Are You My Cousin?

Could These Be Photographs of Your Ancestors?

2012-01-27T12:26:00.000-05:00

Like many genealogists and family historian, I have photographs of people I cannot identified. When I first came into possession of them, I just assumed the photographs were of my ancestors. People in the family.

I may have made a wrong assumption.

Many of my unidentified photographs were among my great grandmother Eshter L Richardson's things. (I've written about Esther frequently here on my blog.) As I have gotten to know her through her saved letters and postcards, I learned that she was very social and had a lot of friends with whom she kept in touch. This was the early 1900's when photographs were becoming more popular and easy to share.

I had a lot of her correspondence with her friends (and beaus), why not photographs? Below are some of those photographs I still cannot identify. I believe the individuals to have been from Pittsylvania County, Halifax County or Mecklenburg County areas of south central Virginia.

Possible surnames might include: Farson, Clark, Satterfield, Meadows, or Roberts. Some Elliotts might be there as well.

Take a look. If you see anyone you might recognize, leave me a comment. If you know anyone researching these surnames or this area of Virginia, forward them my link. I am going to need help identifying these individuals.

Adding Understanding To Our Ancestors' Lives

2012-01-25T12:08:00.000-05:00

I came across the blog 19th-century American Women recently. As the title implies, this blog focuses on women and how their lives changed during the 19th century. Barbara the author obviously loves history and offers glimpses into different aspects of women's lives - everything from a well kept table to Christmas memories of women living during the Civil War. When possible, the women's stories are told in their own words.

It's a fun (and informative) read.

Before Computers....

2012-01-23T11:56:00.000-05:00

I "met" a lovely woman recently by phone. A mutual friend introduced us. She is in her 90's and has been a genealogist for many years. She's even written books on her family history.

All her research has been done without the computer.

She's spent many hours in archives and in courthouses.

She's spent many hours on the road.

She's met many people along the way.

She's come face to face with her ancestors when just stopping to ask for directions. (That was an amazing story!)

I'm inspired. I'm getting out from in front of my computer and planning my next on-site courthouse research.

It's time to get dusty again.

How about you?

Richard J Singleton

2012-01-12T09:30:00.000-05:00

The gentleman on the left is Richard J Singleton (1915-2011), son of Ivy Haley and James Monroe Singleton. Like many of the Haley cousins, Richard seems to have inherited a love of music.

You can read more about Richard Singleton here.

Thank you to my Haley cousin who shared this photo!

What I Was Up To During the Holidays

2012-01-11T09:30:00.000-05:00

Back in the fall months, I opened Esther's Place - Heritage Gifts by Lisa. (You can view a slide show of some of my gift ideas on my sidebar.) I have had a lot of fun creating personalized gifts using my customers' own photographs. I have worked with some amazing photographs and heard the fun stories that go along with them.

I stepped outside my comfort zone (way outside my comfort zone) and participated in two local craft shows. I had so much fun participating in these shows.

I wonder what my ancestors would say about all of this. After all, I use their photographs (copies, of course) in my samples. Would they say "Way to go!"? Or would they say "I can't believe you are using that photograph of me. Look at my hair!"

The Mortar Is Loosening....

2012-01-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

After time away form researching my Haley family of Halifax County, VA, I delved back into the records this weekend. Stepping back from a research project while waiting for microfilm to arrive can bring a fresh prospective.

As a review, I am specifically looking to answer the question of who is Jesse Haley's father. Jesse Haley is my great x 4 grandfather. Through my research I know quite a lot about his life from his 1826 marriage forward. It is the early years where I have hit the proverbial brick wall. You can read more about Jesse here.

Having exhausted most of the resources on Jesse Haley with no good clues to his parentage, I turned my research to focus to his associates. In this case, the Brackett Owen family of Halifax County. Many of the record sources I have for Jesse Haley have him in close proximity and relationship to the Owen family. Jesse married Brackett's daughter Temperance. Staple (uncle to Temperance) and Armistead (brother of Temperance) served as witnesses to the marriage. William Cardwell also was listed as a witness. (Just keep him in mind, but in the background for now.) Fleming Owen named Jesse Haley as a nephew in his will.

FHL microfilm, a free Saturday, and a fresh (hopefully) perspective and I was ready to resume my search for Jesse's parents. Review of the personal property tax records (1822-1832) provided a few new answers and new clues to research.

Here is what I found:

Jesse Haley was paying personal property taxes in the Henry Terry District of Halifax County, VA from 1824 forward. This represents the earliest date I can definitely place him. He does not appear in the 1830 and 1840 census records, but was paying taxes in the county.
Brackett Owen was paying taxes in these years in the Henry Terry District of Halifax County, VA during these years.
Fleming, Staple and Armistead Owen were also paying taxes in the same district Halifax County, VA during these years.
Cardwells were living in the same vicinity of Halifax County, VA as the Owen family during this time period.
Other Haleys (Ambrose, Lovelace) were paying taxes in the William Thaxton District of Halifax County. (Earlier research cannot find a connection between these Haleys and Jesse Haley.)

Here is where I started to get excited (more than usual!).

Through out these early tax records years I was searching, three names kept appearing: Sterling S. Hailey, Polly Haley, and Mary Hailey. There is a William Hailey appearing next to Jesse Haley in the 1825 tax record. These are the only other Haleys that appear in the same tax district as the Barnett Owen family and my Jesse Haley. It seems likely that there is a connection.

A quick look at the census records show that Sterling Hailey is not the correct age to be Jesse's father, but could be a brother. Mary and Polly are a little harder to track down, and all three still need more focused research time.

What's next?

Further research of Sterling S Haley including census record analysis, land records, and possibly chancery records.
Further research of Polly Haley, Mary Hailey and William Haley including census records, marriage records, and will/estate records.
Research of land records involving Brackett Owen, Fleming Owen, Staple Owen and Armistead Owen.

I'll keep you posted.

It's Always Nice.....

2012-01-06T09:00:00.000-05:00

.....when I open up my e-mail and discover a cousin has sent me pieces of the family history.

Look what I found in my inbox last week.

While I already know most of the information in mu great grandmother's obituary, I have never actually seen her obituary. I notice that Winnie Carr is listed as a member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church at Clarkton. I find that interesting since the family moved away from the Clarkton area in Halifax County, VA to Charlotte County, VA in the 1920's. It was not so far away, but no longer close either. The family began attending New Hope Methodist Church on what is now Scuffletown Rd in Charlotte County. Later, Winnie and her husband S. Baker Carr moved closer to Halifax, Halifax County. Apparently Winnie never changed her membership.

Thanks to my Haley family cousin for sending me this!

Needing Tech Advice

2012-01-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

Like most genealogists (and well, everyone) these days, I find myself with a large number of digital photographs. I get overwhelmed when I look at all the options for backing up photographs online. I thought you, my blogger friends, would be able to help me.

Currently I use Picasa to edit and organize them. Most are saved on my computer that I back up on discs. I confess. I do not do this as often as I should. (Please tell my I am not the only one!) I have begun putting them in Picasa web albums where I control the privacy settings.

Is there a better way to back them up?

Goals for 2012

2012-01-04T10:00:00.000-05:00

I am typically a goal setter. (I prefer goals to resolutions.) I have set my goals for 2012 in several areas of my life including home, exercise and career. The funny thing is that I am having difficulty in setting goals for my genealogy research. Not so much the short term goals as the long range ones.

So, for now, I am sticking with setting monthly goals/focus areas.

January 2012 goals include:

Continue researching John White of Surry County, NC. Write up my research so far.
Complete my search of the tax records of Halifax County, VA of the Owen family connected my Jesse Haley. Begin search of land records.
Create new list of possible fathers for Jesse Haley.
Add new items to Esther's Place - Heritage Gifts by Lisa.

I would love to add more, but I think I will stop there. I think that will keep me busy for a few weeks. I am already looking forward to February and possibly a courthouse research trip.

The Old Sailor - Percy Owen

2012-01-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

Elizabeth (1920-1976) and Percy Owen (31 May 1916- 28 Dec 2011 )

The Haley family lost another member this week. Willard Percy Owen at the age of 95 passed away this week. Known as the "old sailor" he was the son of Carrie Haley (1885-1873) and John James Owen (1883-1960). He will be missed.

Happy New Year 2012!

2012-01-01T09:42:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year 2012!

Now that the holidays are over, I'll be back to more regular postings. I'm looking forward to sharing more of my ancestors' stories!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T09:00:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas

from

Our House to Yours!

"Rule Breakers" In The Family?

2011-12-15T09:03:00.000-05:00

Violet and Cecile White

I found this photograph of my grandmother Cecile White Howard (1917-1983) and her sister Violet White Hicks (1920-2005). The sign in the middle says "DANGER KEEP OFF". I don't know the story behind the picture, but it would appear we have a couple of daring rule breakers in the family! I wonder of Grandmother White (Stella Holyfield White) knew.

If any White family cousins know the story behind this photograph, I would love to hear (and share) it.

Blog Caroling

2011-12-12T11:00:00.000-05:00

I'm happy to join in the blog caroling tradition started over at Footnote Maven. It's my first time "singing" on the blog. What fun!

This is the time of year full of high school choral concerts in our area. There is a lot of talent in our area and it is a treat to hear the students sing.

I am sharing Hark the Herald Angels Sing performed by a local high school choir a couple of years ago. Enjoy!

Please, No More John Whites!

2011-12-09T08:27:00.001-05:00

My research focus recently has been on my White family line out of Surry County, NC. Another research and I are working hard to untangle the White families. A daunting task to say the least.

My line looks like this:

Cecile White (my grandmother) (1917-1983)

James Abe White     (1891-1967)

Thomas Jefferson White   (1851-1922)

Joseph White    (Abt 1802-Abt 1881)

John White     (b. Abt 1770)

These relationships are well established. It's with Joseph's father John White where the research starts getting difficult. There are John Whites in multiple NC counties and VA. In the NC Will Index there are 34 John Whites listed scattered throughout NC. Not one of them is the right one!

"My" John White and his sons came to Surry County likely in the late 1820's. But where did they come from? With which White family do they connect? Many (unsourced) online trees have the family coming from Warren County, NC or possibly Granville County. This is a very real possibility and one I'm checking out.

The search continues......

Addicted to Genealogy?

2011-12-03T12:30:00.000-05:00

Who me?

(I hear my family laughing in the background.)

Are you? Not sure?

Visit Dee at Ancestrally Challenged and read her post 100 Signs You Are Addicted to Genealogy. It is a fun read!

I particularly liked #71:

Your ideal genealogy tool would be a time machine so you can go back in time to talk with your ancestors and get all those burning questions answered.

Did I mention I am a Dr Who fan, too?

Advent Calendar - Our Christmas Tree Tradition

2011-12-02T12:00:00.000-05:00

I am participating in the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories this month. I'll be sharing Christmas memories throughout the season -- some old and some new. This is a re-posting of a post I did December 2009. It's one of our favorite traditions!

We have a unusual Christmas tradition in our family. We name our Christmas tree every year. It started many years ago we as my husband and I got a Christmas tree that leaned. We spent a long time trying to get that tree straight in the stand only to realize the trunk of the tree was straight about 2/3 of the way up. Then the trunk went off at an angle. We had a leaning tree. (Thank goodness the cats did not try to climb it!) We dubbed the tree Eileen.

