Hi everyone,

Once again welcome to our new members...only a couple of new members this time. We're certainly a growing group. Well there's a fair bit of mail this week as I have only sent one mailing so I'd better stop rambling and send it to you! Keep well...till next time.

Karen.

From Shirley:

I have been catching up on some of the Waltons shows that I have here, and I have come across some Walton information:

From "The Deed": The first Walton landed in 1789 and came to live on Walton's Mountain in the summer of 1796. John Boy had an Uncle Charlie Walton that was attacked by a bear. John Walton Sr. was 22 years old when he got married. Grandpa spoke of a John Taylor More (not clear who he is). Elizabeth's full name is Elizabeth Taylor Walton.

KAREN'S COMMENT: Thanks for this information Shirley. I didn't know Elizabeth's middle name. I'm surprised that John was 22 when he married too. I didn't realize that there was such a difference in their ages! Olivia was said to have married at about 16 I think.

From Beth:

>I just received a email tip that next week the Family Channel was airing the episode, The >Changeling. This is all I need to complete my collection. So I just spoke with Viewer Relations >at FAM, and was assured that this will not air, nor would The Ghost Story ever air on FAM.

>KAREN'S COMMENT: What a mystery! Perhaps this is one that you could post on >Ralph's "Ask Earl Hamner page" which he has just added. I'd love to know the answer. Funny >that it's the two about ghosts.

I think Karen probably answered this question without realizing it. If I'm not mistaken isn't FAM a religious, family oriented channel? I notice that they bleep out a lot of undesirable language, even heard occasionally on shows such as "Highway to Heaven". The execs probably felt that an episode pertaining to "ghosts" or the supernatural was not good family viewing. I'm not sure about this, but it seems entirely possible. Does anyone else have any ideas about this?

KAREN'S COMMENT: Well I knew I was clever, but didn't know how clever. (he he!) Perhaps this is why. I wonder then why Columbia House doesn't have it though?

>I am really enjoying the Walton newsletters. Always thought I was alone being a closet Walton >fan. I record and then watch the shows on the Family Channel twice a day. (With fast- >forwarding through commercials and such, I watch 2 shows during my lunch hour.) I have a >few questions about Mary Ellen and Curt's house. Did they get their house from old Doc >Vance when he retired? It seems odd that the house is all decorated, not like a newlyweds >home and we barely see them in it. Why is Mary Ellen always staying at the Walton house if >she has her own home? Did she ever sell it after Curt died? ( I know she rented it to a couple >a one point)........

I don't know about everywhere in the world, but I do know a bit about the hometown Earl Hamner grew up in. I'm not sure if this is the reason (I'm not sure of a lot, am I?), but in the country a lot of children marry and live fairly close to their parents. It must have been difficult to leave a large family and move to a house with a husband who must have been gone a lot considering his profession. Mary Ellen was probably just lonely and visited her parents a lot; after all this was her home for many years. I know that when I first got married I always went to visit my parents when my husband worked the twelve hour night shift. I eventually began staying at home, once I had children and it wasn't as convenient, and also, as I grew in my marriage I grew more accustomed to staying at what I now felt was "my" house. I know this is wordy, but maybe it will explain things a little.

From Linda:

Hi Karen.! This is Linda, from Long Beach, New York. and I'd like to say I appreciate all your efforts in putting forth such a wonderful newsletter to all of us who love and fondly remember the Waltons. I have been receiving the digests as you send them, and find some of the comments very interesting insofar as the "time-frame" comments. Yes, I realize that the dates are all mixed up, but who really cares? All I know is that by the end of a crazy day of work in the big city of New York, all I want is some down-home regression to the days of yesteryear, when civility was the way of life, people cared for one another, prayers were said before meals, chores were done without a fuss, vegetables were grown in the garden and eaten at dinner, people revered God, walks with nature were cool, families were families, and on and on and on...

