The cover page of The Wonder Book, copied from microfiche at the FHC.When The Wonder Book arrives, I ask Mary at the Family History Center if she wouldn’t mind my taking a look right there and then on the center’s microfiche reader. She’s happy to oblige.
Quickly reading the dim screen, I learn the date of the Bullock’s emigration: April 28th, 1865. I also find a list of baptisms, courtesy of copied Bristol records, that reflect my Williamsburgh Bullocks. There are a few minor discrepancies--all of the children are said to be the child of Thomas Bullock and Jane Elizabeth Gare, with no mention of Jane Yarde; William’s and Charles’ years of birth are off by two years each (Did Thomas intentionally lie about their ages, I wonder); and Uncle Harry’s name is given as Fredrick Henry (not Francis Harry/Henry, per U.S. censuses and his death certificate). But otherwise, everything fits.
Then, I have a jaw-dropping moment. While reading p. 106, I find out that the author made this wish in print: “One of my great desires is to locate some member of this family before I leave this earth!”
Immediately, I check the date of publication. 1974. I check the author’s name and find (1912 - ). The blank means she was still alive at the time of the book’s printing, but that was 36 years ago.
“You should try contacting her,” Mary says, when I share this find.
The author would be 98 now. What’s the likelihood she’s still with us?
“Give it a try,” Mary suggests. “You never know.”
When I get home, I hop online to google the author’s name, only to have another jaw-dropping moment. I find her obituary, dated 2009.
“I just missed you,” I say to the screen in disbelief.
The obituary provides names of descendants. I try looking them up via Yahoo White Pages, and I find an address. I write a letter, explaining who I am, expressing condolences, asking whether anyone has assumed Zettie’s work and would like to compare notes. I provide my contact information.
That was back in early April. I still haven’t heard from the family, but I remain hopeful that at some point someone will contact me and let me know if Zettie’s wish might have been fulfilled by another Bullock researcher who’d come along sooner than I did. I really hope that it was.
Until then, I’ll be wondering.
