I am entirely of English-Scottish descent. Born in Jefferson Valley, NY. In 1932 we moved to Yorktown Heights, both being villages in Yorktown, Westchester County, NY.

When I was nine, we moved to CT, and finally settled in a very rural town in Eastern Connecticut called Canterbury. This town is famous for the "Prudence Crandell House" of civil war fame. It is also the birthplace of Moses Cleveland, founder of Cleveland, Ohio.

After graduation from High School in 1947, I left home, hitchhiked west to California, and for three years I worked at various jobs around the country not having any vocation in mind then, although my Dad taught me to be a painter and paperhanger for a trade.

By 1950 I was back home in CT, and the Korean war began in July. A brother was killed in WW-II, and another brother was also a B-24 pilot. Of course I wanted to be a serviceman like them, and after 7 attempts I was allowed to enter the USAF in September 1950 on a P-2 classification. (I had a very serious liver injury when I was fourteen, going headfirst over the handle bars of a bicycle, landing on my stomach, and tearing my liver in two.)

I went to Lackland Air Force Base, TX for basic training, and after only 21 days I was assigned to George AFB in Victorville, CA. After 21 months, I was a Sgt. in charge of the motion picture training library. From George AFB, I was transferred to the 1350 Photo group stationed at the National Guard Station at Burbank Municipal Airport, and assigned to the Hal Roach Studios (now United Artists) to learn makeup artistry.

From there I was assigned to Allied Air Forces, Central Europe, in Fontainebleau, France where my unit was responsible for photographing everything of documentary interest that was left after WWII. My tour of duty was a very enjoyable one, being able to have assignments in Paris, Germany, Holland and Belgium.

After my return from Europe I re-enlisted (promoted to S/Sgt) and was assigned to Westover AFB in Mass. where I was NCOIC at the base photo lab. Then on to the Air Tech Intelligence Center at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio. Then, after seven years, took my honorable discharge and went home.

I am retired from the Heating and A/C sales. My wife Nancy (of 28 years) is a Sr. Sales Director with Mary Kay Cosmetics and has won eleven cars, two of which have been "the famous Pink Cadillac". We reside in a quiet neighborhood in Central Connecticut. I am now a registered Genealogist in Connecticut, and spend lots of time helping others with research. My research lines include Sherman, Bixby, Wilson, Dring, Hurlburt.

My SHERMAN line is at the proverbial "Brick Wall" - as follows:

1. Benjamin Sherman b: September 06, 1787 in Norwich, CT d: May 21, 1853 in East Hampton, CT
+ Anna Johnson
… 2. Abiel Johnson Sherman b: August 22, 1818 in CT
+ Martha A. Hurlbut m: October 04, 1848
...…. 3. MaryAnn Sherman b: April 30, 1849
..….. 3. Charles A. (twin) Sherman b: July 30, 1853
.…... 3. Charlena (twin) Sherman b: July 30, 1853
.…... 3. Edith Gertrude Sherman b: November 28, 1859 in perh: Wethersfield, CT d: April 25, 1899
+ George Henry Bixby m: 1882
.....….. 4. Charlotte Pearl Bixby b: February 10, 1891 d: November 22, 1978
+ James Henry (Sr.) Wilson
......…..... 5. James "Jim" Henry (Jr.) WILSON
.…... 3. Edson H. Sherman b: May 18, 1861