"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"

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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

Brief TSGS Officer Profiles - Becky West

Becky West was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Tri-State Genealogical Society. She was recently photographed at the Louisville Zoo and seems to have wings like an angel! Believe me, as her husband for 40 years, this was a staged photo! But like the volunteers of TSGS that are willing to serve as officers and committee members, they are all truly angels!

Becky graduated from Bosse High School, attended Lockyear Business College, got married and started raising a family that consisted of 3 sons and a husband. When the youngest was 10 years old, Becky entered the world of employment outside the home. Most of that time has been at the Little Sisters of the Poor nursing home in Evansville as a nurses aide.

For almost 40 years, Becky has served as her husband's personal secretary for his many non-profit organizations & political community service involvement. This was the Young Democrats (YD's), 4-H, Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), TSGS (over 30 years). She assisted her husband in each of these organizations as advisor, sounding board, secretary, remedial task master, and supporter. She has become one of the most experienced organizational "non- board member" to get elected to a Board of Directors! :)

Becky was a runner-up in the first Miss Evansville Pagent in 1967, was elected President of the Eighth Congressional Young Democrats (YD's), was a volunteer Adult 4-H Leader for over 20 years and is currently very active with the Ladies Auxillary of the Sons of the American Revolution. With the members of the Ohio Valley Chapter of SAR, Becky and a few other wives march (in Colonial dresses) with the SAR Color Guard in parades & other events. Becky was adopted as a baby and finally found her birth family at the age of 42... she has developed an interesting presentation for interested groups concerning her "Journey to the Beginning - An Adoption Story" to discovery her birth family. Becky wrote a poem to her deceased birth mother that most have stated was a real "emotional"message. She not only assists with my SAR "Flags Over America" programs, but she serves as the "pack-horse" helping me pack, load, carry, set-up and take down over 160 flags used in the presentation. Come to think of it maybe she is an angel... she has to be after putting up with me for 40 years!

Thanks for serving, Becky... and Welcome Aboard TSGS!

- Submitted by JGWest

From the FIRST MATE's PHOTO ALBUM...

"America 'Re-Cycling' as Never Before!"

(Click each photo to get a larger, better view of it)

Here is one of the most unusual fences that I have ever seen. It is "re-cycling" to a fault! This is a business along US Highway 231

between Greencastle and Crawfordsville, Indiana all just north of I-70 between Terra Haute & Indianapolis. I found this on my way to Wabash University to give a "Flags Over America" program for a DAR & three SAR Chapters in 2006. I had to stop and take photos of it. I was reminded of this fence yesterday as Don Counts, JD Strouth & I went up to Depauw University in Greencastle for a INSSAR House of Delgates State Meeting. All three of us are state officers and attempt to attend the four state quarterly meetings.

This is the perfect type of business to have such a fence... it is a junk car yard with lots of other re-cycables items: camper shells, trailers, etc. But the actual business is painting cars. Becky was with me on this adventure to see this great wonder of the world. She stayed in the car while I took these historic photos. I am not sure that she appreciated the value and "beauty" of this marvel & pure delight that I had found on that glorious day. Well, you have to admit that this fence is like none you have ever seen before!

Notice that the bigger bikes drop down to smaller bikes. They were all painted white and chained to metal stakes in the ground.

Photos taken by John G. West

RACING DOWN the RIVER -Brief Genealogical Notes

The Photo Album on the TSGS Web Site has a new page for the 14 Jun 2005 Flag Day TSGS Monthly Meeting. The program was “Flags Over America” presented by John G. West and assisted by Becky West & Don Counts. The above photo shows some of the fun at a TSGS meeting. Becky pokes the flint lock musket at John surprising John while Bettie Cook laughs on the left. There are several photos of the program with photos of the Color Guard presenting the Colors for the Pledge of Allegiance and the installation of the 2005-2006 TSGS Officers. Take a look at the officers and see all the flags at: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~intsgs/photos3.html

Former TSGS President Virginia Aldridge released last night that there are now 100 images from Vanderburgh Co., IN Marriage Applications Volume 25 online.
http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~thetiethatbindsour/van_mar/vol_25_index.htm

Former TSGS President Don Counts suggests that when reading old records this might help to know what the definition of words and terms were during that period of time. Entire 1828 dictionary online at:
http://1828.mshaffer.com/

- Compiled by JGWest