Born in southern California in 1954 to Mary and Buster Jackson, a Missionary Baptist minister. I am the oldest of 5 children and presently live in East Texas. I retired from the Navy in 1992, and have a BS degree in History. I love genealogy and enjoy getting in touch with my roots. I have over 15K names in my data base, I am the great...grandnephew of Daniel Boone via the Grant family (his sister, Elizabeth Boone married William Grant), as well as many other people that I have discovered along the way (including General William Tatum Wofford, a distant cousin). Would love to hear from any family members, close or distant.
I have a majority of family names in my files, but I will include here only my major branches from my grandparent's level.
Jackson - Pope, Wofford - Grant (sounds like a bunch of Civil War generals, doesn't it?).

If someone after I am gone asks why I took such an interest in genealogy, this is my testimony:

The Dash
by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend

He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end

He noted that first came her date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,

But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth.

And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash,

What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?

For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real

And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more

And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile

Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash

Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

© 1996 All Rights Reserved, Linda Ellis

Thank you Ms. Ellis for being my inspiration. Cemeteries have nothing but cold stones and dates. However each and every one of those individuals had a dash. I would like very much for each individual's memorial that I create or adopt has more than a set of dates with a dash. I want to make that dash real and bring them back to life in some way. It's a difficult task with so little to go on, but I will do my best.

Special Notice: I have no issues with people using the information from my findagrave memorials, however I do have an issue for not referencing the proper source. Findagrave is just a part of that reference. My name or other contributors should be listed as well. If you don't know, ask. Its only fair, we put a lot of work into these memorials. Thank you!!!

Born in southern California in 1954 to Mary and Buster Jackson, a Missionary Baptist minister. I am the oldest of 5 children and presently live in East Texas. I retired from the Navy in 1992, and have a BS degree in History. I love genealogy and enjoy getting in touch with my roots. I have over 15K names in my data base, I am the great...grandnephew of Daniel Boone via the Grant family (his sister, Elizabeth Boone married William Grant), as well as many other people that I have discovered along the way (including General William Tatum Wofford, a distant cousin). Would love to hear from any family members, close or distant.
I have a majority of family names in my files, but I will include here only my major branches from my grandparent's level.
Jackson - Pope, Wofford - Grant (sounds like a bunch of Civil War generals, doesn't it?).

If someone after I am gone asks why I took such an interest in genealogy, this is my testimony:

The Dash
by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend

He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end

He noted that first came her date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,

But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth.

And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash,

What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?

For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real

And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more

And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile

Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash

Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

© 1996 All Rights Reserved, Linda Ellis

Thank you Ms. Ellis for being my inspiration. Cemeteries have nothing but cold stones and dates. However each and every one of those individuals had a dash. I would like very much for each individual's memorial that I create or adopt has more than a set of dates with a dash. I want to make that dash real and bring them back to life in some way. It's a difficult task with so little to go on, but I will do my best.

Special Notice: I have no issues with people using the information from my findagrave memorials, however I do have an issue for not referencing the proper source. Findagrave is just a part of that reference. My name or other contributors should be listed as well. If you don't know, ask. Its only fair, we put a lot of work into these memorials. Thank you!!!