Before My Time

“Who Do You Think You Are?” returns in 2011

2010-12-15T13:50:00.002-06:00

In a previous post, I mentioned a genealogy themed TV show produced by Lisa Kudrow of “Friends” fame. If you caught it, you were treated to some interesting and often tear-jerking stories of celebrities discovering their family history. Matthew Broderick discovered his link to a Civil War hero similar to the one he portrayed in “Glory”. Meanwhile his wife Sarah Jessica Parker traced her lineage back to the Salem Witch Trials.

“Who Do You Think You Are?” will return January 21st, 2011 for another series of trips down genealogy lane. This season’s celebrity seekers includes Tim McGraw, Rosie O’Donnell, Vanessa Williams, Lionel Richie, Ashley Judd, Steve Buscemi and Kim Cattrall. Look for it on NBC. Learn more here.

Major Minorities & Minor Majorities

2010-11-27T11:06:00.002-06:00

A lot is made in our world about race relations. This has been going on for hundreds if not thousands of years. We try so hard to make everything fair and everyone equal. But have you ever noticed that we aren’t so diligent with individuals? Most people make much ado about some minor part of their racial make-up.

“I’m one-sixteenth Native American.”

“I have a little Polynesian blood in me.”

“I’m descended from a Cherokee princess.”

When Halle Berry won an Academy Award for Best Actress, it was a big deal because she was the “first black woman to win the Best Actress Oscar®”. President Obama is our “first black President”. In both cases, they have one white parent and one black, yet the minority side of their race is what they (or the press, or we) identify them as.

Why is the minority in us given dominance? Is it because we like to cheer for the underdog? Are we looking for sympathy or special treatment? Or do we want to highlight the hardships some of our predecessors had to endure?

As far as I know, I am 100% white man. I’m not necessarily proud of that. That’s simply who I am. When thinking about my family history, what I am proud of is the minority of people who truly did something revolutionary: the ancestor who fought in the Revolutionary War, the ancestors who fought in the Civil War, the ancestors who left family and friends to pioneer the western frontier, the ancestor who had a town named after him. Out of the 5,000 or so people currently listed in my family tree, a very small number of them did something brave, extraordinary or just original. These are the people I try to identify with and hope to find similar qualities in myself.

Musings

2010-11-11T14:47:00.000-06:00

It’s been a while since I posted anything here. And it’s been a while since I’ve touched any of my genealogy. And so goes this perpetual hobby…

But this brief intermission hasn’t been without noteworthy events. I learned, or rather was informed, that I am related to someone at my Nashville church. This came as a surprise to me since my family rarely seems to have ventured far from West Tennessee. This made attending the wedding of my newfound cousin that much more meaningful.

I’ve found it interesting that most female genealogists tend to focus on their maternal lines. Male genealogists, like me, are usually obsessed with the paternal line or following their last name – a practice that has left me wanting. Is this genealogical sexism or just an innate need to relate to our ancestors if only in a superficial way? A recent episode of “Nova” talked about the history of domesticated dogs and how scientists usually focus on mitochondrial DNA (DNA passed down through the maternal line) because it changes very little over time. Perhaps there’s greater value in following the maternal line.

Photoshop

2010-05-20T22:47:00.006-05:00

This is a good example of what you can do with Photoshop...

Before <---------------------------------------------> After

...as well as a good example of the kinds of mistakes we made before Spellcheck.

Profile: Lewis E. Pierce

2010-04-02T00:26:00.005-05:00

Born: December 25, 1844 South Carolina
Died: June 30, 1934, Bolivar, Tennessee
Relationship to me: 3rd Great-Grandfather

Lewis E. Pierce was born on Christmas day in 1844 to Joseph and Nancy Pierce of South Carolina. During the Civil War, Lewis fought in the Confederate army. According to family legend, Lewis served under Nathan Bedford Forrest for a time during which he found himself in Hardeman County, Tennessee. He was sent out to scout the area surrounding the camp and to seek food and supplies from nearby farm families when he met a farm girl named Rebecca Radford. The two fell in love. After the war, Lewis moved to Hardeman County and married Rebecca. They had nine children together.

On September 14th & 15th, 1900, a reunion was held in Hardeman County for veterans of the Confederate Army. Lewis was one of the over 3,000 people in attendance.

My 3x Great-Grandfather, Lewis E. Pierce in 1900 at the last Confederate Reunion in Hardeman County, TN.

Rebecca died in 1928. Lewis died six years later on her birthday.

Random, Bouncy, Nonsensical Syllables

2010-03-12T14:29:00.001-06:00

Until I was a teenager, I honestly thought my grandparents' given names were "Maw" and "Paw". When my sister gave birth to my parents' first grandchild, one of the first orders of business was to decide what the newly dubbed grandparents would be called. They decided on "Nana" and "Paw".

Grandparent names are just as random, bouncy, nonsensical syllables as "momma" and "dadda." But they are much more diverse and meant to be just as cute as the child that will be using them.

So, let's hear them. What are your silly grandparent names?

Say Uncle

2010-03-04T23:16:00.004-06:00

Everyone has more than one familial title. I am a son, a husband, a brother, a cousin and a nephew. But I think the title I take the most pride and joy in is uncle. I remember as a kid I mispronounced “uncle” calling my mom’s brother “knuckle Joe”.

I was so excited when I became an uncle for the first time. A whole new dynamic was added to my family. All of a sudden my sister was a mom, my parents were grandparents and my brothers also became uncles. As my nieces and nephews grew in numbers and years, we had to start utilizing our new titles.

“Can you say hi to Uncle Phil?”

“Thank Uncle Phil for the birthday present.”

Being an uncle is a lot like being a grandparent. You get to play with the kids, brag about them to friends, write shameless blog posts about them and really enjoy them without the hang-ups of having to change diapers or discipline. I always looked forward to becoming an uncle and I hoped that I would be the “cool uncle.” I try to remember birthdays, sending a card with stickers every year.

Uncle Phil with Emma, Noah & Hope

And we uncles do it all for no special recognition although there is a little known “Aunt & Uncle Day” every July 26th. The title of uncle isn’t specific to blood relatives either. Pretty much any close male friend of the family can be called uncle.

I realize I am following in the footsteps of a lot of famous uncles before me. Here’s my ten favorite uncles of all time:

Uncle Rico (Napoleon Dynamite) – If the coach had put him in the game in ’82, they would-a went to state, no doubt in my mind.

Uncle Fester (“The Addams Family”) – The best uncle trick: making a light bulb light up in your mouth.

