you. You stated in your email I don't have a clue as to what you are talking about when you say I made a mess of your family history since I devote fewer than eight pages to the entire Thomas Workman clan. Stan, you just did what you accused me of doing- you ASSUMED. Obviously, you overlooked the fact that I stated in that email that I descend through MOSES Workman (2nd wife Sarah Marrs). I am not a descendant of the Thomas Workman clan (as you describe them) and his wife Sarah whose maiden name to my knowledge has never been documented (a published source is not documentation). Sarahs birthplace however, is documented on a Boone County Census record. My own Workman lineage is on Donna Browns Logan County Genweb site and I believe you mentioned previously that you had used some of it. That is the only family I have even looked at since I downloaded your book a couple of days ago, except to see if you had actually found the correct name for Sarah, the wife of Thomas Workman. (Not because I was concerned about parentage of Thomas Workman, but because of my Deskins research, which is another line where people keep publishing hearsay.) I did not say that I was a descendant of Thomas and Sarah Workman. I merely pointed out that there were discrepancies in the original publications about Sarahs maiden name (Harman and S/Yantis) and that someone needs to check the actual records before publishing anymore genealogies of this family. I have not been able to find a Deskins family for Sarah, wife of Thomas Workman nor have I been able to document the parents of my own Tazewell County Deskins ancestor). I did not see your request for people to submit their family information to you for your book. I would not have submitted my work even if I had seen it. I often go that extra mile whenever individuals need help to find their own families but my own opinion is that if people are publishing genealogies and family histories, they should search public records, not republish junk genealogy (no offense intended) from LDS records and from other published undocumented genealogies. Gathering information from other people is NOT research. Undocumented genealogy is no different than any other junk science. I learned early on that my mistakes would always come back to haunt me (just like when I mistakenly believed you to be LDS). I do take responsibility for my own behavior- no excuses. Everyone makes mistakes, but to continue promulgating junk genealogy as a work in progress and quoting published sources with undocumented information is just repeating the same old negative behavior patterns, by carving false information deeper into stone. "We do ourselves and our posterity a great dis-service when we set down for fact things not thoroughly researched and not proven." (Quoting Marie Justice from her book, "One Mullins Family"). Again, I apologize for thinking you were LDS. Dodie (Smith) Browning STANLEY BROWNING <[email protected]> wrote: Dodie, I know the frustration of having someone make a mess out of something that you have spent a lifetime trying to unravel yourself. Believe me I have experienced it. Believe me also that any mistakes I have made were honest even if made out of ignorance. Moreover, I was sincere in requesting criticism of the Workman book. How else can we correct the mistakes that have been promulgated for decades? In my opinion, when offered constructively, criticism is not a dirty word. However, in this case I feel abused in light of circumstances that you were either unaware of or chose to ignore. Also you have made some assumptions without any basis whatsoever regarding my religious preference that certainly would have been better left unsaid. We will start with the religious question first. Apparently you have an axe to grind with respect to the LDS. I am not LDS, but I hasten to add that some of my very best friends are. Three of them have a key to my house and it doesn't bother me a bit. When I was told by my company in 1963 that I was being sent to Utah, with the little I knew I figured I would likely be eaten for dinner by a Morman, or lose my beautiful wife to some elderly patriarch who felt his harem was still incomplete. Surprise! They are people just like you and me and are not deserving of the bias attitudes of many who do not understand them. However, not that it should make any difference to the subject at hand, saying I like the LDS people is not saying that I agree with the LDS religious philosophy. In response to a request offered on this mailing list for books about early settlers of southern WV, I agreed to do one on the Workmans. My reason for doing so is clearly stated in the Preface to my book. Although I knew something of the Workmans in Wyoming County and Amos Workman of Boone County, I stated up front that I was not a Workman expert and especially with respect to those who settled in counties adjacent to my own. I called on others on the list and elsewhere to supply me with pictures and documented, if possible, input; which many did. I tried, to the best of my ability, to give credit to the original sources or, if it was undocumented, to make it clear that that was the case. I claim unreservedly that this is one of the best referenced books of this type that I know of. Incidentally, you will find a reference to my source for the birthplace of Sarah Deskins on page 126 of the book. I make no claim with regard to its accuracy. Each and every picture with accompanying data were approved by the owners before being incorporated into the book. After the first draft was completed, it was sent out for review by all that made contributions and a notice was posted on the Internet inviting others to join in the review. A copy was made available from www.LULU.com free of charge and I notified you directly. Unfortunately, we published the book before you were able to download a copy and complete your review, so we were unable to benefit from your guidance. I have yet to receive your comments other than the characterization of me in your letter, which I happened to read only by accident since it was not addressed to me. All books of this type should be considered works in progress. The Workman book will still be deficient even if we should continue verifying accuracy of new input and incorporating it into the book. However, that should not detract us from striving to make it better, or at least publicize it's inaccuracies. I am eager to continue development of the Workman book. I am not concerned about getting credit or personal gain for any possible additions, but I am concerned that a resource intended for future researchers could be floating around containing known misinformation and we did nothing about it. I