Hi Bill,
Just read your comments on being a "Puritan". Bottom line is even the
Puritans were human and capable of "falling" from grace. You only have to
look at the records of the Bay Colony and you find William Tubbs wife Mercy
being cited on several occaisions for "mixed dauncing" and "lying abed with
a man not her husband". And their eventual divorce. A puritan lady having
to be divorced because she didn't want to stay faithful to her wedding vows
or the Ten Commandments. How unthinkable! Founding fathers of this country
being just that, Ben Franklin ring a bell to you folks in PA? Cousins
marrying cousins, not distant ones either.Etc.
I have two confederate soldiers as my direct ancestors. My first thought was
how could they.
I examined their census records,and their tax records from North Carolina,
neither is listed as having slaves. Not slaveholders, but still Volunteers?
Yes,mandatory conscription elsewise.Feeling a strong affinity to the
neighbors and friends, homeland etc. All reasons to "join" in a cause I
personally feel is revolting at this day and age.But judged against the
yardstick of their times and lives, I probably would have found myself doing
the same as they did.
Our ancestors and others were people of their times. They lived as they
thought they should,made their own moral judgements and lived their lives in
a way appropriate to them. Just like we do. Our modern interpretation of
Puritans and the rest of our ancestors should probably always be guaged
against the whole of their life experiences, and against the totality of
their circumstances and their times, not by our own yardstick.We certainly
are not in any position to "judge" these people. We can only hope to
understand them.
Interesting part of historical study isn't it. What would I do if...
Just a thought, Bob.
From: Bill Thompson <bill.thompson(a)wtassoc.com>
Reply-To: CAMPBELL-PA-NELSON-L(a)rootsweb.com
To: CAMPBELL-PA-NELSON-L(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: [CaPaNe] "Reply To" Awareness
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 16:26:40 -0400
My recent couple of goofs about accidentally replying to the list instead
of to the sender, as had been my intent should be a reminder to all to be
sure to check that before hitting the SEND button. My mistakes came when
in a hurry before leaving for work or late ant night when tired and not as
alert as usual. Everyone can learn from them and be aware of when they are
the most vulnerable to making such mistakes - the "at risk" times may be
different for each of us.
Fortunately I don't think that I said anything to cause embarrassment on my
part or on the part of others.
Beside being cautious about watching who Reply to Sender is directed to
when doing e-mails from subscribers, other e-mail cautions may be in order.
For one thing, e-mails may be much less private than you think. Employers
often monitor e-mails sent to and from work and sometimes fire employees
for sending or receiving personal e-mail message at work. Reportedly the
FBI can monitor e-mail messages. Hackers may snoop on your ISP's servers.
Some people have been very embarrassed by leaving e-mail messages on their
computer screen at home while answering a door, or a phone call, and having
another family member read something on the screen that wasn't intended to
be shared.
So the wisest thing is never to say anything in an e-mail about anyone that
you wouldn't want them to read -- just the old fashioned admonition that
it's not good to say anything about someone behind their back that you
wouldn't say to your face. We all know the wisdom of that. It's just a
specific variant on the Golden Rule.
And we all know that it's best never to gossip, whether in person, on the
phone, or in e-mails. Of course what constitutes gossip is somewhat n the
eyes of the beholder (or the ears of the listener). E.g. I'm chatty; she's
a gossip. I'm thrifty; he's a stingy tightwad. I'm pleasingly plump;
she's fat. Etc. But even tho we tend to make the distinctions in
self-serving ways, or are in denial, they are still good principles.
Lastly, because e-mails contain no body language and no vocal inflections
that can aid so much toward telling us how somebody meant something they
said -- a neutral observation, a criticism, a threat, an apology, etc.--
it's so easy to take offense where none was intended or to magnify a
suggestion into severe, personal criticism. And if someone reads only one
e-mail in a series, the overall context is missing, making it easy for
another reader to "take things the wrong way".
==== CAMPBELL-PA-NELSON Mailing List ====
Type and submit wills, deeds, bible records, old letters, etc. and share
your "treasures" with the rest of the family. We'll all be richer if
you do.
==============================
Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the
last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more:
http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx