Why do I love history? Who and what events sparked my need to find out what happened long ago? As my last article of 2006, I would like to pay tribute to the people in my past and present who inspire me.

My first teachers were my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents who were always eager to share their family histories #- my dad who had his own dog sled team in The Pas, Manitoba and my mom who had enumerable Vormwald cousins in our hometown of Cortland and always helped us understand the once or twice or thrice removed#, in our extended family trees. My grandparents Andy and Myrtie Vormwald who taught me a German lullaby, Stille Nacht, Three Jolly Fisherman and all the back roads in New York State. My grandparents Gramp and Kukum Pilgrim who demonstrated the value of hard work, the acceptance of diversity and the pride of being naturalized Americans, and my great-grandparents who shared unconditional love, oatmeal and hundreds of hollyhocks.

My public school teachers #- Mrs. Crocker, at the Owego Street School in Cortland #- we not only read about the Pilgrims but sewed costumes, made corn pudding, Native headdresses and painted a huge piano box to look like a log cabin! Mrs. Holdridge, who combined careers in nursing and teaching to give us knowledge of the wonder of our growing bodies; Mrs. Howell, who imparted her love of reading, the joy of our fourth grade student teacher Miss Merkley; Miss Campbell, a beautiful young woman, within and without, who shared precious hours - and her wedding day) with her fifth graders; Miss Jo Vanacore who inspired me to reach higher; many, many talented secondary teachers but the most noteworthy in a historical context: Dick Locastro, Allan Miskell and Jim Zubon. They demonstrated a zest for life that I have never forgotten. They made battles come alive in the classroom and made political struggles in Europe a vital part of our teen-aged years. I will be forever grateful that these men and women became teachers and that they choose to spend their professional lives in Port Byron Central School.

As an adult I have been nurtured by amazing #historians.# Eleanor Aldrich and Auntie Eleanor# chronicled, shared and collected photos, articles and stories; Ethel Barnes guided our first corporate celebration - the Conquest Sesquicentennial; Eleanor Cook continued the collection of our town and contributed the Conquest square to the Cayuga County quilt. Supervisors, Town Clerks and Board members have recognized and supported history and celebrated our unique past. Marian and Lloyd Lincoln set a high standard in our Conquest community as leaders in church, political and civic organizations. Scores of Conquest matriarchs and patriarchs have shared stories and legends #- thank you.

For the past three years I have been taught by the best examples of Cayuga County - the repositors of history - the Town and Village historians. I am also lucky in experiencing the leadership and protocols of the Cayuga County Historian's office. Thank you to them all in particular the bosses: Tom Eldred, Alan Wood, our current awesome historian Sheila Tucker; to Nancy Assmann (the glue that keeps the office together); Tonya Warren, Gale Stevenson and Lisa Carr (cataloguers par excellence), and Laurel Auchampaugh who teaches me the ins and outs of research and the fun of living to the max!

Lastly, fervent thanks to my husband Dewey who shares all my passions and is never too busy to stop at a historical marker.

Blessings on you dear friends, those mentioned and the scores more who have enriched my life #- have a great and glorious 2007.

Joni Lincoln is the town of Conquest historian