Page 54 - Sun Rays_December 2015
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A Magna Carta
Connection
By Edna Heard
PHOTOS BY EDNA HEARD
Over the last 28 years, Ann Zugg (left) and Phyllis Parker (right) have tracked a millennium’s worth of family history.
Introduced by their husbands, Ann hunting down archival documents often bringing along crackers and water so
Zugg of Sun City Texas first met Phyl- meant traveling to libraries, churches, as to avoid wasting time on lunch. Once,
lis Parker of Round Rock in 1987. As court houses and, of course, cemeteries, when departing a library in Cleveland,
they got to know one another, it didn’t many located in other states. Records Ohio, they took issue with a parking at-
take long for them to discover their were frequently hand-written and stored tendant on the amount they had been
shared love for genealogy and research. on microfilm, which could be difficult to charged. Leaning out from his booth,
With their husbands busy at work, the read and tedious to review. the attendant replied, “Lady, you have
two ladies soon found themselves spend- been in there twelve hours.” Both Ann
ing countless hours together, traveling However, for this dedicated duo, the and Phyllis were shocked that so much
through time as they traced their respec- thrill of discovery was worth the chal- time had passed, but had a good laugh
tive family histories. lenge. Their simple afternoon studies as they reflected, driving off to assay
began taking up more and more of their another day.
In the days before the Internet, historic time. Ann would occasionally leave work
research was a hands-on, all-consuming early to join Phyllis as she delved ever REVOLUTIONARY WAR
endeavor. Today, millions of records are deeper through newspapers, deeds and DESCENDANTS
now posted on line, easily accessible from census records. The ladies could spend
the comfort of one’s own home. But when entire days in the library, arriving upon Their first major discovery unearthed
Ann and Phyllis began their research, opening and staying until it closed, by the amateur historians was that
52 | SUNRAYS DECEMBER 2015 ONLINE: SCTEXAS.ORG
