by Rocky Macy
Noel civic activist Mary SHINGLETON MEEK received the following letter recently as a result of her being mentioned in an article on the Christmas City that was carried nationally by the New York Times News Service. Mary has graciously shared the letter with Rootbound in the hope that some of our readers may be able to assist its author.
Dear Ms. MEEK,
This past Christmas I read with interest an article in our newspaper (The Ventura County Star and Free Press) about your town, Noel. As I read, your name jumped out at me. I am involved in doing my genealogy and I have a MEEK line in my family. I have enclosed a copy of my MEEK line and would appreciate your looking to see if in any way we might have a connection. I look forward to hearing from you.
Hopefully yours,
Arlene CHRISTENSEN
150 S. Arnaz Ave.
Ojai, CA 92023
Ms. CHRISTENSEN's MEEK line follows:
1. Samuel MEEK was born in 1757 in Maryland. He died in 1838 in Brooks, VA. His wife, Polly WELLS, was born circa 1761 in Brooks, VA. Their children included Elizabeth, Susana, Robert, Nancy, and Joseph.
2. Robert MEEK was born in 1789 in Brooks, VA, and died in 1878 in Springfield, MO. On 21 April 1814 he married Esther McCOMB. She was born in 1792 at Tuscarawas, OH, and died on 11 Nov 1871. Their children were Joseph, Mary, Marian, Samuel, Thomas Allen, Susanah, Nancy, John William, Robert, James Bruce, and Anderson D.
3. Marian MEEK was born 8 October 1817 in Tuscarawas, OH, and died on 10 March 1875 in Washington, IA. She married John Lindsay KILGORE on 15 March 1838. The KILGORE children included Robert M., David Shiloh, Joseph Martin, Esther M., Janette, Thomas Allen, George Vincent, John Scott, Nancy Jane, and Jeremiah.
I had lunch in Monett last Sunday with my mother's cousin, Mary SREAVES CLOTFELTER, her daughter, Ruth CLOTFELTER CAMENISCH, and their husbands. Ruth is an experienced genealogist who does family research almost daily in the Shepherd Room of the Greene County Public Library in Springfield, MO. (I've worked in the Shepherd Room on occasion. It's a first-rate genealogical facility.)
Mary gave me a two-page handwritten letter that my grandmother had sent to her brother-in-law in 1918. It had been stored away in a box of old correspondence in an attic for decades. The simple letter, written in pencil, is a treasure!
How many of you have treasures stored in your attics? Those old letters and photos that are clutter today will be priceless tomorrow. Save, save, save!
Rootbound Short Cut: Review your family photo albums and snapshot collections periodically to be sure that the pictures are labeled. Photographs lose their significance if no one remembers who the subjects were. If you have old photos that are unlabeled, work with senior family members to make identifications while there is still time. Your children and grandchildren will thank you for it.
Happy trails!
No comments:
Post a Comment