The Woes of a Genealogist

  You've led me quite a chase
  I thought I'd found your courthouse
  But the Yankees burned the place.

  You always kept your bags packed
  Although you had no fame, and
  Just for the fun of it
  Twice you changed your name.

  You never owed any man, or
  At least I found no bills
  In spite of eleven offspring
  You never left a will.

  They say our name's from Europe
  Came state side on a ship
  Either they lost the passenger list
  Or granddad gave them the slip.

  I'm the only one looking
  Another searcher I can't find
  I pray (maybe that's his fathers name)
  As I go out of my mind.

  They said you had a headstone
  In a shady plot
  I've been there twenty times, and
  Can't even find the lot.

  You never wrote a letter
  Your Bible we can't find
  It's probably in some attic
  Out of sight and out of mind.

  You first married a .....Jackson
  And just to set the tone
  The other four were Sarahs
  And everyone a Jones.

  You cost me two fortunes
  One of which I did not have
  My wife, my house and Fido
  God, how I miss that yellow lab.

  But somewhere you slipped up,
  Ole Boy, Somewhere you left a track
  And if I don't find you this year
  Well...... Next year I'll be back!

    - author unknown -