Tracking Your Roots: Lisa

When you stand at the ocean, think of me
As a Zephyr I shall be
Forever, Always, I am free.

8/27/05-DAR meeting; Spent time with cousins Ed & Allison as well as newly introduced cuz Erin. The 4 of us (& Erin's cute kids) had lunch with longtime TYR contributor, Bill King, at Hungry's Bistro. Lunch was SUPER and the company was AWESOME!!! Trying to sort out our various family ties was a bit confusing at times, but Erin & Allison succeeded in making the connections. GREAT meeting you Bill after all these years and I look forward to getting together with you guys again in the near future! :)

8/28/05-Finally I have my scrapbooking project finished for all my family photos--YEAH! So I'm current on that. Now I'm planning a family tree scrapbook that I'll start at this month's crop.

9/2/05-Recently learned that my beautiful, beloved Dauphin Island is in shambles from Hurricane Katrina also! :( The latest report I found from Dauphin Island reads "The Damage to Dauphin Island was on the west end. Some homes were lost due to the storm surge. I don't think anyone was in those homes. The local news here has not reported any deaths or injuries from Dauphin Island. (or anywhere in Alabama) Phone lines and cell phone towers are down in the area, but most power except on the beach, has been restored. " And this Coastal Marine Geology site shows some of the damage, you can note from before to after photos, the houses no longer present on the island and in the very last photo the oil rig that washed onshore of DI--from another source I understand this is the missing rig from offshore New Orleans. :(
Click here to donate to Red Cross relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina.

9/3/05-Headed to Padre Island beach this weekend to relax & dream about the November trip to South America. :)

9/5/05-Busy making plans for our end of the month departure to Bama for the Talladega NASCAR race....GO JIMMIE, GO JIMMIE, GO JIMMIE, GO!!!

9/8/05-Awoken by a dream--I've had this one before--Blue Eyes ... Cry; Time can heal all our open wounds, And just like the winds erase the dunes. Received several photos from Mom that were taken on DI after Katrina. Sadly noted one shot is of what was formerly "Snail's Pace", half of the structure now having been claimed by the Gulf...one of my favorite places to stay is no more. :(

9/10/05-Niki had her puppies yesterday. A little boy weighing 5 oz and a tiny girl weighing only 2.5 oz. Dwarfed by her larger sibling she is weak and frail and requiring hand feeding which is leaving little rest for the weary (ME)! It is very debatable wether or not the little one will make it at this point. On a brighter note, the final 10 "Chase for the Cup" races will start next weekend--Jimmie has dropped from first down to 4th in the standings as of tonight's race, but with the new points system the slate is basically cleared now for the top 10. Hopefully "Pretty Boy" Gordon, who didn't make the chase, will work with his teammate to help keep him up front the rest of this season. Dega is the third race & typically uses a lot of bump-drafting & team work--wouldn't it be AWESOME to have Jimmie win at Dega when Steven & I are there!?!?! :)

9/12/05-The ittiest, bittiest puppy is still hanging in there, so maybe she's gonna make it after all.:) My motorcycle that was supposed to be delivered to the local dealership in 3 days is STILL not here nearly two weeks later! :( All this after I've gotten good and antsy about having a bike again and getting out & riding along the coast here in this awesome warm weather!!! :( My son Steven was lucky--his bike was in stock when we got it!--Oh well, patience is a virtue....one I'm running short of this week! :)

9/13/05-Starting a fitness program at a gym here in Clear Lake today--need to build up my endurance before the trip so I can hack an all day jungle river tubing excursion, lots of walking and other fun stuff! :)

9/15/05-Well, everybody wish me luck and say a prayer for me. I'm putting in for a new position that will be a promotion for me. It is still involved with computers and software applications, but I believe it will be more of a challenge than my current job and will better utilize my clinical background. :-)

10/6/05-This is a MUCH delayed post as things were very hectic here since the last post with hurricane Rita preparation at work, as well as at home, and then taking off out of town right afterwards for the NASCAR race in Bama last weekend. We had little to no damage here in Clear Lake, and even less at work, and although it was good to be so well prepared in the wake of all the tremendous damage created by Hurricane Katrina the previous month, I have to say that I think it has created a sense that will leave folks less likely to rush to leave in the wake of the 'next big one'. This if unfortunate, but true. I've heard folks locally make similar statements regarding 'next time'. I have to say though that for those of us who had to stay behind (our home was in the mandatory evacuation zone) due to work, etc. it sure was nice to have the entire city of Houston basically to yourself! I'm sure I'll NEVER AGAIN have so much freeway/roadway all to myself! LOL It'll certainly be the ONLY time I'll ever get to drive North on the Gulf Freeway at 8am without having to do the 'stop and go' thing! :) My yard saw one branch down from a tree out back and a number of hibiscus bushes that now need wayward limbs trimmed, but other than that we only had a couple of shingles bent which was an easy repair job. WE WERE LUCKY GUYS!!! I can say this because the following week Steven & I drove I-10/I-12/I-59 to Talladega for the race and we saw firsthand the damage. Along I-10 we saw houses in Beaumont, TX with trees slammed through the middle of them. Trees were down everywhere. I understand places close to the coast like Cameron were flattened, but we didn't see those. The military was out in full force not allowing any cars to exit the interstate at any of the Beaumont exits. It was the same in Lake Charles, LA, however, we saw little if any real damage there. I hear from other sources they were without power for days and there was some flooding. Anyway, by far the worst damage we saw was when we hit I-59 from 12--the number of trees down etc in Mississippi from Katrina was UNREAL! I'm sure that was just a small indicator of the damage MS saw during that terrible storm. :( We saw appreciable damage all the way up 59 to just north of Laurel, MS. I know from cousins over there that many of them as far north as Laurel & Magee were without power for weeks post Katrina. So, we got to Bama Friday and spent the day with family. We took my sisters 3 little ones for souveniers, funtime, and to see the ARCA race on Saturday. Kyleigh and Josh did NOT like all the NOISE! LOL But Tyler LOVED IT! :) Steven & I went to the Cup Race on Sunday...we left after the second 'BIG ONE' ended, leaving only 1/2 the cars running...Jr & Jimmie were both basically or totally out before the race was 1/2 over! As were a number of other drivers. :( I was surprised at the number of folks that decided like us, to head on home, rather than tolerate the direct sun any longer ..and for WHAT?!?! LMAO I still ended up with a sunburn to my arms bad enough that I still have the blisters to prove it. My fault, 15SPF is NOT enough for this chick's skin! :( I promise to do better when Allison & I head to South America next month...I have my 50SPF as well as my 30SPF with insect repellent ready to go! :) [Ed, don't worry, I won't let Allison get bug bit or sunburned! LMAO] Alright, that appears to catch me up for the past two weeks--whoopie! ;)

10/07/05-I finally had an opportunity today to sit down and work with the county query groups again. About ½ of the counties have moderators who volunteered and who have been in charge of those counties for the past year. I am hopeful that new posts will generate assistance for the remaining county groups which include: Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Clarke, Clay, Cleburne, Colbert, Crenshaw, Dallas, Dekalb, Elmore, Fayette, Franklin, Jackson, Lamar, Lawrence, Lee, Macon, Marengo, Marion, Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Pickens, Russell, Sumter, Talladega, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Washington, Wilcox & Winston. I would also like to thank the moderators who have been so WONDERFUL at maintaining the other county groups, inviting new members, approving posts, reducing the amount of spam posted for the counties and promoting info sharing including posting photos, documents and county info to the various query groups! An extremely grateful, enormously huge THANK YOU to ALL THE CURRENT MODERATORS FOR ALL YOU DO TO HELP OUT WITH TYR!!! --Lisa--

10/8/05-GREAT weather for a bike ride. Got up and out early and headed to the gym. The feel of riding in this kind of fall-like weather is AWESOME! Zephyrs and all. :) Am hoping for a ride down to Galveston Island and east over the bridge to Freeport next weekend when I'm not on call. I'm sure it will spark some great (albeit now somewhat saddening) memories. FUN FUN FUN!! :) Gotta get me a new tent soon...will soon be PERFECT weather to camp out on the beach! :)

10/09/05-A HUGE THANK YOU to Renae Baukema (Pickens), Sue Threatt (Crenshaw), Roni Jenson (Jackson), Michael Robinson (Tuscaloosa), Tim Kemp (Clay, Lee & Macon) & Charity Goodwin (Lawrence) who have taken on moderating these counties for TYR. THANKS A TON!!!

10/12/05- A HUGE THANK YOU to Alton Greeson (DeKalb) & Joyce Amberson Rogers (Colbert) our newest TYR county moderators!!! THANK YOU BOTH!!!! :)

10/13/05-THANKS TO Penny Creech moderator for Blount & Cullman counties who will take on Walker & Winston counties also now. I REALLY APPRECIATE the help! :)
Looks like I'll get to ride my bike down to Galveston this weekend like I've wanted to ever since I got the darned thing--WOOHOO! :) This means I want the rest of you Houstonians to forget visiting the beach this Saturday so I can have the darned Gulf Freeway ALL TO MYSELF! LMAO Yeah, I know, WISHFUL THINKING!!! :0

10/15/05-The ride to Galveston was nice, but the ride back coming up 146 was even better! Made an early evening stop at the boardwalk in Kemah for dinner at The Flying Dutchman (a new one for me). I love sitting in the outdoor eating area looking over the water! Yummy grilled, stuffed red snapper. :) Saw a first there....huge numbers of bell-shaped jelly fish propelling themselves through the water (albeit slowly! LOL) near the boardwalk. I mean tons of them..mostly milky white in color, but some were edged with bright reddish purple. Reminded me of going to Dauphin Island in early March and taking out into the bay in the canoe and seeing massive numbers of sea rays & horseshoe crabs everywhere!! Anyhoo, it was a super day for riding & there were a lot of us bikers out too. I enjoyed it througouhly! It's something when u do something and enjoy it so fully, but still realize something is missing....something about a trip along the coast in March of 2003, that I wish had been there this time too. Maybe someday things will be that way again permanently. :)

10/16/05-Woohoo! Jimmie won the race last night! GO JIMMIE, GO JIMMIE, GO JIMMIE, GO!!! Back in first for the championship--tied with Tony Stewart now. Crossing our fingers hard now for a win this year! :) Got a lot done this weekend, stuff I'd put off for a bit..a couple of shingles in need of repair post Rita and trimming out the window on the office building. Nice to finally be done with that! :) Will try to finish up my bedroom molding project next weekend--would like to get as many things as possible completed before Allison & I head to South America....counting the days now!! :)

10/17/05-69mpg!! SUPER!!! So besides being fun to drive it should save me some $$ in gas! :)

10/21/05-Well the dress for the Heritage Day Celebration arrived today. The hat should come in tomorrow. Already have my gloves. Just need to find shoes and get the bustle done up in the coming week. For those of you in the Houston area come join us and support the DAR next Saturday.
Generations Celebration-October 29, 2005 10:00-1:00-The Heritage Society-1100 Bagby-Houston 77002- Style Show, Lunch, and Tour-Cost: $30 at the door--Proceeds to benefit the Founders Memorial Park Cemetery.

10/22/05-Headed over to Allison's for the day to scrapbook all the photos from the Dega race last month. Maybe once I'm done I'll shoot some photos of our weekend and post them online. We'll also be doing 'cruise talk'. Counting the days now--WOOHOO!! EVERYONE is asking me to post Heritage Day photos... (the guys at work all wanna see me in my 'frufru' dress!) I'm sure photos will be taken (heehee) but I'm not sure I'll post em--I have NO idea what I'll do with this mop of hair! After cutting it short and now deciding to grow it back out again, it's at that awful 'in between' stage--heck!, I've contemplated wearing a wig to the show! So if the photos turn out funky you'll all know why!! LOL

10/23/05-Carried my first 'passenger' on the bike yesterday...my Creative Memories carryall with all my 'junk' in it! LOL Took a couple of tie downs to secure it to the bike (took up the passenger seat and all the spoiler area!) Then took off to Allison's. As my Houston road condition authority was on hiatus in Austin, I did not receive word that part of I-10 was closed this weekend (will the construction NEVER end over there!?!). As a result I had to take the "scenic" detour route! Ed, I know you are reading this so please don't let this happen again! JUST TEASING!!! I got the 'thumbs up' sign from a guy in a blazer on I-45..guessing he approved of the bike :D. He reminded me of someone I've not seen since last May..wishful thinking on my part! Anyway the trip went well and I learned something I'd not realized before...it is 40 miles from Clear Lake to Allison's neck of NW Houston!!! WOW!! Didn't notice the number of miles until I started home. Which, by the way, was after dark and FRIGGIN COLD riding home on the bike without a jacket!! Our 4 days of Fall in Houston are here folks! LOL That'll teach me! :)

04 NOV 2005-Group ride to the Lone Star Rally on Galveston Island. Started out with breakfast at Kelly's in League City then spent the day at the Rally--WALL TO WALL motorcycles!! :) FUN FUN FUN!! There were some interesting & different bikes there too!

14 NOV 2005-Back from vacation. Allison & I had a TON of fun in Honduras & Belize. We went to Honduras first and arrived at Roatan Island, greeted by crystal clear waters. While on Roatan we visited with a tribe of Garifuna who are among the island's inhabitants. A short boat trip took us out to see the remains of 2 shipwrecks off the island's coast. A walk through the main town on the island, gave us a chance to see a local cemetery, some stores and banana trees (LOTS all over the island actually) and to photograph a couple of local kids at the Yaba Ding Ding. John, our 8 year old escort, was talkative and inquisitive and kept me entertained as we walked through town. :) Yeah, yeah, I know a buck tip and he was off like a shot!, but I thought he was a cute character anyway! LOL Next we went to Belize, a much better off country at 2:1 (Belize $$ to US $$) compared to Honduras' 19:1. ( I came home with a nice variety of souvenir moolah from both countries. A drive through Belize City to see the sights then out across the country past a huge cemetery to points west of the capitol of Belmopan put us at our destination for the day....jungle river tubing & a Mayan ruins site visit.

17 NOV 2005-Steven & I did the Port of Houston Ship Channel Tour. A nice 1.5 hour boat ride which included a highly interesting talk about the history and activity of the ship channel. I had no idea it was among the largest and most active ports in the US!

