Archive for the ‘Genealogy’ Category

Mystery Monday ~ Who, What, When, Where?

Posted: August 20, 2012 in Ancestry, cornett, Family, Genealogy, research
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“Hawaiian Jasmine”
Photo Credit: Kelly Vial via kellyvial.wordpress.com
Photo Taken: July 2012, in Honolulu, Hawaii

Hope everyone had a wonderful, blessed weekend! I spent my Saturday, cooking and creating in my kitchen and my Sunday was spent at Ala Moana Beach Park near Magic Island. I went to a baby shower for a dear friend and it was a smashing success! Plenty of games, good food, playing and watching the keiki’s have fun in the sun. There’s nothing better than getting together with your family and friends and welcoming another new life into this crazy world. The sun  was hot yesterday and it was really refreshing to enjoy the cool,  salty water with everyone. It was an unconventional baby shower where men were included in this awesome celebration. It was all great fun 🙂

Speaking of family, who were they really? My quest is to learn more about who my Cornett family really is. It’s more than the genealogy aspect, it’s about the history of my family and getting to know them on a more personal level even though they are long gone. Sometimes I think I should have been born in this era, back in the 1800’s. What life must have been like for them. The trials and tribulations they must have endured in order to survive. Once you start your own family history research, you find that you need to dig just a little deeper because you just haven’t found that clue yet. It may be in the next shovel of dirt you are digging with. You bend over and scoop up a handful of rich soil, while it slowly sifts through your fingers. Looking, searching, and hoping that the next clue will one day be right there in your hands.

What kind of people do you come from? Were they from another country other than the U.S.? Why did they choose Grayson County, Virginia or even Kentucky in which they decided to settle? What were their thoughts regarding the land they would be living on? Was it fertile land, great for farming and cattle? What did they hunt for food? Deer? Did they come across Native Americans? What did they eat back then? So many questions and I will probably never know all of it, but the thrill of the hunt keeps me going!

When my family settled in Grayson, Virginia and also in Kentucky, why did these particular areas appeal to them so much over other areas? I can only imagine that this land in which they decided to live and start a family on, was rough and rugged. Can you imagine having to clear land and trees in order to build your home? Today we have heavy machinery to do this for us, so you can guess how much hard work, tears and sweat they must have poured into their lives, their land and their homesteads. I guess the good thing about that, is the ability to use the lumber in which they had to clear,  using the wood as a log home or cabin.

Where did the Cornett family originate from? From some web sites I have read, it mentions that the Cornett surname was Norse or of French origin. Does anyone really know? The Cornett family married into one family with the last name of Sutherland, where some of the Sutherland’s back in the mid 1700’s originated from Scotland. But what about the Cornett’s? Where do the really come from?

There are so many things to discover in your family tree. The who, what, when, and where of your history will only add depth to your knowledge of your ancestors that came before you.

What will you discover?

Happy Ancestor Hunting!! 🙂

Mobile Monday ~ Saving Memories Forever

Posted: August 6, 2012 in Genealogy, memories, research
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“Hawaiian Jasmine”
Photo Credit: Kelly Vial via kellyvial.wordpress.com
Photo Taken: July 2012, in Honolulu, Hawaii

It seems that I am always on my laptop researching my ancestry, sending emails, and connecting with family members trying to obtain a little bit of history on my ancestral roots. If I’m not on my laptop, I always have my handy dandy iPhone with me everywhere I go. Sharing memories in the form of photographs on social networking sites helps me stay connected to my family being that I live so far away from them all. I live approximately 4000 miles away on an island in the middle of the Pacific, so staying connected is very important to me. Thank God for all this technology!

I recently found an app for my iPhone that I have been trying out and I really like it! The app is called “Saving Memories Forever”. And it’s FREE!! Even better right? You can create your “family memories” through audio recordings! HA! Love it 🙂 Having many stories to share with family and future generations, this app lets you record your stories and share them. Whether you have stories and memories of your grandparents, aunts and uncles, or just want to talk about the vacation you just took or the day you were married, this app allows you to do this. You can record as many stories as you would like to and share them with whomever you wish. The recordings you make are uploaded to the Saving Memories Forever web site and can always be accessed through the app or web site. If you get their premium service, then your stories can be “tagged” which makes the stories easier to find. All your stories are safely stored on this web site and you can even add your family’s favorite recipes and add photos to boot! Yay!

I think my favorite feature of this app is that you can share with your family and add them as storytellers! What better way to share your stories and those of your family? How convenient! What a great idea for an audio scrapbook; you will have your story in your own words and you can have access to your extended family’s memories too. To hear them talk about their own memories and be able to one day share them with your own children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren, is phenomenal!

