- Next on our place, our time, we'll meet a woman who using her own family has written an amazing social history of Virginia.

We'll have comedy from comedic license and a preview of a month long arts festival.

All we have a story for you about a milestone in family research.

Hello, I'm Vian Webb, and welcome to our place our time.

Eight years ago, Virginia Davis decided to research the families of her four grandparents with a background in psychology.

She wasn't interested in the social status of her forebearers, but in the facts and the details that told the personal stories, researching in county courthouses, libraries and graveyards.

She soon discovered that she was collecting the raw material of a social history of Virginia.

And so she began to write and she continued to write until she had completed her 800 page milestone book that certainly deserves the attention of anyone whose interested in the social history of Virginia.

Virginia.

Davis lives in the lovely fishing village of Urbana on the middle peninsula, and Tim Morton went there to discover more about Virginia Davis's, Virginia.

- Virginia.

The mother colony is loaded with history and every year dozens of books of genealogy tracing Virginia families are published, but very, very few of them are like this one by Virginia Lee Hutcheson Davis, as well as being a genealogy.

This is a social history of 40 Tidewater families over 372 years, a social history and also in its field, a bestseller.

- I'm William Hampton.

I want to tell you about the exciting thing that has happened.

Well, the first exciting thing that happened with me was the fact that I was able to come across the ocean in 21 and I was able to settle at Strawberry Banks.

- It's easy to appreciate why Virginia Davis has written a genealogical bestseller while respecting the facts.

She dresses in details.

People who restlessly sought wealth in land, married, produced, needed children, moved on and died 14 generations of stories.

For the most part, the people of Mrs.

Davis's family were middle class free holders, not landed gentry that made her research job harder, but spurred by husband Jim and her children, she scoured libraries, archives, county and church records for seven years.

While several publishers expressed interest in her manuscript, its length, scared them off.

So she printed and published the 850 page book herself.

- I had already talked with the Genealogical Publishing Company.

They got back in touch with me.

They wanted to do an abridged version, and when they saw what I had done, they decided that they would like to do the whole book provided I would leave the documents and the pictures out, which would reduce it to about 730 pages.

They did the whole book.

I sold all of the copies that I had before the book was published, which worked out just really well.

And as a consequence, I became known as the author of a genealogical bestseller.

It's been great fun.

- Mrs.

Davis credits Robert Clay, an archivist at the Virginia State Library in Richmond with being the person who encouraged her to assemble her research into a book he later critiqued her manuscript.

- It covers so many families and in an area of Virginia that where in a lot of cases the records are few and far between areas that are hard to work because of the loss or the lack of records.

And she, she has done a very admirable job of using those records that do exist and in pulling from the records as much information as one possibly can about the families that she's worked on.

But she covered a wide geographical area and a great many families in the book.

- Mrs.

Davis began researching backwards from her four grandparents, Hutchinson, Petross, Butler, and Lee and their immediate families.

Her research eventually encompassed 40 interrelated Virginia families.

Mrs.

Davis herself grew up in the tiny village of Bensley just south of Richmond.

After having three children, she went back to college and obtained a master's degree in psychology.

She worked as a psychologist for a large corporation as in public schools rules.

- I suppose it's my background in the social sciences that it has intrigued me the way people live and why they live that way.

And I suppose that I'm just, I'm not really taken with the idea of bringing brag.

I just would like it to be something that is as objective as I could make it, and that presents the people as they really lived.

I would like for it to be something that will live and can be used at a later time because of that.

- Your book is so much more than a genealogy.

It's really a social history.

You tell us about the way Mills worked, for example.

You must have done a lot of collateral reading.

- Well, the more I read, the more interesting it became.

The grist mill was very important economically to a community.

And as I found in, in the records that one of my ancestors owned a grist mill, and in one case, the, the lady sued for five bushels of corn that she was entitled to that she didn't get.

And then I needed to know why this five bushels of corn disappeared.

And it was because the, the miller kept it to sell to people who didn't.

Their crops were not productive.

- It was on the south side of the James River in Surrey County that Mrs.

Davis uncovered a load of information about a butler forebear.

The records in the Surrey courthouse are among the most complete and well-preserved from the earliest years of the English settlement.

- It's Robert Ruffin's will 1693.

He was the first roughing in re county, and he's the one who settled on college run.

And here is his bequest to his sons.

It's my will and desire that my son's William and Robert, during their life of their mother, shall have their corn ground at my mill.

And if my son Robert survives his mother and becomes possessed of them.

- It was on this creek college run near Chip Oaks plantation that Robert Ruffin built the grist mill he left to his son, who was 12 at the time.

Ruffin died at age 47.

The records don't tell us where he was buried, but it may have been here at what was originally Lawns Creek Church.

- This is why my Roughen family worshiped later when it became the lower south of church, the roughen descendants worshiped in that church.