Uncle Buck – For showing us how to make enormous pancakes with a snow shovel.

Uncle Phil (“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”) – Nice name.

Uncle Ben – Like white on rice.

The Man for U.N.C.L.E. – Actually this is two men who may or may not be uncles.

Uncle Remus (Song of the South) – Zip-a-de-doo-da!

Uncle Dave Macon – The Dixie Dewdrop of uncles.

Uncle Sam – He wants you, and it's nice to be wanted.

Uncle Owen (Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope) – Just a simple moisture farmer who raised the last of the Jedi and the galaxy’s only hope for peace.

Who are your favorite uncles?

Who Do You Think You Are?

2010-02-13T14:42:00.003-06:00

Here's another genealogy themed TV show coming soon. Genealogy must be in!

Click here to learn more.

Faces of America

2010-02-01T12:24:00.002-06:00

If your into genealogy, you'll want to check out this miniseries airing this month. Check your local PBS station for dates and times.

Click here for a preview.

Census Sensibility

2010-01-04T23:25:00.007-06:00

Every ten years since 1790 the United States has taken roll of its citizens as mandated by our Constitution. This year, we will continue that tradition by enumerating ourselves for the 23rd time.

One of the main purposes of the census is to monitor population and adjust governmental representation accordingly. The information you give during a census is kept confidential for 72 years. After that, it becomes public record. Why? Probably because 72 is about the average life span of a person now-a-days.

If you get deep enough into genealogy, you WILL meet a census record or two. While they don’t give you much information, you might serendipitously stumble upon some great information. For instance, you can track the migration of your relatives over time. This record, from Tennessee in 1850 lists my 3x great grandfather Moses and his wife as being born in North Carolina. Their two children, Leander and James are listed as being born in Mississippi. That’s practically a road map of how the Bakers came to Tennessee!

(Apologies for the quality of the image)

This might be more difficult in the future because people move more easily and thus more frequently than we did in the past. We, for example, will have no census recording of the time we lived in California since we moved there just after the 2000 census and returned to Tennessee two years ago.

But most of the time, census records can be very helpful. Thanks to census records we’ve often found that future spouses were neighbors before getting married. (Isn’t that romantic?) Or that a couple lived near their parents after getting married. (Isn't that a nightmare?) Such is the case with this record from the 1870 census showing another 3x great grandfather, John Pierce and his wife Rebecca living near her parents, John and Helen Radford. Transcripts of past censuses can usually be found at your local library. These typed pages lack the flavor of the handwritten originals (like the ones above) but make the information easily accessible and unarguably more legible. Spelling mistakes made by the census taker or typist can be confusing on the transcripts. But often that can easily be solved if you can find the handwritten ones which are more open for interpretation. Both versions are becoming more and more available online. Oh, and don’t get frustrated if you can’t find a census record for 1890. Most of those were destroyed in a Washington DC fire in 1921.

Who's afraid of the big, bad census man? No one should be. He’s not “big brother” coming to keep tabs on you. At the very least, he’s going to insure your future decedents can find you.

Adoption & Family Tree Grafting

2009-12-07T22:42:00.004-06:00

The search for your family history is the search for your family’s story and adoption stories are among the most compelling. Just watch the new ABC reality show “Find My Family”.(No, I’m not crying. I’ve got something in my eye. Stop looking at me!)

Adoption stories are stories of love and acceptance. I’ve been blessed to know many people who have been adopted and others who have adopted or are in the process of adopting. The bonds that are formed are like a mended bone - stronger than one that was never broken.

If you or someone you are researching has been adopted, it may be confusing to work on two family lines – the blood line and the adopted line. On the practical side, the blood line will reveal much about potential health. And on the sentimental side, one’s adoptive family history is just as important to them. Tracing both can get messy. Tracing a blood line for an adoptee might be difficult if records are sealed or misplaced. There are some hurdles no genealogist can clear. But don’t be discouraged. Time will tell. Until then, focus on what you can find and grow your family tree with what you have.

Charting your family tree with both lines can also be difficult. There’s no standard for signifying an adoptive relationship so most people simply make a double-crowned tree with the adoptee at the bottom, fanning up to 3 or 4 parents (whatever the case may be), grafting the two families onto each other. It may look different but not every family tree has to fit the perfect “V” shaped mold. Just like grafted trees, they can be uniquely beautiful.

Spiritual Lineage

2009-11-20T22:06:00.004-06:00

Have you ever considered your spiritual lineage?

As a Christian, I belong to a family of believers; there is my church family, but there is also the much larger family of Christians worldwide, made up of countless brothers and sisters in Christ. And then there are the Christians from whom I am descended. I am a Christian because someone shared Christ with me. And they were a Christian because someone shared Christ with them. And so on and so forth all the way back to someone who had a personal encounter with Jesus. That means that I am a descendant of Jesus! I may not be able to trace that family tree, but I can’t wait for the family reunion.

It makes me think. Do I have any spiritual descendants? Do you?

There's an ap for that

2009-11-19T17:04:00.004-06:00

It seems like everybody and their grandfather is on Facebook these days. One way to know for sure is by using one of a few applications Facebook offers to keep track of your relatives. Applications like FamilyLink (formerly called “We’re Related”) and Family Tree are a good way of noting who you’re related to and how. Even your friends can see your Facebook family tree.

But I’m not sure how useful this is since that’s pretty much all you can do. Sure, you can see how far your tree currently branches but ultimately we’re all cousins and who really cares if you’re 23rd cousins twice-removed with someone in Bangladesh? (I’m sorry, cousin Ahmed. I didn’t mean that. Please don’t un-friend me!)

Holy Moses

2009-11-03T08:45:00.003-06:00

I always try to have an end game for anything I do; a goal, something that drives me to push forward. In genealogy especially. Otherwise it can just get mind-numbing searching for names and dates. And my goal will change from time to time, to whatever I find more interesting or elusive.

One of my goals for the past year or two has been to find the final resting place of my Great-Great-Grandfather, Moses Baker (not to be confused with my Great-Grandfather, Moses Alexander Baker). I know that he brought the Bakers into Tennessee from North Carolina via Mississippi around 1850. And I even found a copy of his obituary in the local newspaper.

But it isn’t very specific about where he was buried. Where is “here”? Bolivar? Crainsville? I’ve searched every available cemetery record and can’t find anything. But there is rumor of a Crainsville Cemetery where the community used to be. However, it is on private property owned by a very private person. Others who have told me of this cemetery say that the owner has piled brush and wood on it.