This app is perfect for me! Always on the go, some memory may just pop in my head, but I don’t have time to write it down to remember later. If I remember everything, that is 🙂 I can then record the memory! Easy peasy right? I just wish I had known about this app sooner, like 10 years ago! I wish it had existed then. I would have loved to have recorded my deceased fathers stories and memories of his childhood, or hear him talk about the day he met my mother, how he felt on the days when my sister, Amy and I were born and so on. Now these memories are lost and died with him.

The only downfall with the free version of this app is:

  • Only 6 storytellers can be used within the app
  • There is a limit on the number of listeners (only 10!)
  • You can only listen to 5 stories per day
  • No use of tags
  • No photographs can be uploaded
  • You can’t attach Word Documents to your stories

The premium version is only $3.99 a month- definitely worth all the extra features I think. Especially at that price 🙂

If you go to the website, check out the tab, “How It Works” where you can view the PDF document of the users manual.

Let me know what you think about this app; I absolutely think this is a great genealogy tool in which to use. The link to the web page is below, if you would like to check it out 🙂

 

https://www.savingmemoriesforever.com/default.aspx

 

 

Wordless Wednesday~ Family Of George Wesley Cornett and Celia Ann Pool(e)

Posted: August 1, 2012 in Ancestry, cornett, Family, Genealogy, research, Wordless Wednesday
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Family of George Wesley Cornett and Celia Ann Pool(e)
Photo Courtesy of: Dan R. Roberts (Originally Submitted May 29, 2011) Ancestry.com Family Tree
Bottom of Photo: Courtesy of Louise Mays
(Date Actual Photo Was Taken is Currently Unknown)

George Wesley Cornett and Celia Ann Pool(e) were my GG- Grandparents.

Motivation Monday ~ On The Hunt

Posted: July 29, 2012 in Ancestry, Family, Genealogy, research
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brick wall

brick wall (Photo credit: Muffet)

Most days, I stay motivated by working with other family researchers, who just so happen to be my own family! Family I never knew I had until recently. They have become my rock so to speak. They know what hard work it can be to try and track down our ancestors. The thirst for knowledge we have about our family’s past. The ache of not knowing where one family members’ life may take us. It could be down an old, beaten path or it could be down a road less traveled. So much so that we have to cut our way through and make the path passable. At the end of the day, a genealogist or family historian still has names, dates, agendas, to-do lists, research plans and logs, documents to find, dusty attics to search through– all this and much more goes running through our minds at any given time. Most of the time I suffer from insomnia and find myself wide awake at different hours of the night, or should I say early morning? It seems like my best writing ideas comes to me at 3 a.m.! I guess it’s my quiet time with no interruptions or anything else that would distract my thought process. It’s just me, my cup of coffee which is flavored with my favorite hazelnut creamer, my laptop, and my thoughts!

I have even found myself dreaming of what I needed to do regarding my genealogy research. I recently had a dream of ancestors and antique shops, where I found something from the 1700’s that had their name and date of birth written on it. It was a simple Christmas ornament, but the shop keeper wanted an arm and a leg for it and it was way out of my price range. ($7500 to be exact) What do you think triggered this dream? It had to be the email I sent to this antique shop in Virginia just a few days ago! If I were to interpret the dream, I would say that I am feeling out of touch, feeling that my ancestors are just out of my reach. So close but yet so far! I can dream up some really strange dreams, but this one I actually remembered in vivid detail for some odd reason.

Today, I feel like I need more motivation to keep up with all the block walls that I seem to be running into blindly. If you can just picture this: a woman running along a winding road, the wind blowing through her hair and the sun shining down on her. All of a sudden she collides into a brick and mortar wall, her face slamming right into it, as it just appeared out of nowhere. She’s stunned. She looks around to see if anyone saw her. Oh, how embarrassed she would be! Mortified to say the least 🙂

In my most recent search for my fathers documents, I didn’t know the city or county he was born in until Sunday afternoon. I received an email from my aunt, telling me that my father was born in Wythe County, Crockett, Virginia. He wasn’t born in a hospital, but born at home. Even though all that is good to know, I need concrete evidence so I am able to move further back into my family tree, nourishing those roots with some good old TLC and begin my thorough research on my grandfather. One of my goals is to become a member of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) through one of my patriot family members. But to do this, I need all the documents that I can get my hands on. With any luck, I will accomplish this goal! For those of you who don’t know me personally, I am determined, strong willed and stubborn like my father. I admit I am sometimes too patient but at the same time, I can also have a mean temper. Just ask my husband he’ll tell you what it’s like! 🙂

 

Sorting Saturday ~ Genealogy Detective

Posted: July 20, 2012 in Ancestry, family tree, Genealogy, research
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detective

detective (Photo credit: olarte.ollie)

If you like mysteries, then you are probably a good genealogy detective. Just like police detectives or investigators, genealogists and family historians alike must find the clues in their research to be able to move forward with what they have found. When sorting through my different documents and research findings, I admit I am guilty of just jumping the gun and “Googling” to my hearts content. In truth, there is nothing wrong with using search engines to find something, ANYTHING on your ancestors. But it probably won’t yield the results you are seeking. You may have reworded your keyword search several times over, but the search engines still give you the same web pages, with a little variation thrown into the mix. In cases like this, maybe it’s time for a different direction as far as your research is concerned. What do you do next?