The church burned in 1868 - Of the type of home the Ruffins lived in.

Probably Smith Fort Plantation comes the closest.

Mrs.

Davis believes - We are thinking of the Ruffins and their home in the late 16 early 17 hundreds.

They would've been a prosperous planter.

We have evidence from Robert Ruffin's will that he had six rooms, the prosperous planters had from four to seven rooms in their homes.

There were not very many large houses in Sur County at that time.

There were very few.

We made a wise decision.

The Ketan Indians were here when we came.

They had chosen this land because of the pleasant living.

There were mild winners.

The grass was green.

- Virginia Davis does a couple of impersonations of her forebears.

- We're no longer here.

- She's thinking about writing a movie script, - But we have made a good settlement.

There's Elizabeth City County, and there is now growing the town of Hampton.

Well, the town is not named for me.

It's named for the Earl of South Hampton - Here at Norfolk State University.

A three week long celebration of the arts is about to begin.

Expressions 91 is an arts festival encompassing drama, dance, art exhibits, literary readings, and musical performances.

Organizers say despite this year's budget cuts, they're able to continue the 11 year tradition by utilizing the university's very own artists to express how Norfolk State values the arts.

- This habit of celebrating spring and of bringing forth the arts is an attempt to be in tune with nature and with things that happen here at Norfolk State and other places as well.

- Dr.

Thompson says the festival is designed to bring out even the non-obvious art form of verbal communication as well as the visual and performing arts.

Norfolk State's dance theater will perform a recital April 7th.

- I think of my school as being the heart, the soul of of, of the world in a way.

People who are in the arts see do so much that affect values and traditions and ideals.

- The festival is also designed to explore the role of the arts in our society.

- The symposium is going to be very special.

It'll go beyond the entertainment factor that is really the element that most people expect from the arts.

But we will be looking at the business of censorship as it operates within the arts.

Now we've had some national events to happen to focus on this - Band, concerts, choirs and faculty solo concerts will mark the celebration conductor, Emery Fierce, who's been with Norfolk State for 40 years on the field marching with the Spartan Legion and directing the concert band says this is his last hurrah.

He is retiring this year.

- Well, this is my heart win ensemble is what I like.

Country band.

Really it is what I like to do and this is part of it, but this is actually the last concert, so we, I'm doing all I can to make it the best concert that we've had.

- The festival will end with a teleconference of Oprah Winfrey discussing literary rights on April 18th and a jazz concert featuring violinist Karen Briggs on the 20th.

I'm Holly O'Neal reporting.

- Creating comedy is hard work.

In our next story, Mike Sinclair tells us about four performers who've created a group called Comedic License with their ambitious mix of humor.

Standup jokes, extended sketches, improvisation, comedic license goes beyond the norm of what we usually see on television or in comedy clubs.

They create one at a time comic events, never using exactly the same material twice.

Mike Sinclair talked with comedic license about the problems and the processes of creating and performing comedy.

- Will the Ghost of Bonzo, the Chimp haunt the new administration - Was Lauren Green.

He is now - Comedy producer and writer.

Carl Reiner believes that there was one rule in creating comedy, and that is to be funny.

Comedic license is a group of four local performers who are doing just that along with standup artists.

Sonya White, they bring their unique blend of standup sketch and improvisational comedy to various locations around Hampton Roads.

Using a microphone is the only tool of their trade.

These people are practicing the art of making people laugh.

- Mice, - We try to do everything we pride ourselves on doing not only the standup that most comics do, we do sketches, improvisation, musical parodies about anything we can think of.

- The group works together developing their material under the direction of Ralph Garner one - Five.

Oh yeah.

Yeah.

Let's, let's, alright, let's all sing that theme song together.

Ready?

What?

You don't know the words to the Hawaii five o theme song.

You look like a hit bunch.

You just had to tune your TV or just Right.

Why don't you help me out here?

Okay.

Boom.

You're originally called the Plain Label Players and we got started producing a, a small for a small cable company television show doing comedy vignettes and whatever, and that was our official start.

Jerry's our pyrotechnic wizard.

Allison does all of our props and, and makeup and and and things like that.

And we haven't quite found what Ethan did.

Now - I really like the groups like the Marx Brothers.

I really appreciate the teamwork that they, they play off each other and they bring out their best qualities from each other.

And I guess that's why I like working with a troop a little bit more than I like working by myself.

- The bottom I asked it is made from a costly blend of fine chemicals.

You'd expect to be higher priced but only taste expensive once ingested is gentler on the stomach.

The plain aspirin often helps relieve the pains of menstrual cramps.

When used in conjunction with orange juice and aerobics, it helps the patient to better communicate with others.

Sometimes we'll just take an object, an ashtray or something and just pass it around.

Say what, what, what can this be?

You know, a yamaka, whatever.