28 NOV 2005-Onyx got a hair cut while I spent the day on a motorcycle ride down to Crystal Beach with a friend. My first time crossing on the ferry on the bike and my first ferry ride to see dolphins! It was the perfect day for a bike ride! We had an EXCELLENT dinner at Stingaree's restaurant on the marina in Crystal Beach--I HIGHLY recommend it--the seafood was FABULOUS! :)

01 DEC 2005-Honda Rider's Club - Ride for Kids 2006 I have signed up to participate in my first Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation Ride For Kids by Honda Rider's Clubs of America. I got the paperwork in the mail 2 days ago and went ahead today and created my"sponsor me" web page. I am excited about this opportunity to get involved in this worthwhile cause and look forward to the ride! My web page for the ride is at http://www.justgiving.com/pfp/tyr.

12 DEC 2005-HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHUCK!!! I'm busy planning for Christmas & getting ready to begin some heavy-duty Franklin research after the first of the year for the upcoming 2006 reunion. Renewed my subsciption to Franklin Family Researches United. Plans to take everyone out to dinner next weekend at my favorite Italian restaurant, Cafe Avanti. Still looking for a similar place for good Italian food here in the Houston area. I do NOT recommend the Italian Cafe in the Seabrook area of Nasa Rd 1. Avg. food, and VERY pricey for a 'serve yourself' restaurant! :(

26 DEC 2006-On our ride back to Texas Steven & I stopped at the neatest rest stop! I'd seen it before, but never stopped there on any of my numerous trips across I-10. If you ever cross the 20ish mile long bridge over the Atchafalaya Swamp in Louisiana make sure you stop at the rest area partway across--especially if you have school-age children! They have the neatest Disney-like presentation on the swamp there that runs continuously and is just a few minutes long. It was very interesting and VERY well done! Makes for a nice trip break! :)

04 JAN 2006- HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE!! Been a bit since the last post. I finally got in a trip on the new bike of some length--two trips actually! I'll try to add a photo or two this week. First I did a trip up to Big Thicket National Preserve in the East Texas Piney Woods, roundtrip 260+ miles. Rode back roads through the country up 146 and across Hwy 90 to Nome, TX then North to Kountze and the park. Nice, enjoyable ride with temps in the mid 70s..lots of bikers out! Met a group at the rest stop/picnic area on the side of 90 coming back. Those Harley guys everywhere want to pick on a gal riding a Honda--oh well! LOL Trip number 2 was my 'test the waters' for riding to Bama next month! Rode down to Padre Island National Seashore--down one day and back the next, over 600 miles roundtrip. Stopped at a number of historic sites and parks along the way to break up the trip. Temps in the upper 70s to low 80s with lots of sunshine. Had to lose the jacket it was so warm! MAN I LOVE SOUTH TEXAS WEATHER!!

05 JAN 2006-AWESOME!! ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!! What more can I say? Kemah boardwalk in the right company is better than going alone ANY DAY! J

11 JAN 2006-It’s been a whirlwind week. Work is good. Lots of stuff going on, and I’m getting several “projects” done at the house. Did get the office flooring all in and finished, and I have to say, I done purty good! LOL Still have one more window valence to finish sewing up. And the tile for the floors has finally been delivered, so my garage really looks like a ‘work area’ now! Hoping to get started on this project this weekend—Steven & I have to move all the furniture around and pull up the carpet, but we should be able to get that done. Planning for a ‘ride’ next Saturday is completed and participating members of the biking group I’m in will meet up in La Grange, TX…should be fun! Will post some photos afterwards.

29 JAN 2006-A HUMONGOUS THANK YOU to my good friends Gerald & Joan for "putting up with me once again" over the last 4 days during my stay in Montgomery, AL for research and classes. I accomplished a TON on the Franklin genealogy updates during my time in central Alabama and will be spending the next week or so inputting all the new info. THANKS to Joan for the help! Enjoyed lunch Saturday with my good friend Adrienne, who I've not seen in a few years--we met in May of 1990 when we both were working as census enumerators, and later determined we were related by marriage, our husbands at the time, being distant cousins. :) The kids are growing and life is good! :) Kudos to ya girl!

04 FEB 2006-> Lifes journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ...holy shit...what a ride!

12 FEB 2006-A trip to San Antonio ended with a super fun visit with friends, and former Birmingham co-workers, Jeff & Gena at a huge Mexican party in the park! THANKS guys--I enjoyed every minute! :)

18 FEB 2006-Trip through the Piney Woods region of East Texas on a 'mission' for a fellow prospective DAR member took me to through and to Rusk County, TX. Stopped at a number of old cemeteries along the way and took photos, largely of deteriorating/broken markers, with the hopes of preserving them via photo uploads to findagrave.com. If you are doing research I HIGHLY recommend you run a search for your ancestors at this awesome site! Nice trip, good weather, lots accomplished on my first Lineage Lookup Volunteer project for DAR.

19 FEB 2006-GO JIMMIE, GO JIMMIE, GO JIMMIE, GO!!! #1 @ Daytona International Speedway!!

22 FEB 2006-Not much written of late. Just busy with things at the house and preparing for the reunion. Got the tile all put down in the master bedroom, so that is completed, now, once the furniture is moved into that room, Steven will be switching to the spare bedroom, as his floor is next. Yippeee-one more thing out of the way!

26 FEB 2006-Jimmie places #2 in California--off to a helluva a start dude! Way to go!!! :)

27 FEB 2006-
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else,
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten
Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten

We Are The Chosen (unknown author)

We are the chosen. In each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors. To put flesh on their bones and make them live again, to tell the family story and to feel that somehow they know and approve. Doing genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts but, instead, breathing
life into all who have gone before. We are the story tellers of the tribe. All tribes have one. We have been called, as it were, by our genes. Those who have gone before cry out to us: Tell our story. So, we do. In finding them, we somehow find ourselves. How many graves have I stood before now and cried? I have lost count. How many times have I told the ancestors, "You have a wonderful family; you would be proud of us." How many times have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow there was love there for me? I cannot say.

It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who am I and why do I do the things I do. It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference and saying I can't let this happen. The bones here are bones of my bone and flesh of my flesh. It goes to doing something
about it. It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today. It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving in or giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family. It goes to deep pride that the fathers fought and some died to make and keep us a Nation. It goes to a deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us. It is of equal pride and love that our mothers struggled to give us birth, without them we could not exist, and so we love each one, as far back as we can reach. That we might be born who we are. That we might remember them. So we do. With love and caring and scribing each fact of their existence, because we are they and they are the sum of who we are. So, as a scribe called, I tell the story of my family. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take my place in the long line of family storytellers.

That is why I do my family genealogy, and that is what calls those young and old to step up and restore the memory or greet those whom we had never known before.

08 MAR 2006-Spent lunch time at Brookside Cemetery doing some volunteer monument photos today--nice day for an outing. I have been SUPER sluggish posting, but the weather has been warm (86 one day) and GREAT for trips/bike rides etc...!! :) I have made a number of these volunteer 'road trips' in a 200 mile radius from homebase here in Clear Lake City to take photos as requested as well as a large number of those not requested, to preserve them online for future generations and interested family historians. I think this is a GREAT project--and I encourage others to do the same in their local vicinity. :) The potential resource for genealogists is AWESOME to ponder!!

THE RECORDING OF A CEMETERY
BY THELMA GREENE REAGAN
Today we walked where others walked
On a lonely, windswept hill;
Today we talked where other cried
For Loved Ones whose lives are stilled.

Today our hearts were touched
By graves of tiny babies;
Snatched from the arms of loving kin,
In the heartbreak of the ages.

Today we saw where the grandparents lay
In the last sleep of their time;
Lying under the trees and clouds -
Their beds kissed by the sun and wind.

Today we wondered about an unmarked spot;
Who lies beneath this hollowed ground?
Was it a babe, child, young or old?
No indication could be found.

Today we saw where Mom and Dad lay.
We had been here once before
On a day we'd all like to forget,
But will remember forever more.

Today we recorded for kith and kin
The graves of ancestors past;
To be preserved for generations hence,
A record we hope will last.

Cherish it, my friend; preserve it, my friend,
For stones sometimes crumble to dust
And generations of folks yet to come
Will be grateful for your trust.

11 MAR 2006-Genealogical news for this week: Discovered I have more Feaster kin in TX than I thought upon moving here! Also added a new surname to my tree--yet another overly common name to boot--WILLIAMS! My Rev. War Veteran Reuben Searcy, married Susan Henderson. Susan Henderson's mother turns out to be Elizabeth Williams (see child #6 of John Williams, Welsh immigrant on the site below).
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mo/county/stlouis/williams/#Isaac%20Baldwin,%20J

14 MAR 2006-Making plans for attending the October Lowe's Motor Speedway race this year. :) GO JIMMIE, GO JIMMIE, GO JIMMIE, GO!!

16 MAR 2006-My first attempt at geocaching! A quick find, not too far from home, in Texas City, TX. I think this could be yet another addictive hobby!! FUN FUN FUN

17 MAR 2006-HAPPY ST PATTY'S DAY TO YE ALL!! I'm headed to Red Level for the weekend! :) Houston Rodeo/Lonestar concert---SUCKED!!! L After the concert we headed to Bama for reunion planning stuff. Placed first cache—awaiting site approval of cache page for posting.

18 MAR 2006-Completed all necessary reunion items & did some geocaching in the Andalusia area. Placed a cache in Red Level (our 2d) and retrieved information for cords and clues to use on the cache’s log page. Also stopped by Almarante Cemetery in Laurel Hill, FL, where we located not only the kinfolk I knew were buried there, but a number of other members of the same family that will help me find some living family members—I HOPE! :) We also did a cache there, had lunch at the restaurant located at the cache site just down the road from the cemetery—The Laurel Hill Grill—good fare and low prices—I recommend the butterbeans and friend green tomatoes for sides-YUMMY!! Headed to Mobile via I-10 from FL.

19 MAR 2006-Headed out to D.I. this morning..actually found some caches logged on the island! Got our legs scrapped up in the Saw Palmettos on one hunt though. L Did a run by the I-10/I-65 TB Motel cache and picked up our first TB (Ivan the Terrible).

20 MAR 2006-Spent the day in southern Louisiana; geocaching in New Iberia area. Visited Avery Island and the Tabasco factory as well as the Jungle Gardens—took Ivan along for photos at the Budda temple in the Gardens to post to his logbook site. :)

21 MAR 2006-Back in Houston, making plans for northbound trip next weekend. Noted that the closest TB motel appears to be in Conroe. Will likely do pickups/dropoffs here in the future when I travel.

03 APR 2006: My DAR pins finally arrived! VIS pin still not here yet, but the main setup did come! YEAH!

05 APR 2006: Nice article about how geocaching came about.

08 APR 2006: Rode over to Beaumont for the Cowboys on the Coast Rally. Not bad, nice concerts, but not as big as the Galveston rally. Turns out its only their second year so it's still a newbie! :)

11 APR 2006: My first FTF!!! Right over in Sylvan Rodriguez Park! :) 2 more days & counting!

21 APR 2006: Steven & I just returned from our vacation trip up Nawth! We had a really nice trip, visited several areas of the country we'd not seen before, including North Dakota and the Great Lakes areas. Went through a part of South Dakota I'd not been to before...this is definitely the one of the prettiest states in the country...could even be tied with Wyoming for the top spot in my book! What can I say, as far as I can tell only good things come out of SD! :)

28 APR 2006: Looks like the Franklin reunion will be a big one! I'm guestimating at 100 folks at this point based on the reply cards I've gotten back in the mail so far. :) We are really looking forward to it, particularly with our newfound DNA testing information.

30 APR 2006: Rode today in the Honda Ride for Kids event in support of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Took some neat photos of all the riders (guessing around 500 bikes in the actual ride), especially around the San Jac Monument. Afterwards, we attended our first geocaching event, held in Alvin, TX--pretty cool to finally put some faces to all the names I've seen logged of late! :)

06 MAY 2006: This has been a really good week, despite the hectic atmosphere with the upcoming reunion. Did a fair amount of geocaching--trying to collect a number of TBs for the upcoming trip like we did before the ND trip last month. As Mike Dyer says "my guess is that the average geocacher is in his or her mid-thirties, considered techno savvy, outdoor oriented, and enjoys
solving problems and seeking adventures"...so, except for the age (Hey!, I'm young at heart!) I sure fit that description--at any rate, I'm hooked! LOL

21 MAY 2006: Talladega Track & Museum tour--grabbed some caches in and around the Dega area, including picking up Ian the Irish (relation of our first TB Ivan the Terrible) in a cemetery cache that was a really neat spot--took photos of the markers to post to findagrave and index to TYR.

22 MAY 2006: Introduced my brother's kids to geocaching in their hometown of Trussville, AL. We even scarfed Bama's first cache there. The kids thought it was waay cool to go on a 'treasure hunt' and I got some cute photos of Darby following Alex around with the GPS looking 'lost'! :)

25 MAY 2006: Chance's graduation in South Alabama was really nice. We arrived a good bit early and had dinner at a local restaurant then proceeded to the school for the graduation. I am so proud of my son...he was also the receipient of a scholarship to my alma mater. :) Now that both my boys are out of high school, I guess I'm officially 'old'! LMAO

27 MAY 2006: The Franklin reunion went off without a hitch. Anticipating the worst, I am MOST pleasantly surprised everything went so well. There was a bit of an issue when we first arrived Sat morning to setup and heat up the BBQ....the doors were all locked. Took about 30 min to run down Mike Armstrong, who had the keys and gain entry to the church. Otherwise, we had TONS of food and the most successful reunion EVER! Turnout was without a doubt the largest of any previous reunion with over 80 attendees. Chris received many compliments on the BBQ and was a HUGE help--THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! There were a number of cousins I'd corresponded with over the last 17 years researching the family, but had not had the opportunity to meet before. I'm also happy to say that the newly found descendants of Serena were able to attend which meant that 4 of the 5 children of Willson & Tempy Franklin were represented at the reunion: William H. Franklin, James Wilson Franklin, John A. Franklin, & Serena T. Franklin. Only Green T. Franklin's line remains to be turned up at this point in time. A BIG THANKS to everyone who attended and all who helped out!!!

