July 2010 Self Seekers Newsletter

SELF SEEKERS:

THE SELF FAMILY ASSOCIATION QUARTERLY ONLINE NEWSLETTER SUPPLEMENT

Co-Hosts
Tim W. Seawolf Self
Barbara Ann Peck
[email protected]
Volume 13, no. 3 July, 2010
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WELCOME

Welcome to volume 13, no. 3 of the quarterly online newsletter supplement to "Self Portraits: The Self Family NetLetter," the Website dedicated to Self family research at http://www.selfroots.com

You are receiving this newsletter because you were kind enough to join "Self Seekers: The Self Family Association." We appreciate all of your contributions, large and small, and we hope you will continue to support our page, our surname list, and this newsletter.

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RETIREMENT

Today is Newsletter Day. It's also a milestone for me: my first day of retirement. I--Barbara--turned 65 nine days ago and decided that I'd better take advantage of my pension and Social Security while they're still there! Hard times have hit all of us, and my former co-workers--some of them having been there for over 20 years--are facing more pay cuts and furloughs, which will, in turn, affect their retirements in years to come. So between financial and health problems, this move is necessary. But after 31 years in the same workplace, and 44 years in the same career, it doesn't seem real to me at all. It feels as if I'm watching a movie and someone who looks like me is retiring. I keep thinking that after about two weeks I'll come to and realize that I'm not on Christmas vacation. The fourth of July holiday doesn't help much either since I'd be on vacation anyway. Of course the best thing about having a lot of free time is that I'll have more time for genealogy, Self research, and our USGenWeb counties. This really is the first day of the rest of my life. I hope it's a good one for all of you, too!

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SELF SEEKERS MEMBERSHIP FEES

Please send us your 2010 contributions if you haven't done so already...

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WHY SO MANY SITES?
by Barbara Peck
edited by Tim Seawolf-Self

Once in awhile, someone asks us: "Why so many sites?" Most surname pages put everything in one place. We, on the other hand, have several Self sites, all offering different things. Why don't we consolidate them so that everything is available in one place?

IN THE BEGINNING

"Self Portraits" was born on a cool, cloudy September afternoon in 1996. It had no structural plan, no really good material, and not even one cousin anxiously awaiting its presence on the Web. Even before the Web became graphical, it was already a gathering place for genealogists in cyberspace. But with the advent of pictures, sharp color, and navigational mouse clicks, an amazing amount of individuals were suddenly encouraged to find their roots. Yet there was no specific site for Selfs, so we decided to "build one and see if they would come."

Our first "annual greetings" were sent out in December 1996. We already had 50 corresponding cousins. The first to write to us was Cousin Sheila from Virginia. We were so excited because Virginia was the "cradle of Selfdom." The number of visitors kept growing, and we were able to isolate the various Self lines with the help of some very knowledgeable researchers. We began to receive pictures and articles, and we developed "Self Family of the Week." All was going very well until one day we couldn't access our account on the Server. We had run out of room!

Our main ISP is a small company located in Ridgecrest, California with a branch in Sun City near where we were based until 2005. Their allowance for a personal Web page is 5 MB. We had recently purchased our "Selfroots" domain, and now we were faced with a space problem. So in order to accommodate all we had to offer at the time, we agreed to purchase another 5 MB of space. We've stayed loyal to "Inland Internet," and this 10 MB storage is the limit we maintain today. But it soon became clear that even that extra room wasn't going to be enough to upload all the information we hoped to put out there eventually, so we began to look for alternative and less expensive sources.

ROOTSWEB TO THE RESCUE

Back in the late nineties, when RootsWeb was still owned by Dr. Brian Leverich and his wife, Karen, you could "purchase" bandwidth on their servers for a "membership donation" of about $24. We gladly paid our dues and received our site space. There were so many things we wanted to do with it that it took some time and thought to decide which element of Self research would benefit both cousins and ourSelfs at the same time. The final choice was to create pages of data that needed additional research, hoping that our cousins would take what we had and work with it or, if they already had answers, send them to us so we could add to our "big document." The two sections featured were called "Loose Ends," or Self individuals for whom we had no ancestry, and "Dead Ends," or couples who had married but for whom we had no descendants. The response was immediate--and to this day, we continue to receive a great deal of information on these people who exist for us only in Limbo. It might be wise to add here that often, a "Loose End" was actually someone we have in our main database but who was unrecognizable for some reason. In most cases, it was because primary sources such as the Census or the Social Security Death Index didn't give enough information to ensure identification, for example, middle names or initials. Or, the information given might be totally wrong (dates) or sloppy (recording nicknames instead of given names). Our cousins help to clarify these problem areas.

