On Tuesday afternoon, on June 25th, 2002 I found the following paragraph in my email box..........

Dear Mr. O'Neal, I am doing research for a biography of Rose O'Neal Greenhow and would like very much to contact a
member of the family for ideas and suggestions. Any help you can offer would be most appreciated.

Many thanks, Ann Blackman

..........As founder of The O'Neal Genealogy Association and a 2nd cousin of Rose O'Neale I was immediately excited at the
prospect of  such a respected author as Ann Blackman doing a book on one of my most beloved, yet mysterious and elusive
ancestors.  Cousin Bev Crowe and myself had already made a trip to DC and Montgomery County, Maryland in search of
Rose and had  a small library of information about her and volumes on her family. Since the primary objective of the O'Neal
Genealogy Association is to research, share and disseminate O'Neal Family Genealogy and History, Bev and I quickly
concluded that sharing our information with Ann would be in our best interests as well as hers, and thus began a journey that
for us culminated three years later, when Ann graciously invited us to Washington D.C. for the unveiling of her book,
WILD ROSE.

The event was hosted by the Arts Club of Washington, which is housed in the
beautifully restored James Monroe house in downtown DC.  
Arts Building


The James Monroe House
Rose met us at the door Rose, John & Ann
"I can't wait to read it!!!"

Emily Lapisardi as Rose O'Neale Greenhow
and Ann Blackman strike a pose
The O'Neal Genealogy Association Members
John W. O'Neal, II, and Bev Crowe pose
with Emily and Ann


I couldn't wait to get back to the motel. Dorothy & I found a quiet spot in the Monroe Courtyard to sit and read.