WEST Surname y-DNA Family Reunion

 

FamilyTreeDNA

West Surname y-DNA Project

Family Reunion

St. Louis. MO

2013

 

 

Becky & I attended this year's y-DNA reunion.  We are Group # 5 in the West Surname Project at FamilyTreeDNA (known as the leader with the largest database of participants). We now have Y-DNA results for 310 WEST-surnamed males, identifying 113 unrelated WEST lines. We are a very diverse genetic group. Our surname was adopted many times by people in different locations. As more WESTs participate in the project, the benefit to all WEST researchers increases. We have 39 unrelated groups.  West is a somewhat common name.  We have learned that odds are not in our favor that we are related when we meet someone new by the name of WEST.

We stayed at the Renaissance Airport Hotel.  We were welcomed and honored by the city of St. Louis with a plaque, special cake, flowers and a very nice reception in the city hall.  Our reunion was covered on TV and in the newspapers.  We were treated as celebrities and everyone we met knew we were in town.  You would think we were some kind of very large International Convention.  There were about 20 or so of us.  We are a "colorful" and interesting family as we were described.  We all had a great time and discussed a lot of genealogy!

- submitted by JGWest

Evansville's Oak Hill Cemetery Tour May 2013

Panoramic view of the crowd attending this interesting tour of Evansville's largest cemetery.

Dennis Au & Chris Cooke conducts this tour on an annual basis.

Click on the photo above for a larger image.

On the left side you can see Indiana Bones in the yellow shirt and hat.

Next to Indiana to the right in the blue blouse is Becky West.

On the other side of Indy in the red blouse is Deb Travers.

Many TSGS members were present: John & Becky West, Deb Travers, Sue Newcom, Irvin & Connie Conrad, Karin Kirsch, Kathy Wilson, plus at least 3 more.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Been very happily busy these last few weeks... having fun doing genealogy related things.  Just today before enjoying a Thanksgiving feast (so glad when Becky does not have to work on this day at the nursing home!), I judged 3 great essays as one of the judges for the Capt. Jacob Warrick DAR Chapter for Good Citizenship Award.  Then right after dinner, I was surprised by a Skype video call from my 2 nephews who are working in Germany.  The call was for my great niece to read me her winning essay concerning what she would ask our Founding Father's if she got a chance... she won $500 and moves up to the next level.  The contest is sponsored by the VFW.  For an 11 year old, I was impressed with her reading of the essay almost as much as the content.  The essay was superb... after judging essays by older 4-H kids for over 25 years, I was really impressed with hers!  Actually, I was also impressed to be able to talk & see the two families all the way in Germany.  They called about 1:30PM Evansville time, it was 8:30 PM their time!  Congratulations Lydia West!!!

I hope all of the genealogists, historians, family and friends are having a great Thanksgiving day and a wonderful weekend!

John G. West, TSGS Vice-President

Cyndi's List Has Been Copied for Profit

Article by the lady that created and maintains Cyndi's List ~

I've spent the last two days documenting and laying the foundation for a lawsuit because my entire web site was copied and put on another person's for-profit site. This has been gut-wrenching and heart-breaking. I'm exhausted and upset. And in the end it hurts all of you too because I didn't get any other work done on Cyndi's List during this time.

This makes me wonder if people really understand what it is that i do. I spend 12 to 14 hours a day working on maintaining the site. By myself. I've had some help here and there over the past 16 years. But this site was literally built by hand, by me. I visit each web site, determine a title, description and categorization. I attempt to keep up on new trends. I do what I can to fix broken links. And last year I spent $40,000 of my own money to upgrade the site in order to make it easier to maintain and easier to use. The site is free for all of you to use. And thanks to you very generous people who donated money, 39% of my expense has been made up. I'm still working to pay off that bill.

I am a single mother. This is my sole source of income and I am not rich. I keep the site free for you to use, but earn the money on advertisements and commissions. I can't afford to spend a lot to maintain the site or to fight big legal battles. When I found that this person had just TAKEN 16 years worth of my blood, sweat, and tears I was absolutely stunned. I still am.

Thanks for taking the time to read my venting. I'm going to go create a new category now...  - Cyndi Howells       Like Cyndi's List on Facebook

                                           

                                             *************

 

Dick Eastman reported on his online newsletter:

Cyndi's List versus the Rip-off Artist

A sad event is unfolding on the popular Cyndi's List web site. As Cyndi Howells has written, "Be sure to read the blog article on copyright below. I've spent the last two days documenting and laying the foundation for a lawsuit because my entire web site was copied and put on another person's for-profit site. This has been gut-wrenching and heart-breaking. I'm exhausted and upset. And in the end it hurts all of you too because I didn't get any other work done on Cyndi's List during this time."

