We drove down a dusty road, slowing several times before finding the “right spot.” There it was, the canal headgate where they were engaged more than 50 years ago. It was during the 50th Anniversary weekend celebration in 1981 that we took the drive. They got out of the car and to my surprise theyContinue reading “A Love Story”
Category Archives: Family History
Records of Birth
A baby recently joined our family. A perfect little human! Nowadays, the hospital provided the parents with a form to fill out to receive the child’s birth certificate and social security number. In most states you can click Vital Records online and receive a copy of your birth certificate. It hasn’t always been like that. Continue reading “Records of Birth”
Clues from Christmas Letters
Happy Holidays – I wanted to share my favorite Christmas poem. My family always reads this on Christmas Eve. But have you thought about your family Christmas letter – does it give clues for future genealogist? Give this some thought. “’Twas The Night Before Christmas”‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the housenot aContinue reading “Clues from Christmas Letters”
SPANISH AMERICAN WAR
As I write this, it is Veteran’s Day 2020, I want to share my appreciation to all who serve and those who have served. As I explore my own family members who have served in the past, one story jumps out at me. One great great grandfather served in the lesser-known “Spanish American War.” TheContinue reading “SPANISH AMERICAN WAR”
Obscure Finds
Every once-and-in-while I stumble across an obscure find and think “no one would know to look here for that.” Usually I copy it or print it thinking “maybe someday I will share this, or someone will need it.” Even if it isn’t helpful for me, I can’t overlook unique, obscure records, can you? Here isContinue reading “Obscure Finds”
Kids Love Genealogy Too
It’s back to school time and it got me thinking how to encourage kids to enjoy their family history. In my mind it’s never too early to start sharing family history with children. Often one of the first words a child says is “daddy” or “mommy.” That is the first step in understanding how yourContinue reading “Kids Love Genealogy Too”
The Value of an Obituary
make ’em readable
Cousins by the Dozens
How many first cousins do you have? Most people have 4-6 first cousins. Those are your parents-siblings-children. You know your aunt and uncle’s kids. The ones you played with when you were a kid but kinda lost contact with except for at your grandparents funeral. Ok let’s assume each family has 3 kids (we knowContinue reading “Cousins by the Dozens”
North Dakota Farmer
Searching historical records for a relative who was a North Dakota farmer can be a challenge. The reasons include #1 Limited public records, #2 Many Scandinavian names are similar, such as Olson, Olsen, Oleson, Olsson, #3 Shorter life span due to hazards. Thankfully we have the 1900 federal census as a place to start! TheContinue reading “North Dakota Farmer”
Geneographer 