Believe or not the next Christmas we had "Eileen, Too." Yep, that tree leaned, too.

The next year? We had George Straight.

Ever since then, we've named our Christmas trees. The names are never planned in advance. We let the tree "speak to us". This year we have Homer (because we got it at Home Depot) with us for the month of December.

How Is Your Holiday Shopping Going?

2011-12-01T12:00:00.000-05:00

Need a little help?

Don't forget to check out Esther's Place - Heritage Gifts by Lisa. (There is a button on my sidebar to take you there.)

You will find great personalized gifts such as Coasters, Decorative Tiles and Scrabble Tile Necklaces. The Wine Glass Charms are proving very popular. All feature photographs of your ancestors and/or relatives.

Here is a fun idea! What mother would not enjoy having a scrabble tile necklace the the sweet face of her child/baby on it? Teenagers also enjoy this necklace with their own photograph on it. Me? I'm partial to my great grandparents' photographs. (Of course, I am the family historian!)

Scrabble Tile Heritage Necklace

Not sure what a family member will like? Not to worry. Gift Certificates are now available.

Since these gift items are custom orders, don't wait too long to place your order!

I Did It! (Mostly)

2011-11-30T20:18:00.001-05:00

The month of November I have been participating in NaBloPoMo. The goal was to post to my blog every day for the month.

And I did.

Mostly...... The Thanksgiving holiday got me off track a bit. Maybe it was all the stuffing I ate (?). Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I learned quite a bit from this exercise in blogging.

Planning is crucial. I've never used an editorial calendar, but I can certainly see the advantages in one.
A "tickler file" is a great resource. Mine is just a pad of paper sitting on my desk where I can write down an idea for a post. There is no need to be fancy or even high tech. I just need to be able to write my ideas down when I think of them to keep from forgetting them later.
You "meet" lots of fun people with similar interests in the blogging world when you are tending to your blog consistently.
My enjoyment of telling my ancestors' stories was reinforced. Telling their stories was why I started this blog and why I continue to blog. I can't not tell their stories.

December begins tomorrow. I'm looking forward to participating in Geneabloggers Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories. As I talk with my older relatives this Christmas season, I'm planning on talking about how they celebrated Christmas while growing up. I'll let you know what I learn.

(PS - Don't look for a post every day.)

Happy Birthday, Granddaddy!

2011-11-27T08:48:00.000-05:00

Arthur Crafton Talbott

27 Nov 1916 - 27 Feb 1993

Arthur "Crafton" Talbott

Age 3 years

Crafton Talbott as a Young Man

Crafton Talbott and his "million dollar smile".

2011-11-25T12:00:00.000-05:00

Dobson High School Basketball Team
1932-1933

This is a photograph from my grandmother's photo album. She (Cecile White) played on the girls' team in high school. Unfortunately she did not include a picture of the girls' team in her album.

Surnames of the boys' team players include Collins, Long, Melton and White, Folger, Sims, Monday, Cockerham, and Phillips.

While none of these young men are directly related to me, I suspect a couple may be cousins on collateral lines. I wanted to share this photograph in case there are other Surry County, NC researchers who might researching these surnames. I just might have other photographs of your ancestor. One never knows where a photograph of an ancestor might turn up.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wordless Wednesday - Stella White

2011-11-23T08:48:00.001-05:00

Stella (Holyfield) White

Dobson, Surry, North Carolina

Needing Help Deciphering A Name

2011-11-22T11:00:00.000-05:00

This is an entry in the 1826 Surry County, North Carolina List of Taxables. I am having a difficult time deciphering this entry and wondered if my genealogy blogging friends could help. I have a few ideas, but don't want to mislead anyone.

What are your thoughts?

Happy Birthday, Big Granddaddy!

2011-11-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

Connie M. Howard

21 Nov 1891-10 Jan 1995

103 Years Old

My Ancestors' Signatures

2011-11-20T11:59:00.000-05:00

I have recently begun intensely researching my White family line of Surry County, NC. I am working with another White family researcher and we are making some great discoveries. (I'll share more about the that in future posts.)

One of the fun things I found this week is the signature of my GGGG grandfather John White as he wrote it in Feb 1833. A White is Albert White, the son of John. These signatures are at the bottom of a bond naming John White as executor of his uncle John Seagrove's estate.

The last signature is that of Pleasant Venable. I'm not sure yet where he fits into things.

There is much work to be done to be done on this White family line. There are MANY White families out there and MANY men named John White. All are not our ancestors.

If you are a White family researcher with Surry County connections, I'd like to hear from you.

They're Here!

2011-11-19T11:53:00.001-05:00

I posted about DH winning a pickle guessing contest at the NC State Fair recently.

What did he win?

Pickles, of course.

And they are here!

Mt. Olive Pickle Prize Pack

This is the stuff family stories and family history is made of - the little things.

(I'm partial to the Kosher Dills myself.)

Friday Genealogy Quote

2011-11-18T12:00:00.000-05:00

One of my cousins sent me some genealogy cartoons and quotes this week. (Isn't having cousins great?) I thought I would share one of my favorites.

Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present and future.

-Gail Lumet Buckley

To see more fun cartoons and quotes, go here.

Granddaddy and the CCC Part 3

2011-11-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

Granddaddy (Lester Howard) was discharged from the Civilian Conservation Corps in June 1937. I love how the Certificate of Discharge gives a description of his. Brown Hair. Brown eyes. Ruddy Complexion. (Just what is a ruddy complexion?!) Five feet, 6 1/2 inches.

The service record for my grandfather tells me much I already knew from just having known him. He was a good worker and a great cook! Granddaddy returned to his family in Sanford, NC. Two years later he married Cecile White of Surry County, NC.

Wordless Wednesday - Comer Cousins

2011-11-16T12:00:00.000-05:00

Tommie Sprinkle, Mary Comer, Webster Comer
Cecil White

Wordless Wednesday (with an explanation!) This is a photograph from the teenage scrapbook of Cecile White Howard. She's the tall girl in the back. Mary and Webster Comer would have been her cousins, but I'm not so sure about Tommie Sprinkle. I haven't found any other Sprinkles in the White family line.

I do have a number of photographs of my grandmother's friends and cousins taken in Surry County, NC. If you are researching families in this area, let me know. You never know. I might have a photograph of your ancestor!

Talented Tuesday - Music In The Carr Family

2011-11-15T11:30:00.000-05:00

Winnie Haley Carr
1891-1970

I think these photographs tell the story of how important music was in the Carr (and Haley) family. When the extended family gathered there was always music and dancing.

Above is Winnie Carr, my great grandmother. Not only did she play the guitar, she also played the banjo. Her banjo is still in the family today. Below is her oldest son Lawrence.

Lawrence Baker Carr
1910-1985

Lawrence also played the guitar and sang. He and his younger brother Ernest even performed on the local radio station. I believe this was in Danville, VA. [Cousins -Let me know if I have the wrong location.] Ernest had a good singing voice and sang in worship services while serving in the navy during WWII.

Carr and Haley Cousins - Do you have photographs of other family members with musical instruments? I'd love to share them here.

Pickles, Books and John White

2011-11-14T12:00:00.000-05:00

Last week was an exciting week around here. It all started with.....

Pickles. DH found out he won the "pickle guessing" contest at the NC state fair earlier this month. You know the contest - the one where you guess how many baby pickles are in the enormous jar. We are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of his pickle prize pack. (Try saying that three times fast!) I'm just hoping the prize pack does not arrive in an 18 wheeler delivery truck.

The excitement progressed onto....

Books. I was notified later in the week that I had won a daily prize from BlogHer for participating in the NaBloPoMo. This is the challenge I have taken to post to my blog every day for the month of November. I am waiting for books from Penguin (Publishers) to arrive. I love to read and am thrilled to have won books.

And then....

John White. You knew there had to be some genealogy in here somewhere. I was contacted by another White researcher who provided some wonderful clues to research regarding my ancestor John White of Surry County, NC.

Top all of this off with fall leaf color at its peak. It truly was an exciting week!

Granddaddy and the CCC Part 3

2011-11-13T08:21:00.000-05:00

CCC Buddies

My grandfather made a number of very good friends while serving in the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's. This photograph of Lester with his CCC buddies was taken in High Point, NC. (After serving at the camp in Old Fort, NC, Granddaddy was transferred to a camp in High Point, NC.) I love the hats! I know that even years later, Granddaddy and Clay McIntosh continued their friendship. The two men and their families visited back and forth.

When Granddaddy started in the CCC he made $30 a month. Here is what he did with that money:

We would send 25 dollars to our family and we got five dollars. I sent mine to Aunt Ammie. She a widow living on the farm with Grandfather Howard [Suggy Howard] and helping to care for Jewel and Clayton [Lester's siblings]. This I did about three years. The five dollars took care of my cigarettes, (I smoked at that time.) hair cuts and maybe a date or two. A movie cost ten maybe five cents and sandwich ten cents hot dog five cents.

Lester eventually transferred to the CCC camp in Yanceyville, NC where he was promoted to first cook and made $45.00 per month. While there he helped feed two hundred men a day for more than two years. To supplement his monthly salary he began selling belt buckles and fancy pillow covers. I would like to know the story behind those fancy pillow covers. Where did he get them and who bought them? I have to assume a lot of young women received these as gifts.

Granddaddy and the CCC Part 2

2011-11-12T08:46:00.000-05:00

Lester Howard recovering from pneumonia

Not long after arriving at the CCC camp in Old Fort, NC, Granddaddy became ill. Quite ill, actually. Here are his words:

...I did not get out of bed. When I did not report the C.O. and the company Dr., a Captain Kerr, came to check. After examining me I was sent to the hospital with pneumonia for five weeks. I was very sick. High fever and packed in ice for several days. The doctors did not give me much chance. After the hospital I did not have any duties for some time......

There is more to come.......

Follow Friday

2011-11-11T12:00:00.000-05:00

Here are a few of the fun and interesting things I found on the web this week. Check them out. I'm sure you will find them interesting!

The Chart Chick: I have enjoyed following the Janet as she is striving to stir her children's interest in genealogy. She is very creative and I look forward to trying to implementing some of her ideas.

(Mis)Adventures of a Genealogy: Cinamon shared a great link to the American Meteorological Society where one can discover the weather of your ancestors. Want to know what the weather was like in the early 1900's?Go here to check it out. I spent a little too much time ~~playing~~ exploring this website.

Pinterest: Pinterest is essentially a visual bookmarking site. Instead of bookmarking a website, one bookmarks a visual image. Each image has a link back to the website it came from. These images can be organized into virtual bulletin boards. While not a genealogy website, if you type "family history" or "genealogy" into the search box, many related images (and ultimately links) result. I enjoy displaying my family heritage as well as making family heritage crafts. I found lots of good ideas on Pinterest. I've also found a number of family history books I would like to read through this site. One needs an "invite" to participate at Pinterest; however, I just clicked "Request and Invite" and one appeared in my e-mail inbox. Quite simple, really!