Perhaps one day I’ll work up the courage to ask if I can visit this cemetery. Hopefully it will really be there. Hopefully there are still headstones. Hopefully they might be legible. Hopefully Moses Baker will be there. If and when I do find my current genealogical Holy Grail, I’ll finally be able to move on to my next goal.

Profile: Thomas Blassingame

2009-10-15T15:05:00.006-05:00

Born: 1710, Virginia
Died: 1772, South Carolina
Relationship to me: 7th Great-Grandfather

Court records show Thomas Blassingame served on a grand jury as many as eleven times. This is an indication that he was probably a free holder and a respected member of his community. He married a woman named Frances between 1732 and 1735.
However, by 1740, history records that he took a turn for the worse. That year he misbehaved in court and was put in stocks (hinged wooden boards that formed holes through which the head and/or various limbs were inserted and locked together) for one hour.

Two years later, disrespecting the court landed him in the pillory. Unlike stocks which allowed the captive to roam freely (or hide), the pillory was fixed in a public location allowing the community to scorn the offender and throw objects at him such as rotten food or stones. But the pillory was no match for Thomas’ temper. He broke the stocks off and ran away.

The next year, 1743, found Thomas married to a Katherine Carr. After that, Thomas began moving south, first to North Carolina and finally to South Carolina where he died around 1772. He had 5 children including John Blassingame who fought in the American Revolution.

Home Movie Day

2009-10-05T14:07:00.006-05:00

If you're lucky enough to have grown up with a video camera in your home you probably have a wealth of home movies. There are those who might even have reels of old 8mm or 16mm of their parents and grandparents.

This October 17th is the day to dig them out, dust them off and show them. Home Movie Day is an international event started to bring friends and families together to share their home movies. This is also a great event to have at your church, social club, family reunion or employee picnic. What a great way to bring people together and learn more about them.

You can even make a game out of it! Have everyone put their movies into a box or bag. A designated "Movie Master" will randomly pull them out and play them. Then everyone can try and recognize people in the movie and identify who's movie it is. You can cap the event off with your own awards ceremony by handing out faux Oscar trophies for catagories like "Most Embarrasing Movie," "Cutest Baby" and "Most Memorable."

So mark your calendars. Gather your family, your neighbors and/or your friends and share that sentimental celluloid, those vintage VHS's, or your DVDs of days gone by. And don't forget the popcorn!

www.HomeMovieDay.com

National Grandparents Day

2009-09-09T13:02:00.001-05:00

This Sunday is National Grandparents Day. It was started in 1978 by President Jimmy Carter. Take this weekend and call or visit your grandparents. If they are no longer living, visit their grave and share memories of them with family and friends. National Grandparents Day also encourages you to adopt a grandparent to benefit from a lifetime of experience waiting to be shared.

www.Grandparents-Day.com

Genealogy slogans

2009-08-13T13:40:00.001-05:00

Since becoming an amateur genealogist, I've run across some pretty great slogans. Here's some of my favorites.

Our family tree: Lots of branches and a few nuts.
Love doing genealogy? I can relate
Great-Grandpa was a what?!
I dig dead people.
Genealogy is in my blood.
I know where the bodies are buried.
I brake for cemeteries.
I trace my family history so I know who to blame.
Genealogy: where you confuse the dead and irritate the living.
It's all relative.
I lost my census!

Lermond: The Movie

2009-08-10T16:05:00.003-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G6YARYJ8wQ

This is the video biography I made of my grandmother, Lermond. I recorded the interview in 2001. She passed away in September of 2008.

The Trouble with Skeletons

2009-07-07T08:58:00.000-05:00

I remember an episode* of “Growing Pains” where Mike, Carol and Ben discover; through letters they find in their basement, that both their parents had been divorced. After confronting them, Jason and Maggie confess that they both had been divorced…from each other during a turbulent time early in their marriage.

Every family has skeletons in their closet. It can be divorce, illness, criminal records, anything. And those skeletons leave material footprints like photos, videos or documents. When going through your family history, especially recent history, the impulse is often to skip over or even discard those less-than-shining moments. But any story worth telling has to have drama, peril or obstacles.

When recently going through some family photos with my mother, we came across some of a relative and their former spouse. I had to stop my mother from throwing them away. We mustn’t rewrite history. We must be objective and recognize the value of lessons learned from mistakes made. I also think it is overdramatic and foolish to be embarrassed enough by your skeletons to not share and discuss them openly with your family. Your family’s younger generations are the ones who could benefit the most from past lessons. I know I've gained more respect and love for some of my family members after learning of some of their past trials while researching my family history.

I’m not saying you need to air your dirty laundry for all to see. Keep it in the family but at least share it with the family. This also serves to prevent rumors and dispel myths. Just invite those skeletons out of the closet and give them a discreet yet respectful place in your family history.

*“Growing Pains” Season 2, Episode 19: “The Awful Truth”
Original Air Date - March 17, 1987 (source: www.imdb.com)

Media Migration

2009-06-18T17:30:00.002-05:00

In millions of closets across the country, there are dusty shoe boxes that contain no shoes. But they’re not empty. They’re full of old home movies. Every once in a while, you may pull them out and set up the old project and pray that it doesn’t jam and destroy the film. But there’s a better way to view them while, at the same time, preserving them.

While you’re film is slowly deteriorating, its main villain is that old, untrustworthy projector. There are many people who have old home movies on film and can’t even see them (and maybe never have) for want of a projector at all. Since no one makes projectors any more, one has to find them in antique stores. And even then, they may not be complete or in working order.

Media Migration is the answer. It’s a growing field and companies like Memories to DVD are popping up across the country to help transfer your old home moves to DVD or other digital formats (They also transfer VHS, slides, records and audio tapes). You might be leery of giving up your sentimental celluloid to anyone outside the family. But if you do your homework, you’ll rest easy knowing your film will be taken care of.

You can debate ‘till the credits roll about the best way to treat and condition film, but if you’re not doing it at all, you’re part of the problem. Look for accreditations like The Better Business Bureau or The AMIA.

Companies like this will also often offer other premium services like video editing, adding music and sound effects to silent film or even adding narration. I think this is a great way to pass down your home movies to future generations who would otherwise never know who the cast members are of their moving image heirlooms.

So free up those old shoe boxes for things like…shoes. Retire that antique projector to the bookshelf as a conversation piece. Transfer your old home movies to DVD (if you go to Memories to DVD, tell ‘em Phil sent ya). Then pop some popcorn, turn down the lights, settle into the couch and go back in time!