Some people are ignorant of copyright laws. Others simply don't care as these freeloaders will do anything to make a buck off someone else's hard work. I am not sure which excuse is appropriate here but, either way, it is no excuse. - Eastman's EOGN

I have been using Cyndi's List since just a few months after she started in 1996.  Several of my genealogical sites and Becky's Adoption Page were submitted to her list in 1996.  All of my KYGenWeb sites were linked on her site... the same with the TSGS and SAR web site.  It is not the links that are copyrighted - it is the collecting, organizing, listing and presentation that can be protected under law. Same with publications of public records in books or on Internet sites like Ancestry.com or Heritage Quest... the records can not be copyrighted, but the compilation and work to present them can be protected by law. One could argue, "well my work looks like theirs because I copied the same public records from the same public source." However, many compilers insert a few obvious mistakes that are usually copied in total from their work proving that the material was not copied from the records or collected other than from the hard work of the compiler. Stealing is stealing! It is immoral and illegal!! - JGWest

TSGS Meeting Notice!

Tri-State Genealogical Society
(TSGS) Meeting Notice! When: Tuesday 11 Sep 2012 - 7:00 PM
Where: Willard Library - 2nd. Floor
What: Monthly Meeting

[Photo credit: Becky West - Artwork: Chris Lantaff]

Guest Speaker for the September Meeting of the Tri-State Genealogical Society will be Indiana Bones. He will present stories about some of his adventures concerning cemeteries. The Evansville Courier & Press has dubbed TSGS Vice-President John G. West as a "Self-proclaimed Cemetery Geek!" a title he is proud of with his very active pursuit of genealogy over the last 50 years.

 His wife, Becky, gave him the name of "Indiana Bones" and the character evolved to help share his interesting and oftentimes humorous tales about cemeteries and other related genealogy subjects. Whether you are a family historian, genealogist, a history buff or just like to listen to story tellers... you should enjoy these "Adventures of Indiana Bones - Cemetery Stories!" You do not need to be a member to attend TSGS meetings - everyone is welcome!

John G. West (AKA: Indiana Bones)

 [Photo credit: Don Counts]

A drawing for an attendance prize will be awarded at the close of the meeting... you must be present to win.

The Tri-State Genealogical Society will have a brief business meeting that anyone can attend.

 

- Donald R. Counts, TSGS President

Plaque, Marker, Monument Monday

 

This plaque is posted here just west of the Newburgh Lock and Dam.  Becky and I had been at the Evansville Frog Follies on Saturday and decided to run over to the Newburgh Fiddler Festival to see what was happening there.

[Click on photo to get larger image to read.]

 

"Co-operative project for a public

access site which was partially

funded by 'Indiana Waters'

a fishing and boating

access program..."

Dated 1989

 

We had a great time and ran into several great folks and my friend Terry White.

From the First Mate's Photo Album - Zoo Pics

"Lets Go to the Zoo!"

Here are a few pictures taken at the Louisville Zoo on 24 Aug 2012... there are a lot of photos, click on one of them (suggest the bear above) to get another window with larger images of all in this blog.  The duck below was just a few inches from my leg when I took this photo!

The below photo was the best that we saw of the botanical gardens at this zoo on this trip.

Above left is a giant turtle... these guys are big & heavy!  This is a close-up of a sea lion just before the big show.  Upper left shows Becky making contact with this big guy.  Upper right is a very nice looking jaguar... just beautiful!  Below is one of Louisville's young Polar Bears.

 And in the middle of the zoo is a Pioneer Cemetery and here is a list of who is buried there.  An African and an Asian Elephant working together for a very nice show that we were lucky enough to catch.

That cannot be me with angel wings... it is not me, it is Indiana Bones who might be an angel! Wrestling a Kamoda Dragoon is not what an angel would do, but TSGS Director Becky West is not a typical angel... she is my wife!  Below is Evansville's Mesker Park Zoo photos... taken on Monday, 20 Aug 2012.  Look at the botanical garden near the zoo entrance and close to the Amazonia Exhibit.

 Above is some kind of Spoon-billed bird.  Below to the right is a wild snake crawling around in the temporiarily closed Praire Dog exhibit.  And just look at the teeth of that small gator!

