This blog has moved to a new location.
http://morningcoffeewithjohn.wordpress.com/
I will move some of the older posts from here to the new site in time.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Monday, September 10, 2012
Patience
Instant gratification is not something anyone who is serious about genealogy expects. It takes a lot of digging to find even the hint of a gold nugget. When we find an actual nugget we shout it out to the world. Why? Because there are so few of them and they are so far apart.
I can dig and dig and dig and dig and continue having the willpower to continue digging until either I find something, or I've exhausted that type of record completely. It's what we do. It's why we have faith that what we found does belong to our ancestor.
Genealogist, the serious ones, have had to learn patience. There really is nothing quick about genealogy. It takes time to prove the family relationships.
So, my question to myself is this: if I can have all the patience in the world when it comes to finding a record that proves or disproves a relationship, why am I so impatient going through the "future family history room" aka "junk room"?
I've been working on it for several days now. I have done a lot of organization with the papers and pictures as I find them. It all takes time. Lots of time.
I do all the organizing downstairs in my work area. Which looks like a tornado struck it.
Today I was so frustrated. My living area looks like a bomb went off. My work area looks like ten 2 year olds were let loose after a morning of eating nothing but candy.
I want to see progress in the space where I spend so much time. I want to see progress in my home.
Today, after losing my temper (I know, unbelievable that I'd lose my temper), I had to stop and evaluate what my goals were.
My goal was to clean out the east bedroom upstairs so when we fix the downstairs we'll have space to store our stuff as we fix our area. Now is not the time to clean and organize the downstairs. Now is the time to clean the upstairs so we can store things up there as we make our living area better.
Patience is hard right now though when it comes to housework.
But I will remain patient. Or I'll try to. I'd rather be back searching the 1810 New York Federal Census.
Sunday, September 09, 2012
Every family has one
We laugh about this person. Sometimes we wish they'd just stop it.
Since I've started cleaning out my junk room, AKA future family history room, I'm so grateful for this person.
The running joke in our family is about all the pictures my sister-in-law, Joan, takes at every event and every non-event.
As I go through all the pictures, the truth is, if it weren't for Joan, I'd be done with sorting the photographs for the last 40 years. Thank goodness she clicks even when we aren't ready for her to push the shutter button.
Does she catch all of us at our best? Not even close. But she catches us at our most real moments. Those moments we want to hide from the world. Even from ourselves.
Currently, I have the title of family historian, the genealogist, in the family.
The truth is, Joan has made my job so much easier. All the photographs that she's taken over the years helps document the family relationships.
From The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy by Val D. Greenwood, "Genealogy: That branch of history which involves the determination of family relationships. This is not done by copying but rather by research."
From the same book; Research: An investigation aimed at the discovery and the interpretation of facts and also the revision of accepted theories in light of new facts.
Because of the thousands upon thousands of pictures that Joan has taken, she's helped me to breath life into all of our lives that will live on even after we're gone.
Thank you, Joan, for all you've shared with our family. You are the family photographer. You capture all those moments we would have forgotten if it weren't for you. That is even more important than what I do.
Since I've started cleaning out my junk room, AKA future family history room, I'm so grateful for this person.
The running joke in our family is about all the pictures my sister-in-law, Joan, takes at every event and every non-event.
As I go through all the pictures, the truth is, if it weren't for Joan, I'd be done with sorting the photographs for the last 40 years. Thank goodness she clicks even when we aren't ready for her to push the shutter button.
Does she catch all of us at our best? Not even close. But she catches us at our most real moments. Those moments we want to hide from the world. Even from ourselves.
Currently, I have the title of family historian, the genealogist, in the family.
The truth is, Joan has made my job so much easier. All the photographs that she's taken over the years helps document the family relationships.
From The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy by Val D. Greenwood, "Genealogy: That branch of history which involves the determination of family relationships. This is not done by copying but rather by research."
From the same book; Research: An investigation aimed at the discovery and the interpretation of facts and also the revision of accepted theories in light of new facts.