01 JUN 2006: Received my first geocoin! :) Also found this neat article on a 'benefit' of geocaching. LOL

04 JUN 2006: Rode the motorcycle over to George Bush park in west Houston for a day of geocaching. While this sport has led me to discover some cool parks and neat sites in my cross country travels and exploring Houston, this has got to be the crappiest park around here! Oh well, we did run down 5 caches and got some sun..not that I need much more of that here lately! :)

06 JUN 2006: Getting ready for this coming weekend when I will attend my first Johnston family reunion. Being held at a state park in West Louisiana, it will give me a chance to venture into a new part of that state as well as finally meet my cousin Richard Johnston. Also looking forward to a river tubing expedition we are planning for SA later this month, and of course my research trip with Lynna Kay to Birmingham the end of the month. She & I will fly over and pick up my jeep and drive back to TX after we are done researching her Bama ancestors from the beautiful Guntersville, AL area. :)

11 JUN 2006: Attended the Johnston reunion. Planted a cache at Mansfield state historic site which is being co-hosted by a local Louisiana cacher. This is my 2d LA cache, Atchafalya being my first.

14 JUN 2006: Working with Rusty at personalcoins.com to design my own TYR/geocaching coin. Planning an event for August to premiere the new coins.

20 JUN 2006: Have selected some spots for cache hides nearby for the August event. Will be having a poker run at the event that should be interesting fun too.

24 JUN 2006: Spent the day in New Braunfels tubing on the Guadalupe. River was low, so it was a slow, rough trip.

02 JUL 2006: Returned from a productive trip to Marshall & Madison counties in Alabama for Lynna's research. She did luck up and find a few pieces of new info which will be helpful in adding to her family tree. We also spoke with some folks who gave her contact info for some potential distant cousins who may be able to help with the Patterson cemetery we were unable to locate on a mountain in Marshall county. I grabbed a few caches in the areas we went to, including one "Do Not Log this Cache" cache in Montgomery on Saturday. Too funny! :) Will have yet another, albeit minor, eye surgery this fall to correct a vision problem I've been having of late. Continuing with planning for Sept trip to ME and PEI and also an October race weekend in North Carolina. :)

15 JUL 2006: Attended UD workshop to work on craft items to be used at Convention in October. Afterwards I rode over to LaPorte and attended SE TXs loss=NYs gain event. Met some more area cachers and did a number of area caches as a group--GREAT FUN! :)

23 JUL 2006: Made a day trip up to Dahlworthington Gardens near Arlington, TX to grab the second waypoint of Dixie Meet Texas. Although I had grabbed the first waypoint earlier this month while in Huntsville, AL, I was contacted last week by Deb aka Snoop Doggie Dee who asked to collaborate and grab the third waypoint back in Bama for me, so we will both get credit! :)

31 JUL 2006: Purchased wood flooring and had it installed this weekend. Glad to have all the flooring in the house finished finally! YEAH!!!

04 AUG 2006: My Tracking Your Roots personal geocoins arrived in the mail today--WOOHOO! :)

16 AUG 2006: "Houston Chronicle" newspaper snippet. :) So, I've had my photo taken in a field of bluebonnets and now had it appear in the Houston newspaper...it's official!--I'm a Houstonian! LOL

19 AUG 2006: Zephyr's Premiere geocaching event went off with a BANG!! The day started out somewhat dreary with rain, but it cleared off and a TON of fun was had by all! ATMAs best estimate is we had 60-65 folks in attendance--WOW! Great food, and great fun and lots of caching with 10 new area caches this week! :)

22 AUG 2006:
"Faint not, pour soul in God still trust,
Fear not the things thou suffer must;
For, whom he loves he doth chastise,
And then all tears wipes from their eyes."
--William Bradford, Mayflower Pilgrim

25-26 AUG 2006: Steven & I head Nawth to Canada on vacation. We stopped and ate at Pizza Village in Lafayette, LA. (1) (2)This is without a doubt the BEST PIZZA I've ever eaten! We took Hwy 167 south about .2 miles and turned left onto Castille then left again on Moss and we were there! We had the specialty pizza that has shrimp and jalepenos and some of the garlic cheese bread...YUM! YUM!! We drove all night and stopped in Athens, Alabama in the morning, on our way to Nashville (stop #1) for a bit of geocaching at the Vistor's center there..nice spot, lots of history/heritage!

27 AUG 2006: Riding east this afternoon along northern WV and southern MD after spending the day in Nashville with Steven's friend Kyle. Stopped at a neat earthcache site in MD this evening.

28 AUG 2006: Today finds us traveling through Pennsylvania where we decided to take a detour and visit Hershey, PA. :) And have lunch at the Red Robin. First time we've eaten there it was actually different and we both like it alot! Now we might drive cross Houston to pay the one on the West side a visit on occasion....or maybe they'll stick us one out I-45 or in Kemah in the near future! LOL We drove through NY--Bronx, south-bound traffic at 2pm anyone?!?!--WHERE are those people going?? Thank goodness we were on the relatively clear North bound side. NY has got to be KIDDING!! Charging a toll fee to drive on THOSE ROADS!!! Has to be the WORST stretch of interestate I've EVER ridden on, including 8,016 miles round trip drive out west in 2000! We then headed up eastern CT where we fast learned that these 'yanks' don't have a clue what to do when folks are trying to merge onto the freeway...there were ramps every 2-5 miles and everytime there was a ramp, traffic came to a DEAD stop then trickled forward at 2-3 mph for a mile until the ramp was passed. GOOD GRIEF!! (It was this experience that led us to take a NON-CT route back home from Canada) LMAO

04 SEP 2006: Driving through OH yesterday the GPSr came up with a cache indicated right off the freeway. Turns out it was at a well hidden VERY OLD cemetery. I went in and found the cache, but left my camera back at the car. Upon seeing the condition of the cemetery I immediately regretted this and trekked back to the car to retrieve the camera. The markers in the cemetery, which was located alongside a farmed field, appear to have been bulldozed into multiple piles. I have only seen this once before, years ago in Alabama, where a farmer who had bought land containing a cemetery, didn't realize the legal implications and, deciding to use the area for farming simply dozed all the markers into a pile in a corner. :( It amazes me that no one stopped to think that these were the memorials to and remains of SOMEONE'S loved ones, and how they'd feel had it been their OWN?!?! Anyway, camera in hand I sifted through the markers photographing everything there. (Exception: 1 overturned large marker, face down in the dirt that I did not have the strength to upturn for photographing). The cemetery looks to have contained 60-80 burials originally. There were only 2 markers intact still standing. The burials I was able to read were old, indicating persons born in the 1700s and buried in the early to mid 1800s. One along the western boundary and one along the southern one. I am slowly deciphering what I can of what the Drake Cemetery (due to the large number of persons found bearing this surname) in Warren County, OH. The cemetery can be found at GPS coords N 39° 25.833 W 084° 04.845. To reach the cemetery walk East along the southern edge of the plowed field located on the north side of Wilmington Road just West of it's intersection with I-71 in Warren County, OH. Enter the cemetery through the opening in the trees after crossing the creek. Surnames noted on decipherable markers include: Austin, Campbell, Drake, Fryer, Jeffery, King, Warwick, Zentmeyer. A number of those I have deciphered can be viewed online at http://www.findagrave.com. However, photos uploaded there are extemely downscaled. You can download the entire zip file of original images here. (NOTE!-This is a VERY LARGE 108 meg file--download may take some time at a slower connection, so be prepared.)

10 SEP 2006: We are back home now...in addition to the above we spent a day in Mystic, CT where we enjoyed the historic seaport village and the aquarium. We then headed east and spent a day in Plymouth, MA where we hiked nearby Anawan Rock Park and then visited Plymouth Rock and the Founding Father's Monument. Steven has four ancestors who came over on the Mayflower: John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley and her parents, and all are commemorated on the monument. We also did some geocaching while in this scenic, historic area. Of the entire trip, I have to say that for the New England states New Hampshire is my favorite with Vermont coming in 2nd. Geocaching led us to some really nice spots in NH...like this park, and this scenic area at Odinore Point, overlooking the ocean where I did some hiking. When we arrived in Maine we met up with NashvilleJoe and AbbysGrammy, fellow geocachers who were visiting family near Newport. We swapped geocoins and caching stories. It was nice to meet other geocachers on the road and quite a coincidence to be in the same place, far from home, like that! We drove across New Brunswick to C....bridge and returned via New Hampshire (stopping to hike Old Man of the Valley) and Vermont. Then down to OH and points south. We spent 2 days in Alabama then headed on home stopping at Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge on the MS/LA border on the way.

14 SEP 2006-Finally made it over to the Clayton library to scan the information they had for Franklins in Surry County, NC in an attempt to make a connection in the family tree. Compiled quite of bit of info, proving only that this James Franklin can't be mine. :( Did note with interest that there is an early Owen Franklin of Stokes & Surry County, NC--he appears on the 1790 Stokes Co., NC census and in the Surry county court minutes of 1805-9 as deceased, regarding settlment of his estate. Mentioned therein is also Malekiah and Bird Franklin, administrators of the estate. Malekiah being mentioned in the SEPT 1797 term of court in Stokes county, NC as some type of participant in the estate of one ?? Tate who had as an administrator one Owen Tate. Interestingly enough I find a connection between a Franklin family and Tate family in mid 1800s Arkansas that has me wondering if there has/is a connection between these two families dating well back into the 1700s?? You can access a download of the zip file of images of Surry/Stokes co, NC.

22 SEP 2006: Randy Franklin, descendant of James Franklin of Limestone Co., AL, probable son of Riley Franklin of early Limestone County, AL, has graciously agreed to join the DNA project. We anxiously await the test results as we believe Randy will be a very close, if not exact, match for us. I believe, in the end, we will prove all 5 of the major AL Franklin groups are closely related: Willson Franklin of Covington County, already tests a relative match, Owen Franklin of Jefferson County, already tests a relative match, Martin (Mark) Franklin of Madison County, AL in 1814 to Butler county, AL mid 1800s, also has already tested as a relative match. Riley Franklin of Limestone, AL currently undergoing testing, Josiah Franklin of Tuscaloosa Co., awaiting possible participant, and finally Josiah Franklin of Covington county--still seeking a male Franklin descendant of this line to participate--I believe testing will prove Josiah was Willson Franklin's brother. Dan Franklin is our closest match, being an exact match and he has agreed to extend his test results to the current maximum 69 markers to determine if the relationship is even closer! Thx Dan!! Interestingly enough his line, which matches Willson Franklin's was in Polk County, TX at the same time Josiah Franklin of Covington County's descendants were--indicating a possible connection between these two as often people 'out west' wrote relatives elsewhere in the country singing the praises of their new home in hopes of getting them to join them out West. We have 1850s letters from our ancestor J. D. Abney, sent to family back home in MS doing just that! :)

02 OCT 2006: Met for a few minutes with fellow Alabama genealogist Bill King. Nice seeing you again Bill! Someday we'll figure out how we are kin! LOL

18 OCT 2006: Trip up to Waco to pick up the Franklin books. They are finally finished!! YEAH!! This project took quite a bit of time but was well worth it!!! Getting ready for a trip to Mexico and a trip to Bama in November. Mexico for fun...Bama for more family research and a much needed eye surgery--gosh it'll be good to be able to see again! :)

24 OCT 2006: Have had some contact with new Abney kin who were interested in exchanging family history info. I have posted adobe files of family documents related to Joseph Duncan Abney, his daughter Kate Abney, and his third wife Keziah Williams Abney, for download. These are big files, but informative-so please be patient-it's worth it! Have fun! :)

25 OCT 2006: Our trip to Playa Del Carmen is set. I'm SUPER excited and really looking forward to it--counting the days now!! And following that up with a family history research trip rolled into my scheduled eye surgery for mid November. Need all my fellow genealogists to wish me success & a big jackpot find for this trip! :)

27 OCT 2006: HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHANCE!!! Adding a copy of a book I did last year for the Clayton Genealogical library here in Houston on ancestor JD Abney to share.

28 OCT 2006: Went to the Texas Renaissance Festival today in Plantersville, just north of Houston. What a WONDERFUL place....I just LOVE the quaint little village areas. And I've always loved hearing bagpipes, so I especially enjoyed that show in particular. This Festival is HUGE compared to the one I attended in Tennessee some years ago while living in that state! We had a SUPER time and plan to go back again in future years. Were afraid after all the rains last week it would be muddy, but things had dried out nicely for the most part. I took a few photos, not as many as I usually would've taken, but I was too busy taking things in to play 'cameraman'! :)

30 OCT 2006: Cuzzin Ed emailed me today to let me know that an article had appeared in Friday's copy of the Andalusia Star News in Covington County, Alabama which mentioned our cemetery work in that county. Thx Ed!!

17 NOV 2006: Just returned from the back-to-back weeks in Mexico and Alabama. Unfortunately the Alabama trip, which was scheduled largely for eye surgery turned out to be a research disaster as I got to do nothing I'd previously planned and to top it off the eye surgery didn't go as expected either, so now I have a right eye that is SUPER and a left eye that didn't even get done. At least this makes enough improvement for me to see MUCH better, but now I'll have to try to find someone here in TX again to do the left eye as I have no desire to do another Bama trekk just for that, and have all my research plans upended again! LOL Did make a stop in North Louisiana on the way home and did a search for probate of ancestor John Parker believed to be the father of our Rebecca Parker-Moore. Dad had found out that a John Parker had a probate record in Union parish, LA and suspected he might be out guy. Turns out he was correct and I compiled an adobe document of John Parker's estate packet. So now this is out latest 'jackpot' genealogy find! WOOHOO!! :)

21 NOV 2006: Test results are in for Randy, our latest participant in the Franklin family DNA project. While I had felt that Randy's Limestone county, AL Franklins would be connected to our Willson Franklin, unfortunately the test results show that is not the case. Randy's ancestor, James Franklin, is from yet another group of Franklins and is not connected to our own line. We will therefore keep our focus on the Virginia connection search and await the 67 marker results for the TX clan that is currently a perfect match on 37 markers, to help us determine the next step. I am still actively seeking a descendant of Josiah Franklin of Covington County, AL and Polk Co, TX for testing. I would still like to determine is Josiah is Willson's brother and testing would conclusively answer that question.

25 NOV 2006: Finally took that bike run up to La Grange, TX. Had wanted to go last year, but the group ride kept peetering out. Made the ride on what turned out to be a super nice day for it, stopped along the Colorado River, then visited the Kreische Brewery/Monument Hill State Park. This is a nice little park. We took the brewery tour which was very interesting, then dropped a "Chicken Ranch" token TB into a local geocache before heading back home. Washington-on-the-Brazos is to be my next run. :)

14 DEC 2006: Okay you guys & gals planning on caching in Memorial Park Saturday--here's your gpx file of cache waypoints! See you there!

