This page is a pointer to some genealogical and historical research. It's still a little rough.
The main areas of this site are:
Romaine family research. The descendants of John Romaine of Westchester County, NY. [As of 2002, I'm not actively adding to this.]
Romaine Biographies -- biographical sketches of some prominent Romaines. A bit more interesting than the usual clap-trap of "Illustrious so-and-so's of the such-and-such family." [As of 2002, I'm not actively adding to this.]
The Martyrs Monument Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn (2000) (draft)
5/2002: VFW Magazine (published by the Veterans of Foreign Wars), printed one of my photographs of the Monument.
Ossining, NY notes and pictures. (being written)
The People have a saying, that God Almighty is himself a Mechanic, the greatest in the Univers; and he is respected and admired more for the Variety, Ingenuity, and Utility of his Handyworks, than for the Antiquity of his Family. [....]
According to these Opinions of the Americans, one of them would think himself more oblig'd to a Genealogist, who could prove for him that his Ancestors and Relations for ten Generations had been Ploughmen, Smiths, Carpenters, Turners, Weavers, Tanners, or even Shoemakers, and consequently that they were useful Members of Society; than if he could only prove that they were Gentlemen, doing nothing of Value, but living idly on the Labour of others....
--"Information to Those Who Would Remove to America" ([Passy?, France], 1784), part quoted in Walter Isaackson, Benjamin Franklin: An American Life, p. 423. (Full text online here at Univ. of Chicago Press; I have edited out some of Franklin's remarks which might appear racist since they distract from his main point, attacking the leisured classes.)
Copyright 1998-2005 Paul W. Romaine. My professional work is described offsite here. It keeps me off the streets.
Genealogy and history pages hosted on Rootsweb.