I never consider when John & Olivia were married, could care less about how old John Boy really was, when he was born or any of that. All I know is that the show takes me where I love to be, and that I am able, at the end of my crazy day, put life in it's proper perspective. Keep up the good work.

KAREN'S COMMENT: Yes I think that it is the sentiments of the show which count for such a lot but it is interesting to ponder on it all sometimes. The minor details certainly don't get in the way of such a wonderful show! :-)

From Brenda:

I think it would be interesting if everyone would share with the group their favorite episode of The Waltons. I know it's hard to choose one because there are so many good ones, but I think my favorite is DAY OF INFAMY. In the episodes leading up to that one, it was mentioned casually that Curt would be going to Hawaii, or that Mary Ellen would be joining Curt at Pearl Harbor. The viewer could almost sense what was going to happen. Then, when the attack occurred, we were able to share the emotions that Mary Ellen and the rest of the family had that day, the same emotions that many families experienced that day and in the days that followed throughout the war.

My least favorite episode is THE WHIRLWIND, the episode where Mary Ellen fell in love with Jonesy and then discovered that Curt was still alive. I thought it was distasteful. Curt had died a hero. It should have been left that way. Not only that, but they used a different actor to play the part of Curt. I kept wanting to say, "No, Mary Ellen. That's not Curt, that's somebody else!"
Does anyone else share my opinion?

KAREN'S COMMENTS: Interesting thoughts there Brenda. Someone else wrote to me about The Whirlwind too and share your sentiments. I'll have to think about my favorite episodes. I'll get back to you on it. What about the rest of you? Send in your thoughts.

From Marlene:

This is particularly for Shirley, Leon, Lee and Eric , and others who are interested in Walton Genealogy. In answer to Shirley: Thanks to your info. I went back and viewed the Pony Cart and found Samuel came from England to America in 1810 and was the first Walton to arrive, but he is not Henry and Zeb's father. In "The Love Story" on the mountain, John Boy and Jenny are play-acting as pioneers and John Boy said that the remains of the fireplace belonged to Rome and Rebecca Lee Walton. They came after Samuel and assuming there was not anyone in between, they would be the parents of Henry the eldest, and Zebulon. Henry married Martha Corrine Tyler per "The Conflict" and had two sons Boone and baby Henry who died shortly after birth (1870, per Leon) In "The Conflict" Boone said Wade is his " grand boy" and Martha said Wade is her great grand son. Leon wrote that Boone's son died while he was fishing with Zeb during a flood (They were fishing in "The Conflict"). Rose is mentioned as Boone's wife?----this is per a Walton fan, Maggie, here in St. Louis, but I do not know what episode that was in. (Maybe someone can tell us.) Wade is married to Vera who had a baby boy named Floyd. Cora Beth would have to be a cousin via Samuel but not from Rebecca Lee and Rome as Zeb's only brother is Henry and Martha Corinne had only two, Boone & Baby Henry dying as a baby..

Maggie, a long time Walton Fan, has saved a lot of articles and anything else she could, had written a synopsis on the episodes as they were aired and had a genealogy that I read. I went back and checked the episodes where I could. She did not know about Samuel (thanks to Shirley.)

Here is a little more trivia from Maggie. In one episode Cora Beth, who came from Doe Hill, the Baldwin sisters and Grandpa were arguing about who settled on Walton's Mountain first. Each was thinking their side was the first to settle there. Grandpa is supposed to have won the argument. Does anyone know what episode this was in.?.

Lee, I asked Maggie if she had ever heard of the Baldwin cousins: Elvira, who kept bats---Raymon the writer, or Marvin whose dogs had fleas--- and she has not.--Can you tell us what episodes they were in ?

Eric thanks for all your info, in particular, the Baldwin's Cousin Homer Lee from Buckingham County appearing in "The Reunion". Per Maggie he wanted to steal the Baldwin sisters recipe.

KAREN'S COMMENT: Wow Marlene, thanks for all this information. It must be terrific to know someone who is so interested in the show as Maggie is. Please thank her for passing on all of her information too.