Because of the thousands upon thousands of pictures that Joan has taken, she's helped me to breath life into all of our lives that will live on even after we're gone.
Thank you, Joan, for all you've shared with our family. You are the family photographer. You capture all those moments we would have forgotten if it weren't for you. That is even more important than what I do.
Saturday, September 08, 2012
Sorting through tomorrow's history
Yesterday I started working in my junk room. You know the room I'm talking about. We all have one. If not a whole room, an area where we shove papers and pictures into a box or several boxes to sort through "some day."
For me, "some day" is now.
When I looked at it as going through the junk room, it was hard to face. The motivation wasn't there.
After opening the first box, I realized it wasn't a junk room.
What I'm doing is sorting through tomorrow's family history. The boxes contain information about the life I'm living today, lived yesterday and have yet to live. It contains information about my husband. Our children. Our immediate family.
If I, the family historian, can't be bothered to preserve this treasure trove pertaining to my own family, with love and respect, how can I expect the future family historian to do so?
It's so easy to get wrapped up in discovering all the information we can find about our relatives from a hundred , two hundred, even three hundred years ago. We also need to take time to get lost in the discovery of documents, photographs and memories of are living family.
Don't let the junk area scare you. Embrace it and start sorting through tomorrow's family history. Make it easy on the next family historian. Will it be your own child who takes over? Will it be a grandchild? A great grandchild? A great, great grandchild? We don't know who will follow in our tracks.
I doubt if my mother suspected I would be the one to pick up where she left off. But someone will. It might take a few generations before one of your direct descendants goes searching, but if we keep our current family stories alive through careful recording, when that direct descendant of yours comes along, they will find a gold mine.
But only if you preserve the information today.
It's fun. It's different. Instead of wondering what it was like, you are preserving the information that you know first hand what it was like. This is where you can leave your mark in history.
Embrace this opportunity.
For me, "some day" is now.
When I looked at it as going through the junk room, it was hard to face. The motivation wasn't there.
After opening the first box, I realized it wasn't a junk room.
What I'm doing is sorting through tomorrow's family history. The boxes contain information about the life I'm living today, lived yesterday and have yet to live. It contains information about my husband. Our children. Our immediate family.
If I, the family historian, can't be bothered to preserve this treasure trove pertaining to my own family, with love and respect, how can I expect the future family historian to do so?
It's so easy to get wrapped up in discovering all the information we can find about our relatives from a hundred , two hundred, even three hundred years ago. We also need to take time to get lost in the discovery of documents, photographs and memories of are living family.
Don't let the junk area scare you. Embrace it and start sorting through tomorrow's family history. Make it easy on the next family historian. Will it be your own child who takes over? Will it be a grandchild? A great grandchild? A great, great grandchild? We don't know who will follow in our tracks.
I doubt if my mother suspected I would be the one to pick up where she left off. But someone will. It might take a few generations before one of your direct descendants goes searching, but if we keep our current family stories alive through careful recording, when that direct descendant of yours comes along, they will find a gold mine.
But only if you preserve the information today.
It's fun. It's different. Instead of wondering what it was like, you are preserving the information that you know first hand what it was like. This is where you can leave your mark in history.
Embrace this opportunity.
Monday, September 03, 2012
What they really mean
One has to remember that when this country was formed, if our forefathers and/or ancestors had any inkling to being PC their definition of what was PC is very different from what we've had shoved down our throats over the last decade or longer.
When we review these records, if we are using our terminology from 2012 then we'll miss a lot of information.
Genealogy is also referred to as family history. To date, I've noticed that if the researcher relates things to our present world, they usually have a mess on their hands. First, they won't be able to locate several counties and/or townships on a present day map. Some of the births that happened in present day New York state actually happened in Connecticut when the event actually happened. And vice versa.
State lines changed. County lines changed. Township lines changed. Some counties no longer exist. Some townships no longer exist.