 

 One of my favorite exhibits since I was just a little kid when it had monkeys on it, is Mesker Park's "Monkey Ship!"  They use it now for kiddie bumper boat rides.  Great new use for one of the zoo's older great exhibits!!!  OK, how many of you can have a leaf with your name on it as adopting a Zoo animal?  Anyone can... it only takes $25 for the smallest donation.  Actually, I represented the Ohio Valley SAR Chapter in adopting an American Bald Eagle and they put my name on the leaf instead of the Chapter - that will be corrected tomorrow!

 Below is one of the two most playful otters at the zoo... a favorite with the kids and for me and Becky.  The Jaguar is young and not yet full grown, but is a nice looking animal.





 

Above in these last four photos in upper left is a beautiful Tiger, then to the upper right is an old Rhino with missing tusks.  Lower left is one of the Gibbons monkeys that just love to swing around showing off!  Here are two large, but not giant turtles, posing for my camera.

- Photos taken by JGWest & Becky West.

"Someone walked on your grave!"

'
The other day for lunch, Becky and I were drinking some cold unsweetened ice tea when suddenly I got a very cold chill.  Becky said, "Someone walked on your grave!"  I thought to myself that if I got a cold chill from someone walking on my grave, Becky should have gotten one, also, since we have our grave lots together.  And just then Becky said, "Oh, my!  I got a cold chill, too!"  Now, that gave me goose bumps.  We both laughed about the whole thing.  I have heard people say that goose bumps were caused by a goose crossing your grave. 

We wondered how these old sayings came about.  So, I got on the computer and "Googled" the saying and this is what I found.  This phrase comes from old folk stories that a sudden cold chill or shiver was created by someone walking over the grave where one would end up buried... the saying most likely from the Middle Ages.  Several bulletin board sites said that it comes from ancient times when families purchased burial plots for their family before they had died. Someone walking over your grave showed disrespect, and walking over a person's grave who has not yet deceased, meant you wished them ill.

From Gary Martin's web site http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/someone-is-walking-over-my-grave.html, I found this ~

"The earliest known record of the phrase in print, which is, of course, an indication of the earliest date that we can prove that the phrase was in public use, is in Simon Wagstaff's A Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious Conversation, 1738. (Simon Wagstaff was one of the many pseudonyms of the celebrated writer Jonathan Swift):  'Miss [shuddering]. Lord! there's somebody walking over my Grave.' "  He mentioned that goose bumps were caused by a goose crossing your grave!

An interesting story was given by someone as a response to how this saying came about and what it meant:

"This does not actually answer the question, but about a year ago I heard that my ex-girlfriend's father had died, but the person I heard it from wasn't too reliable a source. So, I thought I would go to the cemetery where I knew her mother had been buried a few years before and see if the headstone had been altered. Whilst I was looking for the family plot, I saw out of the corner of my eye a recent grave with a brand new headstone that had my name on it!!!! Ridiculous as it sounds, I did think for the briefest second that I really had died and was looking at my own grave. It was a very unpleasant feeling."

Now, this story would cause me "goose bumps!"

- Compiled by Indiana Bones as told by JGWest.

Indiana Bones and the Lost Cemetery

The Adventures of Indiana Bones  

“The Quest for the Lost West Cemetery”

Indiana Bones has been roaming around “cemetery hopping” in Christian Co., Kentucky looking for the burial grounds for the West & allied families. After going through Ebenezer Church Cemetery, the O'Daniel & then the Cowan Cemeteries, Indiana Bones decided to locate the lost West Cemetery. Calls were made to local cousins in hopes of finding this cemetery... no luck, although, Tommy Henderson tried to figure out where it was. Tommy thought that maybe the cemetery near Frog Hop Road just south of Weathers (Withers) Branch (of Buck Creek) might be West Cemetery. This cemetery turned out to be the Withers (Weathers) Cemetery. At Tommy's suggestion Indiana had talked with Teddy Morgan, left a message with another cousin Eddie Deason and stopped by to see Doris West. No luck with any of these possibilities. Ray Matthews was with the roofers that were working at Doris West house and he suggested talking with the Powell brothers up the road. Well, they were too busy to stop and talk. By this time, Indiana had decided he was going to find this cemetery, no matter what! The 1966 directions had said that this Withers Cemetery was 3.3 miles along Frog Hop Road while the West Cemetery was 3.9 miles and said to follow an unused trail with the cemetery in the woods. After being at Withers Cemetery and taking a few pictures, Indiana Bones decided to see just exactly where this unused trail might be at 0.6 miles from the Withers Cemetery. Just about the location of the Tucker home (name on the mailbox) and a couple of old abandoned homes, was close to the point where the trail was supposed to be. With the passing of 46 years, that trail was long gone (the trail was probably an old logging road). [Continued below, click on photos for a larger image that will make it easier to see.]

