Relatively Speaking is a throwback to another time in the world of genealogy. These are anecdotal stories to inspire those who search for their ancestors. Although, many of these stories are from before the world of computers and certainly the age of the internet, I believe that all of us have benefited from serendipity in our research.
A Boy Scout??ª?s Good Deed
Some years ago a Louisiana Teachers meeting was held in Baton Rouge. I decided too late to obtain a room in the convention hotel. Boy Scouts were directing incoming cars at the city limits to their respective destination or accompanying them if requested. I was the only one in my car who did not have a reservation. It was cold and raining and of course the other hotels were filled. Our Boy Scout suggested since it was late afternoon that I take a room with his neighbor.
Dinner time came and the wife asked if I would not have some soup with her family. During the dinner conversation of becoming acquainted the mention of Memphis being my home brought out the fact that they had Parks relatives in a nearby town. My paternal aunt married a Parks. The woman got her photograph album and to our amazement her Cousin Guy Parks proved to be my uncle and also in the picture was my father who frequently went turkey hunting with Uncle Guy. This trip proved more help to me genealogically than educationally because of torrential rain.