ISSN #1055-1891

Volume 14, Issue 1                                           March 2001

Dear Cousins all...

We are now in our fourteenth year, so amazing when one remembers what it was like getting us going. We seem as popular as ever. Almost everyone has rejoined, even those of you who have been taking advantage of the Internet. As you all know; I am not as excited over that source for research as most of you are, not being as convinced that it is a failsafe method for genealogical information. (see P.12)

I have been contacted by strangers who heard of my research into my husband's family, offering me stories and "sources" so out of touch with reality I was shocked. Whereas I had access to relatives still living in the Illinois counties where Wayne's family lived since the early 1800's who forwarded to me records, letters, census copies, deeds, wills, county histories (some very incorrect which they pointed out at the time) newspaper obituaries, letters from these distant relatives with intimate details of marriages, and births, and oddities in the family. Contrast this with strangers giving me so-called copies of birth certificates of persons born before such certificates were required by Illinois law, or listing children of other RAWLINGS in the area (no relation) as children of my husband's ancestors. (At this point I note..:there were three JAMES RAWLINGS, none related from totally different lines, were in the Lawrence County area at the same time. One took his family and moved away, the other two stayed Sometimes these errors are caused by slip-shod research methods, or eagerness to have a family tree whatever it takes. I would suggest before you accept any information from anyone use at least three legal and provable proofs.

Enough preaching. The item mentioned on P.12 deals with hoaxes and errors in so much of Internet genealogical research. I am attempting to contact Mr. Jackson to obtain permission for any of you who do not have Internet access to refer you to another address than the e-mail one on P.12.

Spring is here! Escape the doldrums of winter...and ENJOY!