Have you thought about creating a research plan? I have many different times, but have yet to put this into action. After listening to a genealogy webinar hosted by Legacy Family Tree, I have decided to change my research tactics! I have completed research on this topic but just now, think it’s time to share what I have learned. You may ask, “What is a research plan anyway? Why should I use one?” A research plan is the backbone of a genealogists research. It will help you find out what you do and do not know about your ancestors and may also help you break through that brick wall you have found yourself up against. You need a plan of action; this is the purpose of the research plan!

Well, for starters, creating a plan such as this can be critical to your research. Would you go into a library unprepared? Looking around for a book that just may look interesting enough to check out, is just a waste of your time. Go in there prepared and knowledgeable as to what you are seeking. How do you gather your information? Personally, I start with what I know. Right now I am in the process of creating my own research plan form using Excel software. The forms I have seen on the different web pages, I don’t really care for. The field boxes are too small to write the data inside without making a mistake reading it in the future. I want to be able to recall my sources, dates, the type of research that was completed and so on. So I am creating my own! Too much work? Not at all. It will keep me organized and I can always refer back to the plan.

There are many different sites where you can download free forms such as a family group sheet, a research log, pedigree charts, or a research plan; whatever form you think may help you in your overall research, forms are a great resource tool to get acclimated to using on a regular basis. I like http://www.cyndislist.com/free-stuff/printable-charts-and-forms/ personally. This site has direct URL’s that take you to the right form based on your own needs without having to waste time searching for the right one.

If you are like me, you do a lot of online research. I live over 4000 miles away from where my ancestors were known to have settled, so I depend mainly on the Internet for my findings. I have gone to my nearby library but have only walked out with genealogy books and a book that will help me learn the Japanese language. There wasn’t very many research books related to my family search, mainly Hawaiian heritage and the like. They did have huge filing cabinets of old newspapers which I thought was interesting, but doesn’t help me find my Cornett family roots. So I am pretty thankful to have internet access!

Keep in mind that if you are searching through internet search engines, that Google, Bing, Mocavo and others, will yield a variety of differing results. Not all search engines will be the same or give you the same results. Experiment with different search engines and compare the results! Just an idea 🙂

There is quite a bit of data accessible online and it can be overwhelming to a beginning genealogist. One of the sites I go to regularly is https://familysearch.org/. They are always updating the site with new records and documents, so I go there to see what may be new to my own searches on my ancestry. Thank you to the volunteers for adding and helping make these documents available for viewing! Since using a research plan involves thoughtful planning, I hope my plan works for me as well as I think it will.

If you decide to create your own research plan, ask yourself a few questions.

1. What do I already know about my ancestor? Write it down.

2. Can I narrow down the search in any way? Maybe it’s a death date or burial location.

3. Did a family member move away during a specific time frame?

4. Did my ancestor die in one place but happen to be buried in another location or state altogether?

TOOLS

Ancestry’s Wiki or Red Book

Family History Library Catalog

Local history books of the area you are researching

Manuscript Searches

Literature Research

Heritage Quest Online

Search old newspapers

Family Search Wiki

I can’t wait to get started on this new method style of researching my ancestry. Good luck!

 

Walter Allen Cornett Sr ~ UPDATED

Posted: May 16, 2012 in Census, cornett, discovering family, Family Search, family tree, Genealogy, grandparents, military
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My grandfather is being very elusive. I am having a hard time finding information on him. So far, I have some paperwork compiled by a family member of our family tree, some old black and white scanned photos, names, dates, and family members both past and present. Some are familiar to me and some are not. But that is the love of Genealogy research! Discovering family and learning, reading, and visualizing the lives they have led in the past.


But I will tell you what I do know of him so far. Walter Allen Cornett Sr. was born on December 29, 1909 and died nearly five years before I was born, he died on June 30, 1967. He married my grandmother, Lucia Rose Cornett on July 15, 1928. From what my mother tells me, they had 9 children together including a Dorothy Mae who was born on April 11,1930 and died May 10, 1930. She was only a month old when she passed away. I’m not sure what the cause of her death was. He was in the military, but I’m not sure which branch, what his rank was, military responsibilities, or even how long he was in the service.


According to the Social Security Death Index (SSDI), he was 57 years old and 5 months! Pretty exact I would say. I am still trying to find information on him, sent out emails, Facebook messages to family, and once I get more information I will be sure to post an update!


On Familysearch.org, I found the 1930 Census information on Walter’s household during that time. The information found is below.