CCC Camp and my Grandfather

2011-11-10T11:00:00.000-05:00

My grandfather James Lester Howard (Lester) was a good cook. It was not unusual to wake up and find him in the kitchen making a full breakfast. I was particularly fond of his cooked apples. He told us he learned to cook when he served in the CCC camps as a young man.

It was many years later as I pursued my family history that I began to wonder exactly what was the CCC camp that Granddaddy talked about. He occasionally talked about things he did at the camp. He talked about being the cook. He told us stories about how sick he got from pneumonia. Granddaddy saw his first snowfall while serving in the CCC. To a kid, it sounded a little like summer camp.

But then that changed.

I came into possession of my grandfather's journal written in the 1990's. The journal is fairly short, but much of his writing is about his experience in the CCC. Looking beneath the words the reader finds what Granddaddy did not say in words. His experience with the CCC had a tremendous impact on his life. He made life long friends there and for the first time was able to enjoy a little spending money.

I'll let Granddaddy tell most of his story, but first a little background on the CCC.

The CCC camp or Civilian Conservation Corps was a work relief program put in place by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 during the Great Depression. The program was designed for unmarried men ages 18-25. Many of the men enrolled were from "relief families". These men worked to develop and restore federal, state and local natural resources. In return, the men were provided with a small salary. They were organized into companies and resided in military type camps. Examples of the projects they worked on were erecting fire towers, planting of trees in federal forests, building of fire roads and working on soil erosion projects.

(You can learn more about the CCC here and here. PBS aired an excellent documentary on the CCC entitled American Experience: Civilian Conservation Corps. )

Excerpted from journal of Lester Howard:

July 14-1994

A Mr. Cashier who came Down to fish and hunt told us about The CC Camps. I had never heard about. Had first started about six months before. Paying thirty dollars a month. We would send 25 dollars to our family and we got five dollars. ........

After signing we were sent to Fort Bragg for physicals about 3 weeks. This was November 1933 [Granddaddy was 18 years old.] I choose to go to Old Fort from there. So did Robert [Robert Johnston was the son of Cornie Maddox Johnston and first cousin to Lester.] I had never been to the mountains. There were icles [icicles] hanging off those cliffs six feet long. I began to wonder if I was in the right place.

The CCC provided my grandfather not only a way to financially assist his family, but also an opportunity to see a different part of the state. I remember him talking about those icicles. For a teenager from the Sandhills of NC, the cold was quite a shock!

Stayed tuned! There is more to the story to share!

Wordless Wednesday - Stella and James Abe White

2011-11-09T12:00:00.000-05:00

Stella (Holyfield) and James Abe White
of Surry County, NC
1963 - 50th Wedding Anniversary
My Great Grandparents

Tombstone Tuesday: Another Interesting Tombstone

2011-11-08T11:30:00.000-05:00

This is a tombstone for Rachel Blythe, wife of A G Bauer. She died in 1897 at the age of 26. The stone is located in the Oakwood Cemetery in Wake County, NC. Rachel's husband was an architect and erected this stone monument for his wife. Her photograph is attached inside the columns. It is damaged, but her image is still visible. This is the first time I have seen a person's photograph on a tombstone. Quite a lovely tribute to his young wife.

I did find interesting the fact that husband and wife had different surnames. I wonder if Blythe was Rachel's maiden name?

(Cousins- Just in case you are wondering, this is not one of our ancestors.)

A Favorite Resource

2011-11-07T11:30:00.000-05:00

For those of you who research in North Carolina, I wanted to share with you a resource I use regularly. It is the 2009 edition of Guide to County Records in the North Carolina State Archives published by the North Carolina Office of Archives and History. This is a wonderful resource that lists the original and microfilmed records of each NC county that are housed at the NC Archives. As I develop my research plans, I consult my copy to determine which records the archives have. That way, I can be more efficient with my actual time in the archives.

For example, when I was researching the Howard/Harward family living in Moore County, NC in the mid-late 1800's, I consulted my guide. I quickly learned that Moore County is a "burned" county. Land records and many court records prior to the courthouse fire in 1889 were mostly lost, so I knew not to spend time looking for these. I did discover that one tax book from 1852-1860 survived the fire. This surviving record was one of a few to survive the fire and fortunately I was able to place my ancestors in a specific location in the county for that time period. I was able to complete this part of my research fairly quickly since I knew what to look for ahead of time.

Do any other NC researchers use this regularly?

(I ordered my copy from here.)

Baby Care 1940's Style

2011-11-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

Back in the summer I became the curator of sorts (if you will) of several generations worth of family history material. Among my grandmother's things I found this large envelope.

I opened it to find this:

A Baby care manual published by The Parent's Institute, Inc. out of New York. (That really is a cute baby on the front cover!)

This is the table of contents of all the articles in the manual - articles that are not really that different from the magazines today. For example there is Caring for you newborn infant, This is the Way a Baby Grows, and Guard Against Children's Diseases. My favorite was the article on a new mother's schedule. According to the article, after caring for the baby and the home a new mother should have an hour of "free time" in which to entertain friends or do something for herself. Entertaining never crossed my mind in those "newborn days"!

Actually, this manual appears is in excellent condition. Almost untouched. I wonder if my grandmother even used it.

A Good Deed

2011-11-05T11:01:00.000-04:00

These two photographs bring back some fun memories. Not so much of the horse (maybe pony?), but the story behind how my grandfather Lester Howard came to own her.

First, let me introduce you to my grandfather:

He was the true Southern Gentleman. The caretaker in the family. He never met a stranger. So, it was no surprise when he bought a raffle ticket to support the local boy scouts.

The problem came when he won the raffle. The prize? A mare. Did I mention that the mare was pregnant? You can just make out the baby behind its mother.

I personally was thrilled! I was just a little girl and had visions of riding the pony through the pastures. The pony and I would be best friends. In reality, I was scared of it!

Just where does a man with no farm keep a pony? On a friend's farm, of course. (I still remember Mr. McKinney and his small farm. We used to fish in his pond.)

The following year my grandfather graciously donated the mare and her offspring back to the Boy Scouts to be raffled off.

No, Granddaddy did not buy a raffle ticket!

Follow Friday

2011-11-04T11:18:00.000-04:00

Here is another edition of Follow Friday featuring some of the interesting things I have found on the internet this week.

I'll start with NaBloPoMo - National Blog Posting Month. (I talked about this yesterday.) Head over to BlogHer to find out more about the challenge to bloggers to post every day the month of November.

I like Harriet's take on blogging this month over at Genealogy Fun. She's blogging about things she is thankful for. A great reminder to us all. Thanks, Harriet!

Free Genealogy Resources provided some food for thought with the post Personal Feelings and Genealogy. I'd be interested in hearing others' thoughts on how to handle information we find that can be painful to others in the family.

Enjoy!

Family Interviews

2011-11-03T12:48:00.000-04:00

I had FB message from a cousin last week telling me about an elderly cousin who was a teenager when my great grandmother Mattie Maddox Howard died. She remembers Mattie.

How have I let this cousin slip off my "family history interview" radar? I'll be making plans shortly to interview this lovely lady.

I have come to realize there are many in the family lines that still need to be interviewed. Some for a first time. Some for a second (or third) time. I recognize that I am fortunate to have so many relatives to interview.

It's time to step out of the archives and/or away from the computer databases. It's time to tap into the family sources. It's time to learn what the records cannot tell me.

Cousins- I'm going to need your help with this. I've started a list, but let me know who you think I should interview about the family history.

I challenge my fellow genealogists to seek out family members to interview this holiday season.

National Blog Posting Month

2011-11-02T12:32:00.000-04:00

November appears to be the National Blog Posting Month. Participating bloggers post to their blog every day during the month. Should I do it? Can I do it?

Cinamon at (Mis)Adventures of a Genealogist and Michelle at The Turning of Generations have inspired me to jump in with them. It is a daunting task. (I'm already behind a day!) Will I have enough ideas? Geneabloggers and BlogHer are both great places to find blogging prompts. I don't usually use a lot of blogging prompts. Mostly, I post on what is on my mind and that might account for the irregularity in my posting.

So, I'm taking the challenge.

Thanks Cinamon and Michelle for the inspiration!

A Matter of Focus

2011-10-31T12:00:00.000-04:00

I missed an anniversary date recently. (Fortunately, my husband remembered and got the card out in a timely manner.)

As the family historian one would think I would remember birthdays, anniversaries, etc. After all, a day rarely goes by when I don't work with dates of some sort.

My daughter quipped that maybe I should just focus on important dates for the living family members! Ouch!
(I'm sure I'll convert her to the genealogical way of thinking one day!)

Advice From The Expert

2011-10-29T19:19:00.001-04:00

I was fortunate to spend the day at the North Carolina Genealogical Society's fall workshop today. Barbara Vines Little spent the day speaking on colonial research. I have heard Barbara speak on other occasions and was eagerly looking forward to hearing her speak again. Her specialty is colonial research in Virginia.

Colonial Virginia. 1760's. King and Queen County. That's precisely where my Howard (or is it Harward?) line is stuck.

As far as Virginia research goes, King and Queen County is not a good place to be stuck. It is a burned county. Twice. There are no records for the time period I am researching.

At the first break I approached Barbara to inquire if there were possibly any ways to research this time and place in history that I had not thought of. When I explained the county and time period I was interested, she smiled and said, "You have my sympathy." (I get that a lot in my colonial VA research!)

But all is not lost. Barbara went on to give me some ideas and areas for research that could possibly lead to clues about the Howards (Harwards). These areas of further research may be long shots, but I'll never know until I look.

If this next phase of my research doesn't find any results..... DNA anyone?

Follow Friday

2011-10-21T15:00:00.000-04:00

I love blogs! I read many during the week and think "I need to share that!".

But then I get busy and forget to write it down. Forget to share it. (Does anyone else do this? Please tell me I am not the only one.)

I'm trying to be more organized about keeping up with the Follow Friday theme. This week I have succeeded. Yeah!

So, here goes....

What I have seen in the blog world this week!

Top Scariest Things in Genealogy over at Family Cherished. I identified with this one a little too much.
Geniaus has started The Ancestors' Geneameme. I'm looking forward to participating in this geneameme.
I really enjoyed this post on It's Time to Change the Game at For Your Family Story. Caroline shares an insightful article into the changing times of genealogy.

Enjoy the weekend!

Christmas Ornaments at Esther's Place

2011-10-21T12:00:00.000-04:00

The holidays are coming! I know many of us are still wearing shorts, but the calendar does confirm the holidays ware coming.

I am not singing Jingle Bells yet, but I have developed new Christmas ornaments that can be personalized with your ancestors' photographs. You will find them over at Esther's Place. (Click here or the button on my sidebar.)

Memory Frame Christmas ornaments have a photograph on each side. You could have an ornament with a husband on one side and the wife on the other. You never have to worry about the ornament facing the right way! Another suggestion is using two photographs of the same person at different ages.

These look great on the Christmas tree and can be conversation starters as you celebrate the holidays.

Scrabble Tile Christmas Ornaments look great on a miniature Christmas tree! These small ornaments create a fun "family tree". These ornaments come in sets of six. You can also order a Miniature Christmas tree already decorated with 12 scrabble tile ornaments.

Stop by Esther's Place today! (Just click the button on the top right of the sidebar.)

Looking for something a little different? Check out the Heritage Coasters and Decorative Tiles. They make great gifts!

