The Elusive Ancestor

I went searching for an ancestor. I cannot find him still

He moved around from place to place and did not leave a will.

He married where a courthouse burned. He mended all his fences.

He avoided any man who came to take the U. S. Census.

He always kept his luggage packed, this man who had no fame.

And every 20 years or so, this rascal changed his name.

His parents came from Europe. They should be upon some list

of passengers to U.S.A., but somehow they got missed.

And no one else in this world is searching for this man.

So, I play geneasolitaire to find him if I can.

I'm told he's buried in a plot, with a tombstone he was blessed;

but the weather took engraving, and some vandals took the rest.

He died before the county clerks decided to keep records.

No Family Bible has emerged, in spite of all my efforts.

To top it off this ancestor, who caused me many groans,

Just to give me one more pain, betrothed a girl named Jones.

by Merrell Kenworthy

Top 10 Indicators that you've become a gene-aholic

by Mary H. Harris

10. You introduce your daughter as your descendent.

9. You've never met any of the people you send e-mail to, even though you're related.

8. You can recite your lineage back eight generations, but can't remember your nephew's name.

7. You have more photographs of dead people than living ones.

6. You've ever taken a tape recorder and/or notebook to a family reunion.

5. You've not only read the latest GEDCOM standard, but also you understand it.

4. The local genealogy society borrows books from you.

3. The only film you've seen in the last year was the 1880 census index.

2. More than half of your CD collection is made up of marriage records or pedigrees.

1. Your elusive ancestor has been spotted in more different places than Elvis!

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