7-31-08

Hello Everyone:

I didn't get around to meet everyone at the Remstedt family reunion and was having serious breathing difficulties with quality of air and a nose injury before I even got there, so my face was swollen and I had hard time just to breathe. But I did take some photos and have written two news articles on the reunion which I would like to share with you. It is hard to make new acquaintances, meet old friends, and catch up to people on what is happening all in a day or so. This probably is a much larger family than you had realized and if you are wondering who some of the new people are, or how you are related, I would like to help share the genealogy with you. Our history goes way back to the 1600s---and it is all researched out: the Remstedt's and Burris's together. The Remstedt lineage dies out at one point and nobody has been able to trace it past that point. The Burris's side goes way back and is well-documented. Just this summer we have met up with some of the "lost lines" in North Carolina--found for the first time! They want to get to know us…and we should be wanting to know them! I do have all the charts and research documented.

In the last two years I have made great efforts to bring lots of the research my mother had done, up-to-date And also in this last summer especially, find and bring the various Remstedt and Burris's branches together. The new people you might have noticed……are some of the results from the search….and don't know who you are! I am sending you a cc of what is called a newsletter "Clyburn Family News". Why is our Remstedt reunion listed under the family Clyburn? BECAUSE WE ARE RELATED! On the Burris's side, Vera Ellen Burris's married into the Knight family, and Knight family married into the Clyburn side. Some of the new people like Gassoway's and Shannon's from Willits, CA, are related through Vera Burris's. These would be distant cousins to you probably, and vice versa. You need to get to know them!!!!

There are a whole group of us who send photos/information/genealogy back and forth over the computer (try me at jw0645@sbcglobal.net if interested or through the Clyburn site. My question to you: Is there Enough interest in this on-line to have a Remstedt-Burris Family Newsletter? The newsletter is being Sent to you…to show you an example of what "ours" could look like! Everyone could turn in stories And pix…..and have them printed. Old photos ALL OF US have…could be shared! YOUR kids could Be writing stories and learning about their history…..we have exciting stuff to share in Civil War period For example! HOW else will they ever learn it???? Frank Clyburn wanted to attend our reunion in the worst way and couldn't but is presently moving back to California. He is willing to help set up and nurse us into a newsletter of our own….and I am willing to help as well. If you have a computer you could be a part of it more actively, if not….you can still write and send stories/photos in. This has sat Still for so many years--not knowing all the relatives--that there is a gold mine to write about!

Right now there is a wealth of photos of the reunion onsite for you to check out if you have a computer! Ron Williams has put up an excellent assortment of photos that catch the flavor of the reunion itself on His website. To see more, plus stories and id names of some of the people, try this: On computer, go To Frank's website listed, and under Vol. 27 I wrote a story and has photos; then hit Vol. 28 for The same story enclosed, but look for section saying "Photos" and you will find high-quality photos for downloading, and also there is a link that takes you to Ron Williams photos as well in the story.

As you perhaps are aware, writing and maintaining a website takes lots of ongoing work and upkeep; So far we have about five people who are capable and very interested in doing this. I am sending this As a survey to you, wanting your input as to whether you are interested--or not---as to whether it is Worth going to all the effort. Without support it will not happen! Would you and your children like To be on our mailing list or emailing list, and receive letters about all our family members or not????

Would you like us to print some of your old photographs so all of us can treasure and value them in Our photo albums as well? Would you like to have a column where you can ask/get answers to genealogy and history questions? Are you one of these? If you can write out your thoughts on back of Here and return as a survey sheet to me it would be most helpful.

SHELLEY ANTILLA

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