Decoration Day

2009-05-07T11:02:00.007-05:00

As long as I can remember, my family has celebrated Decoration Day at Middleburg cemetery where my grandparents and many of my paternal ancestors are buried. I always thought this was a normal ritual and that every cemetery designated such a day but it seems that is not the case. Decoration Day was started as a way to honor those who gave their lives for our country by visiting and decorating their graves. That is what’s evolved into Memorial Day. But some families, communities and cemeteries still celebrate Decoration Day as a general celebration of family and those who’ve left us.

Middleburg Decoration Day has always consisted of my family getting together after church one Sunday afternoon for a potluck lunch and some socializing. A few would actually make a trip to the cemetery to place flowers, clean up around the grave markers and wander the grounds. What a great opportunity to teach the next generation about their ancestors. I’ll admit as a young child, I rarely went to the cemetery on Decoration Day. But, if you’re a frequent reader of this blog, you know I now never miss a trip to a cemetery.

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend this year’s Decoration Day at Middleburg but I heard my sister started a new tradition with her kids. They went to the cemetery to visit the grave of our grandmother who passed away last year. My nieces wrote notes to their late great-grandmother and tied them to helium balloons and then released them. What a fun new tradition!

The Great “Grand/Great” Debate

2009-04-21T09:53:00.001-05:00

Would you rather someone say you were “great” or that you were “grand”? This isn’t a trick question and I’m not trying to make a fat joke.

When stating someone’s relationship to you, you have to be very careful to be clear. But, like much of the English language, there are several ways of stating a relationship.

For instance, my grandfather’s brother would be my great-uncle. But I could also call him my granduncle. Conversely, he could refer to me as his grandnephew. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anybody use the prefix “grand” before uncle, aunt, nephew or niece but apparently you can - and is, in fact, the technically correct way of stating such relationships.

I have to admit that I like this – not only because it cuts down on having to add an extra “great” onto that great-great-great-granduncle but also because it keeps him on the same level (and number of “greats”) as the great-great-great-grandfather and thus making it easier to keep track of what generation he belongs to.

I guess you don’t have to choose between being “great” or “grand.” You get them both with time. You start off being just a plain, run-of-the-mill parent. Then you become a grandparent. Then, if you live long enough, you’re a great and grandparent.

Maybe we can export this to other conversational phrases. I hope you have a grand day tomorrow. And I hope the next day is a great-grandday!

Profile: Leander K. Baker

2009-04-17T15:48:00.002-05:00

Born: April 9, 1839, Rowan County, North Carolina
Died: December 2, 1922, Crockett County, Tennessee
Relationship to me: 2nd great granduncle. Brother to 2nd great grandfather, James Henry Baker

Leander was born to Moses and Sophia Baker in North Carolina in 1839. Both of his grandfathers were German immigrants*. Around 1845, when he was only about 6 years old, he and his family headed west, settling briefly in Mississippi where his younger brother, James Henry, was born. A few years later, the family moved into Hardeman County, Tennessee.

When the Civil War broke out, Leander enlisted in the Confederate Army and was sent to Columbus, Kentucky. He first saw battle at Fort Donelson, TN. Serving in the 7th Tennessee E Company (a.k.a. Duckworth’s Cavalry) he also saw action at the battle of Shiloh. He recalled wearing few cloths and sometimes going for 9 days with only one biscuit to eat. His company started with 147 men and had only 9 living at the conclusion of the war. Leander was crippled by a runaway team of horses in Corinth, Mississippi and was discharged. He heard of Lee’s surrender while at home in Hardeman County, TN*.

After the war, he married Elizabeth Ann “Bettie” Fulghum and they had 6 children together. Leander was a farmer the rest of his life. After his wife died in 1886, Leander moved to Crockett County, Tennessee where he lived the remainder of his years.

Leander died in 1922 and is buried in the Cairo Cemetery in Cairo, Tennessee.

*Source: Civil War Veteran Questionnaire, Tennessee State Archives

Lincoln’s watch tells more than time

2009-03-11T12:14:00.003-05:00

What a cool story! This guy grew up hearing a family story about his great-great grandfather engraving something at the beginning of the Civil War on the inside of a pocket watch that was eventually given to President Lincoln. This story was finally confirmed when the watch was cracked open revealing the inscription.

Read the full story.

Obituaries

2009-03-04T16:35:00.025-06:00

Most of my “simple farmer” ancestors rarely had anything written about them. They never even got in enough trouble to be mentioned in court documents. I imagine they did most of their business with a handshake and not on paper. So, an obituary is about the only thing I’m able to find on them.

I was very excited to find this obituary of my paternal 3x Great Grandfather, Moses Baker in the December 18th 1884 edition of the Bolivar Bulletin Times. I had hoped that it would include information on where he is buried but unfortunately, it’s vague on that point. (Note the story above it mentioning a Dr. Neely, a prominent citizen who I’ve theorized is the source of my paternal grandfather, Neely’s first name.)

I read that Moses’ wife, Sophia had died in a house fire years earlier. So, I was excited to confirm this with this news story and her obituary in the same newspaper issue (Bolivar Bulletin Times ,October 10, 1878).

I’ve heard that the low man on the newspaper totem pole is given the grim task of writing the obituaries. Ironic since obituaries are probably read by a wide range of people and provide valuable historical information. I think about this when sitting at a microfilm machine in the Tennessee State Archives, scrolling through an old edition of a local newspaper, past important news stories of the day to find an obituary. I wonder who the little lackey was that grumbled over having to write this obit when, over a century later, someone is more eager to read their work than that of their superiors.

Before My Time: The Soundtrack

2009-02-05T14:50:00.004-06:00

I like to listen to music when I’m working. While working on my family tree, I’ve come across a few songs that speak directly to genealogy, family or memories. So, I present to you the amateur genealogist’s play list.

Before My Time - Johnny Cash
Who I Am – Jessica Andrews
Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Ole Days) – The Judds
Things We’ve Handed Down – Marc Cohn
Magic Moments – Perry Como
We Are Family – Sister Sledge
Walk of Life – Dire Straits
Young At Heart – Jimmy Durante
Once In A Lifetime – Talking Heads

I’m open to suggestions to add to this list. Happy listening.

Norman Rockwell’s Family Tree

2009-02-04T16:59:00.001-06:00

I came across this painting by one of my favorite artists, Norman Rockwell. It isn’t his literal family tree. It’s more America’s family tree. I love it especially because it includes pirates and Civil War soldiers. I think everyone hopes or wishes their family tree was this colorful.

