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Volume 4 1999
Well, here we are at the end of the century or to put it another way the last "Family Hermiston" newsletter in the 20th century.
Let's start out with our trip to Florida which started on October 15th and
has ended now at the end of November.
The best thing about it was we beat the snow on several occassions.
Our first encounter with Hermistons was in Blue Grass Iowa where we met John
and Charlene and heard many stories about John's father (who died by the
way at 103 years of age) from both John & Charlene but also from John's sisters.
We not only had a great meal in Davenport with the family but also we stayed with
John and Charlene on the farm. Before the new year they should be in their lovely new house in
Blue Grass as they head for a slow move toward retirement.
After a marvellous encounter with Yellowstone we moved on to Big Fork Montana
where we visited Betty Hermiston and husband Dan Kelly in Paradise Montana.
The Kelly's had laid on a fantastic buffet meal at a local church where we met
some of their children and grand children. We managed to pick up many details
on the "Walter Hermiston" descendants who by the way are related to the John Hermiston's
in Iowa,the Saskatchewan group and believe it or not the William Hermistone's from
the Boston Mass group. The spelling change (Hermistone)will be kept for the "Family
Hermiston" book!
We drove from Big Fork to Edmonton in a day because there was a snow storm
predicted for the Glacier National Park area... for once the weather man was
right... we had no snow ... but the high country in Montana got a lot after we left.
In Edmonton our daughter Sandra and husband Mark Nicoll had 6 thousand jobs
for us... boy we were glad to get out of there. Again snow was forcast in lower
British Columbia but all we saw were many mountain sheep in Radium Hot Springs
as we crossed into Idaho. After we left Washington and Oregon we tried to
catch Mark Hermiston at home in Rough and Ready California. We did not phone ahead
because we didn't think we were going to cross the Sierras at that point. Unfortunately
neither Mark nor his son Cary in Grass Valley California were at home... but
I did get their addresses so I'll get to them soon!
Our trip into Salt Lake City was very productive. It included a record of Mark
and Fanny Hermiston (I don't yet know where they fit in) being tried for
Larceny in Ohio the former was guilty the latter was not! I suppose now none will own
up to being part of these 1800's Hermistons. I also found a number of Hermistons
in Connecticut.. interesting.. no connections... guess I'll have to go back and
chase that line ... any one have any connections!!!
We sort of left Utah in a hurry because snow was predicted in the rockies...
We really enjoyed the scenic drive to Colorado Springs and then headed
south east for Florida... 9-12 inches of snow 2 days after we left. The rest of
trip was uneventful and without Hermiston contacts! We are ready to stop
travelling now for a while.
Now for my task of the year 2000 "THE" book.!!! I intend to try to do it in family lines
as well as as a group of lowland Scots who were forced (yes I'll explain forced)
to move to the new world and also down under. I will need lots of help with
both pictures and stories. One thing that I will do is only put in decade dates
for any one who is alive... however stories of the careers of these living
people will have to be up to the current generations. With respect to pictures for
the book.. I have found that colour copies of old prints at such places as Mail Boxes
ETC are marvellous. I WILL return any material that you might send me.. that is if you
request that I return it... but pictures are so precious you may want to
just send me the colour photo copies... use colour even tho' most of the old
prints will be black and white.. Thanks
If you send me an email when you are ready to send me any info I'll tell, you
where to send it.
I will also be contacting people re "their" sections for proof reading and
additions... remember our descendants deserve to know not only their "cousins"
but their Hermiston ancestors.. your help is requested
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