New! Wine Glass Charms At Esther's Place

2011-10-20T12:00:00.000-04:00

Have you ever set your wine glass down only to discover later you cannot remember which glass is yours? Wine glass charms to the rescue!

These cute wine glass charms are made from scrabble tile and personalized with your photographs. Coming in a set of six (6), you will be ready for hosting your next get together. No more forgetting which wine glass is whose! These little charms are great conversation starters as well.

Want a set for a gift? For yourself? (Don't forget the holidays are coming!)

Here's how:

Go to Esther's Place.
Complete the order and checkout process.
E-mail the photographs you wish to use to LissonGenealogy@yahoo.com .

That's it! Pretty easy, right?

Looking for something a little different? Be sure and check out the Heritage Coasters and Decorative Tiles.

Unidentified Photograph - Can You Help?

2011-10-19T11:00:00.000-04:00

It has been a while since I have posted a photograph of unidentified individuals. The above photograph was among the belongings of my great grandmother Esther Lee Richardson. I am not sure if these young men are ancestors of mine or just friends of Esther's. (She had a lot of friends and a lot of beaus!) I suspect this photograph was taken in the Danville, VA area or in the South Boston,VA area.

If you recognize any of these young men, let me know!

Reunion Tip Updates

2011-10-17T11:00:00.000-04:00

Last week I asked for tips on how to plan a family reunion. (You can see that post here.) I received great tips both in the comments and in my e-mail. In fact the tips were so great I wanted to share some of them with all of you. If you are also looking at organizing a family reunion, you might find these helpful.

Be prepared to work longer than you think.
Plan, Plan, Plan!
Covered dished works well for the food. Everyone is guaranteed to have something they like.
Divide the guest alphabetically by first name. A-H brings a meat dish, I-S brings a vegetable of side dish, and T-Z brings a dessert.
Ask people to bring photographs or other family heirlooms to share.
Take lots of pictures.
Have a good database of names and addresses. Send out invitations 6-8 weeks ahead of time.
Announce the reunion on-line in surname lists (such as found on Rootsweb).
June can be a good time to hold a reunion - when the children are get out of school.
Have activities for the little ones.

Lastly....

11. Enjoy the day!

A Forgotten Source?

2011-10-14T08:38:00.000-04:00

I had the experience of talking with a woman at a localnursing home recently. She was hard ofhearing and difficult to understand at times. What she said did not always make sense in the conversation.

Until…..

She started talking about her grandmother.

Her face lit up. Hereyes became brighter. And the storiesbegan to flow.

She told me:

· What her grandmother was best known forcooking.

· How many children she had. (A lot!)

· Twins ran in the family (and who had the twins).

· Where her great grandmother was from.

While oral history is often subject to the errors of one’smemories, truth and/or clues to the truth are often embedded within thesehistories.

What this gentle woman taught me was despite her cognitivedeficits associated with her old age, she was still a valuable resource to thefamily historian or genealogist. Do wesometimes overlook the opportunity to interview a relative simply because hermemory is slipping?

If we do, I think wemay be missing out on a lot.

SLIG is Having A Blog Contest

2011-10-12T13:25:00.002-04:00

The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (that’s SLIG for short)will be holding their annual genealogical institute on January 23-27, 2012. Five day courses are offered in tracks andtaught by some of the best educators in the field of genealogy. (Oh, I wish I were planning to go!) It is definitelyon my list of genealogical institutes to attend “sometime”. Samford’s IGHR is another institute I hope toattend.

While I have no current plans to go, I put together my topthree choices for course tracks for if I did go. I would put Course 8: Beyondthe Library: Using Original Source Repositories being taught by JohnColletta. Over the past few months Ihave researched in rural county courthouses and discovered this has become oneof my favorite ways to research. I would like to learn more about using otheroriginal source repositories. (I have alsonever taken a class by John Colletta that wasn’t great!)

Course 10: Advanced Evidence Analysis Practicum taught byAngela McGhie would be a wonderful course to take. As a genealogist, one can never get enough “handson” analysis practice. Being able totalk it through with other genealogists can prove to be very helpful.

A few years ago I attended the NCGS (North CarolinaGenealogical Society) Fall workshop on using land records. I was fortunate to hear Rick Sayre presentseveral lectures on this subject. I was just startingout and learned so much those two days. He and his wife Barbara Sayre will be teaching Course 11: AdvancedResearch Tools: Land Records. This is anarea I would like to strengthen my skills.

Those would be my top three choices if I were actually goingto SLIG 2012. (A girl can dream, can’tshe?) Actually all of the course trackslook fantastic. To pick three favorites,much less just one to actually attend would prove difficult.

To find out more information about SLIG, check out theirwebsite at www.slig.ugagenealogy.org. If you are a blogger and would like to participate in SLIG's blog contest you can find the rules here.

A Reunion - Is It Time?

2011-10-11T11:37:00.001-04:00

Ever since I started tracing family lines, I have dreamed of organizing a family reunion. I confess the thought excites me, but also has me a little anxious! (Okay, maybe a lot anxious.) Other than hosting children's birthday parties and the occasional family Christmas, hosting large events has not been high on my priority list.

But it's time.

I thought I would start with the Howard (or Harward) family. There are a number of cousins (on the direct and collateral lines) who still live in the area where the Howards settled in North Carolina. Organizing a reunion in North Carolina seems a little less daunting for my first one than trying to organize one out of state.

Here's where I ask for help/suggestions from those of you who have done this!
(Thanks to those cousins who have already given me some great ideas!)

What is the best time of year to have a reunion? Summers are usually more flexible for families, but it sure is hot that time of year.

What are some fun ways to share the family history?

What are your tips and tricks to a successful reunion?

Haley Cousins -- Don't feel left out! You're next on my list, so be thinking!

For Shakespeare Lovers

2011-10-09T18:23:00.000-04:00

Charles Johnstone MacBeth

Someone in my house is a Shakespeare fan, so I could not resist taking a photograph of this tombstone in the First Presbyterian Church in Charleston, SC.

IN MEMORY

CHARLES JOHNSTONE MACBETH

Eldest Son of

Hon. Chas MacBeth

and Henrietta G. Ramenel

his wife.
Born Dec. 22nd 1835.
Died April 30th 1880.
-------
A devoted son and fond husband
An esteemed and valued citizen
and friend

I'm Published!

2011-10-06T08:36:00.001-04:00

Two years ago I attended a Cousins' Weekend where I presented the Howard (Harward) and the Maddox genealogies. When I had the opportunity to attend Cousins' Weekend again this year, I wanted to share more of our family history.

About who? And how?

The "who" question was obvious - Mattie Maddox Howard. Mattie is my great grandmother and my cousins' grandmother. Sadly none of us knew her.

The "how" question proved a little more daunting. I wanted to write a book. Never mind I had never done this and didn't know where to start. I did the only thing I knew to do. I just started writing.

And now I've completed it.

My goal has been accomplished. I am a published author! (My children were impressed at least!)

Excerpt from Mattie's Story:

As a child, I frequently visited my grandfather's attic. It was always lots of fun to see the Christmas decorations stored away or the knick knacks my grandmother put away for another day. But always, I studied the portrait of my great grandmother Mattie Howard that was stored up there. I wondered about her. Perhaps I thought if I stared at her portrait long enough and concentrated hard enough, she would tell me her secrets.....

Mattie didn't tell me her secrets in that attic, but her portrait did spark a curiosity that years later started my pursuit to discover who my great grandmother really was.

Mattie's Story can be ordered from Lulu.com.

Worship At Moore Union

2011-10-04T12:39:00.001-04:00

I had an opportunity this weekend to worship at Moore Union Christian Church in Lee County, NC.

Moore Union is the church where my maternal grandfather Lester Howard attended as a child. Multiple generations of Howards, Letts, and Womacks have worshipped here over the years. Many in the small cemetery beside the church are my ancestors. It was a treat to worship in the same church where four generations before me did the same.

The Moore Union congregation welcomed my cousins and myself warmly and graciously into their midst. We appreciate their hospitality.

(I even met a cousin.)

October Is Family History Month

2011-10-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

It is hard to believe that September has come to a close and October is here. I know that fall officially started at the end of September, but it never feels like fall to me until October. (Maybe that's because I am still wearing shorts in September!)

October also begins Family History month. In looking at family history month resources on the internet, I came across the Family History site for the State Library of NC.

Their site has an incredible number of resources available. If your ancestors have North Carolina roots, be sure to visit their site. Links to many of NC's resources including historical maps and newspapers of the state. Links to family Bibles as well as funeral home records/obituaries are there, too.

Lots of fun facts are included as well. For example, did you know that Elvis Presley's ancestors came to NC in the 1740's?

As you celebrate Family History Month, don't forget to interview the relatives that you do know! Oral histories provide a such a rich background to our research.

Apparently Someone Has Been Listening!

2011-09-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

When I began pursuing my genealogy, I quickly learned that the spellings of names was very inconsistent to say the least. I began keeping a log of the spelling variations I would find for each surname. I would share some of the more unusual spellings with anyone within earshot.

It would appear someone has been listening!

Recently one of the children was filling out a form asking for your mother's maiden name. My child looked up and asked "Which spelling should I use? One "t" or two?"

Giveaway Winner

2011-09-29T14:43:00.000-04:00

The winner of the 6 x 6 decorative tile from Esther's Place is Debbie over at Blanton Family Roots and Branches.

Congratulations, Debbie!

It's The Last Day....

2011-09-28T12:00:00.000-04:00

...to participate in the giveaway for a 6 x 6 tile from Esther's Place. Be sure to go here and leave a comment letting me know you want to enter. That's all. Pretty easy, right?

Tombstones and Resumes

2011-09-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

I thought about entitling this post :

Now Why Couldn't My Ancestors Do That?!

(I think you will see why is a minute.)

I found the historic cemeteries in Charleston, SC absolutely fascinating. So many of the gravestones provided an incredible wealth of information on the person they represented. It like having a resume on the gravestone. For instance:

This is the gravestone for Captain James Ross, buried in the Presbyterian Church on Meeting Street in the historic district of Charleston. The transcription of the stone is as follows:

HERE REST

The Mortal Remains of

CAPTAIN JAMES ROSS

A native of the Town of Lerwick,

North Britain.

For upwards of Thirty Years,

He commanded vessels out of this Port,

And for the last Sixteen Years

Resided here permanently

As a Member of the Board of Port Wardens

And most of that time as its Chairman

The duties of which he discharged

Most faithfully

____________________of his existence

He was in the fullest sense

An Honest Upright and Noble hearted Man.

He died in this City
On the 8th October 1856
Aged 70 Years, 8 Months,
And 9 Days.
Justly and sincerely lamented
By a numerous acquaintance
And many sincere Friends.

This gentleman's name, age, place of birth, death dates, place of residence, and his occupation are all listed. The information on Captain Ross's stone can also lead the researcher to other records for the city that mention him. Records leading to other records is always a good thing.

Tombstone Tuesday - Gravestones and Their Stories

2011-09-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

On my recent trip to Charleston, SC I spent a lot of time wandering the historic cemeteries. I was drawn by the stories these cemeteries told just by the gravestones that were there. The artwork and symbolism can tell so much about the person (and the family) buried there.

