To Members of the list: I agree with Linda; the list discussion has become increasingly polemical and disconnected from at least my own interests in Virgina history. I've been sorry to watch its deterioration, and I have ended up pushing the delete button many times so as not to read some of the diatribes that have been appearing. If such submissions continue, I too will unsubscribe from the list permanently. Nevin Brown >From: Linda Threadgill <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history > <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: This forum >Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2007 09:58:42 -0700 > >Hi, >I have been a member of this mailing list off and on since 1996. There was >a time when many of us enjoyed the discussions about Virginia history, >especially those of us not from VA, but whose family have roots in this >state. > >Lately the forum seems to have become one used to argue and push certain >people's agendas. There are still great people on this list who are not >heard from. I think this is due to the nature of the most recent posts. I >am getting very tired of the on going racist arguments. I have to say, some >of our members are a very creative bunch. It seems that any topic can be >turned into something that has to do with slavery or the War Between the >States. > >I am going on vacation next week and will be unsubbing. I am seriously >considering leaving this list permanently. I ask the list members to please >consider those of us who enjoy reading the messages, but comment very >little. All posts don't need or require a response. That is what your >delete key is for. There have been many times over the last several weeks >that I could have contributed to the discussion. I am a mixed race person. >Yes, I have done DNA testing so I know this is a fact. I belong to one of >America's First Families, the Charitys. My maiden name is Stith. I >descended from the African American Stiths who were slaves, but had >connections to the Jeffersons, Washingtons, Lees, Bollings, Randolphs, >Masons, Goodwyns, etc as well as to the Hairstons. Thru my Charity and >Jones families I have connections to former Gov. Wilder. One of my distant >Charity cousins was Arthur Ashe's tennis coach when he was growing up in >Richmond. I also have family ties to England and Scotland thru my maternal >family line which is also out of VA and TN. My paternal lines are from >Charles City, Surry, Sussex, Southampton and Greensville Counties. I am a >very distant relative to Nat Turner and have cousins who have connections >to the families that were killed by Nat Turner. My greatgreatgrandfather >was Henry Grizzard who was from the Ambrose Grizard (Grisard) line of >Southampton County and who were relatives to Judge Powell. And last but not >least, my aunt was an English teacher at Maggie Walker High School. So you >see you were talking about my families and I was not pleased. BUT, I also >did not comment. > >I have communicated with Henry and Paul in the past and respect their work. >Most of the others who commented, I have no issue with, but "J South" >................ > > >Linda Stith Threadgill whose family names also include Massenburg, Ruffin, >Green, Adkins, Bradby, Miles, Ford, McKenzie, McCaleb, Thomas, Glenn, >Liggins surnames to name only a few.