Name:Walter A Cornett
Census Event Date:1930
Event Place: Black Lick,Wythe,Virginia
Gender:Male
Age:21
Marital Status:Married
Race:White
Birthplace:Virginia
Estimated Birth Year:1909
Immigration Year: N/A
Relationship to Head of Household: Head (SELF)
Father’s Birthplace:Virginia
Mother’s Birthplace:Virginia
Enumeration District Number: 0004
Family Number:469
Sheet Number and Letter: 4B
Line Number: 59
Nara Publication:T626
Roll 2465
Film Number:2342199
Digital Folder Number:4547863
Image Number:00576


Walter A Cornett, Married at age 21 to Spouse Lucy R Cornett age 15.


Please Note: In the 1930 Federal Census- my grandmothers name is stated as Lucy R Cornett but in actuality her name is Lucia Rose Cornett. I guess that is the problem with Census takers, a lot of misspellings in the names and such, which makes it harder to discern your research at times.

Source Citation
“United States Census, 1930,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/CJPG-ZW2 : accessed 16 May 2012), Walter A Cornett, Black Lick, Wythe, Virginia.





Below are some of the photos I have of them. Since I am in the process of moving, I will have to wait until I unpack and get settled to see if I have any other photos I can add to this blog about Walter! Please be patient….







After going through some paperwork, I found some other documents such as 2 separate honorable discharge papers, a press release and also a death certificate for Walter Allen Cornett. These were given to me from a family member. Granted, they are only scanned copies, but I’ll take what I can get! I am very much appreciative that she took the time to scan them and mail them to me.

Press Release
Andrews Field, MD


Honorable Discharge Document #1 (1945)



Honorable Discharge Document #2 (1946)
Death Certificate for Walter Allen Cornett





Cornett Family Genealogy Books

Posted: May 14, 2012 in books, Canute, cornett, Cornutt, data, descendants, family crest, Genealogy, Google, Happy Mother's Day, historical society, Internet, surname
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As I am scouring the internet for factual data, I just decided to Google my grandmother’s name, Lucia Cornett. (Happy Mother’s Day grams!)  I came across her online obituary and I can’t believe almost two years has passed since she became one of God’s perfect angels. I am saddened by her loss but at the same time I know I will one day meet her again. For those of you who know me personally, you know that I was a small child when my parents divorced and I moved away from the Cornett side of my family. This is where I want to apologize for not staying in close contact with my family. Yes, I was only 6 years old but still feel like maybe I could have at least wrote letters to my grandma or something? Who knows what could have been if I had. But on the bright side of the situation, I have made contact with my Cornett family on Facebook! We stay in touch, communicate, share photos and our life events as they are happening or will happen in the near future. For this, I am thankful.


Sorry for rambling, so back to the internet search! Searching Google I found another name that was familiar due to past research I have done in the past. Archelus Cornutt. It’s discouraging as surnames have changed in their spellings over the centuries. Apparently there is a book out there somewhere called, Descendants of Archelus Cornutt: The Son of James Cornutt, 1743-1956 written by Hannah Alice Cornett Magee. I then “Googled” the books title and author and came across the Amazon web page- I must say I had no luck in finding the book because it is no longer in print. But doing more research on this matter, I found out that the book may be located at the Laurel County Historical Society in Kentucky. So now I am on the search for this book and hopefully I will have some luck tracking it down. I wonder if any of my Cornett relatives have a copy? It would be nice if I could even find an e-book for my Kindle regarding this particular book. By the way, I found out about this book by reading the Cornett Family Forums on Ancestry.com. I will share the link below if anyone is interested in this particular family lineage.


Links:
Laurel County, Kentucky Historical Society


Ancestry Cornett Surname Forum


Image Source: Cornett Family Crest

DAR~ A Free Genealogy Resource

Posted: May 4, 2012 in brick wall, Canute, cornett, Daughters of the American Revolution, free, Genealogy, James Canute Cornett, Lineage, members, preservation, research, Resources, surnames, surnames. database, volunteers
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Image Source:
DAR Logo

DAR- Daughters of the American Revolution is a free resource for genealogists and offers aid in their research. The (GRS) Genealogical Research System is a collection of databases, which provides access to the many materials that have been collected over time. The DAR was founded in 1890, the members are passionate about their research findings and are committed to preservation of the history of our ancestors.


This genealogical resource has many volunteers who have scanned and indexed years worth of documents and other materials which can be found in the online database. There is a drawback to sharing this information with others, because of proprietary information and data, and under no circumstances may it be shared or published.


If you are like me, an amateur genealogist, or you may even be a genealogy expert, the DAR could be a stepping stone to finding your ancestral ties that you may have been seeking for so long. It is definitely worth a try, don’t you think? Maybe we can knock down some of these brick walls we have encountered and find some really valuable documents that will only further our research and prove who we are and where we come from. It’s not just about where you, your parents or grandparents were born and the dates of birth, or even how many children they may have had. To me, and this is my own personal opinion on the matter, genealogy research is about finding out more about who my family really was, what they looked like, their way of life, the career choices they may have made and so many other points of their lives and the direction that those points have taken them over the years. 


