H.W. Hand and Hattie M. Smith Family History

As most of you are aware, I've been working to put together a history of the Hattie and Weaver Hand family, for the use and enjoyment of their many descendents and their families. The idea for this project grew out of my mother's hand-written record of the family's new additions, which she has been keeping faithfully updated for years. It has been her mission to keep our ever-growing family from scattering too far and wide, and from completely losing contact with one another. It may be a losing battle. However, I've chosen to do this history in order to fulfil her purpose to the best of my ability. The book I've created from this project is a labor of love, dedicated to my Mom, Winnie Henderson. It will be presented to her on her birthday this coming May. I want to thank all of you who've contributed facts and photos and good wishes to this endeavor, and hereby offer the result to you for your enjoyment.

I will be publishing this book in hard-bound form, which will be available for everyone to purchase. Price per book will be $35.00, plus $3.50 each for shipping. I hope you will all consider purchasing copies for yourselves and your children. (And perhaps extras for future additions to your family?) Although this website offers you the chance to see the book, there is nothing like having a REAL book that you can hold in your hands, give as gifts, keep for posterity or place on your coffee table for all to enjoy.

Further, I hope many of you will consider using this book as inspiration for researching and recording the histories of other branches of your families. Several of you have shared tidbits of your family history with me as I've been gathering information for this project. It occurs to me that if you do not record what you know about your family history NOW, once you are gone it will be lost forever. While you are reading Weaver Hand's wonderful stories in "The Papa Books," just imagine what a tragedy it would have been if his son, Tom Hand, had not had the foresight to capture those stories on tape so many years ago.

Our family histories are a treasure beyond price, and we are its only guardians.

Love to you all,
Kathleen Creighton Fuchs