Pruning the Family Tree

2009-02-03T15:23:00.000-06:00

Genealogy is a stop-n-go hobby. One day it will take up too much of your time, then you’ll go months without even thinking about it. Little things can disturb the hibernation of one’s inner genealogist: a call from a seldom-heard-from relative, a PBS documentary, a newly discovered photograph, or perhaps an email from a possible distant relative and fellow amateur genealogist. That’s what happened to me recently…well…almost.

Since posting my family tree online, I’m occasionally contacted by previously unknown family members, which was the case the other day. Unfortunately, this email was quickly followed by another stating that the sender discovered that we were, in fact, not related and that a major branch of my tree, the one he initially thought he belonged to, was incorrect. He went on to explain to me that my line and his had long been thought to be the same but that recent DNA testing had proven them to be separate.

And so, I must now delete many people from my tree and begin searching for and adding the correct brood. Stupid DNA.

Revera's 90th

2009-02-02T16:37:00.003-06:00

I love my in-law family. Not many people can say that. I feel just as close to them as my blood relations. So, whenever they have something to celebrate, I celebrate with them.

Last month, my wife’s dear, sweet grandmother, Revera, turned 90 years old. She had family come from California, Florida, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Indiana and elsewhere to help her celebrate. Because they’re so spread out, it’s rare that this family gets together for a reunion. It was great seeing everyone together and we’re thankful it was for a happy occasion and not for a funeral.

Because her birthday fell on a Sunday and because church has always been very important to her, we all went with “Grandma B” to her little Nazarene church. We more than doubled their average attendance that day. The service was specially tailored to her. We sang her favorite hymns and paid special recognition to her. At the end of the service, she was presented with an official document from the Tennessee State House of Representatives recognizing her and congratulating her on her birthday. Then a short biographical video was shown (courtesy of yours truly). After the service, we all enjoyed barbeque, chicken and birthday cake in the fellowship hall.

Sunday wasn’t the only celebration. The whole weekend was filled with fun and family. Most of the time, we gathered at Uncle Larry’s garage which is more like a club house. It was never long before everyone was gathered around Larry’s player piano. Like a turn-of-the-century karaoke bar, each of us took turns pumping the peddles, while everyone else belted out old tunes of yester-year.
Genealogy isn’t always about the past. It can also be about the present. There were 4 generations present at this family gathering. Grandma B has gotten to know more than a dozen great-grandchildren and they got to know her. That and the memory of Revera’s 90th birthday was a great present for us all.

Don't blame me. I voted for King John Adams

2009-01-08T12:59:00.002-06:00

I wanted to follow up my last post with something I just found that is closely related (no pun intended) to that topic. If George Washington had been our country’s first king instead of president, who would be our current king? Someone at Ancestry Magazine asked that same question.

While Washington does not have any direct descendants, there are thousands of indirect descendants out there. And the winner is……you’ll have to read the article for yourself.

Delusions of Grandeur

2009-01-05T12:34:00.004-06:00

Weather they would admit it or not, everyone who researches their family history secretly hopes to find that they’re related to someone famous. I’ve found that I’m related by marriage to professional fisherman Bill Dance. I’ve never really been that interested in fishing. I’ve always been more interested in American history which is why I hoped I would find a connection to James K. Polk, 11th President of the United States, since his grandfather helped settle my home county in Tennessee. No luck.

This has made me wonder if there are decedents of famous historical figures out there and if they’re aware of their genealogy.

Tom Hanks has found that he is related to Abe Lincoln through Lincoln’s mother, Nancy Hanks.

If you’re a fan of the NBC show “Heroes,” you might find it interesting that Jack Coleman who plays “Noah Bennett” a.k.a. “Horn Rim Glasses” (or just “HRG”) is Benjamin Franklin’s 6th great-grandson.

And I’ve heard there are a slew of John Adams’ and Thomas Jefferson’s descendants out there.

Unfortunately, not all of us can be as lucky to find such gems in our family tree. But everyone probably has some very interesting folks in their family tree that contributed to history. And this can lead to a deeper interest and understanding of historical events. War heroes are probably the easiest and most likely to find. I have ancestors in most every American war. During the Civil War, I had several ancestors fighting for both sides. During the American Revolution, one of my ancestors was a General. There were Bakers at the Battle of King’s Mountain, the Battle of Shiloh and at Pearl Harbor. This discovery has made history seem more real to me and inspired me to learn more about these events and my family’s role in them.

So you probably won’t find a connection to a founding father but you’re sure to learn more about history and your place in it. If you’re like me, you might find some little-known hero of history to be proud of.

OMG! (Oh My Genealogy)

2008-12-12T10:48:00.001-06:00

You might assume that discovering your family tree is a recent trend but you would be wrong. Genealogy has been around since Biblical times. Don’t believe me? Just open up your Bible to the book of Numbers. You’ll find lists and lists of families and descendants. God digs genealogy. Did you know you can even trace Jesus’ family line back to David, then back to Abraham, (Matthew 1:1-16) then back to Noah (Genesis 9, 10, 11) and finally back to Adam (Genesis 5)?! If God thinks heritage is important, shouldn’t we? This is why Bibles include (at least they used to) pages in the front for family information.

If you know me, you know what an advocate I am of interviewing your family on video or audio tape. As it turns out, the Bible is also a good example of preserving oral histories, as clearly illustrated by the four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The authors of these books either experienced the events of Jesus’ life first-hand or had direct contact with someone who did. For example, in Luke 2, the author describes the first Christmas and adds “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (v. 19, NIV). This tells me that it is very likely the author actually sat in Mary’s presence interviewing her when she revealed this, probably first time.

Christmas is a time for sharing and giving. During this season, turn off the TV, the Wii and the Blackberry and give your family your attention. Share memories with each other. Treasure these things and ponder them in your heart.

Gift Ideas

2008-12-02T11:23:00.001-06:00

Here’s a couple of genealogy-themed gift ideas.

I’ve seen picture frame stocking hangers in several stores and web sites and thought it would be cute if you had one for every member of your household with childhood photos in them. After all, Christmas brings out the child in us all.
This next one might take a little more work and planning. Put together a calendar for the coming year with birthdays and anniversaries of common ancestors. The upper page can display old family photos and/or facts about an ancestor. Looking at this for a month might lead to a revelation or you might start to recognize traits common with current family members.