I recently received an email from a family member, who as it turns out, was researching the same family surnames that I was. Imagine not knowing that you had a family member and didn’t even realize that they were family until you connected through a genealogy resource! Anyhow, back to the email! She has been verified by the DAR and is in the process of getting it signed by officials in Washington D.C. So I can’t wait to find out if she was successful in finding the data she needs to prove her lineage and connection to James Canute Cornett! 


I am definitely going to be researching this DAR to gain a more in-depth understanding. So you may see future postings related to the Daughters of the American Revolution. Who knows, maybe I will also find information on some of my Sutherland and Canute ancestors.


Good luck in your research!





Stuart Marvin Cornett and Gincy Malinda Long

Posted: August 3, 2011 in Genealogy, generations, Gincy Caroline Malinda Long, research, Smythe County Virginia, Stuart Monroe Marvin Cornett
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Stuart and Gincy were my great grandparents and Stuart was also the grandson of James Monroe Cornett and Mary Ann Cornett. He was born on September 22, 1881 in Grayson County, Virginia and died on February 3, 1966 in Smythe County, Virginia at the age of 84. His immediate family includes his wife, Gincy Malinda Caroline Long and their 14 children.

Stuart Monroe/Marvin Cornett (09/22/1881-02/03/1966)

Gincy Malinda Long (07/01/1886- 09/24/1978)

Married April 5, 1905 by Rev. Johnson Stamper

Children
Born
Married
Died
Della Pauline
Wayne Wright
02/06/1906
02/14/1904
11/23/1924
02/07/1963
01/10/1979
Mary Frances
Verlin Cornett
Frederick L. Corriston
05/04/1908
01/19/1905
04/24/1910
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
04/16/1972
09/10/1979
Anna Mae
James Dean Russell
07/12/1910
03/06/1908
07/01/1928
N/A
07/14/1986
Grover Fred Cornett
Wave L. Kiser
08/31/1912
07/15/1919
10/07/1939
N/A
01/20/1987
Lucia Rose Cornett
Walter Allen Cornett
07/08/1914
12/29/1909
07/15/1928
11/2010
06/30/1967
Pearl Mildred
Harmon Harold Hash
05/08/1916
07/17/1913
04/07/1939
N/A
08/04/1986
Elbert Wayne Cornett
Edith Roberts
05/04/1918
07/04/1926
07/12/1941
N/A
N/A
Charles Estel Cornett
Velma Louise Parks
05/02/1920
07/13/1925
10/04/1941
N/A
N/A
Lillie Edna
Millard C. Parks
04/10/1922
05/29/1921
05/22/1941
N/A
N/A
Carl Wesley Cornett
Margaret Emaline Watson
03/21/1924
02/22/1929
08/01/1949
N/A
N/A
Ora Lee
Stanley Franklin Anderson
11/10/1925
05/26/1927
12/16/1946
N/A
06/10/1993
James Donald Cornett
Doris Jeanne Leonard
07/22/1928
07/03/1931
09/20/1952
N/A
N/A
Billy Cornett
Jackie (Wadie) Richardson
07/05/1930
01/19/193_
08/10/1949
(Divorced)
N/A
N/A
Claude Scott Cornett
Betty Sue Shepherd
11/30/1932
07/26/1934
12/05/1953
(Divorced)
N/A
N/A
 

I have been researching the Cornett line for some time now and have been adding data as it becomes available to me. It is a long process when trying to incorporate data tables of the information supplied to me, in hard copy form I might add. But it is all coming together. Patience is a virtue I am learning, as I like things completed NOW. But in genealogy you have to be patient, so I’m taking baby steps!

 

Your Genetic Genealogy~ Is It As Accurate As You Think?

Posted: July 29, 2011 in Ancestry, discovering family, DNA, Family, family history, Genealogy, genetic genealogy, missing links
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Good morning and Aloha! 
It has been breezy but also rainy here on Oahu this morning and it makes for great sleeping weather, so what am I doing up? It’s 9 a.m. that’s why; I cant sleep in like my husband can, he can sleep through a tsunami! If I were only that lucky…but anyway, I have been wondering about the accuracy of DNA in our genealogy. 



Image Source:
DNA Genetics



How do we know this is truly accurate, as DNA is taken from the living, not the dead? The genetic genealogy tests can be expensive, depending on your own economic standpoint. So just how great is this anyway? I’ve been reading up on several different articles that pertain to this topic and in my opinion, I wouldn’t waste my time or money on something that isn’t 110% accurate. I’m not saying that a person shouldn’t do this type of testing, if it leads them to finding their missing links in their families history. By all means, go for it if that’s what you want to do. I am merely expressing my own opinion. After reading the following article, I became a little skeptical. There are many companies offering these types of services that promise to trace your lineage through means of a DNA test, whether it’s paternal or maternal, the price goes up depending on your needs. Read this article from another blogger, who seems to have done her research and then let me know whether you think this type of test is something you would do. 