As I wondered the cemeteries, I wondered what I could learn about a person or family by just what was in the cemetery. No computer look-ups. No prior knowledge of the family. No other information than what was literally in front of me.

And that's when I found myself in front of the James and Elizabeth Ladson family plot in St. Michael's Church on Meeting Street. This gravestone in particular caught my attention.

This gravestone has six (6) Ladson children listed! It was a bit difficult to read in the cemetery and in the photograph, but modern technology (i.e. Picasa) helped me decipher it.

Robert Gilmore Ladson - died 26 May 1828, aged 1 year 53 days
Frederick Fraser Ladson - died 29 Jun 1830,aged 4 years 6 months
Judith Eliza Ladson - died 2 Jul 1830, aged 9 years 11 months
Eliza Caroline Ladson - died 23 Jun 1835, aged 10 months 6 days
Charlotte Josephine Ladson - died 25 Jul 1837, aged 6 months 2 days
James Ladson - died 6 Jul 1839, aged 17 years

Five of the children died before the age of 10 years. All died in the early summer months.

Why?

Here are a few of my theories:

Charleston, SC is very hot and muggy during the summer months. It is also very "buggy". (Wear bug repellent when exploring this city's cemeteries! I learned the hard way.) Mosquitoes and other bugs can carry illnesses. Perhaps this was a contributing factor in these children's deaths.
With the young age of the the first five children listed, could there be a genetic disorder present in this family? Or at the very least, a genetic predisposition toward weak a immune system.
Early medicine being what is was, the children may have died from common childhood illnesses.

In addition to the six children above, Elizabeth Ladson lost at least one other daughter in early adulthood as well as her husband. There is no doubt about it. Life was hard for this family. It is hoped that in the midst the grief, joy was also found.

Esther's Place Giveaway!

2011-09-26T07:00:00.000-04:00

If you haven't already, visit Esther's Place, my online store for heritage crafts. Just click the button on the top right sidebar to take you there. I think you will enjoy your visit.

To celebrate the opening of Esther's Place, I am giving away one 6x6 decorative tile to one lucky winner.

How do you enter the giveaway?

So glad you asked.

Just leave a comment below telling me you would like to enter. That's all. Easy, right?
The contest will close on Wednesday night (9/28/11) at 11:59. I will use Random.org to select the winner.

Genealogy and Physical Therapy

2011-09-23T07:00:00.000-04:00

As I meet genealogists through my blog or at an event, I am always fascinated by the various backgrounds we bring to genealogy research. I've met genealogists with backgrounds in business, teaching, law and more.

By training I am a physical therapist. Specifically, I am an acute (hospital) PT.

Genealogy and physical therapy - an odd combination, don't you think? Well, maybe not.

As a physical therapist, I evaluate a patient's problem, develop a treatment plan, and carry out that plan. Isn't that what I do as a genealogist?

First I identify the research focus. (This would be the patient's problem).
I analyze what is already known about the research question. (This would be the patient's medical history.)
I determine what other information is needed. (This would be hands on evaluation of a patient's problem.)
I develop a research plan to address the central question. (This would be treatment plan.)
I carry out the research plan. (This would be carrying out the patient's treatment plan.)
I re-evaluate the research plan and adapt it based on research findings. (I re-evaluate the patient frequently and make adjustments to their treatment as needed.)

Whether I am working as a genealogist or a physical therapist, I use both my analytic skills and my interview/people skills. "Thinking outside the box" is helpful in both as well.

Genealogy Buddies

2011-09-22T07:00:00.000-04:00

Enjoying Lunch in Charleston

This week I tagged along with DH to a conference in Charleston, SC. After all, I couldn't resist all the history in that historic city. I spent a lot of time wandering the streets looking at the historic houses and the cemeteries. I suppose it is a sign of genealogical maturity that I spent more time in the cemeteries than I did in the shops!

One of the highlights was having lunch with Vicki of my ProGen study group. We enjoyed a very southern lunch of delicious Po' boy catfish sandwiches. (If you find yourself in the South sometime, be sure and try one.) Vicki and I talked genealogy almost non-stop. How fun to talk genealogy with someone whose eyes do not glaze over at the mention of the word ancestor.

Esther's Place

2011-09-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

Esther's Place is my new online store featuring custom heritage crafts designed to share your family history. As a genealogist and the family historian, I have frequently found myself attempting to share our family history without seeing my listener's eyes glaze over.

You know that feeling, don't you? I needed to be ~~sneaky~~ more creative in sharing the family history.

Heritage Coasters and Tiles

The numerous photographs of my ancestors sparked the idea for my Heritage Coasters. From there the ideas kept coming and the Decorative Tiles were developed. You know what? Friends and family ask me about the ancestors in the photograph on a coaster (or tile). Somehow, stories with a photograph seem more real.

Coaster Featuring Cecil White Howard

So, you're invited to stop by and look around. Simply click on the button at the top of my sidebar to go to Esther's Place. Let me know if I can help you with anything.

Be sure to check back often. New products are in the making!

**Esther's Place is named for my great grandmother Esther Lee Richardson Talbott (1896-1923).

An Exciting Announcement is Coming...Tomorrow!

2011-09-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow's the day when I tell you about Esther's Place. Be sure to stop by to learn more. (I think you are really going to like this!)

Meme Take 2 - Tech Savvy Genealogist

2011-09-18T06:34:00.000-04:00

Another meme has been making the genealogy rounds. This one involve genealogy and technology. I first saw this one over at Long Lost Relatives.net.

The list should be annotated in the following manner:
Things you have already done or found: bold face type
Things you would like to do or find: italicize (colour optional)
Things you haven’t done or found and don’t care to: plain type
Feel free to add extra comments in brackets after each item

Own an Android or Windows tablet or an iPad
Use a tablet or iPad for genealogy related purposes
Have used Skype to for genealogy purposes.
Have used a camera to capture images in a library/archives/ancestor’s home
Use a genealogy software program on your computer to manage your family tree
Have a Twitter account
Tweet daily (still working on the whole social media thing.)
Have a genealogy blog
Have more then one genealogy blog.
Have lectured/presented to a genealogy group on a technology topic (does blogging count? Probably not…)
Currently an active member of Genealogy Wise
Have a Facebook Account
Have connected with genealogists via Facebook
Maintain a genealogy related Facebook Page (just started one.)
Maintain a blog or website for a genealogy society (Does managing the online book store at Lulu.com count?)
Have submitted text corrections online to Ancestry, Trove or a similar site
Have registered a domain name
Post regularly to Google+
Have a blog listed on Geneabloggers
Have transcribed/indexed records for FamilySearch or a similar project.
Own a Flip-Pal or hand-held scanner
Can code a webpage in .html (Not the whole thing, but I can edit in HTML)
Own a smartphone
Have a personal subscription to one or more paid genealogy databases
Use a digital voice recorder to record genealogy lectures
Have contributed to a genealogy blog carnival
Use Chrome as a Browser
Have participated in a genealogy webinar
Have taken a DNA test for genealogy purposes
Have a personal genealogy website
Have found mention of an ancestor in an online newspaper archive
Have tweeted during a genealogy lecture
Have scanned your hardcopy genealogy files
Use an RSS Reader to follow genealogy news and blogs
Have uploaded a gedcom file to a site like Geni, MyHeritage or Ancestry
Own a netbook
Use a computer/tablet/smartphone to take genealogy lecture notes (I'm still a paper and pencil girl with this. Actually, if I physically write it down, I rarely have to go back to my notes.)
Have a profile on LinkedIn that mentions your genealogy habit .
Have developed a genealogy software program, app or widget
Have listened to a genealogy podcast online
Have downloaded genealogy podcasts for later listening
Backup your files to a portable hard drive
Have a copy of your genealogy files stored offsite
Know about Rootstech
Have listened to a Blogtalk radio session about genealogy
Use Dropbox, SugarSync or other service to save documents in the cloud
Schedule regular email backups
Have contributed to the Familysearch Wiki
Have scanned and tagged your genealogy photographs (scanned not tagged)
Have published a genealogy book in an online/digital format. (Shh....it's a secret soon to be revealed.)

Are you a tech savvy genealogist?

Uncle Pell

2011-09-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

I have recently begun looking at my Humphries family line. I am only in the beginning stages of researching this line, but remembered a bit of fun oral history. It was a common story among the older generations, and one I first heard about at a family get together as a teenager. As our family has grown and become more spread out, I expect many in my generation and those younger do not know this story. It's a fun story and worth passing down.

This is a story about Pelham Humphries (Humphreys), nicknamed "Uncle Pell". I tell it as I remember it when I first heard it as a teenager. I have no evidence that any of this oral history is true. It simply is just that - a family story.

Pelham Humphries was related to Nancy Alice Humprhies, wife of John Martin Holyfield. [I'm not quite sure how.] Pelham was quite a character and a supposed horse thief. He ended up in Texas. Here is where the story gets interesting. Pelham supposedly owned the land that Exxon's first oil gusher Spindletop came in on. In theory, the family should have been heirs to this land and thus, the Exxon fortune. The problem? No one can prove that Pelham owned the land. And well, he may have been a shady character.

According family members, every once in a while someone looks into this story and always comes up empty. I recently came across research an aunt did years ago. My great grandmother White (Stella Holyfield White) was fairly straight laced and known to say she wouldn't want anything to do with the money since Pelham was a horse thief!

White, Holyfield and Humphries cousins-what version of the story have you heard?

When I googled Pelham Humphries, I was surprised by the number of hits that popped up.I actually found a number of websites and chat threads referring to this story. Go here to read more.

Musings on a Wednesday

2011-09-14T11:32:00.002-04:00

I have recently returned to running. During our very hot summer here in the south, running was definitely not something I looked forward to. (Okay, I had a lot of other excuses as well!) Anyway....I'm back to running. Running/walking to be more exact.

What does this have to do with genealogy?

I find when I run, my thoughts often drift toward my genealogy research. Usually to a "brick wall" in my research. Often I come up with new ideas for research when I am running.

A different database to check.

A new theory - Jesse Haley might have gone by his middle name sometimes. Brackett Owen and his son-in-law Jesse Haley may have left the area (Halifax County) only to return back.

New blog posts like this one.

I'm hoping running will get me and my genealogy into shape.

The Not So Usual

2011-09-13T07:00:00.000-04:00

I was talking with a friend recently recently about genealogy. (Really, what else is there for 40-something women to discuss?) She's someone I actually "converted" and helped get started researching her family. We talked about her results and the records that she used. It got me thinking about the records I use.

Like many genealogists I use census records, land records, wills/probates.... These are what I call my "regular" records. The record sets I start with when beginning a new search. But what about the less used records? Specifically the "not so normal records."

Here are a few that I use:

Road Records/Petitions
This is a set of records I came across at the NC State Archives. I first posted about it here. Road petitions presented in the county court are a great source for placing your ancestor in a particular location. In this case, my ancestor's neighbors were listed and provided information on the neighborhood. It is not unusual for those neighbors to be relatives.

Original Wake County Road Petition

Scrapbooks
I recently posted on some my ancestors' scrapbooks in my collection and how I use them. These can be a treasure trove of information. Scrapbooks add color to their lives and tell their stories when they can no longer give the voice to the story.

