 The Little Miss Caseyville Pagent was held on Saturday, 26 June 1999. Our Grandaughter Alicia Marie Metheny, didn't quite make first place. But was the runner-up. Her picture here shows her big smile and the check for $100, presented to her by the Caseyville Fire Department. This pagent is held annually, and used to raise funds for the Fire Department, through selling tickets to a raffle. Believe me, the five little ladies (and their families) raised well over $8000 for the Fire Protection District. That alone makes them all winners. Alicia and her mommy Lisa, and her Dad Kenny driving the truck, participated in the annual Firemans Parade on Friday evening, then at the pagent on Saturday at the Firemens Picnic. More pictures of the days adventures are right Here. | |
 With this month we honor Independence Day! July Fourth. But it is known that 56 men signed the original "Declaration of Independence". Here is a story that should interest all.
by Gary Hildreth, courtesy of Paul Harvey Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed The Declaration of Independence? Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and Tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the Revolutionary Army, another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought, and died, from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and Their sacred honor... What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured. Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags... Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward... Vandals, or soldiers, looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton... At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt... Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months... John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Norris, and Livingston, suffered similar fates... Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more... Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."
They gave you and me a free and independent America. The
history books never told you a lot of what happened in the
Revolutionary War. We didn't just fight the British. We
were British subjects at that time and we fought our own
government! Perhaps you can now see why our founding fathers
had a hatred for standing armies, and allowed through
the Second Amendment for everyone to be armed...  Here's the list for July. Have a "firecracker" of a birthday party! All of you have a Happy Birthday this month:
Charles Jacob Metheny - July 1st 1999 Anniversaries:
One Belated Anniversary, 31 years.
Thing are almost in place for the Matheny-Metheny Reunion and Memorial Dedication for August 14th.. Seems a fairly big group already has reservations at the Hampton Inn, right there near the Aquia Church. Last count I had, was we have about 49 confirmed attendee's that will be there. Check the MRR site on how to join in. Also on how to send in a donation. REMEMBER: All who can donate something will get a brochure with pictures, and a membership certificate, suitable for framing, and passing along as a legacy for YOUR family. Visit the MRR Central Site for the latest Committee news. (You'll need a userid and password to access, but its free at Genealogy World).
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Charles Jacob Metheny arrived at: 12:06am, July 1st. Weighed in at 6 lbs, 7 1/2 oz. Mom Lisa, Dad David Michael, and both sets of grand parents doing well! And here's a picture, at less than one hour old! Look at those wide open eyes!
 Perry was the seventh son of James P. Metheny of Bellaire, IL. Born in 1860, in Bellaire, and married Stacy Belle Newlin. Perry Albert (Burt) passed away in 1921. Both he and Stacy are buried in the New Harmony Cemetary, near Bellaire, IL. Children of "Burt" and Stacy Belle:
Clara Mae(James Tyhurst) b. Aug. 02, 1883
 For all the novice, amateur, and professional genealogists, I originally put up the Genealogy World Site. I obtained the registered domain http://genealogyworld.com and posted the site as a research center. Since this was on a private host, and several of the MRR group helped me out with becoming "Charter Members" (donations), I posted their names as charter members and several have specific pages devoted to them. When you visit the site, take the time to visit the charter page, and say "Hi and Thanks" to these members. GW is a members only site now, but basic membership is FREE, and for those who are members of the MRR Central (mrr-group), you know what great benefits we have had with our MRR Central Site, and the mrr-group mailing list. I am offering a "Family Group Site" similar to the MRR Central Site, for any family group. Check it out for your family group.
As you all know we (Rita and I), maintain several web sites on the Internet. Actually I do most of the web work, Rita comes up with the ideas. (some of the better ideas were her doings). Then I transpose them into web publishing. Visit some of our sites.. and let us know what you all think! We have a brand new "cousin" to report. Tash Kay Madding arrived June 25. 8 pounds, 20 1/2 inches long.
What do you call a group of skydiving lawyers? ........Skeet. How can you tell when a lawyer is lying? ........His lips are moving. What do you get when you have a lawyer buried neck deep in sand? ........More sand. How do you get a lawyer out of a tree? ........Cut the rope. How do you save a lawyer from drowning? ........Take your foot off of his head. What is the definition of a shame (as in "that's a shame")? ........When a busload of lawyers goes off a cliff. What is the definition of a "crying shame"? ........There was an empty seat.
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Summer is here! Children are out of school here, and enjoying the summer weather. One of the things we like about the area around Belleville, O'Fallon, Shioh, IL are the summers. They have maintained for years the old small town family festivals each summer. Most of the small communities hold regular annual picnics, May fest, Homecoming, and the Firemen's picnics. We truely enjoy this season here. And hope this atmosphere can prevail long into our childrens and grandchildrens lives. These are real fall-backs into the age of our grandparents, our parents, and the present. The other major happening here is the arrival of David and Lisa Metheny's first child. (See Next Column). And Jeff came home with a really good final report card, and a promotion to the 8th grade. Congratulations to him for the hard work.
PROPOSED - AUGUST 14th 1998 AQUIA CHURCH, VA. | Again I thank my information contributors. Diana Jones for the Birthdays. To my wife Rita for her ideas, and support. Thanks to Jane Fish for the Perry Albert information and pictures. If you have some info or unique stories, wills or obituaries, send them to me I will put them in ...and, dont forget to email me. Dave Metheny. And thank all you readers! If you didn't come and read all this, my time would be very much wasted! You all have never disappointed me! 
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