04 JAN 2007: Planning for my next trip to my parents in Bama...January looks nixed so it's gonna be mid February instead. Hope to get a lot accomplished while there, including some family tree research and teaching my sister to lay floor tile. :)

09 JAN 2007: Back at home, received the results of the TX Franklin clan 67 marker DNA test upgrade...they now fall off the scale for close matches with a genetic difference of 3 for that test. On a brighter note, another test that we'd not paid much attention to, it's having only been completed on a mere 25 markers, was also upgraded at the same time, unbeknownst to us, to 67 markers and is a PERFECT MATCH on 67 markers. This line also trekked through CO>MO>AR>apparently from VA. I am currently working to validate/verify the provided lineage for the test individual as there is a 98.96% chance the two families connect within 8 generations and a 100% chance they link within 14 generations! So since tracing my Franklins has gotten me no where and left me stuck at a mere 5 generations, this may lead to the answers to our Franklin brick wall finally! I've still had no luck in actually contacting a living male descendant of the Josiah Franklin of Covington county, AL line--will continue to look and keep my fingers crossed.

10 JAN 2007: It's been nearly 5 years now since I moved from Tennessee. The boys are doing fine...one in college doing well, the other plugging away at work. I'm thinking a quiet vacation on the beach back home would be a good thing about now...will have to work on that! :) On the family tree research, I have managed to validate 4 generations of the 67 match DNA Franklin line...should be able to complete it in the next couple of days.

11 JAN 2007: My good friend and genealogy buddy Lisa Graham sent me this in the email today. I'm not gonna bother to validate it as it has merit on its own and is funny to boot! Thanks Lisa! I needed a good laugh! :)

In case you missed it on 60 Minutes, this is what Andy Rooney thinks about women over 40:

As I grow in age, I value women over 40 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why:

A woman over 40 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, "What are you thinking?" She doesn't care what you think. If a woman over 40 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do, and it's usually more interesting. Women over 40 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you if they think they can get away with it. Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it's like to be unappreciated. Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 40. Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 40 is far sexier than her younger counterpart. Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk if you are acting like one. You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her. Yes, we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 40, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress. Ladies, I apologize. For all those men who say, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?", here's an update for you. Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage. Why? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage!

23 JAN 2007: Looks like we may be headed to LA this coming weekend. I'm mainly working on updating my family tree database documentation and getting ready for the trip to Alabama in February. Other than that, I'm just trying to sort out the details for our trip to Ireland. Steven & I have our passports. Chance is working on his and should have it filed this week, so the 'big stuff' is done anyway! :)

29 JAN 2007: Weekend was good, but passed by waaay too quickly. Did make it to Louisiana as planned. Of course, stopped and got pizza while there. I have to admit, eating pizza at home just isn't that great after having had Pizza Village pizza! LOL Any time now when I'm through Louisiana I'm gonna manage to meet up with my namesake/clone/cousin the 'other' Lisa Franklin! LOL Been doing a lot of thinking lately--maybe all this research is stirring up my brain! LOL I'm headed to Bama soon and that has added to my pondering. Shortly after moving back to Alabama the last time I went to a little place called Noccalula Falls. I'd been there many times over the years with the kids, and once even taking an exchange student from Germany who lived with us one year, but the last time I went was very special. If you've never been I recommend going at least once. It is an interesting place and makes for a nice day trip.

04 FEB 2007: Had dinner Saturday night with friends for Lynna's birthday and got a bit of scrapbooking done on Sunday up in the Woodlands.

12 FEB 2007: Spent some productive time Sunday at the George library in Richland. Found the following in an abstract. I'd been told this read slightly differently and the actual info is MUCH more interesting than what I'd been formerly told:

Greene County, Alabama Deed Book C p127: Thomas Franklin of Covington County, Alabama, deed of gift to son Josiah Franklin's children , vis: George Washington Franklin, Charles Pinkney Franklin and Solomon Franklin, Jr. of Green County. Witness: Moses Franklin, 18 JAN 1828.

Greene County, Alabama Deed Book C p128: Thomas Franklin of Covington County, Alabama, deed of gift to son Moses Franklin's children, viz: Nancy Ann Franklin, Martha Elizabeth Franklin and Judah Clementine Franklin of Greene County as well as their father. 18 JAN 1828.

13 FEB 2007: Here is where I am with all this. I've come up with the following family group. This is SUPPOSITION based on circumstantial evidence only at this point!
=============================================
Husband: Thomas Franklin
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Birth:
Death: c1829 Covington County, Alabama
Marriage:
Father:
Mother:
=============================================
Wife: Nancy ?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Birth: bet 1770-1780
Death: bet 1730-1740 Covington County, Alabama
Census: 1830 Covington County, Alabama
Father:
Mother:
=============================================
Children
=============================================
1 Willson Franklin
Birth: bet 1790-1800 Georgia
Census: 1830 Covington County, Alabama
Death: abt 1836 Loango, Covington County, Alabama
Fam Hx Article: 22 JAN 2000 The Andalusia Star News; Andalusia, Covington county, A
Spouse: Temperance (Tempy) Straughn (1788-1868)
Marriage: 1822 Alabama (probably Covington County)
Census: 1830 Covington County, AL
Census: 1840 Covington County, AL (wife Tempy)
Census: 1850 Covington County, AL (wife Tempy)
Census: 1860 Covington County, AL (wife Tempy)
Census: 1866 Covington County, AL (wife Tempy)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Elizabeth Franklin
Birth: 1792 Georgia
Death: aft 1860 Texas
Marriage: 08 NOV 1816 Pulaski County, Georgia
Census: 1830 Covington County, AL
Census: 1840 Covington County, AL
Census: 1850 Covington County, AL
Census 1860: Tyler County, TX
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 Moses Franklin
Birth: 1796 Georgia
Death: aft 1870
Spouse: Cintha Park (1802- )
Marriage: 15 OCT 1823, Greene County, Alabama
Census: 1850 Marion County, AL
Census: 1870 Chickasaw County, MS
Mentioned in deed: 1828 Greene County, AL
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 Solomon Franklin
Birth: bet 1790-1800
Death:
Spouse: ? ?
Marriage: c.1823/4 (probably Covinton County, AL)
Census: 1830 Covington County, AL
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 Josiah Franklin
Birth: 4 FEB 1800
Death: 1848 Chickasaw County, Mississippi
Spouse: Harriet Park (1803-1860)
Marriage: 29 DEC 1821 Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
Census: 1850 Chickasaw County, MS (wife Harriet)
Mentioned in deed: 1828 Greene County, AL
=============================================

20 FEB 2007: Wikipedia.com: "United States--While not observed nationally throughout the United States, a number of
cities and regions in the country have notable celebrations.

Mardi Gras arrived in North America with the Le Moyne brothers, Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville and Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, in the late
17th century, when King Louis XIV sent the pair to defend France's claim on the territory of Louisianne, which included what are now the U.S. states of
Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

The two explorers eventually found the mouth of the Mississippi River, sailed a while upstream and named the spot Point du Mardi Gras (French:
" Mardi Gras Point") 60 miles downriver from present-day New Orleans. In 1699, the traditional Catholic celebration ensued leading to what many
refer to as "North America's first Mardi Gras". Between 1700-1702, Bienville founded the settlement of Mobile (Alabama), as the first capital of French
Louisiana, and in 1703, the American Mardi Gras tradition began with French annual celebrations in Mobile. Year 1704 began with the
masked ball, Masque De La Mobile, and in 1711, Mobile began the first parades. By 1720, Biloxi became the 2nd capital of Louisiana. The French
customs were adopted there, and Mardi Gras is still celebrated along the Mississippi Gulf Coast to this day.

In 1723, the capital of Louisiana was moved, due to fear of tides and hurricanes, to an inland harbor town founded 1718 called " Nouvelle-Orléans" (New Orleans), and the tradition, which had started 20 years earlier in Mobile, was expanded. Nearly 125 years after Mobile's first parade of 1711, a krewe from Mobile, the Cowbellion de Rakin Society (1830), began the first known parades in New Orleans (1835). Over the passing decades, following their European customs, Carnival celebrations took place in all towns and cities in the colony.

Mardi Gras Carnival celebrations became an annual event highlighted by lavish balls and masked spectacles, such as Masque de la Mobile from 1704. Some were small, private parties with select guest-lists, while others were raucous, public affairs.

Lately, Mardi Gras has been taken up by several cities in the U.S., as the event brings much needed revenue to city coffers."

Explicit to Mobile's history and Mardi Gras is the terminology "Raising Cain". Many people visit Joe Cain's gravesite in the Church Street Cemetery during Mardi Gras, and a variety of beads, coins and other Mardi Gras trinkets are left at his marker. When I was growing up in Mobile there was an annual picnic at the cemetery that was held at his gravesite during Mardi Gras each year. I believe this event has long since ceased due to fears of damage/destruction in the cemetery.

Also from Wikipedia.com:"Joseph Stillwell Cain, Jr. was born on October 10, 1832, along Dauphin Street in Mobile, Alabama. He was a son of Joseph Cain, Sr. (1799-1856) and Julia Ann Turner (1795-1877). Joe Cain (junior) married Elizabeth Alabama Rabby (1835-1907). He helped to organize the T.D.S. (Tea Drinker’s Society), one of Mobile's mystic societies, in 1846; however, their banquets were part of Mobile's New Year's Eve celebrations, rather than being held on Mardi Gras day. Other groups had developed Mardi Gras parades, but the Civil War had brought them to a halt.

Cain participated in Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans in 1865 as a Confederate veteran, and he returned to Mobile determined to revive the celebration. He conceived the fictional character of Chief Slacabamorinico while he was working as a clerk at the city market: he planned to make him a mighty Chickasaw, the leader of an undefeated tribe. The chief, as Cain in costume with a native skirt and feathered headdress, paraded through the city streets on Mardi Gras day in 1866, irreverently celebrating the day in front of the occupying Union Army troops. The following year (1867), a band of fellow Confederate Rebel veterans (including Thomas Burke, Rutledge Parham, John Payne, John Bohanan, Barney O'Rourke, and John Maguire) accompanied Joe Cain as "Old Slac" riding through town on a decorated coal wagon, playing horns and drums, parading and celebrating. The group became known as the "Lost Cause Minstrels" in Mobile. The parade was the origin of the Order of Myths (OOM) parade, the final parade each year, on Fat Tuesday in Mobile. Joe Cain founded many of the mystic societies, and he built a tradition of Mardi Gras parades. Joe Cain, who had played Old Slac until 1879, died in 1904 and was buried in the fishing village of Bayou La Batre (Alabama). Julian Lee "Judy" Rayford arranged to have Joe Cain reburied in Mobile's Church Street Graveyard in 1966, and he established Joe Cain Day in 1967 by walking at the head of a jazz funeral down Government Street to the cemetery...

The Sunday before Fat Tuesday, Joe Cain Day is celebrated as part of the scheduled Mardi Gras celebrations in Mobile, with its center being the Joe Cain Parade. This has been called "The People's Parade" due to the fact that it is performed by citizens without being run by a specific Mardi Gras krewe. Originally, anybody who showed up at the parade start on Sunday morning could join in with whatever makeshift float they could cobble together. Eventually, the sheer size and disorder forced the organizers to limit the participants to a preset limit... Julian Lee "Judy" Rayford established Joe Cain Day in 1967 by walking at the head of a jazz funeral down Government Street to the Church Street Graveyard, where he had arranged to have Joe Cain and his wife reburied in 1966. When Joe Cain was disinterred from Bayou La Batre, Julian brought Joe Cain's skull back to Mobile in the pocket of his coat, and that is considered to be the first "passing of the feathers" to the next man to wear the headdress in Mardi Gras, as Slacabamorinico, chief of the Chickasaw. The impression that the celebration had on a couple of visitors from California resulted in Joe Cain Days being officially recognized, in 1993, as a sister celebration by the Joe Cain Society of California in Nevada City, California each Mardi Gras. The Mardi Gras mystic society of "Cain's Merry Widows" (a women's mystic society) was founded in 1974 in Mobile, Alabama. Each Mardi Gras, on Joe Cain Day (the Sunday before Fat Tuesday), members of this society dress in funeral black with veils, lay a wreath at Cain's burial site in Church Street Graveyard to wail over their "departed husband's" grave, then travel to Joe Cain's house on Augusta Street to offer a toast and eulogy to their "beloved Joe," continuously arguing over which widow was his favorite."

21 FEB 2007: Back from Alabama -- got everything done that I had planned (and hoped) to do on this trip. Picked up copies of the actual deed documents for Thomas Franklin of Covington to grandchildren, children of Moses and Josiah of Greene County, AL. Have added links to those original docs to the above fgs. While it was tougher than planned, Danielle & I did manage to get the tile all down in the kitchen and breakast room at Mom & Dad's. From all this I take away one important point--DO NOT, EVER, EVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES have indoor/outdoor type floor carpet installed unless you know that you will die before it ever gets dirty or worn and needs to be replaced!! It is a TOTAL NIGHTMARE to pull up!:( Now we know why they charge so darned much if you are replacing this stuff! UGGHH!! Will spend this afternoon at the library doing some additional digging on Moses & Josiah Franklin as well as a new branch of my Moore family tree that left LA and ended up in TX and that Dad just 'discovered' this weekend while I was in Bama! Looking forward to seeing Jeff & Gena this weekend in San Antonio. It's been a year since I last visited them, so it's long overdue!

22 FEB 2007: WOOHOO!!!! Received an affirmative reply to DNA testing from a descendant of Josiah Franklin of Greene/Tuscaloosa counties, AL, son of Thomas Franklin of Covington County, AL!!!. Will be on pins and needles awaiting these results!!!!!

27 FEB 2007: Krysten's birthday is today so we'll be heading out to dinner at Chili's and spending the evening with her. HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRL! The UDC pins for the Franklin brothers have arrived!

28 FEB 2007: This diddy in from cuzzin Allison:
Life is short,
Break the rules,
Forgive quickly,
Kiss slowly,
Love truly,
Laugh uncontrollably,
And never regret anything that made you smile.

