PREFACE
My Dear Ones:

This is the story of my life and that of our ancestors written for you and your children, so that you may not lose sight of the long chain of generations, of which you are the latest members. May the following pages strengthen your pride and aid you in gaining a broader perspective on your march through the daily trivials.

I have gone through great pains to express myself as clearly as possible in a language that did not flow naturally from the pen; therefore, the wording is occasionally rough and bumpy. But, last not least, I hope you will enjoy reading the biography of your predecessors, who were tossed around in the sea of stormy historical events.

Fourth of July 1980