Dibs

2008-12-01T12:27:00.000-06:00

When the kids grow up, move out and get married, it becomes more and more rare that the whole family is together for Thanksgiving. This year was one of those rare years for my family. And since our grandmother passed away a few months ago, we decided to utilize this opportunity to go through her tiny, grandmother-sized house together and see if there was anything we each wanted to keep.

For many families, an event like this has the potential for arguments and hurt feelings. But for us, it went very well. I think it is due to the fact that me and my siblings are quite different. While they mostly looked for practical things that they could use or needed, I focused on finding objects with sentimental value. We all collected an heirloom here and a keepsake there, a family Bible here and a doily there. We all laughed and reminisced as we dug through the mementos.

This will be a Thanksgiving I’ll always remember.

Can You Taste the History?

2008-11-14T14:30:00.003-06:00

1 cup of history
4 grandparents (seasoned)
1 tablespoon of humor
3 teaspoons of conversation
1 dollop of questions
1 pinch of interest

Combine ingredients at any family function. Stir, simmer and bake. Serve generously to anyone. Add marshmallows on top for the kids!

Of the many sources of my family history, one of the more unusual has been cookbooks. Not only because they usually contain family pictures and information but because they also contain my culinary heritage. I’m not sure how popular the trend of publishing family cookbooks is today but I find it interesting and my wife finds some of the recipes both fascinating and entertaining. These cookbooks are simple publications created by family members with the help of a Kinko’s or any of a wealth of web sites that help any would-be cookbook author/family historian.

The family cookbooks I’ve seen usually start off with a tribute to a mother or grandmother, have pages and pages of old photographs and go on to list the family tree as best as the publisher knows. Sometimes the recipes are ones passed down for generations. Some of the more interesting ones come from The Great Depression when creativity and ingenuity replaced more costly ingredients. I especially love when the recipes include a story or just a statement like “My mother used to make this when I was little” or “This was my grandfather’s favorite.” You can see, smell, touch and hear your history but who knew you could also taste your history?!

Discover, preserve and pass down your culinary heritage. We might submit a recipe or two to the next family cookbook or even publish a cookbook of our own. Look out, Paula Deen! So eat, drink and be…a family!

How To Build A Better Surname

2008-11-04T10:08:00.002-06:00

I have many names. By that I mean that I have more than just a first, middle and last name. While my last name is Baker, I am the result of many families with very different surnames through the ages.

When meeting someone for the first time, I sometimes break the ice by asking about their surname, especially if theirs is unusual or one that appears in my family tree. Many people might not know much about their name, only speculations. Like the rest of my family, I’ve assumed that my surname “Baker” probably dates back to some ancestor in England who probably was a baker. Recent discoveries, however, suggest that my paternal line may have actually come from Germany and thus “Baker” may have evolved from “Becker.”

A good genealogist trick I’ve learned when searching records is to try misspellings of names. Education hasn’t always been as prevalent as it is today plus words and language evolve just like anything else. My paternal grandmother was a Hammons. The Hammons line has been traced back to the sixteenth century and has gone thru several changes in that time…
So, when searching that branch of my tree, I must try several different spellings. But changes like this aren’t always intentional. Often, illiteracy plays a role in shaping our onomastic heritage.
Don’t be offended if your ancestors seem uneducated. Depending on the record you’re looking at, it was likely the fault of the individual writing that record such as the census taker. The same is true for first names. My great-grandfather, Moses Alexander, was called “Elek” in letters and family Bibles. No doubt, this was the result of siblings mispronouncing “Alex” as children. Nonetheless, it stuck and appears on census and other records today as “Elek.”

Some cultures form a compound surname from the names of two married individuals. For example, Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and his wife merged their names, Villar and Raigosa, into one name when they got married. This may seem romantic and, on the surface, ideal for genealogical purposes. But what happens in just one generation? If Villaraigosa’s son gets married and does the same thing, it could create a long and confusing name. One might suppose creating a centaur name, creating a new name from parts of two names, might be the next logical step. Villaraigosa might become Villaraiwitz. I don’t think this would be any less confusing.

While one of my main genealogical goals has been to trace my paternal line, following the Baker name back through history, I continue to be fascinated and thankful at the diversity of different names and families that converged to make up…me.

Written In Stone

2008-10-04T12:31:00.011-05:00

Genealogy doesn’t have to be just searching through old books and records, surfing the web and data entry. Field work can also be a valuable and rewarding aspect of your research. Plus, sometimes it’s just healthy to get outside. Paramount in genealogical field work is visiting cemeteries. Going to an old graveyard for research is as close as a genealogist can get to feeling like Indiana Jones. I eat it up and, fortunately for me, my family loves being buried in old cemeteries. I’ve had to search for old abandoned cemeteries deep in the woods and brush dirt off headstones and I love it every time!

I consider information gathered in cemeteries relatively (no pun intended) reliable. If I have two different birthdates for an individual from different sources, I’ll always go with the date on the headstone. My reasoning is that it’s quite literally written in stone. Short of a birth certificate or a time machine, it’s the best you can do. I’m not saying that cemeteries aren’t infallible. Sometimes a genealogist simply has to make a decision on what information to take as fact.

To save a lot of time, I try to locate graves beforehand by asking family members and searching the web. There are several sites I like to use such as Find A Grave and Rootsweb. These records may not always be complete or up to date so be prepared to explore cemeteries you visit for other members of your family tree.

When I go to a cemetery, I bring along 2 things; a camera and pen & paper (okay, that’s actually 3 things). I’m also usually accompanied by my trusty research assistant – my wife. I keep a “Genealogy Notebook” that’s my field research companion for notes. I’ll take pictures of headstones and transcribe them in my notebook in case the pictures don’t turn out legible. I might also note graves’ locations in the cemetery. I’ve also had to note the location of cemeteries themselves that are forgotten in the woods or deep on private property. I might do this on a road atlas as well as my notes.

Photographing or even just reading a headstone can sometime prove a difficult task. There’s a debate about if “rubbings” hurt headstones. I’ve never tried it, large tombstone-sized paper being hard to come by. Some suggest using flour, cocoa or fuller’s earth to sprinkle on hard-to-read headstones, brushing the excess off to reveal the inscription. These may work to make headstones legible in photographs, but to just read them (and sometimes to make them more photographable) I prefer something more practical - dirt. Dirt is radically cheaper and is usually readily available (not to mention quite plentiful) in a cemetery. I won’t pull up grass or disturb a grave. I’ll either look for some nearby or bring some with me in a jar. This is when a genealogist can really get their hands dirty!