When RootsWeb was sold to MyFamily.com, some new space was opened up for users. There was the "Communities" experiment. Rather than sticking solely to genealogy, the company opened itSelf up to hobbies and other varied interests. We maintained (and still do) a "Lighthouses" community there. You can still visit it at http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~selffam/lighthouses/ and we still welcome updates. This idea failed, but it was fun while it lasted. Their other new project was to give "free pages" to anyone who wanted them, but the pages had to relate to either genealogy or history in some way. In fact, a lot of space was available--per person--because they hoped to house large collections of data and especially old photos. We immediately applied for and received an unlimited account and began to make use of the extra bandwidth to put more of our resources on the Web.

Our first task was to begin a second "Family Album" site on RootsWeb Free Pages. We were becoming short on space once again on our primary server, so this new site was a welcome relief for us as well as a small fulfillment of RootsWeb's goal. It's been very successful--so successful that we've recently started "Family Album III." We always like to think that photos are one of the strong points of any genealogy site and a great attraction for visitors.

Next, we moved our "tree" depiction of "Self Family of the Week" to "Family Record" because of its increasing size. While "Self Family of the Week" constantly changes, requiring users to save or print copies on a weekly basis, they can also find that information in a large, comprehensive, and permanent place on the Web.

You've probably already noticed that the quarterly "Self Seekers" newsletter is also hosted by RootsWeb's "free pages." This site began in 1998 as a small incentive to reward "Self Seekers" members for helping us to pay our primary ISP expenses. Some really good things have come from its pages, including the suggestion that "Olde" Robert Selfe's heritage may lie in London, and then perhaps back in time to Wiltshire. We've also had some very generous cousins who have really kept us going. However, much of the initial enthusiasm seems to have worn off. Though our entire country is in hard times right now and though people understandably may have trouble parting with $12 a year, money isn't the real problem here. It's more a lack of contribution of material that is now causing the future of "Self Seekers" to be "up in the air." 2010 may be the deciding year for this endeavor.

The last and latest site launched on RootsWeb Free Pages was "Virtual Reunion." This one was my idea, and I thought it would be a very popular project. We're two Seniors without a great deal of money, and we live far away from the Southeastern states which are still home to the majority of Selfs. Therefore, we don't have the means or opportunity to host a face-to-face reunion. So we thought that cousins would be eager to participate in an online "gathering" by sending short biographies and one or more photos to be posted on a special site dedicated to this purpose. It was free, took a minimal amount of time to compile, and we sent out personal invitations to everyone on our list. However, only a handful of cousins decided to attend. In 2009, we discontinued the "Virtual Reunion" site and placed all contributions in a small section in "Self Portraits." This was perhaps the one great disappointment we've had in almost 14 years of existence. Anyone interested can still send material to us--we're always happy to get to know you better.

THE ANSWER

So why do we have so many different Self sites? It's because we want to bring the most we can to you, and that takes a lot of space. Once we had to take photos off to replace them with newer ones--now we can leave all of them in the "Family Album." There's always someone who hasn't seen them before or who wants to revisit them again. We'd like to share as much of our "family tree" thoughts with you. Sometimes we change our mind--nothing is written in stone until it's proven, but we hope we've given you something to think about. We also need your help placing many, many unidentified Selfs and providing a century of more recent Selfs who have been left out of Websites because they're still with us. Of course we won't put living people on the Web either, but you can rest assured that they've been added into our files and serve as a backup to yours, readily available to generations of researchers long after they've passed away.

SUMMARY

The wealth of information we've amassed on our Self ancestors is enormous. There's too much to fit on any one site. And the sites we have will continue to grow; in the case of "Family Album," there may be many more than just three in the future as we get photographs new and old to add to our collection. Loose and Dead ends will appear and disappear as we learn more. And our promise to you is to keep on doing whatever we can in as many different places as necessary to enhance your own Self portrait.

(NEXT: "My Country, My Self?")

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PLEASE CONTRIBUTE BIOGRAPHIES AND PHOTOS

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DEAD ENDS
part 6
"F"
by Barbara Peck and Tim Seawolf-Self

When we began "SelfSite at RootsWeb," our objective was to present as much unrelated Self data as possible in the hopes that these individuals and families would be recognized by someone out there. Because the Selfs married into many other surnames, it's just possible that a person surfing the Web could come across a Self connection that was previously unknown to them. We divided the entries into two groups: "Loose Ends" and "Dead Ends." The Loose Ends are Selfs for whom we have no ready ancestry. The Dead Ends are marriages of Self descendants for whom we are seeking descendants. We've decided to reprint the "Dead Ends" bit by bit in this netletter to make it easier for you to go through them and to give visitors to our sites one more point of access. Also there have been additions, deletions, and corrections. Please check your records to see if any of these couples are in your database. As always, information you may provide to us is for posterity. Living people will not be put on the Web.