don't have a clue as to what you are talking about when you say I made a mess of your family history since I devote fewer than eight pages to the entire Thomas Workman clan. I don't know which if any other family you could be talking about, since I don't know you and to my recollection have not received any input from you. However, I recognize my own fallibility and may not recall some previous correspondence. If I somehow I overlooked your input, I apologize. I appeal to you now to send to me directly a critique of the questionable parts of the Workman story with specific identification of data or statements with which you disagree. I promise you I will return to the task and research the area again. I will correct any errors that I find in the book and give you full credit for helping me clean up my mess. It would be great if you could publish your findings on the Thomas Workman family since we know so little about him. By the way, thanks for the story telling compliment. I hope you are not too mad at me to continue reading and enjoying my tales about growing up in southern WV even if you do consider me a Logan County interloper. STAN On Nov 17, 2007, at 9:04 PM, D Browning wrote: > Jim, > I just looked at your database and must admit that I was not > surprised that it is NOT based on documented information as you > promised the list. I wouldn't even begin to know where to start > making corrections to my Logan County surnames. You have John R. > Bryant and Elizabeth Coalter as the parents of Corbin Bryant. > Would you mind quoting your source and "documentation" for that > information? I have a hunch as to your "source" and I can > categorically state that it is not correct. It took a lot of work > and time for you to repeat the same old mistakes that have been > circulating for at least a hundred years and then add someone's > fantasy about John R. Bryant and Elizabeth Coalter to boot. > > Stan Browning had asked for my opinion on his Workman Book > sometime ago. I finally downloaded his Workman book this evening > and in all fairness to you, Jim, Stan should stick to telling > stories about what he knows. For Stan: I do enjoy reading your > stories even if they are not about Logan County. You are a very > talanted storyteller, but you sure made a mess of my Workman > family. Well, actually, you both did. Jim, you have my great > grandfather Moses Workman (wife Polly Mullins) with two or three > different sets of parents. > > Stan I am a Deskins descendant (Tazewell County). I have done > extensive research on every Deskins family that existed prior to > 1850 and there were NO Deskins families in Halifax County VA when > Sarah, the wife of Thomas Workman was born. Harmon's Annals Of > Tazewell Co. VA shows her as Deskins, while Netti S/Yantis shows > her as Dickerson. I mentioned this to Netti the last time I talked > to her (a few months ago) and she and I both agree that "someone" > should check the actual record at the Tazewell County courthouse > beofre anyone else publishes it. > > I was waiting to see what "Logan County Recreated" was all about > before I contributed any of my DOCUMENTED research, but as I said, > I wouldn't know where to begin making corrections. You do have > dates (1700s) on your website that can be found nowhere except the > Steele Family Bible that is in my possession ( I am the 4th > owner). Your "source" states "donated by an LDS member after > 1991" with no credit given to the people who lovingly protected it > since the 1700s. I have over thirty years of research and I don't > expect to live another thirty to help you correct "Recreate" Logan > County, so I will just share my DOCUMENTED research with my own > relatives most of whom (including my own children) don't even own > computers and most certainly none of them are collecting data for LDS. > I sincerely wish you Good Luck with your endeavor. May you and > Stan both have many stars in your LDS crowns and may you have a > blessed Christmas. > Dodie (Smith) Browning > > > Jim wrote: > Dear Logan County, West Virginia Family & Genealogist, > > > > I am pleased to finally invite everyone to my new web site - > www.virginiasurnames.com > > My new email address is [email protected] > > > > You may want to visit Logan County Recreated 1824-1863 > > > > With this data base and links to the 1880 Census and West Virginia > Vital > Records Logan County researchers will be able to > > Find information on their families. The index is the key to finding > everyone in the data base. Look for the small N by > > The head of the house (not always) to find the notes that I have > added. > > > > Several of these families I found confusing - I look forward to your > corrections and updates. > > > > I have 22,000 residents in this data base - only 18,468 individuals > appear > on this web site. I have tried several times to upload all the > information; > however, 3,500 of the 22,000 do not want to update. I hope to > figure out > how to add the missing names. > > > > It is my hope that members of this mailing list will send updates and > corrections one family at a time. I must be strict in updating one > family > at a time. > > > > I want to thank the wonderful ladies who assisted my with the Birth > Death > Marriage Veterans Census, Mortality Schedule. I hope that members > of the > list will help me finish the 1870 Logan County, West Virginia > Census. The > Tridelphia Township is finished and I have been working on the > Magnolia > Township. For those who have been working on the other township I look > forward to adding those families to the data base. > > > > Be sure to the check the notes on each individual. > > > > My hope is to be able to upload new data bases on my personal > families, > Burgess Families of Southwest Virginia and Descendants of David > Toler and > Susanna in the next few weeks. > > > > I have concentrated on adding information on families that are > related to my > family. > > > > This is my Holiday gift to every one on the Logan County Mailing > list who > have been so kind to me for these many years. > > > > May we celebrate the birth of our Savior The Lord Jesus Christ > during this > wonderful time of year. > > > > Merry Christmas > > > > Jim & Sandi Burgess > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to WVLOGAN- > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > > --------------------------------- > Be a better pen pal. Text or chat with friends inside Yahoo! Mail. > See how. > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to WVLOGAN- > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message --------------------------------- Be a better pen pal. Text or chat with friends inside Yahoo! Mail. See how.