 Cincinnati O. Williams (married William Ellis West) is buried in O'Daniel Cemetery.

 F. M. Cowan is buried in Cowan Cemetery which is not far from O'Daniel Cemetery.

 Indiana Bones posing by John G. West's  Grandfather Warner West's grave in Ebenezer Church Cemetery.

Becky West posing next to John G. West's Great Grandparents John William West and Hester A. Martin in Ebenezer Church Cemetery.

Indiana Bones in the Withers Cemetery south of Withers Branch of Buck Creek.

We decided to stop by the Tuckers and see if they might know about the West Cemetery – they were not at home! We went back toward Withers Cemetery to check with the few homes along there that might have someone that knew about an old abandoned cemetery in the woods. Indiana stopped in at Rick Maywald's home. We mentioned that we had been to Withers Cemetery, but was looking for a West Cemetery. Rick said: “I know where it is.” Indiana said that this was an old abandoned cemetery in the woods with the last known burial in 1913. Rick said: “I know where it is!” Indiana continued - stating that W.E. West, Francis M. West, Charlie P. West (brothers) and a few others were buried there. Rick said, “Yes, and C.P. West's wife is buried there and a few years ago after a big tree knocked down her grave marker we removed the tree and set the marker back up.” Indiana with a weak, cracking voice said, “you... actually... know... where this cemetery is?” “I can take you there” was the response, “it is on my father's property.” Rick is a very nice young man of about 35 years of age who suggested that Becky could visit with his mother while he took Indiana back through the cow pastures, ford a creek and follow a more “modern logging road” back to the cemetery. We were told that this Ovil area is rattlesnake infested! He had a nice John Deere “Gator” that was a great all-terrain vehicle to take us back there. It was a good distance to the dry creek bed (there has been very little rain for some time this year). The creek, by the way, is Weathers (Withers) Branch and we crossed over to the north side of it. We continued back into the woods quite a distance and suddenly, we saw a few tombstones a little ways to the left of us. IT WAS THE WEST CEMETERY!

 Above is one of the lost graves in the West Cemetery.  This is the grave marker of John G. West's Great, Great Grandfather William Ellis West born 1822 and died 1896.  Below Indiana bones is posing with the marker for W. E. West.

 Below you can just barely see some of the markers in the West Cemetery in the woods... photo taken from an old logging road.  Some of the markers look like tree trunks.  There is no fence or sign to help in seeing the cemetery.  The cemetery is located a long way from any sort of clearing like a field or pasture.

 Rick Maywald was my guide who took me back to the cemetery on a four-wheeled vehicle.  He is standing in the rocky dry bed of Withers Branch of Buck Creek.  When the water is flowing this area is a waterfall.  Rick was gratius enough to take the time for me to visit my Great Great Grandfather William Ellis West's grave.  The cemetery is located on his father's property and they clean it up from time to time to keep it from being completely over grown.  They have no family or connections to this cemetery, but since it is on their property they watch over it... God bless Rick and his parents for preserving this cemetery for a little longer!

Rick Maywald in the dry bed of withers Branch.

The tombstones are in remarkable shape and readable! Indiana Bones was clearly excited about the find, visibly shaking as he takes photos of John G. West's Great, Great Grandfather - William Ellis West's grave marker (W.E. West 1822-1896). The lost cemetery was no longer lost, thanks to Rick Maywald and his parents.  

- Written by Indiana Bones, a “Cemetery Geek”

"Flags Over America" Program in Hopkinsville, KY

I present a program to entertain and educate others about our country's heritage through flags... the presentation is called "Flags Over America!"  I have given this program at a TSGS meeting several years ago.  Below I am posing for a photo in front of part of the flags dressed in my Revolutionary War State Militia uniform.  I give the program as part of the Ohio Valley Chapter Sons of the American Revolution Speakers Bureau.  This time I had been invited to return for an encore performance for the DAR/SAR Annual Dinner Meeting in Hopkinsville, KY at the beautiful Oakland Manor.

 Becky West generally assists me in holding flags for everyone to see.  She dresses in typical Colonial women's attire.  My volunteer photographer, Chad Word, caught Becky relaxing before the meeting began.

