July 6 Genealogy in Fort Wayne

Sometime this past year, I had gotten interested in researching our family "roots" so to speak. Still have problems spelling genealogy correctly but I am really enjoying finding out the facts and dates of our ancestors as well as digging further for the stories behind the facts. Started out feeling bad that everyone older is gone so we cannot quiz them regarding our ancestry but now I look on it as more of a challenge. Often at home I have sat up late into the night trying to decipher names scribbled in long hand years ago on the backs of old pictures and try to solve the mysteries of their identities.

In this quest for family roots, I found that there is an online group for descendents of a Michael Stocker who came to America in the 1700s. Well I was able to trace Gary's family back to this group and thereby joined the group. It ended up that they had no knowledge of the branch of the family tree which contain Gary and his father, his father's father, etc., etc. It has been rewarding to fill in those blanks but at the same time that just raises more questions. When we heard that they were having a "reunion" of the family in Stockertown, PA, we had to come. The far distant cousin who is organizing this is Susie Brown. She and I had communicated only via e-mail but when I discovered she lived in Ft. Wayne, we were excited to meet.

This morning Susie came and picked me up for a little tour of the town plus a visit to the Ft. Wayne genealogy library. I had innocently asked Susie if Ft. Wayne had a genealogy section not knowing at the time that they are rated #2 in the entire country for their resources...second only to the Mormon church library. WOW, what a find and Susie was so generous and gracious to introduce me to it.

We parked across the street from the temporary quarters of the library...they are having a new one built at the moment. Coins into the parking meter and we were off and exploring the stacks of books, computers, microfilm, card catalogue, etc...more coins into the meter and we were back at it...more coins in the meter and a quick lunch across the street and we were back at it. Finally, I realized I could stay there a year or more and still not have my "fill" so we removed ourselves to the car and reluctantly departed. What fun it had been and now I know so much more what to look for and what is available.

After my return to the motor coach, Gary and I went over to the coliseum for a scheduled "talent show". No we were not going there to participate but rather to observe and be entertained. It was a total success and loads of fun. Some really quality singers took the top prizes but the spirit of all the participants was inspiring. The very last performance was not part of the competition but rather a "treat" to us from the local Fort Wayne GWRRA chapter. As a group they won the "best dressed chapter" award and it was instantly apparent why. They were all smartly dressed in finely pressed slacks, nice leather vests with matching black and gold GWRRA emblems, etc. Long sleeve dress shirts and matching patriotic neckties. Top that all off with a dressy black cowboy hat and they were perfect. Then they proceeded to march/walk in unison and in formation. Wow they were great with very appropriate music/songs...introducing themselves and the husbands kissing their wives as the introduction had been made. Very sweet and very professionally done. Afterwards I told one of the gals they made me want to move to Ft. Wayne just to be part of their high quality group!

Next treat for the day was watching the Gold Wing Light Parade. After dark all those with decorative lighting on their bikes paraded around the very large coliseum parking lot and it was quite a display of colors, patriotism and pride in their machines. Wow, I'd like to be the vendor who sold all those lights!