I’ve seen “Gone but not forgotten” on many-a-headstone. I find it sad because direct descendants have forgotten them. I take great pride in often being the first person in decades to visit the grave of a great-grandparent, uncle, aunt or cousin.

So get out into world and literally visit your ancestors. To quote Indiana Jones “[sometimes] you’ve gotta get out of the library!”

Lermond 1917 - 2008

2008-09-18T13:06:00.006-05:00

Last week I lost my last living grandparent. Now that I’m the unofficial keeper-of-the-family-history, one of the first things I do is update my records. Until now it’s been exciting and happy to input a new nephew or nieces’ name and birth date. Last Tuesday, however, I found myself entering that day’s date into the “died on” field.

The second thing I did was finally put the finishing touch on a video I made of my grandmother seven years ago. I interviewed her on Christmas Eve of 2001 and cut together a seven minute biographical video.

The funeral was actually a fun time. I saw family members I hadn't seen in a long time and I even met relatives I had never met before. A slide show of old to recent photos of "Maw" got us talking about how certain family members resemble her as a young woman.

We didn’t use the video in the funeral but I did bring a copy of it home for my family. My hope is that it will have the same effect on them as it has had on me ever since I started working on it. Years after “Maw” stopped communicating and became bedridden, seeing her on video gave me dreams of her being active and alive again. It was like she had been cured of old age. I hope my family watches the video and has those dreams too because that’s how I believe she is in heaven now.

"Links" to the Past

2008-09-15T14:23:00.002-05:00

I was surprise when I started researching my family tree at how much information I could find online. There is a wealth of information living “in the cloud” and it’s growing all the time. Here are a few web sites I’ve used in my research as well as some I’ve recently discovered.

Ancestry.com – Subscription required. A good place to start your research. Most help will be from other’s family trees found but verifying their info may be difficult. You can request contact information for family tree authors but I’ve never gotten a reply from ones I’ve contacted.

Genealogy.com – Subscription required. Very similar to ancestry.com.

Footnote.com – Subscription required. I just discovered this web site and am only starting to search it. Let me know what you think. It’s linked to the National Archives so you can search all their census, military, death, land or any other kinds of records.

Deadfred.com – Free. Another recent discovery of mine. Seems like a relatively (no pun intended) new site. It is an online database of old family pictures. Some are unidentified and the posters are hoping to learn who they are. Others are posted just for sharing. I haven’t found any pictures of my family here but am considering posting a few of my own for any distant relatives who might be researching their family.

Photodetective.com – Free. If you need help dating or interpreting an old photo, Maureen Taylor may be able to help. Her site gives tips and tricks of the trade and she’s also written several books on the subject.

Find A Grave – Free. Good for finding graves but not a lot of rural cemeteries will be transcribed here. Excellent for finding graves of celebrities or historical figures.

Rootsweb – Free. I use this to search cemeteries. The link will take you to an index by state. Click on your state to go to an index of counties. Click on your county for a list of resources. Click on “cemeteries” for a list of cemeteries in your county and then click on the cemetery you want to search. Directions to the cemetery are usually included at the top.

Other good online resources include local historical or genealogical societies. These will have links to local resources that might be unique to the area you’re searching. Happy surfing!

To Scan Or Not To Scan

2008-08-25T14:56:00.001-05:00

Someone way back when said “You shouldn’t copy photographs repeatedly because the exposure to extreme light will fade it.” What everyone heard was “You should never ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever copy or scan a photograph.”

I run into this problem all the time; folks are hesitant to let me scan a photo because they think it will fade it. Have you ever seen a photo fade from existence after one scan? It won’t…well, it will but very, very, very slightly. The danger comes if you copy or scan it hundreds of times. But, if you scan it ONCE, you can make an infinite number of copies from that one scan.

The value of a photograph comes not from the physical paper but from the image on it. Therefore, in order to preserve the value of a photograph you must scan it. Creating a digital copy of your old photographs is the easiest way to copy and share those with your family and friends.

Recording Your History

2008-08-20T22:06:00.007-05:00

Discovering your family history doesn’t have to be just searching through old books and records and data entry. There is a wealth of information in the minds of the older generation. It is probably more important to record that information because once they pass on their memories and stories are lost forever.

You can write down their stories or help them write them but recording them on video or audio tape is easier and it literally captures their voice and mannerisms which is also valuable. This is the same goal of the Story Corps. My wife recorded her grandmother by running a tape recorder while looking through photo albums with her. It can be as simple as that! Given my background in TV and video production, I’ve begun recording my family on video and I’m also starting Heritage Productions to help others use video to record theirs.

You don’t have to be a pro to do it. Just do it. Here are a few tips for recording your family members:

Select a location that is quiet and free from distractions. This will insure a clear recording. Be aware of ambient noises such as air conditioners that might add to unwanted background noise.

Have questions prepared. Try to get them to retell favorite stories. Ask them about parents, grandparents and others in their life including physical and personality descriptions. You won’t find this information elsewhere. Ask about holidays and family events. Ask about when they met their spouse and when children were born. Ask about national and world historical events such as WW 2 and how they were viewed and affected in the family and community.

Have plenty of tape. Take your time and don’t rush your subject. Take a break if needed or spread the interview throughout the day or several days.

Take notes during the interview or transcribe it shortly afterwards. This will reduce the chance that information will be lost due to noises or technical problems. If you wait too long, it may be hard to make out or remember segments of the interview.

Trust me; this should not be put off. In 2001, I sat down with my grandmother, Lermond, and recorded over an hour of interview footage with her. She has since lost the ability to communicate. It is amazing how quickly something like this can appreciate in value. I’ve since recorded interviews with my aunt and my parents. I also had the pleasure if interviewing my wife’s great aunt who emigrated from Denmark and recalled going through Ellis Island.

Contact me at heritageprods@yahoo.com if you’d like more information about my services or for more advice on recording your family’s stories.

What's In A Name?

2008-08-05T14:16:00.002-05:00

I’m often very curious about people’s names and I love a name with a story behind it. My sister, Dawn, for example, is named after our parents’ favorite song, “Dawn” by the Four Seasons. But in researching my family, I’ve come across some whoppers – Kinchon, Leander, Zilphia, etc. I wonder where these names came from and why their parents chose to bless or hinder their child with an unusual name.

