This week's #family history challenge--What's Your Favorite Discovery--from Amy Johnson Crow's #52Ancestors52Weeks sparked a vivid memory. In mid-January 2009 I discovered first hand what our nation's capital is like in winter. Washington, D.C.'s humid air wraps your body in a vise; a cold breeze off the river increases its grip. I walked briskly from the … Continue reading Grandma Serena Had A Cat
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Letters from Home:
Donald C. Minor to his daughter, Marilyn--1954 This letter written from my Grandaddy Minor to my mother, Marilyn, made me chuckle. Though decades old, its mixed sentiments about the holiday season could have been written in just the last few days. As 1954 drew to a close, Donald Minor paused before heading to bed to … Continue reading Letters from Home:
Minor Details: A Pension Certificate, A Letter, & A Curious Descendant
Not long ago a cousin set out on a quest to determine the provenance of a Minor family heirloom--a sword, rumored to have belonged to John Pearson (Pierson) Minor. Some folks suggested to my cousin that the sword must be from the American Revolution. But J. Pearson Minor was born in 1791, not even a … Continue reading Minor Details: A Pension Certificate, A Letter, & A Curious Descendant
Keeper of Family Lore or Family Historian?
I listened to a fascinating CAFE live conversation between historians Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman the other day. At minute 8 or so they begin to discuss the difference between journalists and historians. Journalists, they point out, follow the story; they look for facts and find sources to deliver the story. Historians look for … Continue reading Keeper of Family Lore or Family Historian?
Diagram Your Family Tree with Gutenberg Block
I played around with this Gutenberg Block editor in hopes of sharing genealogy basics in a more visually appealing, less overwhelming format. 'Cause, let's face it, when you're trying to engage with kin that lie somewhere out there beneath your family tree's shade, the typical checklists of names and dates of birth, death, marriage, and … Continue reading Diagram Your Family Tree with Gutenberg Block
Shoots, Roots, and Leaves 