Not only do we have a respectable knowledge about the history of the locations where our ancestors lived, we need to have a fair knowledge about the social history, too.
In the early census records the classifications were very simple. There were free white males in various age groups and there were free white females in various age groups. We also had two more classifications. Slaves and free colored persons.
If you use how we look at these other two classifications, most people will assume what the government during that time really wanted to know as how many of the black population were slaves and how many were free. You'd be very, very wrong.
First, slaves included persons of every color. There were white slaves, black slaves, red slaves, etc., etc., etc. If your 4X great grandmother who came from England was sent to America as a slave, she will not show up being listed by her name in the early censuses. In the eyes of our young government, she was not a person, she was property, therefore she was listed with the property called slaves.
The free persons of color category is another one that many people believe refers only to the black population. Again, they are wrong.
Any free person who is not white is listed in the free persons of color category. Do you have what we call Native American in your family history. If your Native American ancestors were enumerated they would be in this category. However, and this is a very large however, only if they were taxed. If they were on a reservation, or roaming unsettled areas of the country, they won't be enumerated on most of the early censuses.
While it might grate some researchers, the truth is, it can be very helpful, too. For instance, most of us have a family story that there's Indian in our line. At least my family story doesn't include the Cherokee Princess version. I haven't proven or disproven this. However, let's say that I know the head of the family for all my ancestors and I'm able to find everyone of the heads of household in the 1820 Federal Census (I don't and I haven't, but this is pretend), if I can only find John Smith, 4X great grandfather in upper state New York. However, he is not listed as a free white male. Instead, he's listed as a free person of color, I would know that there's a very good chance this is where I should concentrate when I decide it's time to explore the Indian family story.
If you want to spend a lot of time and energy proclaiming that our forefathers were bigots, go right ahead. The truth is, even today we are asked about ethnicity on not only the census forms, but almost every form we fill out.
Personally, instead of gnashing my teeth over any intentions, good or bad, our forefathers may have had for making these distinctions between free whites and everyone else, I can better spend my time learning what they meant when they classified someone as colored and then use that information to search for my ancestors.
Honestly, when one decides to pursue genealogy, or family history, we do so wanting to acquire information about our ancestors, or the ancestors of others if you're a professional genealogist for hire. We are not supposed to change the past. Just present the past according to what we've found.
We can't judge our ancestors using the standards we have today anymore than we'd want them to judge us using the standards they lived under. Until we learn what the standards were for that period of time and what the terminology was, we won't be able to present their life accurately because we'll be using today's standards, not theirs.
When we review these records, if we are using our terminology from 2012 then we'll miss a lot of information.
Genealogy is also referred to as family history. To date, I've noticed that if the researcher relates things to our present world, they usually have a mess on their hands. First, they won't be able to locate several counties and/or townships on a present day map. Some of the births that happened in present day New York state actually happened in Connecticut when the event actually happened. And vice versa.
State lines changed. County lines changed. Township lines changed. Some counties no longer exist. Some townships no longer exist.
Not only do we have a respectable knowledge about the history of the locations where our ancestors lived, we need to have a fair knowledge about the social history, too.
In the early census records the classifications were very simple. There were free white males in various age groups and there were free white females in various age groups. We also had two more classifications. Slaves and free colored persons.
If you use how we look at these other two classifications, most people will assume what the government during that time really wanted to know as how many of the black population were slaves and how many were free. You'd be very, very wrong.
First, slaves included persons of every color. There were white slaves, black slaves, red slaves, etc., etc., etc. If your 4X great grandmother who came from England was sent to America as a slave, she will not show up being listed by her name in the early censuses. In the eyes of our young government, she was not a person, she was property, therefore she was listed with the property called slaves.
The free persons of color category is another one that many people believe refers only to the black population. Again, they are wrong.
Any free person who is not white is listed in the free persons of color category. Do you have what we call Native American in your family history. If your Native American ancestors were enumerated they would be in this category. However, and this is a very large however, only if they were taxed. If they were on a reservation, or roaming unsettled areas of the country, they won't be enumerated on most of the early censuses.
