Letters to the Editor

The question was asked in the Sunday school lesson I was reading the other day:  "Why is knowing one's family tree so significant-"  When I began tracing my family tree in 1985, I was doing it to gain admission into The United Daughters of the Confederacy. Through my research, I learned my father's grandfather served Gen. Robert E. Lee as his courier. That is just one of the surprises I would receive through the years.

The last few days I've been sorting through stacks of papers that have accumulated over the past few months. A lot of them were The News Virginian. I still enjoy receiving it after four years.

I'm brought up to date, and enlightened on Waynesboro's history by K. W. Stanley, world history and events, interests to children in The Mini Page, helpful information in Dr. Gott's column and deaths of friends, acquaintances, and, yes, even family members ... and distant cousins.

In view of that, I wondered when I was reading about Ruth Bell Graham's death in the June 15 edition how many Waynesboro residents know that she and her growing-up family lived in Waynesboro for a short time when she was young and her Grandmother Bell also lived there later.

I wouldn't have known this tidbit of information, either, had it not been for my interest in genealogy.

When seeking admission into the Daughter's of the American Revolution, I discovered my mother's ancestor, Capt. James Moore, a Revolutionary soldier, married Martha Poage, in itself not so astounding, but later, I found out Ruth Bell Graham has a Poage line, too, through her father, making us distant cousins.

Then on Sept. 16, I was reading other back issues received in the mail the day before, and the article, "Graham tradition," popped off the front page at me from Sept. 10, issue. Now we all know of a Graham daughter living in Waynesboro.  I declare, life is full of surprises!

Yes, I still enjoy receiving The News Virginian and receiving many surprises, all because of genealogy.

Tiffany Traynham Klappenbach

Mount Gilead, N.C.