**********************HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!**********************


I started researching my family in July 1990. It has been an exciting journey. I wish 
to thank everyone who has helped. Without you this wouldn't be possible. My first 
mentor was my father's first cousin, Norman Conrad MILLER, Jr., (1931-1999), son of 
Norman Conrad MILLER, Sr., and Emma Laura OSMAN. This website is dedicated to his 
memory. 

Israel OSMAN, son of John OSMAN and Susanna ENGEL/ENGLE, is my 2nd great-grandfather. 
I used Israel as a starting point and am in the process of adding as many connections 
and interconnections as possible. Anything that I'm uncertain about will be mentioned 
under the 'notes' section of the particular individual. 

Israel's wife, Sarah REITZ, is the daughter of Gottfried/Godfrey REITZ and Catherine 
THOMAS. There is a lot of information on-line about the REITZes. Sarah's great-
grandfather, Michael REITZ, and Michael's father, Johan George REITZ (from Germany) 
are American Patriots established by DAR (National Society of the Daughters of the 
American Revolution). 

Having this site is a dream come true. I'm very happy to have this opportunity to 
share my research. Sometimes I make errors that need correcting. Due to this and 
additions, I suggest you visit often. The information can change daily. I'll be 
transcribing obituaries, notes, and obtaining headstone photos from Find A Grave.com, 
etc., as they are received and as time permits.

Let me know of any additions, corrections, misspellings, etc. Your friendly criticism 
is encouraged and will be appreciated. Please send me photos and obituaries. I will 
use your name as a source and/or contributor to anything you are willing to share. 
Unless noted, the research is mine. There are others that have taken my notes and 
copied them word for word without using me as the source.

For those of you who remember the cowboy movie star, Tom Mix, he is included here 
under the name of Thomas Hezekiah Mix (1880-1940). 

Please sign my guest book. 

Blessings, 
Bev :D

Beverly OSMAN MORRIS
430 Edgewood Drive
Rio Vista, CA 94571-9790
23 Apr 2005


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                  THE STORY TELLERS... (Unknown Author)

We are the chosen. My feelings are that in each family there is one who seems called 
to find the ancestors; to put flesh on their bones and make them live again; to tell 
the family story and to feel that somehow they know and approve. To me, doing 
genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts, but instead, breathing life into all who 
have gone before.

We are the story tellers of the tribe. All tribes have one. We have been called, as 
it were, by our genes.

Those who have gone before cry out to us... Tell our story. So we do. In finding 
them, we somehow find ourselves. How many graves have I stood before now? I have lost 
count. How many times have I told the ancestors you have a wonderful family? You 
would be proud of us. How many times have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow 
there was love there for me? I cannot say.

I go beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who am I and why do I do the things I 
do. It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference 
and saying I can't let this happen.

The bones here are bones of my bones and flesh of my flesh. It goes to doing 
something about it. It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. 
How they contributed to what we are today. It goes to respecting their hardships and 
losses, their never giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their 
family.

It goes to deep pride that they fought to make and keep us a Nation. It goes to a 
deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us that we might be born 
who we are. That we might remember them. So we do. With love and caring and scribing 
each fact of their existence because we are them and they are us. So, as a scribe 
called, I tell the story of my family. It is up to that one called in the next 
generation to answer the call and take their place in the long line of family story 
tellers.

That is why I do my family genealogy and that is what calls those young and old to 
step up and put flesh on their bones.
          
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