 Becky & I just beginning the program in above photo.  Below we are nearing the end of the program showing one of my favorite militia flags known as the Guilford Courthouse Flag.  I had 25-3X5 foot flags on poles for display and to talk about.  This is a modified shorter version of "Flags Over America!"

 In the above photo you can see most of the flags on display.  My 4th. cousin Tommy Henderson is seated in lower far right corner in red knit shirt.  Below Tommy is giving an SAR report during the business meeting.

Becky & I had a great time.  I always put in plugs for the Tri-State Genealogical Society, as well as, Willard Library.  Special thanks to my set-up & take-down team of Tommy Henderson, Eddie Deason, Becky West and Chad Word.

- Photos taken by Chad Word.

"Published Family Records"

'


I have a wonderful 4th. cousin from Hopkinsville, Kentucky (Christian County).  Tommy Henderson descends from our common ancestor, Thomas West, Jr. who came to Christian Co. about 1806-09 to the area not far from where Dad was born in the Ovil Community.  Thomas West came from Chatham County, North Carolina.  My cousin Tommy, as an active member of his local SAR chapter, invited me back for another presentation of my "Flags Over America" program to be given to the DAR/SAR Annual Joint Meeting Dinner.  I gave this program before to this same group about 3-4 years ago.  Tommy said with all of the newer members and those who saw it before wanted me to return!  The truth of the matter might be that they could not get anyone else, but I will go with what they told me about liking to see all of my flags and learning more about them.


At any rate, Becky & I had a great time at the meeting... it is great to visit with a lot of my father's family although many are somewhat distant cousins.  Quite a few of those present qualified for Daughters or Sons of the American Revolution through Thomas West, Jr. with most - I had no idea how we were related.  Others present shared a common ancestor in other lines: Rager, Martin, Williams, Buckner, Woodis, etc.  Tommy Henderson and I share about 4 common ancestors and their spouses.


The dinner (my wages for the program) was absolutely great!  Most was even diabetic healthy foods!!!  And what was not, was really good!!!  Everyone in attendance was very friendly and nice to us.  I think my presentation was very well received and each learned something new, including me!  Setting-up and taking down all of my flags takes some time & work, but the task was much easier with help from Tommy, Eddie Deason and Chad Word... which I deeply appreciate.  But the highlight of the whole evening was the gift Tommy gave me for giving my program... his book on the 8,201 descendants of Thomas West, Jr. that he had compiled from his extensive records.  This 958 page hard-bound book must have cost over $50 to publish, but it is not about the money... it is about this wonderful collection of cousins and direct ancestors that are listed in this book, all 8,194 of them (I am one of the listed, along with my 3 siblings and 3 sons - I have 2 more descendants, my grandkids that are not listed).


I can not think of a better gift for a genealogist than the book that Tommy gave me.  And from this book I am able to easily sort out how so many at the dinner were related to me.  Thanks, Tommy!


- Written by JGWest

TSGS Meeting Report

Report on the TSGS Meeting held on Tuesday 12 Jun 2012

We had a small attendance of about 16 for this meeting, with 10 attendance prizes providing most with something to take home!  The weather has been so nice that we should have held the meeting outside!  Click on photos to see a larger image.

 Photo of some of the members just before the meeting was called to order by President Don Counts.  Several people were still researching on the microfilm machines in the back.  Willard Library is a great genealogical research library and is so beautiful inside & out.

 Above is pictured those officers elected for 2012-13 that were in attendance - from L-R: Sue Hebbeler, Corresponding Secretary; Larry Goss, Director; Rena Goss, Director; Becky West, Director; Kim Nightingale, Recording Secretary; John G. West, Vice-President; Don Counts, President.

 Becky West, the out-going Program Chair, after thanking the society for having a non-genealogist for 2 years as the Program Chair, read a brief humorous account of the Vincent Van Gogh Family Tree.  Then she introduced Indiana Bones (pictured below) to present his "Field Trip Health & Safety Tips!"  This was Indiana Bones first public appearance.  Since, John West was tagged as a "Cemetery Geek" by the Evansville Courier, Becky came up with the name of Indiana Bones for the TSGS Cruiser Blog and to give programs as this character.  John is shown with some of his gear: hat, walking stick, cemetery bag.  During the short session on tips, Indiana Bones pointed out some ideas of what to carry on field trips to a cemetery ("cemetery hopping"). A hand-out with suggested items for a first aid kit & a cemetery bag was passed out to all present.

Photos taken by Carol Lantaff, Larry Goss and JGWest.