Genetic Genealogy Blog




To My Readers: Have you tried this sort of testing to trace your ancestral roots? Did you have any success? Please post your success stories! Below is a company offering this type of service. What do you think?


DNA Ancestry Project

Are Your Children Interested In Genealogy?

Posted: July 18, 2011 in activities, children and genealogy, family treasures, family tree, Genealogy, involvement, roots
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Good afternoon! I have been trying to figure out a way to get both of my sons, ages 20 and 14 to have an interest in their family tree. I have had some success with my oldest son John, but Dakota, well that’s another story entirely. All he is interested in, is playing basketball! So how can I get him involved and actually start liking “the hunt”? I have a few ideas that I have been thinking about but have come to realize that he may never really be interested in genealogy or where he comes from, for quite awhile. But in the meantime, I like to share what I have found out so far with both John and Dakota. John likes hearing it to a certain extent, he wants to know about all the drama in our family! Personally, I think he watches too much television! I haven’t found any mobsters or convicted criminals yet. My family is not based on a mobster movie like the “Godfather”, either! 

Image Source
Genealogy For Kids



As much as they would like it to be, I can’t say that the research I have come across, resembles anything even close to that. Dakota, on the other hand, thinks I’m weird for focusing my time on research and not doing fun stuff! He told me the other day, “Mom, you live in Hawaii! You need to do fun stuff like going surfing!” Haha, me on a surfboard? Now that would truly be a sight! Don’t get me wrong, I love the ocean and watching the surfers do their thing. But I don’t want to be one!! I like to go snorkeling. Now that’s something I could do without getting cut up by the reef. Besides I kind of fear sharks A LOT! Give me a boat and I’ll go out in the middle of the ocean, but you aren’t going to find me on a surfboard, catching the next swell anytime soon. 


Are your children interested in Genealogy? Does anyone have any ideas for activities that will help get children involved more? If you do, please share! I imagine if I had started this when they were younger, there would be plenty of things that I could do with them. But they’re a little older now, so it may not be such an easy task. Everyone has their own idea of fun, their likes and dislikes and what I may like and think as fun, someone else may not. 



Saturday Shout Out

Posted: July 16, 2011 in article, blog, Family Cherished Blog, Genealogy, Saturday Shout Out
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A few days ago, I thought about taking a few college courses in Genealogy to further my research and put my thirst for knowledge to work. Then life intervened and I got side tracked and it just slipped my mind to investigate it any further. That is, until I read a blog called Family Cherished written by Valerie, a very talented and inspiring writer I might add. The particular blog article I am referring to is called, “Getting a Great Genealogical Education For Little or No Money!”  Can I just say, I was hooked before I even finished the first paragraph? 


The article was very informative, and just what I was looking for, in terms of courses that wouldn’t put me into tremendous debt. Been there, done that! I’m still paying off college loans, so why would I want to be further indebted just to take a couple of extra courses? This article is a “must read” for those that have been thinking about gaining a little extra knowledge on this topic. Valerie listed some very good ideas on…..well you really need to read it for yourself! 


Kudos, Valerie for writing such a great article and spurring me into action!

Real Men Wear Kilts

Posted: July 2, 2011 in ancestor, Clan Sutherland, Genealogy, kilts, Scotland, Scottish Heritage, surname, sutherland, tartan
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English: The Clan Sutherland Gatherin Stone In...

English: The Clan Sutherland Gatherin Stone Inscription on the stone “Ceann na Drochaide Bige”, meaning “The Head of the Little Bridge” This refers to the Clan Sutherland’s gathering place in Golspie, at which is the Gathering Stone. The inscription on the lower part reads in English, “The Chief of the Sutherlands Summons the Victorious Clan Sutherland to The Head of the Little Bridge”. There is also an old inscription on the top part that is in Gaelic. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As you may know by reading my past blog entries, I have been researching my Scottish ancestral lines beginning with the Sutherland surname. My ancestors were mainly from the Caithness and Edinburgh region (now called Midlothian, I think). Scottish names are as diverse and colorful as the country they represent. 


There is so much to write about when you think of Scotland. I could write about the culture, food or whiskey, or just the people and I would probably be typing out a blog post that may be uninteresting to some of you, as it would probably be closer to a book than a blog entry. There are many web sites that I could refer you to, just on Scotland’s Genealogy, but that would take all the fun out of searching and finding it yourself! 


In all truth, I haven’t completed much research this week and feel like I have neglected my poor blog page. I had been trying to post daily on a variety of different topics, but not this week. In today’s blog, I will be discussing some of the customs and traditions of my Scotland family. 