05 MAR 2007: Spent Friday night in Texas City and most of the day Sunday scrapbooking with cuzzin Allison and Lynna at the house. Managed to get a fair amount done, but am still a lot further behind than I'd like to be. May try to work on some this evening just to play 'catch-up'. Sent Ed his requested map via Allison--make sure you get it from her cuz! Also, have set a date for the crawfish boil at the house and Jeff & Gena have confirmed that they'll be down from San Antonio that weekend for a visit. It's ABOUT TIME Susano!! LOL I'm really looking forward to it. Jeff wants to hit the boardwalk at Kemah so I sent him a map to show him how close it is to the house and assured him we'd go check it out while they are here! :) Oh, and to end my weekend, my cell phone seems to have croaked! :(

06 MAR 2007: A chipper note from cuzzin Ed, boy he sure knows how to lay it on thick! LOL Thx Ed!

Date: Tue, 06 Mar 2007 20:30:32 -0600 [03/06/2007 08:30:32 PM CST]
From: "J. Ed Smith"
To: Lisa Franklin
Subject: about Amy Findley Bowers

Lisa, my curosity got the best of me and I asked Amy (of the Andalusia Star-News)
outright if she was descended from Magilbry & Dolly Findley. Here is Amy's response and
my reply:

J. Ed Smith wrote
By any chance, are you a descendant of Magilbry and Dolly Findley, an early 19th century
pioneer family in Conecuh County that migrated to Covington County in the mid 1800's and
settled in the Loango Community?

Amy Findley Bowers wrote
As a matter of fact, I am. Can't remember which brother we sprang from at the moment. My
grandparents are Margie and the late Joseph Sanders Findley. Grandma and my dad, Larry,
still live in Brooklyn.
Amy

J. Ed Smith wrote
Amy, the world has indeed become smaller. I have a cousin, Lisa Franklin, here in
Houston (actually she lives in Clear Lake, just south of Houston) who's also a descendant
of Magilbry & Dolly Findley. She would be, in fact, one of your cousins too. Lisa also
has "Bowers" in her lineage. Who knows, y'all might be double cousins, <lol>

Are you aware of Cuzzin Lisa's remarkable Alabama web site? Lisa Franklin's "Tracking
Your Roots" <http://www.trackingyourroots.com/>

More than two decade ago, Lisa decided to research her family origins. In doing so, Lisa
realized she was identifying, accessing and collecting an incredible amount of ancestral
and genealogical data relevant to other families with Alabama roots. After Al Gore
invented the internet (LOL), Lisa thought "why not share this information with others?"
Hence, the birth of Tracking Your Roots on the World Wide Web. It's free and always has
been. Lisa bears most of the costs except for a few donations that she receives from time
to time to cover some of her web hosting expenses.

If Lisa's web site is new to you, click on the live link (above) and use the pull down
menus to find Conecuh or Covington County. Select a county and scroll down (near the
end) to Lisa's files & links on the Findley and Franklin families. Awesome stuff!
Lisa's web site is fully searchable. On the home page, type in "Findley" and get 61
returns, all relevant except for two or three hits dealing with the sound-alike name
" Findlay". Or type in "Bowers" and get 43 relevant returns.

If you attended the March 2005 Magilbry and Dolly Findley reinterment ceremonies at the
Fairmount Cemetery in Red Level, you probably ran into Lisa. She was a prime mover and
shaker for that historic event. Lisa is a bright, bold, resourceful, inspiring,
energetic and strong willed lady. She's wired! I am proud to have Lisa as a relative
and neighbor.
Ed Smith
Houston, TX

08 MAR 2007: Headed to a Dr. appointment this am. Think I may try to hit the library in the next day or two, I have a lot of new Franklin research information that I'd like to attempt to add to from the library's resources here. Currently working on the lineage of one John Franklin who married Laura Alice (Alice Laura) Pyburn in Greer Co., OK in 1912. So far we have what appears in this document. I believe from area research for OK that John was born in Alabama and is likely a descendant of the Franklins of Abbeville, SC who ended up in Talladega County, AL in the mid 1800s.

10 MAR 2007: Went geocaching with Gary today down to Alvin and visited with Pepper. Man, we couldn't get out of the car before she was out the door to see who it was?!?! LOL Gary hit 300 and I hit 500+ caches with this outing. The 16th will be 1 year since I grabbed my first cache, so I was tickled to hit the 500 cache mark before then. Told Gary he has some catching up to do! Pepper informed me her 'cacheversary' is the day before mine, 15 March, but this will be 5 years for her! :)

15 MAR 2007: I subscribed for a 1 year term to familytreelegends.com. They have a limited amount of information online, and you can search it for free, but have to pay to view actual results of many of the entries. I was attempting to locate specific information in KY. I didn't have any luck unfortunately. Anyone needing a lookup let me know and I'll be happy to help. Receieved copies of the estate of my ancestor Mark Padgett (d. 1837, Edgefield Co, SC) in the mail yesterday. Jordan Feaster, Mark's son in law, appears in the documents several times. Will be posting copies of the estate here as soon as I have time to scan them so check back if you'd like copies. Will request Josiah (Mark's father) next! :)

16 MAR 2007: Uploading Mark Padgett's estate file. Also compiled will and estate of James Rutherford who died in 1797 in Edgefield County, SC. At the library on Wednesday, I located information that document's Thomas Franklin as residing in Pulaski County, Georgia prior to coming to Alabama. The records I found indicate he was there through at least 1814. Elizabeth Franklin married Joseph Harvill in Pulaski Co, GA in 1816. Josiah, Moses and Willson Franklin all married between 1821 and 1822, indicating Thomas was probably in Alabama by that time. The search continues....

17 MAR 2007: HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY!
The Irish word for the day is craic (pronounced 'crack'). http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=craic
More Irish terms here. And How Irish Are You?, My results--
Lisa, Thank you for taking the How Irish Are You Quiz! Here are your results. You scored a 52.5 Congratulations! You are totally Irish. Whether your kin actually hails from the Emerald Isle, or you just know a heck of a lot about Irish trivia, you have earned the right to dress all in green and have a blast this St.Patrick's Day.

22 MAR 2007: Assorted GA Franklin docs. Franklin documents from Greene, Jefferson & Tuscaloosa counties, Alabama. Looking forward to this weekend. We are having Jeff & Gina down from San Antonio and having a group of folks over for a crawfish boil on Saturday. Jeff finally sent me copies of the photos from a few weeks back when we were in SA visiting them. And I recieved an email from Jerry Segars on another hidden cemetery he located in Houston County, Alabama. I'm working up the family of the two children on the markers Jerry found to post to a page at TYR. I'm hoping Jerry can get me photos of the markers to add to the page. :)

23 MAR 2007: The additional documents on the Padgetts that I requested from Edgefield arrived. Will post images here later this week.

24 MAR 2007: Had friends over for a crawfish and shrimp boil and some yummy grilling! We had a great time and THANKS to everyone who stopped by!

25 MAR 2007: Nice bike run today to Crystal Beach for "all-you-can eat oysters" for lunch at Stingaree Restaurant. YUMMY! I love sitting over the water for dinner!! :) It was rather cloudy all day and I only used sunscreen on my face before leaving the house, and I'm paying for it now! :( On our way to the ferry, we got stuck in traffic on the I-45 causeway just short of Galveston Island while the freeway was shut down for an hour while an investigation was completed concerning a wreck that had occurred the night before. I know--is that not TOTALLY WEIRD?!?! Anyway, that extra hour outdoors with me in a tank top and shorts fried my neck and shoulders! OUCH!!!

28 MAR 2007: Created pdf files of documents contained in the Edgefield County, SC estates of my ancestors, Josiah Padgett & wife Milly, and one Mary Padgett whose estate was filed in 1864.

30 MAR 2007: FINALLY got a replacement cell phone...I lost all my stored numbers in the old unit however, when it croaked, so now for the ugly task of trying to remember all those numbers to re-input everyone! :( May have to sit back and just hope folks call me so I can add them back the easy way! LOL Nextel was so EASY with their swappable SIM chips, you didn't lose diddly if a phone croaked--Verizon really sux along that line! :(

16 APR 2007: After 3 years of residency in Texas I was at last able to take a trip I'd wanted to make in my first week here. Drove down to Brownsville, skipped across the border to Matamoros, and spent a day on South Padre Island.

20 APR 2007: Our testee for the line of Thomas Franklin of Covington County, AL via son Josiah Franklin of Greene/Tuscaloosa Counties, AL has started having DNA results returned. So far, unlike the previous testees this one is a perfect match. Thus far we only have 12 markers of the 37 to go on, but it is a start and at least places him in our distinct group of Franklins...meaning THERE IS A CONNECTION!!! Now we await the additional markers to determine how close said relationship is. I foresee an upgrade to 67 markers on this one as a distinct possibility! :) YIPPEEE!!

30 APR 2007: Email from cousin Ed r'cd to let me know I made a goof on my South Padre image page--fixing that today Ed. THX!!!

03 MAY 2007:
Family Group Sheet
==========================================================================================
Father: Thomas Wier
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Birth: 1708 County Tyrone, Ulster Province, North Ireland
Birth: 1708 County Tyrone, Ulster Province, Ireland
Death:
Burial:
Marriage:
Father: James Wier (1683- )
Mother: Margaret Agnes O'Marra (1686- )
==========================================================================================
Mother: Elizabeth Faulkner
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Birth:
Chr:
Death:
Burial:
Father: ? Faulkner ( - )
Mother: Elizabeth Fanchinder ( - )
==========================================================================================
Children
==========================================================================================
1 F Nancy (Nanny) Wier
Birth: 1743 County Tyrone, Ulster Province, Ireland
Death: 23 Aug 1843 Forsyth County, Georgia
Burial:
Spouse: James Boyd (1740-1845)
Marriage:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 M Samuel Wier
Birth:
Death:
Burial:
Spouse: ___?____ Alexander ( - )
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 M Thomas Wier
Birth: 1763 County Tyrone, Ulster Province, Ireland
Immigration: 17 Mar 1795 to Charleston, South Carolina
Census: 1800 Laurens County, South Carolina
Death: 1 Jun 1851 Abbeville district, South Carolina
Burial: The Rocks Cemetery, Greenwood, Greenwood county, South
Spouse: Mary Withrow (1769-1851)
Marriage: 1787 Abbeville district, South Carolina
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 M James Harvey Weir
Birth: 1769 Belnagilla, Lyson parish, County Tyrone, Ireland
Immigration: 13 Aug 1804 Brig Lady Washington of Ireland to Charleston, SC, USA
Death: 1840 Pickens County, Alabama
Occupation: Linen Manufacturer; County Tyrone, Ulster Province, Ireland
Occupation: Farmer; United States of America
Religion: Presbyterian
Burial:
Spouse: Mary Hamilton (1774-1840)
Marriage: 1791 Dungannon, County Tyrone, Ulster Province, Ireland
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

20 MAY 2007: Chance wanted to visit an aquarium while he was here so I recommended the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus as, although it's not a new aquarium, I've been to several times now and it is one of the neatest I've seen. I LOVE the dolphin show tank with the underwater viewing area! We had a SUPER trip and stopped to eat dinner at a wonderful Mexican/Seafood place on Flour Bluff called Cancun! I've been there before and the food is always GREAT! At the boys' request, we tried something new for me--the crab stuffed peppers appetizer and we all LOVED them! Also the stuffed fried eggplant is out of this world! Very different and VERY DELICIOUS!

23 MAY 2007: No time for updates today--still sorting things out from the recent trip to Ireland. Will post photos etc asap.

31 MAY 2007: A few days ago I stuck my head in at the relatively new Valentino's Seafood restaurant ( 20801 Gulf Fwy, Webster, TX) and grabbed a paper menu and spoke with the host who raved about their crab cakes and shrimp. So, yesterday evening, Steven & I (the CRAB fan! LOL) decided to give them a try. I have to say you can safely skip this one! :( Here is the post I placed a citysearch's restaurant review regarding our less-than-yummy experience:

Canned seafood and poor service
1 Star Rating: Not Recommended
Posted by clearlaketxgal on 05/31/2007

My son & I decided to try Valentino's after the host had really raved on their shrimp and crab cakes when we stuck out heads in to take a look. We were there yesterday around 5pm. Were only 3 tables in use. We both ordered the crab cakes and sides--I got wild rice and asparagus, he got coleslaw and hushpuppies. The crab cakes appear to have a lot of crabmeat in them, however, it was very blah and tasted less than fresh. It very much had the 'canny' taste of that cheap canned crab you can get at the 99cent store or Dollar Tree. Granted they gave you an entire can worth, but it was inedible. My son ate less than 1/2 and I only had 2 bites--it was VERY BAD. The rice was good however, but the asparagus was not properly cooked. I noted on leaving another lady had the asparagus but also did not eat it. The slaw has a whole mess of different things in it and should be called by some other name as my son was expecting a more traditional slaw--at the very least in consideraion of those with allergies they should note the ingredients on the menu. The hushpuppies were also blah and my son only took 2 small bites. For $18.95 a plate this is NOT a good deal. Neither of us even ate 1/2 of the meal. Our waiter got the drink orders wrong and was very indifferent in general. We love to try new places, but when they are like this one, the first visit is also the LAST.

* Pros: Nice decor
* Cons: bad food-tasted old/spoiled; too expensive for quality of food provided

I do hope our planned dinner outing with Allison (and Ed?) for June 9th after the scrapbook crop is better! I LOVE a good Italian place and I'm hoping our visit to Cavatore's is much better than this one! LOL It's okay Ed, I'll be your taster and I won't let them feed ya bad food cuz! LMAO

02 JUN 2007: The radiator on the jeep sprung a major leak this morning and ran hot on Steven & I as we were headed down Old Galveston Rd. I'd suspected it having a slow leak last month when I changed out the bad thermostat. Luckliy we were only about 4 miles from the house and more luckily right by an automotive repair shop. Pulled in and the manager, John Beers, was VERY gracious and agreed to take a look at the vehicle asap. They even got one of their guys to give us a ride back to the house. John called and gave me the report on the jeep and told me he'd ordered a replacement radiator and would have the repair completed that same day! Suffice it to say I WAS IMPRESSED! These guys were VERY PROFESSIONAL and thorough! They even stayed late to complete the work and get my vehicle back to me that day. Interestingly enough I'd been saying just recently how so many service based businesses just don't seem to care about customers or customer satisfaction these days--well these folks CERTAINLY DO!! I highley recommend Clear Lake Auto Service, 15710 Hwy 3, Webster, TX 77598 (281) 280-0900 if you live in the Clear Lake area and need any automotive work done. John is honest and upfront and they work hard to do right by their customers.

