FROM THE EDITOR

It is with a great deal of pride and pleasure that I can bring the people of the Allegheny Mountain Region this first issue of ALLEGHENY REGIONAL ANCESTORS. I hope that this is only the first in a long series of successful publications dedicated to the study of family history and genealogy. I extend my thanks to the membership for their confidence.

The Allegheny Mountain Region has a rich and varied history. From the Indians who first built their towns and cabins on the land in the local area, to the European poor who came by the hundreds from the old land to cut the timber and mine the coal in the early part of the present century, every family has a history, and it is up to us, their descendants, to see to the preservation of our heritage.

It is to such a spirit that our group is dedicated. In the interest of making the best use of the materials in this issue, some discussion of these may be helpful.

In each issue we plan to carry a "researcher's newsfront" to keep our members informed on happenings in the area that have a bearing on family history. Also, each issue will carry a queries section in which members may present their research problems and seek assistance.

This particular issue features a number of useful items, including a feature article by Vera Lewis on understanding those old time medical terms we have all seen in the records.

Page 10 of this issue has a very valuable Legislative petition prepared from the original and submitted by Akron, Ohio member Warren Skidmore. While a number of these petitions were circulated in the area at different times, this 1780 document is the only one I have seen that specifically deals ONLY with residents of the Tygart Valley, and as such amounts to the earliest census we have of the local area.

The members surname index on page 12 is a list of the surnames group members are working on, and the number following these will correspond to the numbers assigned to the member list on page 14. Everyone, please check your listings as I am aware of a few omissions. Report any problems to the archivist. The index will be ran from time to time as it is updated.

The "Black Sheep Writing Contest" item on page 15 was obtained by Jeff Carr at a genealogy seminar in Pennsylvania. This paper is evidence of the new feeling among family historians, that descendants of "wild and woolly" ancestors need no longer pay with their shame for the misdeeds of their progenitors, and in fact the study of these "family skeletons" can be fun!

The society has begun the ambitious project of collecting and computerizing cemetery inscriptions throughout the region. The form 16 was prepared by president Hill and can be Xeroxed, enlarged, and used by members and others to standardize the transcription of tombstone readings. Let's all get busy!!

Deadline for the submission of articles are on page 14. Lets everyone get our articles, family group sheets, pictures, etc. turned in for publication. See ya in September!.......


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