American Legacies Organization, Inc.

(Dept. of State Bulletin, Vol. V, No. 129, Dec. 13, 1941)

The following message from the President to the Emperor of Japan was dispatched Saturday afternoon, December 6, and public announcement was made at that time that this message to the Emperor had been sent by the President:

Author Unknown

It was Christmas Eve 1942. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted for Christmas.

We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Daddy wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible. After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Daddy to get down the old Bible.

Connie Sychowski

Editor Genealogy Corner

In 1928 at the age of 5, my grandfather was building a table and chairs for my mother for Christmas. On Christmas Eve when he was bringing it down from the attic, my mother who was to be sleeping there on the day bed (sofa), wasn’t. She didn’t dare let on that she was lying there awake, he would have been so angry! He had painted it a beautiful bright red.

Amanda Light Long

As a result of recently attending the Long family reunion , I can identify one of your pictures. If you look at #85, that is Amanda Light Long.

She was married to David Long. He was gassed during WW I.

By Sonya Lichte

December is upon us. With Christmas just around the corner, we all have planning to do, presents to buy, trees to decorate, presents to wrap, and goodies to make. This year will be my daughter Libby’s first Christmas. I find myself wondering if her childhood Christmases will be as special as mine were.

When I was in the prime of my adult life, it was easier to keep track of the years, because I would simply try to remember what woman I was dating, or what state I was living in during the Christmas season. But as the number of years that I have been around continue to add up, combined with the fact that I am no longer living in a different location every couple of years or concentrating on a “social life”, it becomes harder for me to remember where I was or what I was doing during any particular year of my life.

Thanks to  James Bullington, who sent us the question,

"Does anyone know when, how and why the name Uncle Sam started?"

James,

Although historians are not entirely certain the origin of the term "Uncle Sam," the most prevalent theory is that "Uncle Sam" was named for a man by the name of Samuel Wilson. Wilson was born on September 13, 1766 in Arlington, Massachusetts. In 1789 he and his brother Ebenezer walked to Troy, New York.

In our recipe section, we have two types of recipes. Our main goal is to publish recipes that were handed down from one family member to another. Sharing these recipes, it helps to preserve the legacy of the person that passed them on. Preparing and eating the same foods as your ancestors, also helps family members to feel closer to their relatives that have passed away.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

by Lois Monroe

In this 1960’s Broadway hit, Holly Golightly, has a dream of going to Tiffany’s Jewelers and ordering anything she wants. Well, it was much this format of going to Grandma Fern’s for breakfast as a child in Marion, Indiana. She was so excited when our family visited from Ohio for a weekend, that in the evening she would go around to each of us and “get our order” for breakfast.

The History of Veteran’s Day

November 11, or what has come to be known as Veteran’s Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor Armistice Day the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislature that was passed in 1938, November 11 was dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day. As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I veterans.