I went to the New England Historic Genealogical Library (NEHGS), in Boston, yesterday, because I received a letter earlier this week from Laura Lee K. of California stating, "In Boston at NEHGS, researching James Lowrey. Happened to find your rootsweb genealogy, just after finding John and Elidia in the Barbour VR. Have been reresearching your entries." We corresponded and I knew I just had to meet her.
Upon arriving and the elevator door at NEHGS, out came Eric and Henry (Eric is the director of the DAR Library in Washington, D.C. and Henry is the editor of the NEHGS Register). They were leaving to catch a plane, so no time for hugs or chatting (Eric and I have known each other for over 20 years). The next person I saw was well-known genealogist Gary Boyd Roberts, he was very happy and excited to be going to the FGS conference in Knoxville next week. I hadn't seen his name as a speaker, so I asked if he was talking, and he said, "no" and that he hadn't been there in a very long time. So, some of you may see him. (I am privy as to why he is there, and will keep it that way, but you can ask him.)
Meeting Laura Lee, who had been at the Library for an entire week, with her darling, non-genealogist husband, was a real treat. They were attending the NEHGS program called, "Come Home to New England" a program that is held twice in the summer. Laura discovered me through my Roots Web site and wrote me. I had just written about the Lowrey Family Reunion several weeks ago, and it was this family she was working on. Meeting her was like seeing an old friend. We spent a lot of time together sharing this and that. I loved that she told her new friends that we were cousins. But most of all was the fact that my blog was the first she had ever read (how can you not get sentimental over that). My blog address is on my Roots Web site. I learned that she had gone to the Jamboree and to Salt Lake City this year, so of course, I was envious. In addition, she knows Kathryn Doyle of the California Genealogical Society. Laura and I will continue to correspond, we share many, many lines which I want to help her with. I was thrilled that somebody can use my genealogy research.
It was a full day, and one of the most fun I've had at a library, perfect in every way. Until....I took the train from Boston to home. Half way through the 45 minute ride, a crazy drunk or drugged 20ish person ran down our aisle, out the car and up the steps to the first car, where the engineer was! The train continued, but we all wondered what was going on. Several conductors came through, and now the train stopped and the guy was brought back, with all the conductors and the engineer. To think he was trying to get to the engineer was rather scary, to say the least. The guy was seated, and warned that the police would remove him at the next stop. He continued to rant and rave and we all held our breath, and the passenger again got up, and the train stopped a 2nd time. It ended peacefully, we were all 20 minutes late, and the guy was one lucky person, and not arrested. Apparently, it is a federal crime (as in air planes), but the conductor made the call to not contact the police. He said, he thought of the passengers not wanting to be late.
So, can you get all this from the internet? I don't think so. But, that being said, I do love the internet. Read the photo below...that is one day I won't go to the library!
