Hello again! I hope all of you had a terrific Thanksgiving! This is a wonderful time of year as families and friends gather to give thanks for so many blessings. And now, we look forward to the joyous celebration of the birth of our Savior!
I want to thank all of you who have encouraged me on this road of many questions as we try to find out more about John Sutton. I say "we" because I know you guys are out there walking along with me. I can't wait until mid-December! That’s when my first monthly consult is scheduled with "Lucy", my genealogist case manager. As I’ve pointed out before, I’m not a patient man (I’m not sure what side of my family to credit for that trait), but until that conference, it's basically a waiting game. My case manager tells me to count on at least six months for the entire project.
This first conference will give us an indication of how we are doing so far and what, if anything, has been found. I view this process a little like a football game. It’s early in the first quarter....will we make the first down or are we second and 10? I have done a little digging and the research company, ProGenealogists, has impressive credentials but I wonder what percentage of cases are duds and produce little or no new findings? On the other hand, why would NBC's "Who Do You Think You Are?" and Ancestry.com contract with them to provide research if they are not the best? My case manager did tell me there is going to be a great story in the next season of "Who Do You Think You Are?" that has its roots in North Carolina. I'll let you all know when she gives me an air date.
I hope you Suttons out there will forward the news about this blog to other Suttons and anyone else who may be interested. I'm very serious about that. Perhaps some of you have information that could "break the case"! Or maybe your grandmother remembers a story or knows about a document in the bottom of an old trunk. Or maybe you think I'm off my rocker or have found glaring factual errors in my posts. Let me know! In the meantime, I welcome any questions, information or even criticism. I've always been one who subscribed to the notion, "the more the merrier!"
Speaking of "the more the merrier", I had another "new" Sutton encounter. Twenty-three years ago I began my career at Carolinas Healthcare System in Charlotte. Within the first few days, I was introduced to one of our account managers who represented a major service provider. Her last name was Sutton. I, of course, asked her where her husband was from and she said he grew up in the North Carolina mountains. I asked where and discovered he was from the same county as my dad's family. For several years we would try to figure out if or how we were related. One clue from her mother in law moved that possibility a little closer but was never confirmed. Times change and account managers get promoted and move on so that was the end of that.
Fast forward 18 years. One evening last week while reviewing old message board posts on Ancestry.com, I came across a post that, as I read it, made me think of my old account manager......things like the particulars about where her husband was raised and where his dad was born. Then it hit me, this was likely the husband of my account manager. So, I emailed the guy and asked him if he was married to "Jane" Sutton, introduced myself and offered some of the research I had since he also was looking for ancestors related to John Sutton. The next morning I spoke to "Jane" for the first time in 18 years and it was confirmed that yes, I had the right Suttons! I am very happy to have reconnected with a former vendor and friend AND to be able to meet another Sutton on the same journey. I did forward to him some of the research I had so maybe we'll discover how we're related after all!
Speaking of "the more the merrier", I had another "new" Sutton encounter. Twenty-three years ago I began my career at Carolinas Healthcare System in Charlotte. Within the first few days, I was introduced to one of our account managers who represented a major service provider. Her last name was Sutton. I, of course, asked her where her husband was from and she said he grew up in the North Carolina mountains. I asked where and discovered he was from the same county as my dad's family. For several years we would try to figure out if or how we were related. One clue from her mother in law moved that possibility a little closer but was never confirmed. Times change and account managers get promoted and move on so that was the end of that.
Fast forward 18 years. One evening last week while reviewing old message board posts on Ancestry.com, I came across a post that, as I read it, made me think of my old account manager......things like the particulars about where her husband was raised and where his dad was born. Then it hit me, this was likely the husband of my account manager. So, I emailed the guy and asked him if he was married to "Jane" Sutton, introduced myself and offered some of the research I had since he also was looking for ancestors related to John Sutton. The next morning I spoke to "Jane" for the first time in 18 years and it was confirmed that yes, I had the right Suttons! I am very happy to have reconnected with a former vendor and friend AND to be able to meet another Sutton on the same journey. I did forward to him some of the research I had so maybe we'll discover how we're related after all!
Unless there is a major development, I most likely will not post again until I hear from "Lucy", my case manager. The thought does cross my mind that nothing new will be found or our questions may remain unanswered. I'm okay with that. The way I see it, I could be spending this time and effort doing much less important things than looking for where I came from and making new friends, acquaintances and yes, even meeting family along the road. Who knows......Santa may come early this year!
Next Time: First Report from "Lucy"