FAIR, James and SELF, M. J. married 11 Jul 1875 in Jefferson County, AL
FAIR, James J. and FRYAR, Mannie Belle married 25 Mar 1900 in Montgomery County, AR
FAIR, Oscar E. and THACKER, Beula married 25 Aug 1909 in Montgomery County, AR
FALSOM, Andy J. and SELF, Martha married 7 Feb 1909 in Pike County, MO
FANT, Henry and SELF, Arddie married 9 Jul 1905 in Pike County, MO
FARMER, J. C. and SELF, Tabitha married Nov. 26, 1885 in Logan County, AR
FARMER, Unknown and SELF, Sally married before 1850 probably in Powhatan County, VA
FARMER, Unknown and SELF, Jinne married about 1790 in Cumberland or Bedford County, VA
FARMER, Walter and SELF, Grace Emelia married about 1914, probably in Gonzales County, TX
FARNSWORTH, Connell W. and EPLER, Oma married 7 Mar 1916 in AR
FARNSWORTH, Earl J. and GIBSON, Nettie married 21 Jan 1917 in AR
FARRIS, Elba S. and BISSELL, Willia R. married 5 Mar 1917 in Jefferson County, IL
FARRIS, John J. and SELF, Sarah married before 1920
FASTNER, Ed and SELF, Cora B. married 29 May 1894 in Dunklin County, MO
FAUCETT, Fred Ellison and MOORE, Lula Rachel married 1919, probably in Bibb County, AL
FAUCETT, Virgil Dolphus and HUFFSTUTHER, Eula Fannie married 1905, probably in AL
FAUGHT, John and OWEN, Martha Elizabeth married about 1910 in AR
FAULK, Lee and HOPPER, Minnie married before 1900
FAUST, Lorenzo Dow and WATTS, Ida married about 1881, probably in Pontotoc County, MS
FAY, Columbus and KELLY, Nancy E. married 5 Nov 1884 in Visalia, Tulare County, CA
FEAGITT, Jonathan and SELF, Caty married 21 May 1794 in Westmoreland County, VA.
FEGENS, James and SELF, Mary married 27 Sep 1787 in Westmoreland County, VA and went to   Columbiana County, OH. The name may be Feagins, Fagins, or Figgins
FELTMAN, Wilton and AVERY, Maryann Ophelia married before 1920 probably in Marion County, AL
FERGUSON, Hubbard S. and MOSS, Nancy married 24 Jun 1847 in Warren County, TN
FERRIS, Thomas and LYE, Emily married about 1902 in West Lavington, Wiltshire, England
FICKLIN, Thomas and SELF, Elizabeth married 1687 in Peasenhall, Suffolk, England
FIELDS, Leon and NEAL, Nancy Elizabeth married about 1918, probably in LeFlore County, OK
FIELDS, William and SELF, Hannah married 1789 in Hardwick, Norfolk, England
FINCANNON, Jesse Felton and DANIEL, Delilah E. married about 1901, probably in Habersham County, GA
FISH, W. and MAYHEW, Margaret married about 1847
FISHER, Pickney and SELF, Mary Lee married about 1889, probably in NC
FISHER, Thomas and HOBBS, Margaret Jane married about 1873, possibly in NC
FISHER, Tom and ASH, Bessie Ida married about 1916, probably in White County, GA
FISHER, William Columbus and SELF, Mary D. married 1911 in McLennan County, TX
FITCH, John W. and VAUGHN, Lula Ellen married before 1920, probably in MO
FITE, Ralph and SELF, Carrie married before 1920
FITTS, Dowdell and SHOPE, Molly Bell married about 1920 in GA or AL
FITZSIMMONS, John and SELF, Obedience Ann married 27 Dec 1866 probably in MO
FLEMING, Moses Hailey and PARKS, Ada B. married about 1905 probably in Elbert County, GA
FLETCHER, James A. and WORLEY, Sarah E. married 1 May 1868 in Fannin County, TX
FLOURNOY, William and SELF, Susannah married 12 Oct 1824 in Pike County, GA
FLOWERS, Albert Lee and MAYHEW, Alice Jessie married 10 Aug 1907, probably in San Diego County, CA
FLOWERS, Andrew Rufus and SELF, Sarah Emily married 22 Jan 1854 in Union County, GA NO
FLOWERS, John Shelby and THOMAS, Lula married about 1904 in Bartow County, GA
FLOWERS, Lester Lewis and YOTHER, Mamie Viola married 30 May 1915 in Gordon County, GA
FLOWERS, Thomas Andrew and HOUSTON, Ellen married 9 Feb 1902 in Union County, GA
FLOYD, Douglas and HARRIS, Elizabeth married about 1909, probably in Lafayette County, MS
FLOYD, Samuel and SELF, Eliza Jane married 20 May 1858 in Hot Springs County, AR