04 JUN 2007: Spent the weekend doing some fun things. Saturday was the heritage society's annual awards ceremony and I received three award certificates and medals on behalf of my grandfather for recognition of his long career of military service from 1938-1967. Sunday was another geocaching event at Memorial Park-saw a few familiar faces and met some new cachers. Welcome Carolyn!! Also spoke with gsguru in detail as we plan to do the event at Guadalupe State Park together later this month--should be fun! Well May is over and it's definitely been a time of out with the old and onward--progress! YEAH!! Thinking I may try to make the Oct 13th weekend race in North Carolina this year. I'll be in Bama again 4th of July week. Dad & I have a day trip planned to visit Greene County courthouse and Pulaski County, GA courthouse for Franklin records searches. Seeking anything to verify when/where Thomas Franklin of 1828 Covington County, AL died and anything on his descendants. Hopefully we 'hit the jackpot'! LOL I called John at Clear Lake Auto Service about a slight leak noted from the transmission line feeding into the new radiator on the jeep after the radiator replacement. He told me sometimes the O rings don't seat right and that could be causing it. He offered to have one of his staff go to the house and pick up the jeep (Steven was there to give them the spare key) to take a look at it. TALK ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE!! WOW!! I asked him to go ahead and do some maintainence on the jeep (oil change, transmission check) while he had it. They took care of the leak and the other items and I was able to pick the jeep up when I got off work. These guys are SUPER!!!! :)

06 JUN 2007: I have tickets to the Houston Ballet's performance of Coppelia for tomorrow evening. Have been looking all week for someone to go--hate to waste a ticket! lol Judy emailed me this morning to tell me she'd love to go, so that is covered now. Looking forward to it as it is supposed to be a really good performance with impressive sets/costumes. Got an email from cousin Richard Johnston asking me to please try to make the reunion again this year on this coming Sunday 6/10/07. It is held at the Mansfield Battlefield State Park again, which is just over the TX/LA state line. Don't know right now if I will make it or not. Hate to go by myself, so it will depend partly on whether I can drum up some company. :)

09 JUN 2007: Was out until nearly midnight at the Outlaw ATV Park in Crosby, TX on an ATV ride this evening. First time I'd been on an ATV in nearly 20 years. Had a BLAST!! Was the most relaxed & totally at ease I've felt in a long time! Hope to do it again sometime soon.

10 JUN 2007: Piddling around the house the early part of the day then rode out to Kemah & Clear Lake Shores to relax and catch a bit of sun. Then a quick stop at South Shore Beer Garden, a favorite local biker/burger/beer joint.

16 JUN 2007: Cache run early this morning with Diane and Gary along the new Red Bluff Trail. Thx to ParkerPlus for placing this string of caches-made for a SUPER run! Didn't top my best day, but I'm thinking Diane and I might do that next weekend on our run up for a weekend of camping at Guadalupe State Park. I've got our cache route setup to download into the GPS and we'll just have to see! After the cache run this morning, I ran home and got ready for the Astros game. There were 33 of us in the group who went. We met up at 3:30 at a BBQ joint near Minute Maid Park (mediocre BBQ, but having been warned I just had chicken tenders which were fine. lol) This was my first time at a pro baseball game and many thanks to Lisa who sat on my right. She came to the game with LeftyWriter and is a HUGE Astros fan! She filled me in on details as the game progressed and answered all my 'dumb' questions! Thx girl!! I really enjoyed the game and hope Kendra plans another group event like this. I'm helping Diane with an upcoming event that is a Canopy tour/picnic for July. Should be fun! I think I might like 'swingin from the trees'! LOL

18 JUN 2007: Met Michelle, from the walking group, this evening at the park here in Clear Lake City near the house. She moved here recently from Florida. She brought along her kids and dog to walk with us. Nice meeting you Michelle and I hope you'll join us again! :)

19 JUN 2007: Cache stats update from itsnotaboutthenumbers.com. Oh, but IT IS!! LMAO

Stat Summary

Where I've Cached

Maps

Charts and Graphs

20 JUN 2007: This is a pretty neat news video from Redmond, Washington area that Mom sent me. :) 318/5414

23 JUN 2007: Spent the weekend camping at Guadlupe River State Park with my caching buddies Pepper and GSGuru. We had a blast! The park was nice and I grabbed 90-some-odd caches over the course of the weekend. We drove up to the park Friday evening caching our way there. The normally 3 hour trip took us 7 hours! LOL Spent Saturday caching the area around the park then grabbed some in the park and attended the event on Sunday and cached our way back home! Trip highlights: Redneck Phone Booth cache, Billy Bob's Redneck Cache which dubbed us Misty Jo, Sue Ellen and Betty Sue as our new 'redneck' names, Pirates of the Guadlupe cache (Tres Blue-Eyed Babes!), and Edge Falls.

25 JUN 2007: Girls Night out dinner at The Melting Pot on Westheimer. My first time to one of these places. It was pretty fun--very different! :) Thx Lisa G. & Amanda for inviting me! 265/4504

27 JUN 2007: Getting ready for the trip to Bama, will be there for the week of the 4th. Have my cache route all set for the trip there, the trip to GA and the trip to SC! :) Crossing my fingers that the trip turns up some new info on the Franklin research! :) Headed out to a new restaurant Thursday with Lisa & Terry to try a totally new (for me) type of food on Thursday--should be interesting.

28 JUN 2007: All this Bama stuff has me wanting to plan another trip to Dauphin Island! LOL

Dauphin Island- Before Mobile was founded, or New Orleans even a place on a map, Dauphin Island was the center of French colonization in the Southern United States. Explored and mapped by the Spanish as early as 1519, it was 1699 when the French established their permanent colony. Originally named Massacre Island, due to the mountain of human skeletons found here. The colony prospered and in 1704, even received a ship load of young women (the Pelican Girls) to be wives of the early explorers. The name Massacre was changed in 1707 to Isle Dauphine in honor of the heir to Louis the IVX, the Sun King of France. At the time, Pelican island/Sand island connected to Dauphin Island and formed what was described as the best deepwater port in the Gulf. It was large enough for thirty vessels and had twenty feet of water at its entrance. The port (Pelican Harbor) was always in use with ocean going ships unloading their goods to be transported up Alabama's river system by smaller, shallower running craft. In 1711, the colony was almost destroyed by a pirate attack, but recovered and continued to flourish. The bright future of Isle Dauphine was changed in a single night though, by the tremendous Hurricane of 1717. So intense was it's furry, that it completely altered the shape of the island and closed the entrance to Pelican Harbor, trapping three ships there. Buildings were destroyed and live stock drowned. Due to the destruction and especially the loss of the great harbor, the center of French activities were forced to move to other locations such as Mobile, Biloxi, and eventually, New Orleans.

29 JUN 2007: Headed to Bama. Some stopping along the way upon entering the state to grab a few more caches to pick up additional pages needed for the Alabama Delorme Challenge. Trip was good.

01 JUL 2007: Drove Mom to SC to visit my grandparents. Helped Ron & Alma get them moved into a new apartment at their facility. Delays with the placment of the new carpet meant they had to be moved on Sunday rather than Saturday. Presented granddaddy with the certificates and medals from the UDC awards ceremony--he was really pleased with them and is already reorganizing the shadow box that he has all of his miliary awards stored in.

02 JUL 2007: Made a trip with Dad to Greene County, AL's courthouse in Eutaw searching for additional clues on Thomas Franklin of Covington County, AL. It seems Greene Countys' preserved newspapers start too late (1880s) for us to turn up anything new there, however, we did find some additional early Franklins we had not previously encountered. Notably these include another Edmund/Edmond Franklin (wife Mary); Benjamin Franklin (wife Susanna/Susan), Josiah Franklin (wife Unetta/Unity?), Cain C. Franklin, and Barnet Franklin. Some of these are names we've seen in other locations that we know connect so these may also tie in somehow. Located an estate packet for Benjamin which provides the following on his family:

Benjamin Franklin b.? d.c1837-38, Greene Co, AL (click to download an adobe acrobat pdf file of his estate packet)

*Children's ages were given, but as there was no date on the document and the contents span the years 1838-1845 I am unable to determine their birthyears at this time. I'd love to hear from anyone researching any of these Greene County, AL Franklins. I have noted a Cain Franklin in neighboring Sumter County, AL which may be the same one mentioned in the deeds of 1830s Greene County, noted above.

03 JUL 2007: Picnic outing at Buck's Pocket State Park with Mom, Alex, Darby & Kyleigh. This was a neat little out-of-the-way state park that I'd seen photos from before, but had never been to. We really enjoyed it and now my nephew Alex has called me to say that his mom is hoping to get he & his sister Darby a gps so they can start geocaching at home! :) We spotted this old cemetery off in the woods as we were driving to the state park--neat! I did some local findagrave requests during the latter part of the day. Turned out the requests were for markers of my friend Kevin's ancestors, so I directed the requester to contact Kevin as well since he has a lot of research and old family photos! :)

04 JUL 2007: Had BBQ at my parents with my sister's and their families. Afterwards Danielle and I took Bailey & Morgan caching at some old historic cemeteries in Clay & Randolph Counties. :)

05 JUL 2007: Dad & I spent the day researching the Franklins in Pulaski County, GA.

12 JUL 2007: Continuing to go through and sort and create document files for this site for the items from Greene County, AL. The first item is of particular interest as it indicates an early Alabama link from Sumner County, TN: (the link contains multiple copies at varying resolutions for ease of reading)

State of Tennessee}
Sumner County} Know all men by these presents that I james Franklin of the state & county aforesaid do hereby & by these presents, constitute, nominate & appoint my friend James McKain of the county of Greene, State of Alabama, my true and lawful attorn to sell and convey & receive payment for me, & in my name, to & for certificate of further credit (and under the act of the 2nd March 1821) to fractional section No 9 in Township No 19 of Range No 3 East in the district of lands offered for sale at St Stephens which lot or section contains 496 acres and 80 hundreds purchased by said James Franklin on the 19th day of May 1819 at the sale of public lands at St. Stephens who having complied with the stipulations of said recited act, of further credit of 1821 has received this certificate of further credit pursuant to said act. Now therefore be it known that I James Franklin of the state & county aforesaid having considered as touching the premises aforesaid have constituted nominated and appointed same James McKain my true & lawful attorney to sell convey & receive payment for the above described fractional section, all things done by said attorney to be as binding on me t??? chine? the premises hereof as if done by myself both in law & equity.
Given under my hand & seal the 1st day of Sept in the year of our Lord 1824.
James Franklin

R'cd a note from Ben Franklin editor/publisher of the Franklin Family Researchers United. His back issues are online and volume 9 has the following list:

Indian Wars, 1815-1858 Index to Compiled Service Records M629-13
Submitted by Joyce Gatlin, P.O. Box 346, Steinhatchee, FL 32359 to FFRU, volume 9

Abel Captain Sain’s Company, Odd Battalion (Major Bogart), Mounted Rangers, Illinois Volunteers (Black Hawk War) Private/Private
Abraham Connelly’s Company, 3rd North Carolina Militia (Cherokee War) Private/Private
Amos Capt. Donaldson’s Company, Alabama Mounted Volunteer Militia, (3 Months, 1836) (Creek War) Private/Private
Bentley Jones Company, 3rd North Carolina Militia (Cherokee War) Private/Private
Claton Coleman Company, 1 Georgia Drafted Mil (Creek War) Private/Private
Edward Capts West and Bowyer’s Company, 2nd Regiment, 1st Brigade, Illinois Mounted Volunteers (Black Hawk War) Private/Private
Elisha Allen’s, Ashby’s Company, 1st South Carolina Militia (Brisbanes) (Florida War) Private/Private
Frederic Capt Hale’s Company, 4th Regiment, 3rd Brigade, Illinois Mounted Volunteers. (Black Hawk War)
George Hart’s Indpt Company, Forida Mounted Volunteers (Seminole War) Private/Private
George Sparkman’s Independant. Company, Forida Mounted Volunteers (Seminole War)) Private/Private
Jacob A. Capt Brown’s Company of Riflemen, Indiana Militia (Black Hawk War) Sgt/Sgt
James Brocks Company, Nelson’s Battalion, Georgia Mounted Mil (Florida War) Private/Private
James McKoin’s Company, 2 Tennessee Mounted Inf (Trousdale’s) Seminole (Florida) War, 1 Corpl/Private
James B. Snodgrass’ North Alabama Mounted Volunteers ( Florida War) Private/Private
James H. Killian’s Company, 3 North Carolina Mil (Cherokee War) Private/Private
James S. King’s Company, 2 (Turk’s) Georgia Militia (Cherokee War) Private/Private
Jesse F. Dabney’s Company, Acee’s Mississippi Mounted Volunteers. Private/Private
John A. Capt. Miller’s Company, Mounted Volunteers, Illinois Militia, (Black Hawk War) Private/Private
John A. Chism’s (?) Company, 1st Vol. Mounted Gunmen, West Tennessee (War of 1818) Private/Private
Josiah McKoin’s Company, 2 Tennessee Mounted Infantry (Trousdale’s) Seminole (Florida) War 2 Lieut/2 Lieut
Josiah R Lauderdale’s Company, 2 Tennessee Mounted Infantry (Trousdale’s) Seminole (Florida) War 3 Corpl/Sgt
Martin Hutts (?) Company, Arrington’s Batt’n Alabama Mil. Florida War Private/Private
Michel King’s Company, 2nd (Turk’s) Georgia Militia (Cherokee War) Private/Private
Nathan Capt Wells Company, 3th Regiment, 1st Brigade, Illinois Mounted Volunteers. (Black Hawk War) Drum’r/Drum’r
Philemon Chapman’s Company, Alabama Mounted Volunteers (Creek War) Private/Private
L.C. (?) Butt’s Company, 2nd (Williamson’s) Georgia Volunteers (Creek War) 3rd Lieutenant/3rd Lieutenant
S Calhoons, 11th Regiment, 3rd Brigade, Michigan Mil. (Black Hawk War)FFRU Vol 9 - Page 38 (2nd Edition)
Selby Sparkman’s Independant Company, Florida Mounted Volunteers. (Seminole War) Private/Private
Simeon Anderson’s Company, 11th Regiment., 3rd Brigade, Michigan Mil (Black Hawk War) Corporal/Corporal
Thomas J. McKoin’s Company, 2nd Tennessee Mounted Inf. (Trousdale’s) Seminole (Florida) War Private/Private
W. B. Campbell’s Company, Chisolm’s Alabama Mil. Volunteers. (Florida War) Private/Private
Whitman Mounted Riflemen, Illinois Volunteers. Winnebago Indian Disturbances
Wiley E. Bowman’s Company, 1st Georgia Mil. (Stokes’) (Cherokee War) Private/Private
William Donaldson’s Company, Kansas Mil. Inf., 3 months (War of 1856) 2nd Lieutenant/ 2nd Lieutenant
William Jones’ Company, Goodwyn’s South Carolina MountedMil. (Florida War) Private/Private
William E. Captain White’s Company, (Colonel Fry’s Regiment) Illinois Mounted Volunteers. (Black Hawk War) Private/Private
William F. Crawford’s Independant Company Missouri Mounted Volunteers. (War of 1832) Private/Private
William P. Reese’s Company, 1 (Porter’s) Georgia Inf. (Creek War) Private/Private
William R .McDugald’s Company, Denson’s Alabama Inf. (Creek War) Private/Private
William W. Child’s Company, Goodwyn’s South Carolina Mounted Mil. (Florida War) Private/Private
Wyatte Journigan’s Company, 2 FloridaMilitia (Florida War) 3 Sgt/3 Sgt

I believe that James, Josiah, and Thomas J. are connected (brothers maybe?) Furthermore, if you note the Greene Co, AL deed book entry above for James Franklin of Sumner County, TN regarding land in Greene Co, AL, he is assigning power-of-attorney to 'my friend James McKain". I believe the index for the military records above where McKoin's company is mentioned is a typo and is probably actually McKain's company of 2nd TN Mounted Infantry. I am persuing this line of research now. I am also continuing to post data from the trip, but admit, I've not had too much time to devote to that the past several days. I found the following website which mentions both James McKain and James Franklin, naming him as James Franklin Jr. http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnsumner/mckain.htm

Ordered the compiled military service record for Thomas J. Franklin. Also, here are a couple of sites of interest on the topic of the Indian Wars.

