Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Church and State

1st Presbyterian Church Succasunna
The Morris County Freeholders are debating tonight whether to restrict historic preservation grants to only those organizations that own and maintain historic buildings to those that do not have any religious affiliation.

Church buildings were among the first community buildings built in our towns and villages. They served as houses of worship, schools, and community gathering places. The 1st Presbyterian Church in Succasunna served as a hospital during the American Revolution serving soldiers regardless of their faith; those who didn’t survive are buried in their cemetery. Don’t ask the government who married who in the 1700s, or when a child was born in most of the 1800s; this information was only kept by churches. Whether the politically correct like it or not, church going Americans founded this country and their buildings and records are inter-woven in the fabric of our society.

The 1st Amendment to the Constitution states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” The resolution being proposed in this motion clearly is prohibiting the free exercise of religion. A historic building that once was a church but is now used for another purpose would be eligible for county historical preservation grants; however, that same building if used for religious purposes today cannot. How is this not against the constitution? It is absurd to deny the historical status of these buildings and the accompanying need for upkeep just because they are run by thus and such religion. We are not asking you to establish a religion.

I ask Morris County Freeholders to NOT to prohibit the free exercise of religious organizations by denying them the necessary funds to maintain their historic buildings, solely on the basis of their religious beliefs. Tell your Freeholders what you think tonight 7:30pm at the Morristown Courthouse.

Saturday, January 17, 2015

History of the Woodcock Family from 1692 to Sept. 1, 1912

History of the Woodcock family from 1692 to Sept. 1History of the Woodcock family from 1692 to Sept. 1 by William L Woodcock
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Resource used to prove silversmith Bancroft Woodcock a Patriot in the American Revolution. Ancestry tree from Robert Bancoft to Clinton Lee Burket.

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Sketch of Alexander Alexander, Who Emigrated from County Down, Ireland, in the Year 1770 and Settled in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania: Together with ... Chart and Record of His DescendantsSketch of Alexander Alexander, Who Emigrated from County Down, Ireland, in the Year 1770 and Settled in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania: Together with ... Chart and Record of His Descendants by Walter Scott Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The life and decendants of immigrant patriot Alexander Alexander. Alexander came from Ireland and fought in the American Revolution. He is a Patriot in the rolls of the Daughters of the American Revolution. This book was used as proof for Alexander Alexander and Bancroft Woodcock applications. Ancestry charts include my grand-father Clinton Lee Burket.

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Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Today is National Organize Your Home Day

To Do List and key holder

Today is National Organize Your Home Day.  It is a good reminder of the importance of having an organized home and no it’s not to avoid shame if company drops in unexpectedly.  Rather, our home should be a place of refuge from the crazy world we live in. January is a great time to get your home in order; the weather outside is frightful so naturally we spend more time indoors and in our home. I bet like me de-cluttering, simplifying, or organizing made its way to your New Year’s resolution list.

Speaking of the New Year, have you pulled together last year’s financial records? I like to use a colored envelope for all my tax records (this year’s is blue). I went thru my files from last year, shredded the documents I don’t need to keep 7 years and put the rest in the envelope. When my W2 and 1099s show up, I’ll add them too. By early February I’ll be ready for my accountant.

If the cards you buy tend to be of the belated variety, try Send Out Cards. They will send real cards thru the mail to your friends and family for you. Simply upload your contacts and their birthdays, pick out a card or create your own, tell SOC to send the card on your friend’s birthday and forget about it. In one day, you can setup deliveries for the month or year!

We have photos galore and since I’ve been researching our family tree other family members keep gifting me their photos. So while it is hard to tell, I have made progress scanning picture as I try to reduce the actual photos in the house. I’ll keep plugging away at it in 2015; hopefully it will start to look like I’ve made progress soon.

The lack of visual confirmation of progress with the photos got me looking for a project that I could see more immediate results. The linen closet was my chosen target. Now that that is done, I will spend some time shredding some of the incredible amount of non-financial paper I seem to constantly accumulate, while I contemplate my next de-cluttering project.