I suspect my paternal grandfather, Neely, was named for a prominent local doctor whose last name was Neely. Perhaps he was even the doctor who delivered my grandfather. Or, maybe it was just that his parents were hard-up for a name, since Neely was the eighth of nine kids.

Then there’s my paternal grandmother, Lermond, who married Neely.

Neely and Lermond; now there’s a pair. I once asked my grandmother about her name and she had no idea where her parents got it. Why someone with a name as unusual as Lermond would never ask their parents about it is beyond me. One theory is that it is somehow a combination of Louis Edmond - her father. Just one of the many mysteries awaiting an answer in my genealogy.

Inspired by our family histories, my wife and I plan on passing family names down to our children. In fact, we’ve already picked out the names of our first child (we’re not expecting yet).

As for me, I’m proud to bare family names. My middle name is from both my maternal grandfather and great-grandfather. My first name is from my mother, Phyllis. Does that make me a “Momma’s boy?”

Software

2008-07-23T12:57:00.004-05:00

The first thing you’ll need to start recording your family tree is a medium. If you’re a luddite, there are family tree templates and forms available in many books that you can easily find at your local book store or library. Of course, if you’re a luddite, you’re probably not reading this. For the rest of us, there are computers.

I can’t recommend any particular type of family tree software because I've only tried one. I bought Broderbund’s Family Tree Maker when I started in 2004 simply because its name said what it was. Mostly what you’re buying is the database format. All the rest is just bells and whistles. Mine came with books of CDs that were searchable databases such as the Social Security Death Index. I’ve found several of my ancestors’ social security numbers but that doesn’t give me anything interesting. There are also CDs with other family trees or government databases. My ancestors seemed to be farmers who pulled out the shotgun whenever someone was comin’ down the dirt road so they don’t show up on a lot of databases. What I did find very helpful was that my software came with a short-term (usually 30 days) subscription to ancestry.com. It was there that I found other’s family trees that made my tree grow by quantum leaps. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find an easy way to link or copy their trees so I ended up saving them and meticulously transferring the information into my tree.

One tip I will give you is to find the latest version of a software package that is out or about to come out and buy the version before that. Software is expensive and chances are stores will be trying to get rid of their excess stock of the previous version by marking it down.

Once you pick and pick up some software, start your tree by putting in information you know. Start with yourself. Then, go with what your parents know. I’d wait until this point to activate your online subscription so you don’t waist time gathering information available from other sources. You can retain your subscription for a monthly fee if you find it helpful. I’ll talk about other online resources later.

My software also came with a publishing feature which makes it easy to prepare your research for presentation in book form or even on the web on your very own web site! I was living in California when I started, 2,000 miles from my family, so I started publishing my tree on line so my family could see and explore my findings. You can check out my tree via the link to the left. I updated it periodically but as my tree grew, my dial-up internet connection started to take hours to upload all the pictures and information. What was really cool was I began to hear from cousins that I’d never met and didn’t know I had who found my page and contacted me to share information. How cool is that?! I’ve gotten a lot of great pictures, old hand-written letters and information from people across the country that are related to me but never met.

Since I’ve moved back to Tennessee, I’ve been able to attend family reunions where I also published and printed family trees to display and share. Folks really enjoyed finding themselves on the tree and seeing how they’re all related.

Overall, I’m please with Family Tree Maker. The only thing I wish it could do was to write a CD rom so I could publish my research on a CD to give to family and they could read and explore even if they didn’t have Family Tree Maker on their computer. I’d be interested to hear of other software packages out there and your experiences with them.

Introduction

2008-07-21T12:12:00.003-05:00

About me…

Hello, my name is Phil Baker of the Hardeman County, Tennessee Bakers; son of Robert Wayne, son of Neely Seymour, son of Moses Alexander, son of James Henry, son of Moses. I am a fifth generation Hardeman County Baker.

About the title…

I’ve always hated it when someone says to me “That’s before your time” meaning I don’t, no, can't have an appreciation for what they’re talking about because I was born too late. Perhaps I hate this because I’m the youngest in my family and have an inferiority complex. Whatever the reason, I can always learn about the past and have just as much of an appreciation of any subject as anyone older or younger. It’s more likely that the speaker of that phrase will be unable to have any appreciation for things that I will because they will be “after their time.” Take, for example, family. I’ve recently began researching and learning about my family, becoming an authority on all things Baker that are “before my time” while employing techniques and tools that are, to some of my family, “after their time.”

About this blog…

I used to hate going to family reunions. They usually took place in some community center or club house that had nothing but tables and chairs in them. There were a bunch of old people there who I didn’t know but somehow knew me and wanted to touch and even kiss me. Ewww! There were all kinds of Aunt This’s and Uncle That’s but all I wanted to do was go outside and play. Yet, I’ve always been interested in history; especially my family’s history. Pictures from the 70’s or 60’s didn’t interest me much but open the Hardeman County history book and show me the entry for the Baker’s and my mind was sent wondering.

It wasn’t until 2004 that I began to actively record my family tree. I began by purchasing one of the many family tree software packages on the market and filling it in with as much as I knew off hand. Then, I began talking to my parents. They seemed surprised that I couldn’t just rattle off all my grandfather’s brothers and sisters. “Oh, you remember Aunt Pearl from the reunions!”

“Well, Mom, I remember a lot of old ladies at the reunions and I remember you talking about an Aunt Pearl but I had no idea who she was or how she was related to me.” Now that I know who Aunt Pearl is, it’s too late. Many of these people are gone and I find myself looking at photos from those reunions, wishing I knew then who they were. Instead of playing outside, I would have crawled into their laps and asked them to tell me stories of what my grandfather was like as a child or what my great-grandmother cooked on Christmas or if my great-great-grandparents spoiled them.

Today, my family research has gone far beyond my parents’ knowledge, although I still find myself asking them for details of some great aunt or uncle. I still can’t rattle off all my grandfather’s brothers and sisters from memory. Perhaps it’s because I didn’t know them. But at least I have them written down now. I know where they’re buried. I have pictures of them. I know who their children and grandchildren are at the reunions.

No one’s ever said to me “That’s before your time” at a family reunion but that’s part of what family reunions are about; remembering the past and that we’re all connected. I don’t understand people who don’t have this interest in their family history. It has given me a greater understanding of myself, my immediate family, our place in history and our connections.

The purpose of this blog is to share some of my experiences and adventures in digging up my past and shaking my family tree. I hope you find it entertaining and, if you’re also into genealogy, helpful.

By the way, my great-aunt Pearl is in the photo behind the title. She’s the baby in the arms of her mother.