While it might grate some researchers, the truth is, it can be very helpful, too. For instance, most of us have a family story that there's Indian in our line. At least my family story doesn't include the Cherokee Princess version. I haven't proven or disproven this. However, let's say that I know the head of the family for all my ancestors and I'm able to find everyone of the heads of household in the 1820 Federal Census (I don't and I haven't, but this is pretend), if I can only find John Smith, 4X great grandfather in upper state New York. However, he is not listed as a free white male. Instead, he's listed as a free person of color, I would know that there's a very good chance this is where I should concentrate when I decide it's time to explore the Indian family story.
If you want to spend a lot of time and energy proclaiming that our forefathers were bigots, go right ahead. The truth is, even today we are asked about ethnicity on not only the census forms, but almost every form we fill out.
Personally, instead of gnashing my teeth over any intentions, good or bad, our forefathers may have had for making these distinctions between free whites and everyone else, I can better spend my time learning what they meant when they classified someone as colored and then use that information to search for my ancestors.
Honestly, when one decides to pursue genealogy, or family history, we do so wanting to acquire information about our ancestors, or the ancestors of others if you're a professional genealogist for hire. We are not supposed to change the past. Just present the past according to what we've found.
We can't judge our ancestors using the standards we have today anymore than we'd want them to judge us using the standards they lived under. Until we learn what the standards were for that period of time and what the terminology was, we won't be able to present their life accurately because we'll be using today's standards, not theirs.
US Federal Census 101
Not all documents are created equal. Not all documents of the same type are created equal.
Yesterday I spent a large portion of the day reviewing the instructions the US Government gave to the enumerators. It's about 150 pages, but if you are using the US Federal Census to learn about your ancestors, you really do need to download a copy of the instructions over the various years and learn what the information really means. You can get your own copy here.
Another thing to remember when using the census information is that the enumeration dates have changed throughout the history of the US Federal Census. That information can be obtained here.
The important thing to remember, the questions asked pertain to these specific dates. It does not matter if the actual census taker didn't knock on our ancestors door until late December. They were counting the people in the household on that specific date. All those born after that date were not to be counted. All those that died after that date were to be counted.
Year Enumeration Date
1790 2 Aug 1790
1800 4 Aug 1800
1810 6 Aug 1810
1820 7 Aug 1820
1830 1 Jun 1830
1840 1 Jun 1840
1850 1 Jun 1850
1860 1 Jun 1860
1870 1 Jun 1870
1880 1 Jun 1880
1890 2 Jun 1890
1900 1 Jun 1900
1910 15 Apr 1910
1920 5 Jan 1920
1930 1 Apr 1930
1940 1 Apr 1940
Since these are the only ones available for review, I'll stop at 1940. The 1950 Census will not be available until 1 Apr 2022. There is a 72 year waiting period from the enumeration date until the documents become public. The enumeration date for the US Federal Census from 1950-2010 is 1 Apr of the year for each census.
What do these dates really mean? Technically, it means that even though the enumerator did not reach the home of Abram Birdsell until 1 Aug 1860, just because Martin is listed in the household it doesn't mean he was still living on 1 Aug 1860. It is only supposed to mean that he was still living on 1 Jun 1860. We can't assume that he was still living on 2 Jun 1860 or any date after that date.
With that said, we also have to take into account that our ancestors might not have been telling the truth all the time.
An example of an ancestor that might have stretched the truth. In the 1830 Federal Census in the home of Abraham Birdsel is a female less than 5. If that child was still living during the 1840 census she should be in the spot for white female 10 and under 15. There isn't a female listed in that age group.
My question was: did this child die? Or is the female child listed in the 1830 census in the 5 and under 10 age group? There are two females listed there. One was Letitia. The other was unknown to me. Was being the important word here. Since then, I've learned who the unknown daughter was. And it appears that she was listed in both the 1830 and 1840 Federal Census.