Sometimes with an object, sometimes we'll get in a position and say, okay, what could you be doing?

- A polish wheelbarrow.

- We take the rehearsals very seriously, - Usually - Most of the time something very intense rehearsal.

And when we have it down and everybody relaxes has a good time, then we take it up.

- Yeah, - We do a lot of writing during rehearsal.

Yes, we do a lot of writing during rehearsal.

Naturally, when we're practicing improvs, we always come up with something, but almost always, we'll, we'll take a period of the beginning or the end of the evening and just start bouncing ideas and jotting notes.

- We try to, to keep with stuff that makes us feel comfortable on stage and we try to avoid the things that we've seen, maybe seen other people do, like certain kinds of bathroom humor and body function jokes and they're, sometimes they're easy laughs, but I mean, you feel kind of degraded to do them on stage.

And we try to keep a certain amount of what we call quality.

Hello?

A phone for me.

- So, - Excuse me sir.

- What did you just say?

- Phone for me, sir?

- Is it necessary to announce it?

- Well, yes sir.

- Why?

- How else will anyone know who the phone is for?

- Well, if the phone is for you, you don't have to announce phone for me.

You simply answer it.

But - It's not for you, sir.

It's for me.

- Well then answer it.

- I can't, sir.

It's for me.

- Why can't you answer your own calls?

- Oh, I can answer my own calls, sir.

I just can't answer this one.

- Why not?

- Because it's for me.

- What?

- Excuse me.

Someone say phone for me.

- Yes.

- Ah, thanks.

Hello, Sam.

Me here.

Ah, Mr.

Jones.

Yes.

It's always a pleasure to talk to you, sir.

Yes.

I sometimes say this is me.

That's you too.

Hey, that's a good one, sir.

Sure.

It'd be a pleasure to have dinner with your family, sir.

No, no wife.

Just me.

All right.

Yes, I've been me as long as I can remember - Phone for you.

Oh, - Thank you.

- No sir.

The call's not yours, - But you - Just said - It.

It's for you sir.

- Hello.

How are you here?

No, I'm sorry you can't speak to me, but you can speak to you if I may say so.

Sir, when you've got you, you've got the best you, you can get you the fifth.

That'll be fine.

Thank you sir.

- Comedic license joins their talent with standup artist and impressionist Sonya White to form a unique comic family.

Thought - I was gonna miss my cue tonight, you guys.

I do comedy on situations in life.

Occurrences in life.

I love to do.

I love to do impersonations, character voices parodies on songs that I find catchy.

Don't ever fly Delta at all.

Don't fly.

Delta.

Their new motto is we go where the sun goes.

Hey, it doesn't take a college education to know the sun goes down.

Huh?

I bring with me to the stage bits and pieces of my childhood, my teen adolescence, and then my adult life.

Oh, my mother.

She's crazy.

I love her though.

But you know how that goes.

I was once a child, you guys, believe it or not, I feel like I have a little slight advantage being a woman because there's so many men out there that are doing comedy and it almost even makes me that much more funny because how many women do you know that are like, let me tell you.

I mean, I don't get no respect.

I mean, how many women do you know that are gonna risk doing this ugly face?

I hope it takes me straight to the top.

I'm into it for the fame.

You know, money that's secondary.

But the fame, I, you know, I mean, and the feeling of it all.

Dr.

Ruth cracks me up.

Have you all seen her her stuff lately?

I mean, you know, she's back in the scene.

Hello, this is Dr.

Ruth West.

Time out for Sexually Speaking.

Go ahead, your hungry.

It's so much fun.

It's therapeutic for me.

I'm lost if I have a weekend when I'm not doing comedy.

- Comedic license along with Sonya White of five artists who are dedicated to the serious business of creating laughter.

- We love you guys.

We want you guys to come to our next club wherever it may be.

Watch - Your paper.

- Hello?

Phone for - Me.

So, - Excuse me sir.

- What?

What did you just say?

- Phone for me, sir?

- Is it necessary to announce it?

- Well, yes sir.

- Why?

- How else will anyone know who the phone is for?

- If the phone is for you, you don't have to announce phone for me.

You simply answer it.

- But it's not for you, sir.

It's for me.

Well then - Answer it.

- I can't, sir.

It's for me.

- Why can't you answer your own calls?

- I can answer my own calls, sir.

I just can't answer this one.

- Why not?

- Because it's for me.

- What?

- Excuse me.

Did someone say phone for me?

- Yes.

- Thanks.

Hello, Sam.

Me here.

Ah, Mr.

Jones.

Yes.

Always a pleasure to talk to you, sir.

Yes.

I sometimes say this is me.

That's you too, eh?

Yes.

That's a good one, sir.

Yes.

I suppose me is an unusual name.

Yes.

I've been me as long as I can remember.

My father was me too.

Yes.

