Bob'n'Along for June 10

(June 10) For about the past month, I've visited some individuals in Weston and Lewis County in an attempt to gather some historical data. I intend to use this information to broaden the region my column has been covering.

I've already received some information from Joy Gregoire Gilchrist of the Central West Virginia Genealogy & History Library on Jackson's Mill Road. I'm sure she'll correct me if I'm in error, but the library is owned by the Hacker's Creek Pioneer Descendants.

That organization formed 16 years ago and is dedicated to the preservation of the rich history and genealogy of central West Virginia. HCPD has been able to successfully save and document local history for future generations.

Membership in HCPD exceeds 900 members from every state, the District of Columbia and several foreign countries. It is governed by an executive committee and convenes once a month. New members are encouraged to attend.

Membership is open to anyone interested in the history and/or genealogy of historic Hackers Creek and surrounding areas, including all of Lewis, Harrison, Monongalia, Barbour, Upshur, Gilmer, Ritchie, Randolph, Braxton, Marion, Doddridge and Webster counties.

By the way, I don't plan to stop with Harrison and Lewis counties. I intend to also gather information from some of the above-mentioned counties in coming weeks and months.

So individuals who are in-the-know about landmarks and individuals of a few decades ago can contact me by mail, via the World Wide Web or by e-mail. Address items to Bob Stealey, Editor, c/o Bob'n'Along: P.O. Box 2000, Clarksburg, W.Va. 26302-2000; webmaster@cpubco.com or http://cpubco.com.

I'll appreciate feedback from any who care to provide it to me.

As a clarification of an item that appeared in Bob'n'Along on Sunday, May 31, Betty McKinney of Oak Mound Drive had written me stating that she has been trying to sell a book, entitled "Memorial Addresses of Abraham Lincoln."

I believe that in my haste, I stated that Mrs. McKinney had written the book. She called me this past week, flattered that I had given her the credit for it. But she was merely in possession of the book. She also was looking for a buyer of a book on memorial addresses including Presidents Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield and William McKinley.

She also said she was looking for someone to help her put information on the Internet.

John Jenkins of Jenkins Ford-Mercury in Buckhannon mentioned that he grew up with Mrs. McKinney and remembered her from earlier years.

I was rather amused by items in both last Wednesdays Exponent and Telegram. Both appeared on the front page of each paper below the heading "NewsWIRE, Your Fast read on the News."

Each referred to Editor Bob Stealey as "remembering" the infamous Harry Powers murder case back in 1931. This wasn't entirely inaccurate, as I did mention the Powers murders in my Wednesday column. However, 1931 was 15 years before my birth, so remembering may not have been the appropriate word to use as much as describing would be.