Genealogy has been a passion of mind since childhood. It is hard to believe it has been four decades since I first asked my grandmother about a tintype photo of her father. From her stories I was hooked into the exciting world of family history. I became the nosey nephew at family gatherings, always asking questions and seeking old photographs or documents. Many relatives would get bored with my questions, however a handful of my older cousins encouraged my research. By the time I was twelve years old I had already typed my first thirteen page genealogy book (on file at NEHGS).