FOGAL, Frank and McBRAYER, Ida Alice married about 1892, probably in St. Clair County, AL
FOLLANSBEE, David and EADS, Mary married about 1858, possibly in Morgan County, IL
FOLLIE, Cosey and EUBANKS, Mollie Betty married before 1915 in Chesterfield County, VA
FORBIS, Edmund W. and SELF, Eliza married before 1886 in Boone County, MO
FOREMAN, Samuel and SELF, Ellen possibly married 1780 in Stuston, Suffolk, England
FORRESTER, Robert and HEADLEY, Laura A. married about 1880, possibly in VA
FORSYTHE, Richard and NALL, Naomi Jane married in MO
FORTNER, J. E. and MAYHEW, Lilly B. married 1887, possibly in NC
FORTUNE, J. H. and THORN, Carlie married before 1920
FOSTER, John Frank and SELF, Tabitha J. married about 1847 in Dickson County, TN
FOSTER, Jonathan and SELF, Clarissa married before 1852 in Muskingum County, OH
FOSTER, Nathan and ELZEA, Martha J. married 23 Jun 1853 probably in Warren County, VA
FOWLER, Arthur and LOVE, Lelia married about 1916, probably in Jefferson County, AL
FOWLER, James Sherwood and McALISTER, Maud married about 1901, possibly in MO
FOWLER, Lester Boyd and BAKER, Annie M. married 24 Oct 1920 in Bozeman, MT
FOWLER, Thomas Roland and GARRARD, Sallie married about 1880 in OK
FOWLER, William H. and ELZEA, Anna Comora married about 1900, probably in Audrain County, MO
FRANKLIN, N. B. and TUNNELL, Missouri married about 1870 in AL
FRANKLIN, Unknown and SELF, Hester Roxanna married about 1910, probably in Jefferson County, AL
FRANKLIN, Unknown and SELF, Jane married about 1877 probably in LA
FRANKUM, Joseph E. J. and HILL, Carrie married 25 Oct 1892, probably in Habersham County, GA
FRARY, Robert and SELF, Bridget married 1663 in Norwich, Norfolk, England
FREEDLAND, Hugh Manning and SELF, Lula Brotherton married before 1920
FREEMAN, Ezra and SELF, Cordelia Alene married about 1905 in LA or TX
FREEMAN, Frank and SELF, Blanche Corine married about 1902 in LA or TX
FRETWELL, Jasper and SELF, Ann Z. married 30 Jan 1846 in Houston County, GA
FREYSCHLAG, E. C. and SELF, Margaret Elizabeth married before 1882, probably in MO
FRIER, James and SELF, Sybil married 1632 in Withersdale, Suffolk, England
FRITH, Johnny and SELF, Lillie Ann married about 1908 in Kingsville, TX
FRYMIRE, R. Grady and CARR, Vivva E. married 14 Mar 1917 in Vanderburgh County, IN
FULDA, Charlie J. and BALLARD, Aurelia married before 1910 in LA
FULLER, Ernest and KINCAID, Emma Alfie married 1 Feb 1912 in Perry County, IN
FULLER, John and SELF, Sarah married 1693 in Shelfanger, Norfolk, England
FULLERTON, Milford Tipton and HOFFMAN, Minnie married about 1901, probably in Dallas County, MO
FULMER, Ezra Ansel and HALE, Ella M. married 14 Dec 1865 in Talladega, AL
FYKE, Bill and SELF, Elva Irene married about 1913 in IL

(Next: Dead Ends "G")

Maybe your ancestors used to tell stories about life in the "old days," stories you remember hearing as a child. Please tell us about them. We will even supply editing and formatting; but we'd all love to know about daily life in the Self families of old--and you may be able to help. Please contact us. And please state that your story is specifically for the newsletter.

LOOSE ENDS

Please go to our "Loose Ends" subsection at our SelfSite at RootsWeb.

DEAD ENDS

Please go to our "Dead Ends" subsection at our SelfSite at RootsWeb.

SELFS IN SPACE

What would you like to see here? This space is reserved for any topic of interest to Self cousins. Express YourSelf!!

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NOTICE: The information in this newsletter is Copyrighted, and must not be used for any commercial purposes or republished in any form without prior permission. This newsletter is copyrighted, except where previous copyright applies.

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