H58.txt - 20-May-2011 - Non-copyrighted WILL SOMEONE ACTUALLY REMEMBER ME WHEN I'M GONE ??? By: Paul M Kankula (NN8NN) gcgenweb@bellsouth.net I notice that it's been getting harder & harder for me to get out of bed every morning. If something didn't hurt today, it would probably start to hurt tomorrow. The months & years also seem to be flying-by very quickly. (However, I speculate that it's actually my Noggin failing to remember what I've done.) I keep telling myself that this is normal when you turn 70... This morning was a little comical. My wife asked me if I felt that I was going to be remembered when I croak. (She didn't say sometime in the DISTANT FUTURE.) However, that got me thinking about what I have accomplished during the past 15 years while living in the Upstate area of SC. So for the heck-of- it, I did a Google Search on "Paul M. Kankula". I got 8,500 webpage hits. So I guess that I've must have been doing something, that I will be remember for... When I moved to Oconee County, I quickly discover that the area contains A LOT of history. - Prior to ~1783, no lawful White settlements were located above the present southern Anderson County border. - In 1789 Pendleton County was formed as part of the 96 Judicial District from Indian Country. - In 1795 Pendleton County was placed in the Washington Judicial District. - In 1799, Pendleton County was named Pendleton District by the State legislature and Washington Judicial District was discontinued. - In 1826/27, Pendleton District was divided into the Anderson & Pickens Districts. - In 1868 the state legislature decided to change all districts to counties. - Oconee County (est. 1868) represents part of old Pickens County & added Indian Land. - Pickens County (est. 1825) represents part of old Pickens District. - Anderson County (est. 1826) represents the old Anderson District. - In 1986, Pickens County annexed Oconee County land that included Clemson University and land extending SE to Anderson County. Those who actively research their heritage, are normally very good at remembering facts. However, their memories will only last while they remain in good mental health. Some folks have realized their forthcoming shortfalls and prepared a Family Tree. Others simply say they probably would have done it, but their old folks have died off. Others simply don't care about their family's past heritage. Their more interested in knowing where they are going and not knowing where they've been. For lack of something better to do with a Heathkit Computer that I had built in 1989, I started researching and compiling my Family Tree - when we lived in Michigan. Unfortunately, this research should have started 20 years earlier, when all my old folks were still alive! However, I did the best job that I could and moved on to doing something else. So when I retired and moved to SC, I decided that I would try and help others by building on-line genealogical references. So I started compiling & building one of the largest County Archives in the US. I should point out that I didn't build the following projects all by myself. Many typing & proof-reading volunteers helped me. I have a volunteer in Europe, Canada & South America. Also in states from CA to VA and FL to MI. Most all of my on-line tombstone inscription work that I have on-line, was done by the following individuals. Anderson County: * ROSS SMITH Sr. of Anderson * 30,000+ tombstone inscriptions * http://rootsweb.ancestry.com/~scandrsn/ross.html Oconee County: * ANN ROGERS of Walhalla * 30,000+ tombstone inscriptions * http://rootsweb.ancestry.com/~scoconee/inscriptions.html Pickens County: * ROBERT DODSON & Old Pendleton District Genealogical Society * 40,000+ tombstone inscriptions * http://www.oldpendleton.scgen.org/surnames.html * HERMAN GESCHWIN & Old Pendleton District Genealogical Society * 356,000 vital record datalines for individuals * http://rootsweb.ancestry.com/~scoconee/opdgs-db.html The following SC GenWeb County Homestead Genealogical Projects are the ones that I currently manage. These also contain the above databases. ANDERSON County: * http://rootsweb.ancestry.com/~scandrsn/ * Total # Files = ~88,000 * Total # Cemetery Images = ~3,700 OCONEE County: * http://rootsweb.ancestry.com/~scoconee/ * Total # Files = ~4,100 * Total # Cemetery Images = ~2,500 PICKENS County: * http://rootsweb.ancestry.com/~scpicke2/ * Total # Files = ~5,100 * Total # Cemetery Images = ~3,900 I have a partner named Gary Flynn (KE8FD), who plays a major roll in helping me find & identify cemetery locations. Gary manages all our cemetery finding and mapping efforts. He's also the one who hikes up & down mountains looking for cemeteries, while I sit in my SUV talking to him via ham radio. He also manages our B-I-G SC Cemetery GPS Project. SOUTH CAROLINA: * http://rootsweb.ancestry.com/~scoconee/Cemetery_GPS/ * Total # Cemetery Finding Google Map Links = ~11,000 * Total # Cemetery Survey Book Surname Indexes = ~200 There's other Cemetery GPS websites that I have done for GA, MI, IL & NC. I also maintain a Foreign Given Name Cross-Reference webpage that has been viewed over ~500,000 times! Oh yes ... then I host personal websites for about a dozen key individuals and for the following Genealogical Societies. * Anderson County * Beaufort County * Catawba-Wateree Area * Greenville County * Jasper County * Oconee/Pickens County My partner Gary and I have spent thousands of dollars and spare-time hours, in order to establish the above Genealogy Portals. Our only reward is knowing that all our hard-work will be permanently preserved and enjoyed by endless generations to come. It's no wonder that I can't remember what I have done from one week to the next.