Saturday, March 10, 2007

A Very Interesting Lunch . . . .

I sat next to a fellow named Keith Ritchardson from Oakland. He's developed software to fill in census forms with family-specific information. In other words, you can use the census form as a family group record. I've been looking for something like this. I got a CD from him and will evaluate it and report back in this space on a future date.

A blackboard had been placed in the area where lunch was being served. People wrote down names that they were researching. I wrote GINES, BRAYBOY, and LEJAY.

A few minutes ago, Ron McDowell got everyone's attention and asked, "Will the person who wrote 'Brayboy' on the board, please make himself known?" I raised my hand and then saw a smiling woman approaching. She sat down and said, "What do you know about the Brayboys?" I said, "They're in De Soto Parish, Louisiana." Her reaction was something like, "Get out!" Then I said, Syntrilla Brayboy was my great-great-mother." She looked astounded. To make a long story short (and not miss my next session), she's a Brayboy descendant. She knows how they got to Louisiana from South Carolina. We plan to meet for lunch tomorrow and exchange information.

2 comments:

Jasia said...

Oh, do tell Craig! I love stories like this. You've got me hooked. I'll be waiting to hear more about both the software and your Brayboy connection. Can't wait!

Anonymous said...

That's so interesting! What a small world.