Elton Carr's Scrapbook

Tax Records
I have said it before, but I have to say it again. Personal property and land tax records can help place an ancestor in a location when they do not appear in the census. These are also helpful when trying to pinpoint an ancestor's location in between census years.

Church Histories:
Church histories are often written in anticipation of a church anniversary. These histories can come in various forms including books/booklets or an expanded bulletin. Photographs of ancestors can be found in these. The genealogist can also get a sense of what the community was like and who was living in the area. Collateral lines are often found among the fellow worshipers.

What "not so usual" records to you use?

99 Things

2011-09-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

Genealogy bloggers have been participating in the 99 Things meme this week. I first saw this on Tonia's blog Tonia's Roots and at Valerie's blog Family Cherished. I don't often participate in memes, but I wanted to get in on this one. Tonia refers to it as a sort of "bucket list" for genealogists. I think she's right!

So, here goes....

Things you have already done or found - bold type
Things you would like to do or find - italics
Things you have not done or found/don't care to - (or that I know hasn't happened in my family).

Belong to a genealogical society (three, in fact)
Joined a group on Genealogy Wise.
Transcribed records.
Uploaded headstone pictures to Find-A-Grave or a similar site.
Documented ancestors for four generations (self, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents)
Joined Facebook.
Cleaned up a run-down cemetery.
Joined the Genea-Bloggers Group.
Attended a genealogy conference. (Love these!)
Lectured at a genealogy conference. Thinking about it.
Spoke on a genealogy topic at a local genealogy society/local library’s family history group.
Joined the National Genealogical Society.
Contributed to a genealogy society publication.
Served on the board or as an officer of a genealogy society (I coordinate the WCGS publications on Lulu.com. Does that count?).
Got lost on the way to a cemetery. (Didn't get lost, but came pretty close!)
Talked to dead ancestors. (All the time. Makes people wonder about me!)
Researched outside the state in which I live. (Mostly Virginia - My ancestors didn't get too far.)
Knocked on the door of an ancestral home and visited with the current occupants. (Thought about it, but the big dog chained in the front yard convinced me otherwise.)
Cold called a distant relative. (I did send a letter ahead of time introducing myself.)
Posted messages on a surname message board. (Frequently)
Uploaded a gedcom file to the internet.
Googled my name (and those of ancestors – it turns up great info sometimes)
Performed a random act of genealogical kindness.
Researched a non-related family, just for the fun of it.
Have been paid to do genealogical research.
Earn a living (majority of income) from genealogical research.
Wrote a letter (or email) to a previously unknown relative.
Contributed to one of the genealogy carnivals. (Had my own!)
Responded to messages on a message board.
Was injured while on a genealogy excursion. I'd like to keep it that way!
Participated in a genealogy meme. Yay! I just got this one.
Created family history gift items: watch my blog for more coming on this.
Performed a record lookup.
Took a genealogy seminar cruise. Definitely on my list!
Am convinced that a relative must have arrived here from outer space.
Found a disturbing family secret. Not so far.
Told others about a disturbing family secret.
Combined genealogy with crafts. More on this later.
Think genealogy is a passion obsession not a hobby.
Assisted finding next of kin for a deceased person. (Unclaimed Persons)
Taught someone else how to find their roots. (I love doing this!)
Lost valuable genealogy data due to a computer crash or hard drive failure. (Don't want to think about that.)
Been overwhelmed by available genealogy technology –sometimes it’s borderline but it’s a great way to learn. I find learning new things exciting, but I do get overwhelmed after a day or two of conferences and brain doesn’t fit in my head anymore.
Know a cousin of the 4th degree or higher.
Disproved a family myth through research. (No, we are not part Cherokee!)
Got a family member to let you copy photos.
Used a digital camera to “copy” photos or records.
Translated a record from a foreign language. This would be hard - I only speak one language.
Found an immigrant ancestor’s passenger arrival record.
Looked at census records on microfilm, not on the computer.
Used microfiche.
Visited the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.
Used Google+ for genealogy (still struggling with the whole social media thing!)
Visited a church or place of worship of one of your ancestors.
Taught a class in genealogy. Hope to do this in the future.
Traced ancestors back to the 18th Century.
Traced ancestors back to the 17th Century.
Traced ancestors back to the 16th Century. (I'll get there!)
Can name all of your great-great-grandparents.
Know how to determine a soundex code without the help of a computer (Does the cheat sheet at the archives count?)
Have found many relevant and unexpected articles on internet to “put flesh on the bones”.
Own a copy of Evidence Explained by Elizabeth Shown Mills.
Helped someone find an ancestor using records you had never used for your own research.
Visited the main National Archives building in Washington, DC – so going there someday soon.
Have an ancestor who came to America as an indentured servant.
Have an ancestor who fought in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 or Civil War. Yes to all 3!
Taken a photograph of an ancestor’s tombstone.
Can “read” a church record in Latin. (have managed to decipher some, but only with a dictionary, reference book or Google) So far, my ancestors did not attend churches using Latin.
Have an ancestor who changed his/her name, just enough to be confusing. (Two, in fact,)
Joined a Rootsweb mailing list.
Created a family website. (Part of my blog)
Have a genealogy blog.
Was overwhelmed by the amount of family information received from someone. I am more than willing to suffer this problem.
Have broken through at least one brick wall (but someone keeps putting up more).
Done genealogy research at a court house. (Some of my favorite research!)
Borrowed microfilm from the Family History Library through a local Family History Center(s).
Found an ancestor in an online newspaper archive.
Have visited a NARA branch.
Have an ancestor who served in WWI or WWII.
Use maps in my genealogy research (how can one not?).
Have a blacksheep ancestor. (ahem..."Uncle Pell")
Found a bigamist amongst my ancestors.
Attended a genealogical institute. Definitely on my to-do list!
Taken online genealogy (and local history) courses.
Consistently (document) and cite my sources. (I'm much better about this!)
Visited a foreign country (i.e. one I don’t live in) in search of ancestors. I can't seem to get "across the pond".
Can locate any document in my research files within a few minutes (how many is a “few”?)
Have an ancestor who was married four times.
Made a rubbing of an ancestor’s gravestone.
Followed genealogists on Twitter.
Published a family history book. Just did this, but shhh....it's a surprise!
Learned of a death of a fairly close family relative through research.
Offended a family member with my research. At least I hope not!
Reunited someone with precious family photos or artifacts.
Have a paid subscription to a genealogy database.
Submitted articles for FamilySearch Wiki.
Organized a family reunion. Anyone want to help?
Used Archives in countries where my ancestors originated.
Converted someone new to the love of all things genealogy. Guilty as charged!

What fun to see all that I have accomplished and what all I want to accomplish! I can't wait to get started on the "blue" list.

Thanks to all those in the blogging community who have participated. I've really enjoyed reading these posts.

How Did You....

2011-09-11T07:00:00.000-04:00

.....find my blog?

Since I started Are You My Cousin? a couple of years ago, I have met a number of new cousins - cousins from many different family lines. I am always amazed when a new cousin contacts me. I shouldn't be. By now I've been contacted by a quite a few new cousins.

So I have a question for my cousins:

How did you find my blog?

Were you pointed in this direction by another family member/cousin? Did you just google a name from our family tree?

I'm just curious....but then again, you knew that. After all that's part of why I do genealogy!

A Brick Wall Tumbled Down This Week

2011-09-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

I heard from a "new" Howard cousin this week. (There seems to be a lot of us out there!) It is always nice to meet new cousins - especially when a genealogical brick wall comes tumbling down. My new cousin shared information on Bruce Douglas. Bruce was my great great grandfather Suggy Howard's son born out of wedlock. Until now no one (at least on our side of the family) knew who his mother was. She has now been identified as Mary Dorcas Bradley who later married William Bradley.

As the generations progressed there are many in the family who did not know about Bruce until I posted on him here in a post about his father Allen Suggs (Suggy) Howard. My new cousin shared a letter history Bruce wrote when he was in his late 80's.

"This is aletter history of the ______ Bruce Douglas by any one ever heard of him. He wasborn 1880 July 11 near Broadway NC. My mother maried a man by the name of Bradleyand left me with my Uncle and Aunt by the name of Roe Douglas and Aunt BugDouglas. I dont remember ever seeing my mother. They my Uncle and Aunt broughtme to Georgia in a covered wagon drawn by 2 mules. They wentback to NC and I stayed on here. I am now 88 years old and have good health formy age. About 2 years ago I sold my Clynch County land 10150 acres for $1,300 000.00. I married Miss Lula Mizellof Woodbine GA in 1905. We had six children. The 1st boy diedas an infant. I have 3 boys and 2 girls living. The youngest is 50 years old.My wife died December 26, 1959. I am in good health. I Hunt and fish. Mymother lived and died near a place called Ridgeway SC. She died in 1924. I would have given any thingto of seen her. I never herd of her till after she had passed away. God Maryyes on September 2 - 1968 I placed on her grave tomb stone and slab. All soplaced one on her husbands grave."

Bruce looks amazingly like his half-siblings!

Bruce is buried in the Pine Forest Cemetery in Homerville, GA.

Happy Labor Day!

2011-09-05T04:00:00.000-04:00

Last Labor Day I wrote a post about my ancestors' occupations. So as this year's Labor Day holiday rolled around, I again thought about their occupations. From last year's post, it was obvious I come from farming ancestors. (That is one gene that did not get passed down.)

What new occupations did I find for my ancestors' in the past year?

Carpenter - Alexander Humphries

Overseer of the Poor - Jesse Haley (in his later life)

Plantation Overseer - William Haley

Census Taker - Columbus Holyfield

General Store Owner - Stella Holyfield White

Horse Thief - Pelham Humphries
Okay, that's not proven, but it sure makes for fun oral history!

How about your ancestors' occupations?

If You Thought Genealogy Was Boring...(Part 2)

2011-09-04T04:00:00.000-04:00

....then:

You've never embarrassed yourself by doing the happy dance in the public library. Fortunately, that did not show up as a YouTube video.
You've never introduced your cousins to the family tree - in a cemetery!
You've never met a gentleman in a rural cemetery early in the morning who just happens to be able to tell you stories of your GGG grandfather.
You've never had to "dig up" your great grandfather. Read more about that here.

Apparently a lot of my "non-boring" experiences happen in cemeteries! (I won't think too long on that.)

If you missed Part 1 of this series, go here to read more of my "non-boring" genealogy experiences.

Why Does My Ancestor Not Show Up On The Census?

2011-09-02T04:00:00.000-04:00

I continue my search for my GGGG grandfather Jesse Haley of Halifax County, VA. As I have exhausted most of the records I can find on Jesse, I have turned my attention to the Owen family, specifically Brackett Owen, father-in-law and uncle of Jesse Haley. Jesse Haley often appears in close proximity to the Owen family throughout the records. Perhaps by getting to know the Owen family better, I will learn more of Jesse.

As I have shared previously, Jesse Haley cannot be found on the federal census records for 1830 and 1840. He was paying personal property taxes in Halifax County in 1840 (actually from 1835 on).

I began my search on Brackett Owen in the usual place. The census records. Brackett Owen died in Halifax County in 1844, so I began with the 1840 census and worked backward. All fairly standard genealogy research.

