I am retired military having served 2 years in the Navy and 19 years in the Army. In my Navy life I was stationed in Rhode Island at Quonset Point Naval Air Station. I was assigned to Crash & Rescue and was a crew member on a 63 foot air/sea rescue boat. After about a year I was transferred to the aircraft carrier USS Lake Champlain CVS -39, which was the recovery ship for the first astronaut in space, Lt Commander Allen Sheppard. After discharge from the Navy in 1961 I returned to my home in West Virginia. In 1976 I enlisted in the Army and served as a practical nurse for 19 years. My military career has afforded me the opportunity to travel to 48 of the 50 states and to 13 countries and to serve with a lot of great sailors and soldiers.

I began researching the paternal and maternal side of my family about 25 years ago as well as both sides of my wife’s family. It has now developed into a hobby and now I spend my time researching families connected to our families and families of friends.
These are some of the surnames on my side of the family that I have researched: Shaffer, Trader, Blackford, Christopher, Farmer, Bulmer, Todd, Basham, Belcher, Williams, Peal, Wells, Javins, Arthur and Griffith
My wife’s side of the family are: Harlan, Cain, Carter, Boone, Mabry, Ray, Puckett.
If you have any questions please let me know.