Re: Sinclair, St Clair

[milamba <milamba@milamba.com>]

Thanks for sharing that with us!  It's wonderful! :)  and what
a great attitude! :)

Margaret

At 06:17 PM 19/09/99 -0400, you wrote:
> My Grandfather,
> Frederick E. Dean became very interested in researching our history in
> the 1920's. He had 4 young children of his own at the time and was a
> Baptist Minister. His search continued until the early 1970's when he
> could no longer physically travel to gather information. This interest
> was sparked by his Uncle Seth Dean, who had started researching his
> genealogy years before. Great Uncle Seth died in 1927 and left his
> material for my Grandfather to continue.  My Great Uncle Seth was
> very proud of his heritage and instilled a deep appreciation for this in
> my Grandfather.  Just when my Great Uncle Seth began his search, I
> do not know, but it lives on in me.  
>  
> My interest in genealogy began about 2 years ago, 12 years
> after my Grandfather died at the age of 95.  He would be so proud to
> know someone is following in his footsteps.  I only wish that I
> would have realized my interest while he was alive as I could have picked
> his mind. But I was busy with my own young family and the present to even
> think about the past.  What I have now instead are notebooks, files,
> letters and pictures that he left behind.  Volumes of information
> that he wanted to share.  Some of the letters I have were from
> branches not directly related to us, but branches just the same. 
> Everyone was willing to help him and share what they had with him. 
> And he felt they were all family and treated them as such.
>  
> My Grandfather was willing to share what he
> found with anyone willing or wanting to know.  He never would have
> held back or charged for his work as he felt it was for all in the
> families to know.  Would I share all of his and my Great Uncle
> Seth's work?  No. Some of the letters, notes and stories are not
> something I feel need to be shared unless they pertain to someone
> directly.  But, I would however share names, dates and places. 
> We all have to start somewhere, and it is through helping one another and
> sharing that we do this.
>  
> I will never publish my Grandfather and
> Uncle Seth's work as I don't feel they would want me to profit from what
> is everyone's right to know;  Their heritage.  
>  
> Below are exerts from my Grandfather, Dr.
> Rev. Frederick E. Dean's, work.  They were written in 1951 to his
> children and extended families. 
>
> "My interest for study of family history looks back and forward.
> Back to those from whom we spring, and whose characteristics we
> inevitably share and forward to our children, to whom, in spite of
> ourselves, we are passing on this heritage we have received. We can
> revise and update our heritage as it filters through us to our children,
> but it will inevitably carry something, from our past, as well as our
> present.
>
> I am convinced that it behooves us to consider the roots from which we
> spring, the better to understand the spreading branches which we bear. In
> other words Family History.
>
> When young, we are too busy and eager with life to care whence we came,
> or how.  When we begin to wonder, our best sources of information
> may have gone, and we even have difficulty remembering dates and places
> in our current family story.  
>
> There will never be time to do this all at once, so I'm gathering up some
> of the bits and scraps collected through the years with your help, and
> with the help of others now gone, in the hope that you will continue to
> provide information, and that someone will volunteer to "take
> over", now or later, and develop the material.  My zipper note
> book and open files are fat with sketches, letters, clippings, pictures,
> etc., but they hold no extra time.  Neither does my
> "retirement", and I am not ready for a retirement that
> does.  I hope to be around for a few years yet, but no one
> knows.  Suppose we get our heads together and find a way to gather,
> conserve and extend family information for our children.  They may
> not care much about it now, but some of them will be very grateful some
> day."
>
> I miss my Grandparents and the knowledge they took with them. With each
> day that goes by that I find new information or read about our history in
> this site, that we are so lucky to have, I think of them and remember my
> Grandfathers wish that someday someone will "take over" and
> continue his quest.
>
> We are all "family" here on the Sinclair list and therefore
> should all be willing to share what we have and help those around
> us.  We descend from many branches of the same tree and as far as I
> am concerned, that makes you all "MY FAMILY".
>
> Thank you for your time and Thank you for this site,
>
> Barbara Kyler (A Proud Sinclair)
>
> PS:  To John and the rest of the family:  Thank you for your
> kind note, Chris, regarding our web page.  In the interest of
> keeping with my own beliefs expressed in the letter above, here is the
> family history that I have compiled through various sources including
> those here on the list.  A special Thanks to Gary M. Sinclair who
> provided me with his family branch.  I have made every attempt to
> leave names and dates of living relatives out of this data base.  If
> anyone can add to or has mistakes to point out, I will correct them as
> soon as possible.  Here is the web page address as well as my own
> personal e-mail address.  I look forward to hearing from the rest of
> our family on this site and that it can be an on going and comprehensive
> starting point for family members researching their own family
> branch.
>
> Thank you again,
>
> barbdana@eznet.net
>
> http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/6658/