My sister used to be me, but now she's a man.

No sir.

No sex change.

See, she married a man named man and now she's a man, Mrs.

Man.

Yes.

Well, it does confuse the neighbors a bit, but oh yes, back to me.

Sure.

It'd be a pleasure to have dinner with your family, sir.

No sir, no wife, just me.

Alright, I'll see you then.

Goodbye.

A good man.

Mr.

Jones a good man.

- Excuse me.

- Oh, you're excused me?

Yeah.

Wait, thanks.

- No, I'm I, I mean, excuse me.

- I just did sir.

- No, I I mean that man.

I, I don't remember him.

How long has he worked for us?

- Here at here?

Industries?

- Yes.

- Since he started, sir.

- Oh, well just make sure you don't bother me with any more of his calls.

- Would you like me to take his calls?

- He better take his calls.

We're not running a charity here at here.

Hell, if I were me, I'd insist on taking my calls, but I'm not me.

He's me and I'm telling me to, to start taking his calls or he'll answer to me.

- So if a call comes in for me, - I don't care.

You can take it.

Just don't bother me.

- Yes, sir.

Hello?

Oh, yes he is.

Who's on the phone for you, sir?

- Who?

- Yes sir.

- Who's on the phone?

- That's right.

- What's right?

- Who's on the phone?

- I don't know.

- I'm telling you.

Who sir?

- Well then go ahead and tell me - Who - The name of the guy on the phone.

I just - Told you - Then.

I know.

- Yes sir.

- I know what - You know who, sir?

- I don't believe I do know who.

- Yes you do, sir.

You had lunch with him last week - With who?

- Yes sir.

- Oh, the the tall blonde man with a beard?

- Yes sir.

- Oh, he owns their enterprises, right?

- Yes, sir.

- What does he want?

- He wants to talk to you, sir.

- Nothing right away.

You who?

You who?

Yes - Sir.

You wanna see me, sir?

- Yes.

Who's on the phone?

- How do I know?

Nevermind.

I'll find out myself.

Hello.

How are you here?

Who's this?

Oh, it is.

Hold on a second, please, sir.

He doesn't wanna talk to me.

He wants to talk to you, - But you're you?

- Yes, I'm you, sir.

But he doesn't wanna talk to me.

He wants to talk to you.

- Oh, to me.

- Yes.

- Get me for me.

Will you, - Sir?

I believe the call is for you.

- Nonsense.

He just said it wasn't - Hello me Here.

This is who?

Oh, it is?

No, no, no.

You don't wanna talk to me?

You wanna speak to the boss?

- Me?

- No, sir.

You.

- Oh, well thank you.

You're - Welcome.

- Hello?

This is who?

Oh, it is.

Yes, yes, yes.

I've been thinking about your ideas concerning a merger between here and there to fight them.

And we incorporate it.

I suggest we have our people meet someplace.

Your man us was very impressive.

So I'll send two of my people to your restaurant.

Called My Place, wasn't it the after six room?

Very good.

You know, we hear it here.

Hate them.

We, because we feel of them that we could weed the way into here.

We hear it here would not be here, but we'd be weep and we'd be elsewhere.

So if we hear it here and you there, there can meet someplace here or there, like for instance, your place.

My place.

We can meet, weep, defeat, weep, and then pick up.

We're here and they're left off.

So I'll send you and me to meet us at your place.

My place at the after six room at five.

Thank you, sir.

Goodbye, sir.

Did you catch all that?

- I don't think so, sir.

He left the room.

Well, where did you go?

I've been here the whole time.

Hold on a second.

I'll go get you.

- Whatcha talking about I've been here the whole time.

- No, I, I didn't want you.

I wanted him.

- I'm him right here.

Betty.

Him.

- You're traveling through another dimension.

A dimension, not only of sound and sight gags, but of joke to the mind, A journey to a humorous land whose boundaries of those of rubber chickens and custard pies.

There's a banana peel up ahead.

Next up the comedy zone.

- Since we first broadcast that story on comedic license, Sonya White has moved to Chicago where she's continuing to do comedy as a solo performer.

You can see comedic license for yourself on Thursday nights throughout the month of April at Alexander's in Norfolk's Gantt.

He's the sculptor who more than any other is leaving his mark on public places in Hampton Roads.

Next week on our place, our Time we'll profile artist Vic Pickett, whose latest project is to create a memorial to the Jewish Holocaust of World War ii.

And then we'll bring you the story of one of the Great Navy families in American history, the Baron family, a family comprised of heroes, villains, and poets.

I'm Vian Webb, thanking you for joining us for our place our time, partial funding for our place, our Times made possible by grants from the Arts Commissions of the cities of Virginia Beach and Chesapeake.

From the Virginia Commission for the Arts and from the Arts Commissions of the cities of Newport News, Norfolk Hampton, and Williamsburg.