From:	Anne Hillebrand [Ennabear@worldnet.att.net]
Sent:	10 August 1997 21:02
To:	aburnham@easynet.co.uk
Subject:	Rudston - Thank you
Thank you for providing the photograph of the Rudston beanta stone in
Yorkshire.

I am part of the Rudd family that has been gone from there for a very long
time.  My first relative in America, Captain John Rudd, left the sea life
in 1663, settling in what is now the state of Virginia.  We are the English
Rudds, not the Irish line.

The most famous of our documented contemporary family is Ricky Rudd the
NASCAR racing driver, although I am not sure he is aware of the connection.
 He has his hands full winning the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis
Speedway last weekend and crashing his race car in qualifying for the
Watkins Glen race today.  A hastily-repaired blown transmission last night
led to a shifter problem today that took him out in the early laps.

Our family tradition of the history of the Rudston and the Danish Viking,
Rudd, who is buried in Yorkshire and for whom it was named, are
understandably of great interest to us.

Having never been to see the stone in person, it was very much appreciated
to have your web-site photograph transport it from pre-history to my
computer.  

I printed it off using the photo reproduction capabilities of a Hewlett
Packard Deskjet printer, and the results were terrific.

In the photograph, it appears that there is a cap of some sort on the point
of the 
stone.  I am assuming it was put on in recent years to keep the top from
weathering.
Is that correct?

Our family tradition also says that the stone has a sparkle to it (possibly
containing some mica or quartz) unlike the native Yorkshire stones.  Do you
know if that is the case?

Again, thank you for your hard work and generosity.

Anne Rudd Hillebrand
Orlando, Florida, USA