52 Ancestors – Week 7 – Love

1 Comment / February 17, 2019

I really struggled with this meme. I never knew any of my ancestors, not my grandparents on either side, not even my father. I knew my mother but it was a contentious relationship and not very “loving.”  So who was I going to write about? I wanted, needed to continue to participate in this challenge but who? Then this morning I realized it is not “who” but “what.” THE RESEARCH The research is what I love. The thrill of discovery, of knowing I used my “problem solving skills” to figure out where to look to find the elusive puzzle pieces …

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52 Ancestors – Week 6

Leave a Comment / February 6, 2019

SURPRISE This week the meme is “Surprise.” I found this a bit challenging because it seems like it is always a surprise when I find another ancestor, another generation back, another grandparent. I did some thinking, reviewed my pedigree chart with that meme in mind and came up with my Week 6 ancestor. My family, most of my ancestors, are relatively unremarkable. No celebrities, famous or infamous characters, just regular, middle of the road apparently hardworking folks. Not wealthy, not poor, just middle class through the generations. THE HOFF AND JOHNSTON FAMILY Then I discovered Emaline Hoff and her husband …

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Daily Dose #3

Leave a Comment / February 4, 2019

The Wise household in south Nodaway was all abustle this Sunday morning.  It was May 25, 1913 and a milestone date. Genevieve Mary Wise had done it. She had completed high school and would be attending her baccalaureate ceremony this morning and her commencement ceremony in just four days. The attendance at both would include family and friends of the eight graduates, which was most of the population of this small rural village. Being only a few hours away, chores needed to be done and preparations completed and food was needed. “Albert have you got the horses harnessed up yet?” …

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Daily Dose #2

2 Comments / February 3, 2019

Explore a scene or story from your memory by reimagining it from an alternate perspective. Archie and his wife Lulu wearily descended the steps of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy train searching for the familiar face of his brother, Fred. It had been a long and circuitous train ride from Glenullin, North Dakota to Nodaway, Iowa and Archie was fearful to learn of his father’s condition. The telegram had said only that he was gravely ill. “Lulu, I don’t see Freddy so let’s get you inside out of the cold to wait. I’m sure he will be here shortly.” “Archie, …

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52 Ancestors – Week 5

Leave a Comment / January 31, 2019

At the Library For me researching in a state archive or library was one of the most rewarding endeavors I have pursued as a genealogist, second only to actually walking on the land an ancestor once owned. Why you might ask, it is just a library! A state archive is so much more than just a library. An archive houses many of the original documents that are often available on microfilm or in digitized form. Again you might ask “so what? It is much easier to view these from the comfort of our home via our computer.” The Joy of …

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52 Ancestors 52 Weeks – Week 4

4 Comments / January 22, 2019

Who Would I Like to Meet In truth I would like to meet ALL of those hundreds of ancestors. I would love to hear each of their stories so this is a difficult choice; do I choose my second great grandfather, a Confederate veteran and Baptist minister or my husband’s fourth great grandfather, a veteran of the Revolutionary War from the Pennsylvania militia and early pioneer into Kentucky. I have chosen the later, Paul Arnspiger. The beautiful panoramic photo above is the land Paul owned in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. The photo was taken in 2005 on our first trip to …

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Cookerie From Days Past – Fun to Include in Your Stories

1 Comment / February 22, 2019

Do you ever think about what your female ancestor who maybe lived in Massachusetts or North Carolina or New York during the 18th, 19th or 20th century cooked for her family? Do you wonder if she had her own recipes, which was often the case, or if she had access to the two or three published cookbooks? Maybe you even have some of those old recipes. You might wonder what the cookbooks looked like from that time period. Well in 1615 in England Gervase Markham was the author of a publication entitled the English Huswive which included instruction in “Phisicke, …

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52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – week 3

1 Comment / January 15, 2019

Unusual Name – that is the meme for Amy Johnson Crow’s  52 week writing challenge. When I first saw this back in the beginning of January I immediately knew who I should write about. There really was no question and then I began to think about what is in a name really which then prompted me to do a bit of research into the  meaning of unusual names. My ancestor and 6th great grandfather the subject of this post, is Bezaleel Flagg born 23 Mar 1710 in Waltham, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony. Bezaleel? Seriously what kind of moniker is that …

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USING WOMEN’S DIARIES FOR HISTORICAL CONTENT

3 Comments / January 14, 2019

WOMEN’S DIARIES FROM THE 17th,  18th and 19th CENTURIES Have you ever read the diaries of colonial or pioneer women? If you haven’t do you know where to access them? There are numerous online resources that allow us as researchers a glimpse into the lives of our female ancestor’s peers. Granted the diaries are not our ancestors usually but still our female ancestors lives were likely similar to those in some of the diaries we are going to explore. DIARY OF MARTHA MOORE BALLARD This diary is a compelling and detailed diary begun on January 1, 1785 by Martha Ballard, a …

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52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – week 2 – Challenge

2 Comments / January 13, 2019

This is my second post for Amy Johnson Crow’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge.  As genealogists we face so many challenges in our pursuit of family history. One of which is the challenge of a common name. How can we be sure we have the right individual? Even 250 years ago there were individuals of the same name in the same location.  My 5th great grandfather was John Smith; yes likely the most common of common names. What I have written here is the little I have been able to learn about him and support with documentary evidence. WHAT HAS …

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