The BIG INNING

This is my first stab at this process of "blogging" and I am not sure what will become of this effort. I contemplate uploading some of my old Ingram Chronicle Files as the basis of this great effort! We shall see what happens down this road. I hope to attract the family and friends to peruse these items as time permits.

Here goes a possible disaster--who can tell the end from the beginning!

Ingram Chronicle
December 2003 Volume 1, Number 1
Dear Family,
I have been thinking that I might follow the example of your Grandfather Fonnesbeck and begin to write a family letter and share some of the thoughts that come to my mind at times. There have been some things that I might put on paper for you.
Here it is the first of December 2003 and we had a very enjoyable family gathering in the park for Thanksgiving dinner. Your mother and I joined with Karene and Tom and family to have a rather fine time together. Pictures are here:

We have been considering our movements over the next month, what with the Robert E. Ingram, Jr. marriage in San Diego just after Christmas and the semiannual visit to Salt Lake City--with all that that entails--we are going to need cloning to cover everything at one time!
We also went to the lighting of the "Friendship Tree" at the Ray Kroc complex--as this picture will show:

I've been taking a class, MFG 191 Machine Tool Operations, in the Technology area at AWC, with some success. I will have to show you my first and second projects products--there are some things that I can now do to be able to show you--but Sam Colton, the teacher, said I shouldn't quit my daytime job just yet, if I am trying to be a machinist.
I have had some success with the Family History searching--I now have linked my mother and father--they were always pretty sure that they had to be related in some way--with the grandfathers both coming from the same county in North Carolina! They were fourth cousins-once removed!
Vernon Dewey Ingram was the son of Robert Lee Ingram, who was the son of George Washington Ingram, who was the son of George W. Ingram, who was the son of Joseph Ingram, who was the son of John Ingram, Sr. the common ancestor.
Genevieve Ingram was the daughter of Charles Coppage Ingram, who was the son of Allen Burns Ingram, who was the son of Allen C. Ingram, who was the son of John Ingram, who was the son of George Ingram, who was the son of John Ingram, Sr., the common ancestor.
I have reached the Virginia Shores with Robert Ingram, our first immigrant ancestor from England--but I cannot find when or on what ship he came with his son, John Ingram, both being noted as born in England…so the search goes on.
I have found some land grants by the Royal Governor of Virginia, Sir William Berkeley, to John Ingram for the providing the fares for several indentured servants (poor immigrants) in the early colonial years--so there was some success as agriculturists--or other moneyed successes.
Our Thanksgiving dinner reminded me of some of our family gatherings, when I was still in high school, with Elliott and Dorothy, Anna and Hugh, and Frances, returning with their children to the old home on Denley Drive. We had to work out the order of seating carefully, that some would not feel slighted, not having room for all at one table! I was often relegated to the second table, if not to the second shift, along with the older nieces and nephews. Yes, we had quite a crowd at these affairs.
I was reminded of the old Dallas Branch the other day, when an article appeared in the Church News about the fiftieth anniversary of the dedication of the Turtle Creek Chapel for the Dallas First Ward, and as the Dallas Stake Center. There was a mention of President Erwin Atkerson, as the first Stake President of the Dallas Stake. He had been the District President of the North Central District of the Texas-Louisiana Mission, when I was baptized. There are not many left from the old Garrett Street (Dallas) Branch of that Mission. There are many Stakes organized in the area of that old Dallas Stake! And a Temple!
And look at Yuma--We have a total of eleven units now, having grown from the earlier three wards from the old Stake--and the El Centro Stake and Blythe Stake also! There may be additional divisions ahead. The Sixth Branch (Winter Visitors) is so large, that there may need to be a division there. There is a new building in San Luis, AZ for the San Luis Branch, which is growing as well. There may be a new building out toward the Foothills-Fortuna Road area because of the growth in the AWC area as well as the Foothills area. Zion is growing and doing quite well here in this portion of the Vinyard!
We had a Scout District Camporee recently and the District Scout-O-Rama, too. There were many interesting Scout displays and activities there--with a fine barbecue to raise funds for local Scouting needs. Being one of the most senior of the local Scouters, I was asked to provide the History Station for the Camporee round of Scout Skill Stations--I tried to explain that I was not that old, I was only three when Baden-Powell died! I did know and understand the necessary facts for the young men to be tested on the basic information on the bringing of the Scouting movement to the US in the 'teens of the last century.
I was not at Brown Sea Island for the very first Scout Camp! I have been to Baden-Powell House in Hyde Park, London. I have been Scouting, man and boy, for some 50 plus years! I have been involved with Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Exploring, Varsity Scouting, and Venturing, along the way. I have been a unit Committee Chairman, Scoutmaster of Troop 57, and Scoutmaster of National Jamboree Troop 881, District Commissioner, District Round Table Commissioner, and presently serve as District Advancement Chairman and Eagle Board of Review Chairman. I have been to Wood Badge as a participant and served on two Wood Badge Staffs as a Patrol Advisor.
I have been honored with the District Order of Merit Award from the Ocotillo District, Desert Pacific Council and the Silver Beaver Award from the Desert Trails Council. I have received the On My Honor Adult Award for Scouting Service from the Church.