A family is a circle of strength and love. With every birth and every union, the circle grows.  Every joy shared adds more love. Every crisis faced together makes the circle stronger.

This project has been a journey of many years. I began this project in 1999 and soon became  obsessed. With every name that I entered into my computerized tree it led to another unanswered  question. 
 I began prying into everybody's affairs. Asking questions...date of birth, marriage etc. I always  said it was easier to get information from the dead than from the living. I still hold to those  truths.
 I would like to thank everyone that contributed willingly and I guess I'll thank those that  contributed reluctantly. A special thanks to Sue Lilley for providing many of the pictures. And  also a special thanks to Lorna Branecky for her input and encouragement. Without Lorna and the  family Bible we would have never located Joab and Lucy Parks.  I wish I could thank Helen Parks for never throwing anything away. Some of the items found among  her belongings were pictures and newspaper clippings which helped add to the story line.  And last but not least, my very special thank you to Louise Huggins Donoghue. The experience of  spending hours listening to her reminisce are unforgettable and priceless. I have met many people across the country...all descended from Thomas and Anna Cheek Parks. I am a  walking history book of Parks family data and can honestly say that I know more about the Parks  family than most with a genetic connection. It has been interesting and my story would not be  complete without acknowledging those that have passed since this writing. I love and miss them all!

Helen Altman Parks, Ouida Wharton Altman Collins, Bill Donoghue,  Martha Jean Parks Goodman,  Louise Huggins Donoghue and Janet VanGorder.

DON'T GRIEVE FOR ME, FOR I WILL BE FREE
 I'M FOLLOWING THE PATH GOD LAID FOR ME.
 I WILL TAKE HIS HAND WHEN I HEAR HIM CALL;
 I MUST TURN MY BACK AND LEAVE IT ALL.

I CAN NOT STAY ANOTHER DAY,
 TO LAUGH, TO LOVE, TO WORK OR PLAY.
 TASKS LEFT UNDONE MUST STAY THAT WAY;

IF MY PARTING HAS LEFT A VOID,
 THEN FILL IT WITH REMEMBERED JOY.
 A FRIENDSHIP SHARED, A LAUGH, A KISS;
 AH, YES, THESE THINGS, I TOO WILL MISS.

BE NOT BURDENED WITH TIMES OF SORROW
 I WISH YOU THE SUNSHINE OF TOMORROW.
 MY LIFE HAS BEEN FULL, I SAVORED MUCH;
 GOOD FRIENDS, GOOD TIMES, A LOVED ONES' TOUCH.
 AND THE LAUGHTER OF THE CHILDREN I HAVE KNOWN.

PERHAPS MY TIMES HERE SEEMS ALL TOO BRIEF;
 DON'T LENGHTHEN IT NOW WITH UNDUE GRIEF.
 LIFT UP YOUR HEART AND SHARE WITH ME, 
 GOD WANTS ME NOW, HE SET ME FREE.

Researching the families:
 Parks, Cheek, VanGorder, Priester, Seybert, Fleming, Reynolds, Altman, Rosenkrans, Fretz, Murray,  Hosey, Vaughn, Van der Mark, Van der Merchen, Fulkreth, Hoffman, Langston, Lucas, Oberholtzer,  Overholt, Walls, McAninch, Vigne, Volkertson

PLEASE IF THERE ARE ANY ERRORS PLEASE CONTACT ME!