My best guess is that she was born within a week or two of 1 Jun 1830. For example if she were born on 2 Jun 1830, technically she should not be listed in the 1830 census according to the instructions the enumerators received. However, if the enumerator didn't arrive until 7 Jul 1830, how would he know if that little infant was born on 31 May 1830 or 7 Jun 1830? He wouldn't.
Then comes the next possible problem. Just because an enumerator was given instructions, how closely did he adhere to them? Did he stress the information he requested only pertained to those living in the household on 1 Jun 1830? Or did he come in, ask questions and specify that he wasn't asking about the actual date he was there, but a date weeks or even months earlier?
In later census records, this same person age 20, 30, 40 and 50 before she disappears. So was she born on 1 Jun 1830 or before? There is no way to know for sure. Starting in 1850, when everyone is listed, under age the question asked is, age, or later age at last birthday, and by 1880, age at last birthday prior to 1 Jun 1880. That's how it's listed on the forms. Did the enumerator state prior to 1 Jun 1880? Or just ask the respondents their age? Remember, several of our ancestors could not read or write. Even those who could weren't filling out the forms themselves. The enumerator asked the questions and filled in the answers himself.
To get the most information from the old census records, we have to consider what it's supposed to mean (using the enumeration date the government told the enumerators to use) and what it might mean (realizing that either the enumerators and/or our ancestors didn't pay attention to that date a few weeks to several months in the past). As the family historian when we use this information we have to assume our ancestors were honest and the enumerators were doing their job as instructed. When we get conflicting information, then we have to figure out why the information is conflicting. We may never know for sure, but we have to come up with sound reasoning to explain the conflicting data.
If we don't know what instructions the enumerators were given we can't know if there is conflicting information.
Yesterday I spent a large portion of the day reviewing the instructions the US Government gave to the enumerators. It's about 150 pages, but if you are using the US Federal Census to learn about your ancestors, you really do need to download a copy of the instructions over the various years and learn what the information really means. You can get your own copy here.
Another thing to remember when using the census information is that the enumeration dates have changed throughout the history of the US Federal Census. That information can be obtained here.
The important thing to remember, the questions asked pertain to these specific dates. It does not matter if the actual census taker didn't knock on our ancestors door until late December. They were counting the people in the household on that specific date. All those born after that date were not to be counted. All those that died after that date were to be counted.
Year Enumeration Date
1790 2 Aug 1790
1800 4 Aug 1800
1810 6 Aug 1810
1820 7 Aug 1820
1830 1 Jun 1830
1840 1 Jun 1840
1850 1 Jun 1850
1860 1 Jun 1860
1870 1 Jun 1870
1880 1 Jun 1880
1890 2 Jun 1890
1900 1 Jun 1900
1910 15 Apr 1910
1920 5 Jan 1920
1930 1 Apr 1930
1940 1 Apr 1940
Since these are the only ones available for review, I'll stop at 1940. The 1950 Census will not be available until 1 Apr 2022. There is a 72 year waiting period from the enumeration date until the documents become public. The enumeration date for the US Federal Census from 1950-2010 is 1 Apr of the year for each census.
What do these dates really mean? Technically, it means that even though the enumerator did not reach the home of Abram Birdsell until 1 Aug 1860, just because Martin is listed in the household it doesn't mean he was still living on 1 Aug 1860. It is only supposed to mean that he was still living on 1 Jun 1860. We can't assume that he was still living on 2 Jun 1860 or any date after that date.
With that said, we also have to take into account that our ancestors might not have been telling the truth all the time.
An example of an ancestor that might have stretched the truth. In the 1830 Federal Census in the home of Abraham Birdsel is a female less than 5. If that child was still living during the 1840 census she should be in the spot for white female 10 and under 15. There isn't a female listed in that age group.