Until I got to 1830.

I was unable to find Brackett Owen in the 1830 census. He was paying personal property taxes in Halifax County during that year. So....now I have two ancestors in Halifax County who are "missing" in the census record in 1830 with one still missing in 1840. Just where were these men?

What causes ancestors not to show up on the census records?

Here are some of the reasons I came up with for why an ancestor might be missing from a census record.

A person/family may have just been missed by the census taker. (I do not think that is the case here. It is too much of a coincidence that both of the ancestors went missing.)
The ancestor may have left the area temporarily to work in the "off season" of farming.
Prior to 1850, if an ancestor was not the head of household, his/her name was not listed. They could be there, but "hidden" in someone's household.
The surname may have been so misspelled so badly, it is incorrectly transcribed. (Reading a census record line by line can be tedious, but does yield results.)
The ancestor may have left the area and then moved back.

What other reasons might an ancestor disappear in the census records?

Postcard Bonanza Today!

2011-08-31T07:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Postcard Bonanza! I'm so glad you could stop by. Grab a cup of coffee and a danish (Sorry, you have to provide your own. This is a virtual party after all!) and let's get started.

I'm sharing a postcard my great grandmother Mattie Maddox Howard sent to her mother Martha Jane (Lett) Maddox. It is all the more special because this is the only known handwriting sample of Mattie's that our family has.

Transcription of the above postcard:

Dear Mother

Ill write you a

few lines. We are

all well hop you

are well by now

I want you to

hurry up and come

out here and

stay with us

some. I will come

to see you when I

can. much Love to

you all From,

Mattie H

Note the postcard is a birthday card, but the postmark shows that the card was sent in October of 1923. Martha Jane’s birthday was in January. Also, note that no mention of birthday wishes was made in the note. During this time of letter writing, the writer often used what they had on hand. In this case, a birthday card served the purpose for Mattie to send a note to her mother.

If you would like to join in the fun and link your postcard post here, use the "add your link" button at the bottom of this post. I'm looking forward to reading about your postcard(s).

Postcard Bonanza Tomorrow

2011-08-30T07:00:00.000-04:00

It is almost here! Tomorrow is the day.

How does the Postcard Bonanza work?

Post your vintage postcard on your blog. In your post you might want to share a little bit about the postcard. (Hint: Your post doesn't have to be written on the Aug 31st. You can link back to a post previously written.)
On Aug 31st (tomorrow) visit the Postcard Bonanza here at Are You My Cousin?.
Click the "add your link" button at the bottom of the post. Follow the instructions and a link to your blog post will appear at the bottom of the Postcard Bonanza page.
Enjoy following the links and reading other postcard blog posts.

Note: When you link to the Postcard Bonanza, be sure to use the URL address for that post. This is known as a permalink. If you are unsure how to find your permalink, go here.

See you tomorrow!

Who Else Is In That Pension File?

2011-08-29T04:00:00.000-04:00

I am following Cinamon's example over at (Mis)Adventures of a Genealogist. She has been in the process of analyzing her Luttrell ancestor's pension file. In the process Cinamon noticed that many who provided affidavits on her ancestor's behalf provided information on their own lives as well. She has listed out the names of the individuals in her most recent post. Go check it out. You might find your ancestor!

This has sent me back to read my own ancestor's pension file. You may remember James Harward (~1760-1840), my GGGGG grandfather. Specifically I was looking for the names of individuals who testified for him or were mentioned in any other context. Just what was their relationship to him? Will I find James mentioned in their pension records? Land records?

[I have not posted on James recently, but you can read about him here. As a young man he served three tours in the Revolutionary War fighting with groups formed in Wake County, NC. He applied for his pension in 1832 at the age of 72.]

Below I have listed the names of the "other" individuals listed in James Harward's pension file filed in Aug 1832. I have also included those names listed in his widow Rachel Harward's file from 1856 as well.

Bartlett Allen Revolutionary War soldier from Wake County, NC

Issac Smith Revolutionary War soldier from Wake County, NC

John Scott Neighbor of James Harward

James Morries [Morris] Neighbor of James Harward

Nelson Andrews 8 Jan 1828 Friend of James Harward

Rachel Belvin Second wife of James Harward

George Harward Son of James Harward; Resident of Chatham County, NC 1832

Allen Rogers Wake County Attorney

William Lewell Wake County Attorney

J H Kirkham Attorney in Wake County 1856

G W F Davis Resident of Wake County 1856

E J W Hogue Resident of Wake County 1856

Iziekiah Goodwin Resident of Wake County 1856; Possible son-in-law of Rachel Belvin Harward

Willie Harred [Harward] Resident of Wake County 1856; Likely son of James Harward

If you find your ancestor among those listed, contact me. I'm happy to share what I have.

The 1900 House

2011-08-27T04:00:00.000-04:00

I have a confession. Around here we like to watch those historical reality shows. You know the ones where a family or individuals "go back in time" for three months. The clothes they wear, the food they eat and even their leisure activities are authentic to the period in which they live.

The latest show that we've watched is The 1900 House. Filmed back in 1999, an English family lived as a 1900 middle class London family would have lived. This particular family moved into a Victorian home and for three months lived with gas lanterns, a fireplace and kitchen range for heat, and a "modern toilet" (for the period) located in a shed out back. The show chronicles the family's journey to live without the technology and convenience of household appliances of today. Quite an interesting show to watch.

This would have been the time period my great great grandmothers would have been raising their families. The majority of my ancestors at this time were still rural farmers and not living in large cities. Life often revolved around the seasons of farming. Electricity and indoor plumbing were still a ways off.

The question begs to be asked. Could I do it? Could I be successful as a 1900 homemaker? I don't know, but I would not mind giving it a try. As long as it is temporary!

Could you do it?

A Sneak Preview

2011-08-26T12:00:00.001-04:00

With the Postcard Bonanza next week, I thought I would give a sneak peek at one of my postcards I discovered recently. This is one of my favorite type of postcards. I like the postcards depicting locations and landmarks. I'm not really sure why. Perhaps because they show where my ancestors went on their travels.

This is a postcard of the Beaufort/Morehead City, NC bridge. The view is east across the sound. Morehead City and Beaufort are historical coastal towns and a popular vacation spots for tourists on the NC coast.

This particular card was sent to my grandmother Cecile White of Dobson, NC in 1935. It is signed "Aunt Blanche". Blanche is Blanche Holyfield , the sister of Cecile's mother Stella Holyfield White.

It is ironic that I found this card tucked in my grandmother's scrapbook this week. Along with much of the NC coast, Morehead City is currently evacuating in advance of Hurricane Irene. It is certainly my hope that everyone gets out safely and damage is kept to a minimum.

Back To School

2011-08-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

Today many students in our North Carolina head back to school. That got me to thinking about using school records to tell our ancestors' stories. While not a record source I use regularly, school records can provide important information on our ancestors and those around them.

Yearbooks: I first wrote the Cluster Springs High School yearbook here. The ads in the back provide a glimpse into the economy of the community. While we may find photographs of our ancestors in a yearbook, you are also likely to find photographs of your collateral lines as well. In smaller farming communities such as Cluster Springs, Va, families often lived close by each other. Knowing surnames common to an area can prove useful in research as well. When attempting to break through the genealogical brick wall, researching those around your ancestor can provide the clues you need.

Report Cards: Report cards can tell us what type of student our ancestor was. We can learn their strengths and weaknesses. In this example physiology and history were definitely not Aunt Elma's best subjects.

Now look at the bottom of this report card. Her father B H Talbott [Boss Henry Talbott] has signed the card. You can find parent and/or guardian names listed on report cards as well as their signature. Recognizing an ancestor's signature can be helpful when analyzing other documents relating to them.

Location of an ancestor can also be determined by their report card. This report card shows that Elma Talbott was in South Boston [VA] in 1930-1931 at Lawson School. Research on the school can help pinpoint an area close to where Elma lived.

Certificates: Like report cards, certificates earned at school place your ancestor in a time and a place.

If you are fortunate to school records for your ancestor, I encourage you to pull them out and give them a second look. Look beyond the grades and see who or what else you can find.

It Is Just A Week Away!

2011-08-24T07:00:00.000-04:00

The Postcard Bonanza is just a week away! I hope you will join us as we share vintage postcards of our ancestors. Read about how to join the fun here.

Postmarked 1923, South Boston, VA

Genealogy Quote

2011-08-21T07:00:00.000-04:00

I found this quote and liked it. Hope you like it, too.

Genealogy: A hay stack full of needles. It's the threads I need.
-Unknown

Genealogy Might Be To Blame

2011-08-19T07:00:00.000-04:00

Genealogy might be to blame for...

the deterioration of my baking skills. My ancestors seem to intrude into my thoughts when I am measuring ingredients. (I have even suspected them of turning off the timer!)

Genealogy might be to blame for...

Spending a lot of time in the closet. This statement needs a little clarification. My genealogy office is a converted closet. It was actually converted to a craft closet first and then to a genealogy ~~closet~~ office. We just cannot seem to call it anything else.

Genealogy might be to blame for...

"Forgetting" how to spell my own name. Sometimes I just look at my name as wonder is it one "t" or two.

What can you "blame" on genealogy?

Join Me For a Postcard Bonanza

2011-08-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

I have come to realize that I have a plethora ( I do love that word!) of vintage postcards. I did not intentionally start collecting postcards, it just sort of happened. As family members shared our family history in the form of letters and postcards with me, the collection just sort of grew...and grew. There is quite a variety among the postcards. Some represent the personal correspondence of my ancestors and some postcards represent souvenirs they collected in their travels. I have shared some of the postcards from my collection on my blog in the past, but I have decided it is time to be more intentional about sharing them.

So, I am having a (virtual) party. A Postcard Bonanza Party to be exact. April 31st is the date. And you're invited.

How does it work?

Post your vintage postcard on your blog. In your post you might want to share a little bit about the postcard. (Hint: Your post doesn't have to be written on the Aug 31st. You can link back to a post previously written.)
On Aug 31st visit the Postcard Bonanza here at Are You My Cousin?.
Click the "add your link" button at the bottom of the post. Follow the instructions and a link to your blog post will appear at the bottom of the Postcard Bonanza page.
Enjoy following the links and reading other postcard blog posts.

Note: When you link to the Postcard Bonanza, be sure to use the URL address for that post. This is known as a permalink. If you are unsure how to find your permalink, go here.

That's it. It is really quite easy. Then enjoy visiting other bloggers' blogs who also link to the Postcard Bonanza.

I am really looking forward to seeing everyone's postcards.

Brick Wall Still Firmly In Place

2011-08-17T07:00:00.000-04:00

I had hoped the title for this post would be Brick Wall Comes Tumbling Down. It was just not to be. The Haley brick wall still stands firm.

I am just back from a research trip to Charlotte Courthouse, Charlotte, VA. Charlotte Courthouse is a beautiful historic town in southern Virginia. The courthouse itself was designed by Thomas Jefferson and dates back to 1823. I do love researching original records in county seats. (Read about my first experience with this in Halifax County, VA here.) My favorite part is perhaps when I walk through the door of the records room. All those records just waiting for me to pull them off the shelf. I walked into the records room today and just stopped. I let my eyes wander over the records housed there. I could not help but ask myself:

What and how many answers would these records hold?