Scotland clothing mainly features the tartan (or plaid), which is the traditional dress of the people. Some mainlanders’ may think that a man wearing a “dress” is too feminine, therefore that makes the man wearing it, also more feminine. That is certainly not the case. It has more to do with tradition and their own culture than just flouncing around in a skirt all day, every day. The kilt is worn on special occasions much like our suit and tie events that we have in the United States. The Scots mostly wear these kilts to weddings and formal gatherings. 


Many years ago men wore one large sheet of tartan cloth over a long shirt. It was folded in such a way as to form the kilt shape as well as covering the torso and pinned at the shoulder. Have you seen the movie, Braveheart? The kilt was used as a blanket when sleeping outdoors and was easy to move around in. When formal armies were formed, a more robust garment was needed and the kilt as we know it was made.The kilt also represented their own Clan family. There were different kilts that were worn in battle a long time ago, but these were the more muted shades of the same tartan, almost like a camouflage I would imagine.



Searching For the Root of Your Family Tree…

Posted: June 26, 2011 in brick wall, Classes, endless possibilities, family treasures, Genealogy, online genealogy classes, research, Resources
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English: Pine tree on Pentridge Hill at sun-se...

English: Pine tree on Pentridge Hill at sun-set 2 Slightly different angle, beyond tree to left one of the family dogs is searching for anything to chase. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Are you ready to throw in the towel? Have you come to, what seems an endless brick wall? Are you looking at the big picture or just an element of that picture? If the wall seems endless, are you able to go around it? No? Then climb over it! There’s always a different way to approach an obstacle, than the one that seems to be right in front of your face. In my experience with my family tree, I have faced plenty of obstacles! But there has to be a different resource to utilize right? Have you thought about seeking out classes on Genealogy? You can do this online, if you aren’t the type to be on campus with the younger generation of students. Which is okay; you may be younger, older, and wiser, or already have your desired degree. Nobody says that you have to go back to school again, just to be fulfilled with your family tree results and research. So what will your next step be and where will it take you?

You may just want to organize what research you have already accumulated; or you may want to research your family to pass on to the younger generation, namely your own children or grandchildren one day. But for whatever reason, the online classes may help you. It sure couldn’t hurt right? One day, you may find your perfect family treasures!


Below you will find a link to the classes that are offered. This isn’t your run of the mill mini-course!
There are four different sections, the first section is more or less your introduction and leads into other topics as you go. So in this first section, there are 14 lessons; in the second section there are 31 lessons! I won’t drone on about each section here because you can view it for yourself!

I am seriously thinking about starting this course too! Can’t have enough knowledge right? What are you waiting for? Let’s DO this!

Online Genealogy Classes~ Click Here To Learn More!

Genealogy Search- Have You Hit the Proverbial Brick Wall?

Posted: June 20, 2011 in archive, Census Diggins, Genealogy, Google, Newspaper Archives, search engine
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Throughout the years of searching for your genealogical roots, I’m sure many of you have come to a brick wall in your searches. I know I have a time or two! How are you conducting your searches? The obvious answer would most likely be Google. I “Google” everything from computer problems to issues I may have with my car! You name it and Google has it; or do they? In recent news articles, genealogists have depended upon Google Archives to base some of their online researches and in the process, gathering information from archived newspapers and the like. Google Archives will no longer be there for us when we need it. Another brick wall indeed!
Google Newspaper Archive Shutdown

Image Source
Brick Wall Breaker Chic





So you’ve hit a brick wall; what does that do to your research? Is there another way around this wall? Of course there is. There has to be another route to take! Which way will you go to get around this wall?
Here are a few things we can do as genealogists:


Lack Of Internet Structure- mainly people like yourself conduct online researches from the skills acquired by using their local libraries, archives, and structured websites like Ancestry. Your typical search for topics over a broad network of web sites won’t get you very far. So just think about it for a second, the Internet has no basic structure in which to base a really good, thorough search on whatever topic that you may need information for. Genealogy records are historic archives, which are probably hiding among the dust particles of the Internet, waiting for you to dust them off. If no one finds them, they will be there forever collecting even more dust bunnies.
Bring your searches within reach!


Put On Your Search Engine “Thinking Cap”- A search engine doesn’t have a brain like we do. It just searches for what we tell it to. You could search for <chair> or the name <Robert> for example, we know <Robert> is the name of a person but the search engine doesn’t; it’s just searching for that particular tag and then delivers the web pages to you based upon what you typed in the search bar. So you will need to think more on the lines like a search engine does. 