My question was: did this child die? Or is the female child listed in the 1830 census in the 5 and under 10 age group? There are two females listed there. One was Letitia. The other was unknown to me. Was being the important word here. Since then, I've learned who the unknown daughter was. And it appears that she was listed in both the 1830 and 1840 Federal Census.
My best guess is that she was born within a week or two of 1 Jun 1830. For example if she were born on 2 Jun 1830, technically she should not be listed in the 1830 census according to the instructions the enumerators received. However, if the enumerator didn't arrive until 7 Jul 1830, how would he know if that little infant was born on 31 May 1830 or 7 Jun 1830? He wouldn't.
Then comes the next possible problem. Just because an enumerator was given instructions, how closely did he adhere to them? Did he stress the information he requested only pertained to those living in the household on 1 Jun 1830? Or did he come in, ask questions and specify that he wasn't asking about the actual date he was there, but a date weeks or even months earlier?
In later census records, this same person age 20, 30, 40 and 50 before she disappears. So was she born on 1 Jun 1830 or before? There is no way to know for sure. Starting in 1850, when everyone is listed, under age the question asked is, age, or later age at last birthday, and by 1880, age at last birthday prior to 1 Jun 1880. That's how it's listed on the forms. Did the enumerator state prior to 1 Jun 1880? Or just ask the respondents their age? Remember, several of our ancestors could not read or write. Even those who could weren't filling out the forms themselves. The enumerator asked the questions and filled in the answers himself.
To get the most information from the old census records, we have to consider what it's supposed to mean (using the enumeration date the government told the enumerators to use) and what it might mean (realizing that either the enumerators and/or our ancestors didn't pay attention to that date a few weeks to several months in the past). As the family historian when we use this information we have to assume our ancestors were honest and the enumerators were doing their job as instructed. When we get conflicting information, then we have to figure out why the information is conflicting. We may never know for sure, but we have to come up with sound reasoning to explain the conflicting data.
If we don't know what instructions the enumerators were given we can't know if there is conflicting information.
Sunday, September 02, 2012
New Dedication
It was January of this year, 2012, that I actively, pursued genealogy.
A baby in the world of genealogy.
While that's true, this journey started long before January of 2012.
I can't tell you exactly when it started. Back when I was pretty young. The late 60s or early 70s. But during that time, my mother was doing the actual work. I'd look at her completed work. I'd hear her frustrations, but I couldn't relate to them at that time.
Even in passing those genealogy years in the same household, I'm amazed at how much I picked up from my mother during those years when I wasn't really paying attention to the process she went through. It has helped me these last several months. It put me ahead of where I should be. Not only the information I picked up from her by just being there, but the boxes upon boxes of documentation that she'd acquired.
I thought a year would be enough time to organize her work and get it preserved for future generations. I didn't realize that once I started that process I'd be drawn into the age old question: who was he/she? I didn't plan to add new information. Maybe some new births, deaths, marriages, divorces, etc. But I didn't plan to add new people from past generations.
I didn't plan to fall in love with genealogy. My goal was to preserve what my mother had done long ago.
I didn't plan.
That's the problem. I had one goal and I didn't dream or plan on anything but my goal.
Almost immediately after starting I knew I wanted more than to preserve her records. I wanted to add to her records. I wanted to expand the information. I wanted a clearer picture of who our ancestors really were.
So, I went out and found information. I collected documents. I searched census records. I found new pictures. I added to the already mind-boggling boxes of information that still hasn't been organized.
I've been told that I'm good at this, digging for information. Maybe I am. I don't know. The more I learn the more I realize, I'm nothing but a brand new novice.
How can I change this? Very simply, I'm dedicating myself to learning more than the basics of genealogy. I have family reference books that were Mom's. I purchased a new one a few months ago. What's lacking though are reference books pertaining to genealogy. I've purchased a few in the last few months.
This weekend I purchased several more. If I'm going to do this, even if it's only for my own family, I'm going to do it correctly.