Then I got down to work. Today I was continuing my research on the Haley family, specifically my GGGG grandfather Jesse Haley. Haley families lived in both Halifax and Charlotte Counties. I had my research plan that I designed based on my Halifax County, VA research trip back in June. I started with the marriage records, moved on to the Wills and probates and finally onto the court records. The records did not seem to hold the answers I was seeking. But that's okay. Sometimes there is as much information in what is not found in the records as what is found.

So, back home I've come to re-analyze what I know and what I do not know about Jesse Haley. I will revise my research plan and proceed to chip away again at my brick wall.

Richard Jefferson Singleton

2011-08-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

The Haley family has suffered another loss. On Thursday, August 11, 2011, Richard Jefferson Singleton passed away in Lynchburg, VA. He was 96 years old.

Richard "Dick" was the son of James M Singleton and Ivy Leah Haley and the grandson of William and Clara Haley. Like so many in the Haley family, he was born in the Clarkton area of Halifax County, VA and resided in VA most of his life. Read more about him here.

His family is in our thoughts.

A Dear Lady Has Departed

2011-08-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

Dorothy Adams Haley

20 Oct 1917-11 Aug 2011

I only met her once. We are related by marriage. Yet, I felt a kinship to this southern lady. Since her marriage to my great grandmother's youngest brother Clyde Haley in 1937, Dorothy was an integral part of the Haley family. During my time with her, she shared stories about herself and my Haley ancestors no one else could possibly tell. She shared herself. She shared my heritage. For that I am truly grateful. Our family was all the better for having her in it. She will be missed.

This Is The Post In Which I Ask For Help

2011-08-13T07:00:00.000-04:00

I have begun researching my great-great grandmother Joanna White, wife of Thomas Jefferson White. They lived in Surry county, NC. I grew up hearing about Joanna, our"Irish grandmother". Oral history is vague and included the surnames Lyons and Barrett. Oral history also tells that Joanna was a widow when she came to America.

I am intrigued by Joanna. I have not done immigrant research and am looking forward to learning more about my great great grandmother and this area of research. My long range goal is to trace Joanna's family back into Ireland.

Joanna Lyons White

b. 25 July 1852

m. 20 Sep 1874

d. 6 Jun 1910

While I held the oral history in the back of my mind, I searched the records for clues to exactly who Joanna was and exactly where did she come from. Would facts found in the records support the family's oral history?

I started with the traditional records including the census records, the marriage records and death records. Right away, what I found caught me off guard. Joanna (sometimes spelled Jonah) was not born in Ireland. Census records give three locations for her place of birth: NC, VA, and D.C. Following Joanna back through the census records, finds her in the home of William Richard Wilmoth and Joanna Wilmoth in 1860 and 1870. Joanna Wilmoth (the elder) was born in Ireland. Later census records show both of Joanna's (the younger) parents were born in Ireland. WR Wilmoth was born in NC. Because Joanna (the younger) was living in the home of WR Wilmoth, many researchers assumed that she was his daughter.

Here's where the story gets even more interesting.....

I came across the marriage registration for Joanna (the younger) and Thomas J. White in Surry County, NC in 1874. Immediately, the first thing I noticed was Joanna's name. She is listed in the marriage registration as Joanna Lyons. Next, Thomas's parents are correctly listed in the record as Joseph and Temperance White. Joanna's mother is listed as Joanna Wilmoth. Joanna's father is listed as Unknown. WR Wilmoth was still very much alive in 1874 and still married to Joanna's mother, the elder Joanna. It would appear that Joanna may well have been William Richard's step-daughter. (There are records where the younger Joanna appears as Joanna Wilmoth. Using death records and census records I have been able to confirm that Joanna Lyons and Joanna Wilmoth (the younger) are the same woman.)

And this is the point where I get "stuck". Where do I go from here?

Was Lyons Joanna's birth name or was she married prior to Thomas White as some researcher think? I have not found evidence of a prior marriage in the records.
The elder Joanna appears to be the immigrating ancestor from Ireland. I am not sure of her surname before her marriage to WR Wilmoth, though oral history tells of a young widow named Joanna Barrett crossing the Atlantic. She would have come to America before her daughter's birth in Jul 1852.
Because one of the possible birth places for the younger Joanna is D.C., what type of records might I find pertaining to Irish immigrants in that area. in the early 1850's?

So....if you are a cousin or Surry County researcher who knows more of the story, I would really like to hear from you. If you are a fellow researcher, I'm open to your suggestions.

A Special Photograph

2011-08-11T07:00:00.005-04:00

This is a photograph I found in Cecile White's scrapbook. I had never seen it, and was thrilled to have and to share it. This is my great grandmother Stella Holyfield White holding her daughter Violet White on her lap. To the left is my grandmother Cecile and to the right is her brother Jasper. I see the faces of my cousins in this photograph.

One of the special things about this photograph is seeing Jasper. Thomas "Jasper" White was the oldest child of Stella and James Abe White to live to adulthood. Unfortunately, he died in an automobile accident at the age of 19 in 1935. This is only the second photograph I have discovered of him and I am happy to share it with my cousins.

Wordless Wednesday - Ride 'em, Cowgirl!

2011-08-10T07:28:00.000-04:00

Apparently I watched a lot of B westerns as a child!

Sometimes There Is No Figuring It Out

2011-08-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

I have recently been reading my grandmother Cecile White Howard's scrapbook that she started in 1932. I found this photograph of the electric chair in the Dobson, NC jail pasted in among the postcards and candy wrappers she saved. The question here is "Why?". Why would my grandmother put this particular photo in her scrapbook? To my knowledge, no ancestor ever sat in this chair. (I know you were thinking that!)

White family cousins, do you know why this photograph is in Cecile's scrapbook?

Scrapbooking is Not a "New" Hobby

2011-08-08T07:00:00.000-04:00

Scrapbooking became a very popular hobby a number of years ago. I admit to making my share of scrapbooks when my children were little. Craft stores began to dedicate whole sections to this new hobby. I collected the craft store coupons to purchase papers, stickers and other embellishments used in the design of my pages. I got together with friends to socialize and create our scrapbook pages.

Since I began my genealogy journey, I have become the repository of many of our family's photos and mementos. Among these items are five scrapbooks dating from the 1940's back to the 1920's and various baby books.

My ancestors' scrapbooks have taught me a few things:

Scrapbooking is not a new hobby, and it was not just for women.

This is my Uncle Ernest Carr's scrapbook from the time he was in the navy during WWII. Ernest enlisted in the navy in 1937 and went on to spend his career in the navy. He was primarily in the Pacific arena during the war. It is an absolutely fascinating read. Ernest included a log of the ships on which he was stationed. He included photos of the ports he visited and the people he met. About those people he met....some were females. (I do not leave this scrapbook out for general viewing.)

Scrapbookers in my family used what they had on hand.

Is this not part of the fun and essence of scrapbooking? Using what you have to represent the memory? This is the scrapbook of Elton Carr (Ernest's sister). She did not have a formal scrapbook, so she used an old book and just pasted over the pages. I first wrote about Elton's book here.

A Scrapbook is where you learn about what was important to your ancestor.

As genealogists, we rely on the records our ancestors generated as part of life to track them through time and through relationships. Most of these records such as wills, censuses, and court cases were official and legal documents. A scrapbook is a personal record of your ancestor where the reader can learn what was important to that person. Who was important to that person. Scrapbooks also record your ancestors' feelings. The sense of pride my grandmother had in her basketball skills was evident in the fact she saved newspaper articles of her games.

I encourage you as a researcher to read your ancestors's scrapbooks. Read the words they wrote. Read between the lines to the words they did not write. Pair the scrapbook with oral history and learn who your ancestor was beyond the official records.

Impressions

2011-08-04T07:00:00.000-04:00

Do you ever get specific impressions of what your ancestors were like as people? What their personalities were like? Were they generally happy people? Were they honorable? Were sorrow and pain a constant companion?

I get a lot of my impressions about my ancestors from the photographs they left behind. I think we all do. I expect that's the reason for the saying "a picture speaks a thousand words".

That's a picture of my great grandmother Esther Richardson (left), her mother Hattie Elliott Richardson (center) and Esther's best friend Nannie Lee Farson (right). As in this photo, Esther is almost always smiling in her photographs. I believe she was generally a very happy person.

This is a portrait of my great-great grandmother Joanna White, wife of Thomas Jefferson White. This is the only photograph I have seen of Joanna and I know little of her life other than the basics. (Don't worry White family cousins, Joanna is high on my list of upcoming research projects.) She looks so stern and has a worried look in her eyes. Is this how she saw life in general? Was worry a constant companion? Perhaps or perhaps not. She could have been up with a sick child the night before her portrait was taken.

This is a photograph of Martha Jane (Lett) Maddox obviously taken in her later years. She was only in her mid-60's when this photograph was taken. My initial impression of her in this photograph is that she was a stern, no nonsense type of woman who lived a hard life. That may be true to a degree. She certainly knew the sorrow of losing a spouse and children during her lifetime. But this is a case where my impression of her just from the photograph is likely not an accurate portrayal. From her grandson's journal I learned Martha Jane was a woman who taught a young boy how to fish. Fishing became a life long hobby for my grandfather. From an interview an elderly cousin, I learned how much Martha Jane loved her grandchildren. It was only her poor health that prevented her from taking in her daughter Mattie's young children when Mattie died.

Here you have a few of my thoughts for a Thursday morning. I'm off to try to see how the facts support (or not) my impressions of other ancestors.

Wordless Wednesday - One Grandfather, One Doll, One Bandaid

2011-08-03T07:00:00.001-04:00

Here is what happens when you fall asleep with young children (i.e. me) in the house. Do so at your own risk.

2011-08-02T07:00:00.000-04:00

I'm rather late in joining the fun on charting the country of birth for my ancestors (specifically my great-great grandparents). Oh, well...better late than never. I was very excited to put the birthplace of my great-great grandparents on a pie chart. I had seen others in the blogging world posting fun multicolored charts depicting ancestors born in various locations. So with great anticipation, I started creating mine pie chart.

Mmmmm.....it seems my ancestors have been here a while. Next I decided to chart my great-great grandparents by the state where they were born. (I really wanted to add some color to this chart!)

A little more color. Still, as you can see, my ancestors stayed pretty close to home. I do admit research is made a little easier when the ancestors did not travel far.

Enjoy!

My Ancestors Had a Sense of Humor!

2011-07-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

I received this story about my great grandmother Winnie Haley Carr in my e-mail recently. It is from an aunt who tells the story as it was told to her. The story takes place in Charlotte County, VA on or close to the William Haley farm. Apparently the "children" (Will's grandchildren) did not always do as they were instructed. (Imagine that!)

The children were told to stay out of a creek and they kept slipping off and going anyway. Mother [one of Will's granddaughters] said they were in the creek and looked up to see these two men dressed in suits coming down the road. They told the children it was against the law to swim in the creek and they [the children] were scared . Come to find out it was Winnie and a sister dressed up as men!

Cousins - Any idea which sister was Winnie's counterpart?

I think the Haley's must have laughed a lot!