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/