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In 1994 we lived in the North Georgia mountains where the scenic beauty is the most exciting game in town. In between the breathtaking sunrises and gentle sunsets, I would come down off the mountain and head to the library in Young Harris. The town is miniscule, with only a blinking yellow light but the library had a geneology section with a surprisingly impressive collection, at least to my beginner's judgment.
Not having a clue how to start, I began by pulling out the census microfilm reels of the early 1900's and hand cranking for endless hours at a time - scanning every single entry for the name "Burdick" in every South Georgia county. I assume they had no indexes - at least the librarian didn't give me that bit of valuable information! Believe it or not, I found some buried treasures amongst the thousands of records. I was hooked.
Seven years later, hundreds of hours on internet, in libraries, the National Archives in Atlanta, Mormon Library in Salt Lake City, personal conversations, and great help from 3 formerly unknown cousins (bless them!), our family research is taking shape. I have learned, however, that this 'hobby' (?) is one that will never be completed, just passed down to the next member who is willing to dig for the treasures of the past.
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