17 JUL 2007: I never knew that Texas had a 'motorist assitance' number you could dial to report not only problems with your vehicle but also other roadway issues. They really should advertise this. And they say Alabama and Mississippi are 'backwards' at least they both have highway signs denoting motorist aid numbers! LOL

19 JUL 2007: Boy, I am moving slow with this..sorry folks! I'll try to wrap up at least the Greene County, AL stuff next week. Then hopefully I can get to the Pulaski County, GA items by the end of the month. Work is pretty busy lately and I've been doing a lot of much needed after-hours activities. I've made some new friends here in Houston and started in a regular walking group near the house, to try to get into better shape. I'm at the same point I was when I was living in TN, except for wanting to get my endurance up a tad, and I'm hoping this will help. I had a really good walk (after starting out intermingled with some geocaching) on Tuesday over at Taylor Lake Park with Amanda, Bryan and Carolyn. Amanda has generously made me an assistant organizer to the group so that I can more readily add evening walks to the calendar and I'm hoping we continue to have a decent turnout. I know myself and I do better with sticking to it if I have walking buddies! In TN I had Lynn, Brian and Stacey who walked with me regularly and that really helped me stay with it! I enjoy the walking, the company and the exercise that way! LOL

The State of Alabama} Know all men by these presents that I Philip Beazley sherriff of Greene County aforesaid did on the fourth
Greene County} day of February AD 1839, at the court house door in the town of Erie in Greene County aforesaid after due &legal notice given exposed to sale at public auction to the highest bidder for ready money the south west quarter of the southwest quarter of sectioni 8, township twenty three, range three East, to satisfy a venditioni exponus in my hands issued from the office of circuit court of Greene County against Cain C.
Franklin, in the favor of Samuel D. Spencer & John C.McCracken at which said sale to satisfy the said Venditioni Exponus Foster M. Kirksey ofered and id for he said lot or parcel of land aforesaid and sold as the propert of the defendant in Execution the sum of sixteen dollars and then and there paid the said sum of sixteen dollars to me in hand for the said lot or parcel of land the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged. Now then in consideration of the sum of money, the same being the highest offer and bid for the said land made, I Philip F.l Beazley sherriff as aforesaid I ahe bargained, sold & conveyed unto the siad Foster M. Kirksey the above mentioned and described tract of land it being in the county of Greene in the state of Alabama. To have and to hold the said lot or parcel of land to him the said F.M. Kirksey & to his heirs and assigns forefer, and the said Philip Beazley doth for himself his heirs, Executors & asministrators hereby convey such title as in him vested by virtue of said Execution. Given under my hand & seal this 1st day of April 1839
Attested J. C. Locke} P. F. Beazley, sferrif, G. C.
1850-1870 Census records: Cain C. Franklin of Greene & Sumter Counties, Alabama

25 JUL 2007: Adding a few more things from the Greene County, AL courthouse research.

State of Alabama, Greene County
This indenture, made the twenty first day of January in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine, between Moses Franklin and Syntha his wife, of the first part, and Ferdinand McShaw of the second part. Witnessseth, that the said party of the first part, for and in consideration of the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars, to them in hand paid at and before the sealing and delivery of these presents, by the said party of the second part, he receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, hat ranted, bargained, sold and conveyed and doth by these presents grant, bargain, sell and convey unto the said party of the second part, and to him, and his heirs and assigns forever the following described land, viz SE quarter and SE quarter of section number twelve, township number twenty three, Range number two east containing thirty nine 97/100 acres, also the NE quarter of NE quarter of section number thirteen, township number twenty three of range 2 East in the district of lands offered for sale at Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Together with all and singular eh tenements and appurtenances thereunto belonging, or any wise appertaining; and also all the estate right, title, interest, claim or demand whatever of Moses Franklin and Syntha Franklin said party of the first part, either in law or equity of, in and to the above bargained premises and every part and parcel thereof. To have and to hold to the said party of the second part heirs and assigns to the sole and only proper use benefit and behalf of the said party of the second part, to him and his heirs and assigns forever and the said party of the first part, for themselves and their heirs, executors and administrators doth hereby warrant and will forever defend the title of the above bargained premises to Ferdinand McShaw his heirs and assigns, free from the claim or claims of all and every person or persons whomsoever, as also the claims of the general government. In testimony wereof the aforesaid party of the first part hath hereunto set their hands and affixed their seals this day and year above written

Signed sealed acknowledged and delivered in the presence of Matthew Knox and Samuel O. Spencer
Moses Franklin
Syntha Franklin (her mark)

27 JUL 2007: Taking a look at my geocaching travelers that are allowing me to cross the globe vicariously! LOL As of May I had Travel Bugs (TB) &/or coins in 9 countries. Today I'm up one more with US, Ireland, England, Romania, Mexico, Canada, Iraq, Netherlands, Australia, & Germany. Also received emails from two fellow cachers this week indicating they have coins of mine they will be moving to France and Chile! My favorite, most creative TB is probably Cora - a cute idea I had in a moment of 'silly' inspiration to do something different with a TB tag! LOL The one that's traveled the farthest is the personal geocoin of Team NAB (Nashville Joe, Abby's Grammy, and Bulli the wonderdog) which Joe & Abby gave me last year when I met up with them while traveling through Maine. It has traveled 13,879 miles since then! Currently in the Netherlands it has traveled through the US, Mexico and Canada as well!

Greene County, Alabama Deed Records
This Indenture made and entered into this 23rd of January Eighteen hundred and thirty seven, between Edmund Franklin & Oswell Y. Neely both of the State of Alabama, witnessth that for and in consideration of the sum of thirteen hundred and fifty dollars, the receipt of the same is hereby acknowledged. I Edmund Franklin have bargained, sold & released unto the said Oswell Y. Neely lands situated and lying in the county of Greene, Alabama and bounded as follows, to wit: two 1/8 laying in Section 34, township 23, range 2 East, and 1/16 in Section 27, township 23, range 2 East. The SE 1/4 of the SW 1/4, the 1/16 in Section 27, in township 23, range 2E, being the SE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 consisting of two hundred and forty acres more or less, ounded by land of Capt William Price, Samuel Robers Jr. To have and to hold the land hereby conveyed with the appurtenancs thereunto belonging or in any ise appertaining unto the said O. Y.; Neely his heirs and assigns forever, and I the said E. Franklin doth hereby covenant and agree that he will warrant and forever defend the aforesid granted premises unto the said O. Y. Neely his heirs and assigns agains the United States, and against my heirs and assigns forever. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.
Signed, sealed and delivered}
In presendce of John Herndon P} Edmund Franklin
Robert Love}

29 JUL 2007: Continuing work, slow but steady with documents from last research trip. Already planning out my next trip. Will head to Dauphin Island and Gulf Shores, Alabama for the last weekend in September then head up towards Birmingham for the rest of the week. Plan two research trips while there--one to Montgomery for the State Archives and one to Mississippi for Greene, Wayne and possibly Choctaw County research (or possibly to Jackson if I find out they have county records similar to Alabama's housed at their State Archives there). 255/4482

06 AUG 2007: Found out today that MS does have microfilmed county courthouse records at the state archives similar to Alabama, so Dad and I will be spending Monday of our research week in Montgomery and Thursday in Jackson, MS. I have completed abstracting and posting all the Alabama data from the last research trip. Will get to the GA items as soon as I can.

20 AUG 2007: Road trip to Mesquite, TX for next Saturday--for those of you traveling wth Diane & I here are the files you will need (zip format); route (108 caches), and park (220 caches, 5 mile radius). Let's GO!! :)

21 AUG 2007: Had dinner last evening with the Houston Dining Club at the House In The Heights restaurant. It was a very different dining experience for us, being a more formal affair. Sixteen members turned out for the event & it was great seeing folks we already knew and meeting some new ones! :)

22 AUG 2007: Well my Tag! You're It! geocaching event went well last evening. There were over 40 cachers in attendance--a super turnout for a weeknight event! THANKS to everyone who attended! Great to see some old faces and meet several new ones! My new pathtags did not arrive in time, so I've promised one to each attendee as soon as they do come in. ATMA (Tim) took several photos and I will post those once I get copies from him. THX Tim! Marty (5SH) & Gary (TDW) were bold enough to show their faces at the event, but too lily-livered to actually finish the duel!-- Thus the thread started by OHL Hockey Guy (Steve) on the forum, before the event was barely over! LOL ParkerPlus summed it up nicely on the cache page when he logged his attendance: "What can I say about another super event where everyone is having a good time - eating, drinking, shooting the bull, shooting each other and enjoying it. Thanks".

25 AUG 2007: Diane and I rode up to Mesquite, TX for the Geocacher's Milestones event--Diane hit 500 finds as of this trip, I hit 800 finds and 50 hides! The drive up and back was great as we cached our way there and home!

26 AUG 2007: Waterskiing this morning--it was too cool to learn that all the rivers I've seen from many of the parks I'd previously visited were interconnected by the waterway! :)

27 AUG 2007: Attended another Snoogan's event at Escalante's. Great seeing everyone and trading pathtags! :) 198/3596

28 AUG 2007: The tickets and pit passes to the Dega race have arrived and my cabin reservations in Gulf Shores are made, so I'm ready to go! I found this explanation of the new NASCAR points system on Dave Barry's blog:

Question-Can you explain the NASCAR Nextel Cup championship scoring?
Frank, Bellevue, Wa 7/09/07
Answer-You get a certain number of points for first place, second place, etc. The winner is the person who, at the end if the season, has the most total product logos on his or her body and car combined.
Dave Barry 7/12/07

Question: Dave, please change the FDA food pyramid to include more fats, sugars and salts. I'm simply wasting away on all of the bread, fruit and vegetables that I'm eating. Yesterday, someone had mistaken me for being French. We're Americans, Dave, and the FDA should acknowledge that.
sck007, Augusta, NJ 7/08/07
Answer: When I am elected, the FDA will be ordered to create a new food shape, the Food Trapezoid, which will feature one full facet devoted to beer and cheeseburgers.
Dave Barry 7/11/07
Question: We know that you inaugural address will covers topics from A to B. Could one of them be what you intend to do about the senior citizens (God Bless them all) who signal to turn right then turn left, causing other drivers to slam on the breaks and say things that Granny would not like to hear?
Concerned Non-Senior Citizen, Florida, Parts of which are in the US 7/11/07
Answer: I would create a class of drivers called "Extremely Senior Citizens," consisting of people who would be allowed to drive only during certain hours, ideally 3 to 5 a.m, ideally on February 8.
Dave Barry 7/11/07

30 AUG 2007: Finally made it to the library to view the last roll of Greer County, OK film. Made copies of the divorce records for Callie Franklin v. John Franklin. A througouh search of the 1920 Greer County, OK census turns up two John Franklins, namely this John Franklin with wife Callie and a second John Franklin who is in the Oklahoma State prison, listed as age 34, married, born in GA. I am now thinking this second fellow may be the one I'm looking for, but will continue seeking information to clarify/verify.

