We have received another interesting response to the recent series of articles about the seafaring exploits of the family of Bermudian USMM Captain Eddie Blue Lightbourne, his forebears, as well as his younger cousins Captain St Clair Lightbourne and his five generations of pilots, who for the past 50 years have been the backbone of Bermuda’s inshore services.The latest came to me via an e-mail to Royal Gazette editor Bill Zuill from a Samuel R. Lightbourne of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.It stated:Reading your columns has stirred within me a desire to be more connected to my Bermudian roots; and more specifically the Lightbournes of Bermuda.Up until now, all of my knowledge of my father’s family has been with my grandmother’s side of the family, Almayne Ratteray Lightbourne. I had a great deal of contact with the Ratteray side of the family as I grew up.I grew up in New York City where my father Stanley Lightbourne settled after also spending time at sea working aboard ocean-going tugboats. As a child, I only recall meeting my grandfather Samuel Lightbourne a few times.I had precious little knowledge of my grandfather’s side of the family other than the fact that my father told me of his father’s connection to the Turks and Caicos Islands; a fact which you confirmed in your article. You also provided more detail about my grandfather’s migration to Bermuda which I did know about.I don’t know why I failed to ask my father about these events. Now I regret not asking him those questions. Up until now I thought I was one of the last of my generation to carry the Lightbourne name, having no son to carry my surname.I must now inquire of my Bermuda cousins the legacy of my grandfather and his siblings whom I have now learned about thanks to you and your excellent articles.Through my cousins, I have recently learned of another Samuel Lightbourne of Deltona, Florida whom I must now make a deliberate effort to contact and establish a friendship with this previously unknown relative. I don’t know specifically how we are related, but I know that we are.The next step also is to meet more of these heretofore unknown relatives and reconnect to that side of my family.Thank you again sir for provoking my thoughts and desires toward this goal.On a more personal note, I am also a writer by trade. However, I deal with the more mundane subjects. As a technical writer in the computer and electronics sector, I receive a great deal of satisfaction from providing simple clear instructions to my technical or non-technical audience.It is a pleasure to correspond with you.I will keep you informed of my efforts to connect to the other Lightbournes of Bermuda, wherever they may be!Marcus Garvey’s famous quote comes to mind as I close: “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”Sincerely, Samuel R. Lightbourne, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.