TGS Newsletter
Vol. 25 No. 9 Nov./Dec. 2006

Visit our home page at http://www.rootsweb.com/~laterreb/tgs.htm

    A big “THANK YOU” goes out to all those who responded in any way to our cry for help. We did get a healthy reaction to our suggestions. We now know that the “digital wave” that is showing up all over the world is not that strong, yet. Kinda like that 16-inch tsunami that appeared on the coast of Japan when they were expecting a 20-foot wave. So much for sending out CD’s or publishing only on the internet or with email. Our members are not ready for that big step just yet. Maybe down the line at some time we will try it again. Who knows? Stay tuned. In the meantime, you can expect the usual interesting, useful and up-to-date information you have gotten used to in the quarterly and newsletter. On paper. Our board members have decided to use smaller boxes (by about half). So that the burden will be spread out. We’ll get our cardiovascular exercise by making more trips back and forth to the truck and the workroom, but we’ll be lugging smaller weights each trip. 
    Now we have to get ready for the Christmas social at the December 9 meeting. What’s to get ready, you ask? Why all kinds of things; like go shopping for a toy for a tot: at least a $5 gift, not wrapped, and not a hand-me-down; then like wrap up a few of those “white elephant” gifts that you got last Christmas and haven’t found a use for, yet; then like make, bake or buy something to eat or something to eat with or something to eat on. You got the picture, right? No need for me to go on about how much fun we always have eating, and exchanging gifts and catching up on news about the people we haven’t seen since last Christmas party. This year, Patty WHITNEY has plans to introduce an ice-breaker so that we can get to know each other even better than before. And this year is special; we have twenty-five years to celebrate. Can you imagine? The Silver Anniversary of Terrebonne Genealogical Society is here. Nancy WRIGHT is planning to publish a souvenir booklet for the occasion. Be sure and come and get yours in person. Only those members who are strictly bedridden or in jail will be allowed to get one vicariously.

DUES: For all of you who like to “do it and get it over with,” here’s a chore that you can do early and not have to worry about it when I remind you, later. Pay your dues for 2007. Our fiscal year ends in February, so, technically speaking, you are good until then, but some people don’t like to take a chance. There is a very real possibility that when the time comes they will forget, or something else will come up that needs their immediate attention, or they may be incapacitated somehow, and they won’t renew their membership when it comes up. Then, guess what: a couple of newsletters get missed, then the quarterly doesn’t come in the mail, and you are left to wonder what happened. Well, I’ll tell you what. Why not do it now. Send in $25.00 for an individual or $30.00 for a family or contributing membership. If you happen to be a library or a society, it is just $22.00. Then scratch us off your to-do list. Good job!
    By the way, while we are discussing the newsletter and quarterly, we would like to know what type of material you want us to include. What do you look forward to in these publications? They are meant to help our members, so if we need to readjust our aim, please tell us. Better to tell us than to complain to others that we are not providing you with what you need or want in a newsletter or quarterly. Tell us what we are doing right and/or wrong. Or not doing but should do.
    Another thing; it seems to me that if you are an active genealogist, you will have loose ends, brick walls, questions or queries about all sorts of people and places. Please let us help. That’s one of the things we are here for. And who knows, maybe by helping you we will at the same time, help some others who are puzzling about the same thing. Our quarterly publishes queries free of charge, but we do ask that the question have a connection to this area of Louisiana. Deadlines for publication in the most current issue of Life Lines are January 1 for the Spring issue, April 1 for Summer, July 1 for Fall and October 1 for Winter.

BRICK WALL: Barbara WHITFIELD is looking for more information about this couple:
 William WHITFIELD
  b. 1844 in possibly Georgia (?)
 Married (2nd)
 Mary Agnes BRYANT
  b. 1857
  d/o (?)
Unsure: Married (1st)
 Mary E. BRYANT
  b. 1841-1845
  d/o George H. & Mary E. BRYANT
Children:
1) John C. WHITFIELD b. 1867
2) Wm. M. WHITFIELD b. 7/14/1871
3) Joseph WHITFIELD b 1875, d. 1955
4) Lewis WHITFIELD
5) Henry Clay WHITFIELD d. 8/30/1936
6) Mary Agnes WHITFIELD
 If you have any information to share with Barbara, or if you have further questions, please contact  her at (985) 872-3185 or email bbw21 at bellsouth dot net (make the usual substitutions for the words).
 

NAME TAG: To the right you will see a sample of a name tag that members can purchase from Office Depot for use at meetings and when  visiting other libraries out-of-town. Its actual size is 1 7/16 inch (3.5 cm) high by about 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide. The cost depends on the mounting you want.

They offer several variations on a pin style, as well as a lanyard, if you don’t care to involve your clothing. Base cost (without mounting) is $7.99 for the black on white model. All of us seniors would appreciate it if every member wore a name tag to every meeting, but if you do visit a library where you are not known to be a member of our society you may get special privileges. No guarantee on that, however. But it couldn’t hoit.
 
LIBRARY SERVICE: Do you use the Genealogy Room at the Main Branch of the Terrebonne Public Library? Have you used it lately? Have you been frustrated by the lack of a copier? Maybe I’m spoiled, but for over a year we had an excellent copier. One that would copy an open book with no trouble. Just what we needed. Then, guess what? The warranty ran out, or something. It stopped working. Now, if you need to have something copied, you carry your book (or books) out of the Genealogy Room and wait your turn at the copier in the Reference Department. If I sound like a spoiled child, please let me know. But back in the day, when we moved into that room, we were led to believe that we were special. I kept bragging that we had the most complete genealogy department in South Louisiana. Well, the collection is still one of the best, but the service is sinking, fast. Just a month or so ago we donated a good-sized check toward the purchase of a fabulous new microfilm reader/copier that was all computerized and I don’t know what all. Have you tried to use it? Only one person in the Reference Department knows how it works, and that person is not always available, of course. The old microfilm reader/copier is on its last legs and needs servicing to produce usable copies. So, if you have encountered the same problems we have, please let someone know so that maybe if we squeak loud enough and long enough, something will be done and we will come back up to our old standards.