31 AUG 2007: New roadtrip in the works. Looks like Patty, Diane & I will be headed up to the Plano area next month.

Georgia: This indenture made this seventeenth day of April in he year of our lord one thousand eight hundred & nine in the thirty third year of the Independence of the United States of America Thomas Franklin of the County of Pulaski & Nancy his wife of the one part and James T. Thomas of the County and State aforesaid of the other part. Witnessseth that the said Thomas Franklin and his wife for and in consideration of the sum of Twelve hundred dollars to them in hand paid at and before the sealing and delivering of these presents the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, hath bargained, sold and delivered, Conveyed and Conferred and by these presents do grant bargain, sell/allin Convey and confer unto the said James T. Thomas his heirs and assigns all that tract, lot or parcel of land situate lying and being in the County aforesaid containing two hundred two and a half acres on the Beaver Dam Creek known & distinguished by number 283 in the twenty fourth district of Wilkinson, now Pulaski, drawn by and granted to the said Thomas Franklin on the 31st of August 1808. To have and to hold the said tract or lot of land with all and singular the rights members and appurtenances thereof whatsoever to the said James T. Thomas as being belonging or in any wise appertaining, with the remainder and remainders revertion? and reversing? rents? ???? and property thereof to the only proper use benefit and behoof of him the said James T. Thomas his heirs, Executors, administrators and assigns in the simple and the said Thomas Franklin and Nancy his wife for themselves their heirs, Executors and administrators, the said bargained tract or lot of land unto the said James T. Thomas his heirs Executors, administrators, and assigns against the said Thomas Franklin & his wife Nancy and their heirs, Executors, Administrators, and all any other person or persons shall & will warrant & forever defend by virtue of these present. In witness whereof the said Thomas Franklin & Nancy his wife hath hereunto left their hands & affixed their seals this day and year first above mentioned.
Signed, sealed & delivered in the presents of
Thomas McGriff
Elizabeth McGriff
Wilson Bass (his mark)

22 SEP 2007: Franklin marriage records, Greer County, Oklahoma.
Updated fgs for family of Thomas Franklin based on latest findings, and documentation:
==========================================================================================
Husband: Thomas Franklin
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Birth: bet 1760-70 England
Land (sold): 17 APR 1809 202 1/2 acres on the Beaver Dam Creek known & distingui
Misc: JUN 1809 appears on the petit juror list; Pulaski County, Georgia
Land (bought): 17 NOV 1809 202.5 acres in the 24th district of Wilkinson, now Pulaski County, GA
Misc: JUN 1810 appears on the petit juror list; Pulaski County, Georgia
Tax list: 1810 Pulaski County, Georgia
Misc: JUL 1810 appears on the petit juror list; Pulaski County, Georgia
Misc: OCT 1811 appears on the petit juror list; Pulaski County, Georgia
Misc: APR 1812 appears on the petit juror list; Pulaski County, Georgia
Misc: JUN 1812 appears on the petit juror list; Pulaski County, Georgia
Misc: APR 1814 appears on the petit juror list; Pulaski County, Georgia
Misc: OCT 1814 appears on the petit juror list; Pulaski County, Georgia
Tax list: 1816 Pulaski County, Georgia
Misc: OCT 1816 appears in the superior court minutes; Pulaski County, GA
Misc: 18 JAN 1828 deeded gifts of cattle to children of sons Josiah & Moses of Greene Co., AL
Death: abt 1829 Covington County, Alabama
Marriage: abt 1789
Father:
Mother:
==========================================================================================
Wife: Nancy ?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Birth: abt 1770-74
Death: bet 1830-1840 probably Covington County, Alabama
Census: 1830 Covington County, Alabama
Father:
Mother:
==========================================================================================
Children
==========================================================================================
1 M Solomon Franklin
Birth: abt 1790
Misc: OCT 1815 is charged in Superior Court with assault; Pulaski Coun
Tax list: 1816 Pulaski County, Georgia
Misc: OCT 1816 appears in court case as defendant; Pulaski County, Geo
Misc: OCT 1816 appears in court case as defendant; Pulasi
Census: 1830 Covington County, Alabama
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 F Elizabeth Franklin
Birth: abt 1792 Georgia
Census: 1830 Covington County, Alabama
Census: 1840 Covington County, Alabama
Census: 30 SEP 1850 Covington County, Alabama
Census: 7 JUL 1860 Woodville, Tyler County, Texas
Death: ?Polk County, Texas
Spouse: Joseph Harville (1781- )
Marriage: 8 NOV 1816 Pulaski County, Georgia
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 M Willson Franklin
Birth: abt 1794 Georgia or South Carolina
Census: 1830 Covington County, Alabama
Death: abt 1836 Loango, Covington County, Alabama
Fam Hx Article: 22 JAN 2000 The Andalusia Star News; Andalusia, Covington county, A
Spouse: Temperance (Tempy) Straughn (1788-1868)
Marriage: 1822 Alabama
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 M Moses Franklin
Birth: 1796 Georgia
Census: 1830 Greene County, Alabama
Land (bought): 15 MAR 1837 40 acres (SE1/4 of SE1/4 of S12 T23N R2E); Greene Count
Land (bought): 30 MAR 1837 40 acres (NE1/4 of NE1/4 of S13 T23N R2E); Greene Count
Land (sold): 21 JAN 1839 the SE1/4 of SE1/4 of S12 T23 R2E & NE1/4 of NE1/4 of S
Census: 28 NOV 1850 Marion County, Alabama
Tax list: 1853 Chickasaw County, Mississippi
Census: 27 AUG 1870 Atlanta, Chickasaw County, Mississippi
Death: bet 1875-1880 Chickasaw County, Mississippi
Tax list: 1875 Chickasaw County, Mississippi
Death: aft 1875
Spouse: Cynthia Park (1802- )
Marriage: 15 OCT 1823 Greene County, Alabama
Spouse: unknown ( - )
Marriage: abt 1852
Spouse: Mary Y. (1839- )
Marriage: abt 1860
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 M Josiah Franklin
Birth: 4 FEB 1800 Georgia
Census: 1830 Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
Land (bought): 20 SEP 1839 80 acres (SW1/4 of SW1/4 and NW1/4 of NW1/4 of S5 T24N
Census: 1840 Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
Death: 18 MAY 1848 Chickasaw County, Mississippi
Spouse: Harriet Park (1803-1860)
Marriage: 29 DEC 1821 Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
==========================================================================================
Prepared 25 SEP 2007 by:
Lisa R. Franklin RN, BSN

25 SEP 2007: Met with Cathy and Greg at Noah's Ark on the water in Bacliff, TX to discuss our upcoming October canoe trip.

27 SEP 2007: Picked up my new cachemobile this afternoon. The old 1996 Jeep Cherokee 4x4 finally has been done in and I traded it on an 08 Jeep Wrangler 4x4. Was leary of trying to drive the old Jeep cross country on my trip to Bama tomorrow.

09 OCT 2007: Back from my latest trip. Spent 10 days in Bama for the Alabama Open Invitational weekend at Gulf Shores and the race at Dega. Had dinner at Zeke's on Gulf Shores with the AOI gang on Friday night, Sept 28th. The cabin at Gulf Shores was AWESOME!! I will definitely be going back in the future! Spent most of Saturday caching with David (Lazer) and Stephanie and family (Stephanie2427, Reluctant Bystander--LOVE that handle!, Princess Sweetpea, King Cache, et.al.). We went to some cool cache sites! Driving from the beach up to Birmingham I took the scenic route and visited some historic sites and did a cache run along the way. Neat how caching took me directly to some old historic sites I'd always wanted to visit, but didn't know exactly where they were! First stop original settlement site of Mobile.

Next stop was at Ellicott's Stone. My father had come across this marker by chance some 40+ years ago, so it was extra neat to go here knowing Dad had been in the same place so many years ago! From the cache page that led me directly to the stone (I have interspersed my site photos in the write-up below:

Article below copied unedited from: Alabama Society of Professional Land Surveyors (www.aspls.org)

The Ellicott Stone is an international boundary marker or landmark. It is the only known stone monument set by Major Andrew Ellicott when he surveyed the line of demarcation between the United States and Spain during the years 1798-1800. All other monuments along the 1st U.S. Boundary were post mounds set approximately every mile from the Mississippi River to the Chattahoochee River

Andrew Ellicott, Esq., an astronomer and surveyor was commissioned by George Washington to represent the U.S. as Commissioner to carry out the provisions of the Treaty of San Lorenzo el Real, also known as the Pinckney Treaty. Thomas Freeman was appointed Surveyor.

Article 1 of the treaty delineated the boundary between Spain and the U.S. as the 31st parallel of North Latitude. Ellicott set the monument after his survey crew ran a guide or compass line from the Pearl River near Natchez. He set up an astronomical observatory on a bluff south of "Grog Hall". Today this bluff is called Seymour's Bluff and stands fifty feet above the Mobile River.

Ellicott proceeded to take elevations and sightings on the various stars, planets, the moon & the sun to calculate his geographical position. This brown ferruginous sandstone monolith is located in Mobile County, Alabama on the west side of the Mobile River North of Le Moyne, Alabama.

The Ellicott Stone is also the initial point for all U.S. Public Land surveys in the Southern part of Alabama & Mississippi. It is the point of intersection of what is known today as the St. Stephens Meridian & the St. Stephens Baseline. From 1803 until after 1813, the U.S. Deputy Land Surveyors used the Ellicott Stone to lay out the townships and ranges North of the 31st parallel. After 1813 the survey of the townships South of Ellicott's mound line were begun.

South Face of the Ellicott Stone which reads "Dominio De S. M. Carlos IV, Lat.31., 1799"- set by the joint U.S./ Spanish survey party on April 10, 1799. North Face of the Ellicott Stone which reads "U.S., Lat.31., 1799"- set by the joint U.S./ Spanish survey party on April 10, 1799. N.B.

2.) Brass disk drilled into top of stone to provide "a more accurate point" by the USCGS in 1936

3.) Hole below the date "1799" on the South face was caused by buckshot circa 1974

4.) Holes to the right of "Lat. 31." on the North face was caused by buckshot circa 1974

While in Bama Dad and I spent a day at the State Archives in Montgomery. I was plesantly surprised to see my Parker cousin Lorene there too! Dad & I got to meet her daughter too which was nice! I met Lorene some 12+ years ago when I lived in Montgomery and we were both actively researching our north Alabama Parker and Pate lines. I hope I'm in as good a shape as she is when I'm 96 years old! WOW!! Found a few tidbits on a trip to the Tuscaloosa courthouse for the Franklins--will post images soon. Made a fruitless trip to the MS state archives in Jackson researchwise, but did meet cousin James Franklin while there and exchanged info/photos. Enjoyed meeting you James and can't wait to see how the results of the latest DNA test divvy out. Did receieve an email stating the samples were recevied at the lab, so apparently tubes are individually labeled--no worries there! :) Will post the Bible record pages etc that James shared with us soon also. On the drive home I traveled via Hwy 80 through historic Selma visiting Sturdivant Hall and Gaineswood in Demopolis.

15 OCT 2007: A SUPER weekend, involving a geocaching event (SE TX Octoberfest) with friends and fellow cachers TerraTrekkers, GSGuru and Sharpbiker, we made a stop in Beaumont, TX to grab some caches including a neat virtual at the Fire House museum where Guru just couldn't resist 'hiking' a leg! LOL I followed all that with a 4x4 caching adventure on Matagorda Island Sunday which resulted in my reaching 1,000 cache finds. :) 166/3032

20 OCT 2007: Lafayette, LA trip to LA/MS Katrina survivors event at Lake Fausse Point State Park. Nice drive and pizza run- DUH!!! Artcollide (aka Lynn), a new cacher, joined me on the trip. We had a fun and funny time! She is gonna fit right in with the HGCS 'gang'! LOL Planning for my next trip in a few weeks is in progress. Uploading the file of documents I copied on my last Bama trip for Josiah Franklin from the Tuscaloosa County, AL courthouse.

29 OCT 2007: Hill country trip this weekend including the town of Zephyr, TX. :) Next weekend GSGuru and I will make an East Texas cache run on the motorcycle after attending the Full of Hot Air event. Should be another fun girlz gone cachin crazy weekend! WOOT! :) 145/2744

01 NOV 2007: Went by Tim's in Dickinson this evening and he did the OS and RAM updates on my new Vista HCx gpsr. THANKS TIM!!! And thanks for the yard cache! :)

04 NOV 2007: Guru & I drove up through East Texas working the Pastor's 100 series. Our Goal: 100 caches in 1 day...while we didn't complete the series we DID get our 100 caches. It took us 12 hours! :)

17 NOV 2007: Another beach 4x4 caching trip to place the last of my Tribute to HGCS members cache along the Bluewater Highway and grab a few beach caches including the Bryan Beach 4x4 cache. Also completed, over a year later, the Crazy Containers in the woods multi and did some maintainance there for the owner--cool cache! Have had lots of nice posts on my new Inspector Gadget puzzle cache--I had to do some thinking as I wanted to do something different no one has seen before, judging by the responses so far, I succeeded! :)

20 NOV 2007: Planning for upcoming Bama trip and for Washington/California road trip. WOOT!

26 NOV 2007: Back home from latest Bama trip. Had a nice Thanksgiving with my parents and siblings and all the kiddos! Finished up 9 more pages of the Alabama Delorme Challenge which leaves me with a single page left to complete the challenge--will get that and the final on my next trip. Have also completed 47 of the 67 counties for the county challenge as well. Had to go I-20 on the trip over due to the burning pipeline that had closed down the Atchafalya basin bridge between Baton Rouge and Lafayette, LA but were able to come home via my ususal I-10 route, stop at the basin rest stop and replace my cache container there for a rust proof one and also place 2 new caches there as well and take in the cool rest stop attractions yet again--such a cool stopover point (even if it is in LA! LOL)

27 NOV 2007: Trying to come up with a neat gift idea for the upcoming White Elephant exchange event this weekend...Hmmm...need ideas! LOL Will probably spend the weekend doing the last side of the fence in the backyard. Has taken me months to get the first two sides completed, but hopefully can get it finished up this month! <crossing my fingers!> 125/2287

09 DEC 2007: Spent the weekend working on my first 5/5 cache "Quantum Leap", knew it would take some time to complete so I'd had it on my watch list for months. Completed the first 3 stages and will go for the final next weekend! WOOT!

09 JAN 2008: Finally finished putting up the new privacy fence in the backyard! YEAH!

20 JAN 2008: Took a drive down to Corpus Christi, stopping along the way at Fulton Beach, TX. It is a nice quiet, seaside 'village'. :)

17 MAR 2008: Another trip back home to Alabama, but this time I picked a totally new route through Mississippi to take in a geocache at a stop that sounded really cool. Windsor Ruins along the Natchez Trace is an AWESOME site--photos don't begin to show the awe this site inspires. Road on up the trace into north Alabama then back down over to my parents. If you haven't driven the Trace before I HIGHLY recommend it!!

30 AUG 2008: Headed on a caching trip to the beach, Corpus Christi area, with Bama caching friend OHail, visiting TX from Alabama.

We little knew that morning,
God was going to call your name.
In life we loved your dearly,
In death we do the same.

It broke our hearts to lose you,
You did not go alone,
For part of us went with you,
the day God called you home.

You left us beautiful memories,
Your love is still our guide
And though we cannot see you,
You are always by our side.

Our family chain is broken
And nothing seems the same
But as God calls us one by one
The chain will link again.

01 NOV 2009:
My roots are in Alabama sod,
I'm southern by the Grace of God,
Bear Bryant taught me the meaning of pride,
and my pledge of allegiance is ROLL TIDE!!

08 DEC 2009: Looking forward to vacation at DisneyWorld with Danielle and the kids next month! Also the fun of the upcoming Mardi Gras Celebrations in February. Came across a good site today: Joe Cain & Mardi Gras

07 FEB 2010: Psyched about going home to Mobile for Mardi Gras next weekend. Mystics of Time has been my favorite parade since childhood! :)

© "Tracking Your Roots"
All material contained on these pages is furnished for the free use of those researching
their family origins. Any commercial use, without the consent of the host/author of
these pages is prohibited--Copyright is retained by the author/contributor of the material and publication to any medium, electronic or non-electronic, without consent
is in violation of the law. All persons contributing material for posting on
these pages do so in recognition of its free, non-commercial distribution, and are responsible for assuring that no copyright is violated by submission.

Lisa's Latest Happenings & News