Maybe I'll have the bulk of things organized in a couple years. Maybe I won't. What I do believe is that by this time in 2014, I'll know more about my ancestors and what records carry more weight and what ones aren't as reliable. I'll have a better idea where to go on the local level for records that today I don't even know exist.
My research skills will be better. My ability to access what I find will be better. My ability to explain it's importance, or reliability or lack thereof will be better.
I am dedicating myself to becoming a better genealogist.
A baby in the world of genealogy.
While that's true, this journey started long before January of 2012.
I can't tell you exactly when it started. Back when I was pretty young. The late 60s or early 70s. But during that time, my mother was doing the actual work. I'd look at her completed work. I'd hear her frustrations, but I couldn't relate to them at that time.
Even in passing those genealogy years in the same household, I'm amazed at how much I picked up from my mother during those years when I wasn't really paying attention to the process she went through. It has helped me these last several months. It put me ahead of where I should be. Not only the information I picked up from her by just being there, but the boxes upon boxes of documentation that she'd acquired.
I thought a year would be enough time to organize her work and get it preserved for future generations. I didn't realize that once I started that process I'd be drawn into the age old question: who was he/she? I didn't plan to add new information. Maybe some new births, deaths, marriages, divorces, etc. But I didn't plan to add new people from past generations.
I didn't plan to fall in love with genealogy. My goal was to preserve what my mother had done long ago.
I didn't plan.
That's the problem. I had one goal and I didn't dream or plan on anything but my goal.
Almost immediately after starting I knew I wanted more than to preserve her records. I wanted to add to her records. I wanted to expand the information. I wanted a clearer picture of who our ancestors really were.
So, I went out and found information. I collected documents. I searched census records. I found new pictures. I added to the already mind-boggling boxes of information that still hasn't been organized.
I've been told that I'm good at this, digging for information. Maybe I am. I don't know. The more I learn the more I realize, I'm nothing but a brand new novice.
How can I change this? Very simply, I'm dedicating myself to learning more than the basics of genealogy. I have family reference books that were Mom's. I purchased a new one a few months ago. What's lacking though are reference books pertaining to genealogy. I've purchased a few in the last few months.
This weekend I purchased several more. If I'm going to do this, even if it's only for my own family, I'm going to do it correctly.
Maybe I'll have the bulk of things organized in a couple years. Maybe I won't. What I do believe is that by this time in 2014, I'll know more about my ancestors and what records carry more weight and what ones aren't as reliable. I'll have a better idea where to go on the local level for records that today I don't even know exist.
My research skills will be better. My ability to access what I find will be better. My ability to explain it's importance, or reliability or lack thereof will be better.
I am dedicating myself to becoming a better genealogist.
Friday, August 31, 2012
In honor of...
On 31 August 2008, Dale, known as Dad to me, left us in Cawker City, Mitchell County, Kansas.
While this is the anniversary of his death, I hope this pictural post honors his life.
It was a good life. Dad was born on a farm and spent most of his life on a farm. I don't think there was ever a point in his life where he did not think of himself as a farmer. Even during the years when he worked for the railroad, farming was in his blood.
This is a rare picture of Dad's mother. Here she is with her two sons, Dad and Uncle Leo.
She passed away less than two years after this picture was taken.
By the time we arrive in their lives, we assume they were born knowing everything.
The picture of Dad and Aunt Inez hugging is one of my favorites. That closeness they shared in that picture was sustained for the rest of their lives.
Proof that our parents went to school, too.
Sometimes Dad kicked back and relaxed after a hard day on the farm.
After a long life, Dad grew tired. I wasn't sure if I should include this picture, but it is as much a part of Dad's life as all those pictures before this one.
He lived his life to the fullest. He loved, laughed, knew sorrow, knew joy, knew hardships, knew good times. He lived his life completely.
Dad, you are still missed, but this is not to mourn your death.
This is to honor the life that you so graciously shared with me for 51 years and ten months. Thank you for allowing me to share so much of it.
You earned your peaceful rest.
1925-2008
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