The results weren’t exactly specific to what I was originally seeking. Think outside the search engine “box”, if you will. Hopefully your future searches will be fruitful and give you the exact results you were looking for. Proximity searches look over the text of billions of web pages for the tags I mentioned earlier. How do you think this affects my research when I am seeking an ancestor? I’ll tell you, its not very good. It would be easier to search for an ancestor with a unique name versus “Ann Jones”. The results you receive will be much better. So it’s much easier to start off searching for the least common names in your family tree, then work from that family of names that were included, such as siblings, or parents. 

What is the best genealogy search engine to use? Here are a few links to try just to see which one yields the best results for you.

I Found It
Ancestor Hunt
Search For Ancestors
Census Diggins





Genealogy- My Passion My Obsession

Posted: June 18, 2011 in culture, Family, Genealogy, intrigue, medical history, my blog, Pearl Harbor, preservation, puzzle, USS Missouri
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Thousands of people around the globe are in search of their ancestors all the time. As for myself, it has become a daily routine. My blog is the first place I go, then I’ll look at my family tree and decide who I would like to research and how far back in history I may be interested enough to do research on. I like genealogy and history both, but by no means am I a professional researcher. I only research for myself. It’s a hobby of mine and the more I get myself involved, the more I want to learn. Genealogy is probably one of the most popular hobbies that people get into. That’s just my opinion though. Just think about it, who wouldn’t want to know where their family originally came from? Were they related to someone famous, from so long ago? For all I know, I could be related to some King or something! Hmmm..King Knut? Not too sure yet, but it’s always fun to investigate and dig deeper into the history. Don’t you think so? It’s almost like those C.S.I. guys and I’m the investigator with a new case profile to find data on! Just kidding. I was getting too excited about the topic of genealogy again wasn’t I?

USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


I recently visited the U.S.S. Missouri in Pearl Harbor, on Memorial Day to be exact, and let me tell you, that ship had so much history behind it. It intrigued me so much that in the back of my mind I’m thinking, “Did one of my family members ever board this ship? Sleep in those bunks with the woolen blankets? Did they stand in the Truman line waiting for their meal?


What starts out as a curiosity can quickly lead to a new found obsession when it comes to genealogy research. You may just want to satisfy your own curiosity as to who you are and where you may have come from. But there are other good reasons for taking up this subject too. You may have children who will one day be just as inquisitive as you are now. What will you tell them? They need to be given a sense of who they are too, where they may have come from and how they lived their lives and what they went through during that time period. You may want to preserve cultural traditions and share them as a family. Another good reason would be medical history in your family. A family member may have had an inherited disease or disorder and you never would have known unless you researched it! Whatever reason you choose, it’s very interesting to find out just who you are. 

Genealogy is like a huge puzzle, just waiting for you to put the right pieces in place! Let the journey BEGIN!

A Family History- More Than Just Names and Dates

Posted: June 13, 2011 in addiction, family tree branches, famine and war, Genealogy, history, Uncategorized, Where do I come from
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Rizinus-Blatt

Rizinus-Blatt (Photo credit: flöschen)

So you have been searching your ancestry and getting your family tree in order. You have names. You have dates. So you might be thinking, these are just a bunch of names, birth dates, and that’s about the gist of it. Well, think again. 

When I was younger, I used to think of genealogy as a pretty boring topic and it kind of ran neck and neck with ancient history. Blah blah…boring! But now that I’ve grown up, had children of my own, I want to know who my family was and where they came from. Now, I have become so thoroughly involved in the research behind it, that it’s become more personal to me. Not just a pet project, but something much more. It’s almost like an addiction; I just can’t get enough! As the title of this blog states, it’s definitely more than just names and dates! They were real people living real lives.

By focusing on just one person on the branch of my tree, it’s almost as if I am trying to know that person on a more personal level. I am trying to learn who this person really was, not just by name but by their lifestyles too. What were they like? Would I like them even if they weren’t a member of my family? What did they do for a living and how did they survive in times of famine and war?

Before the Internet even came into everyone’s homes, it was much harder to do research on our ancestors. Today, in this digital age, we are able to send information all over the world in just minutes. There are literally hundreds of web sites on genealogy to help us in our searches. Some require membership fees, yet others do not. We don’t have to leave our homes to request copies of birth certificates or look at census records, as we can do this online through our computers. Even though the internet is a great resource tool to use, we can still use the older methods of actually talking to our elders, other family members to get this information. We don’t have to rely on just the internet and a few key phrases to get the results we are looking for, but it does help. 

Another idea for you to consider, would be to obtain a copy of an ancestors birth certificate. All you need is the name of said person, their parents name and the date of birth; it shouldn’t be an act of Congress to get this information. Just contact the counties Vital Records and Statistics office. Also, you could join a genealogical society in the state where your family has originated from. This may help you and keep your headaches to a minimum!





Finding Reliable, Trustworthy Sources To Aid In Your Genealogical Research

Posted: June 11, 2011 in baptism records, England, Family Search, Genealogical Societies, Genealogy, microfilmed documents, Resources, Tools
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English: The lonely tree again! With new leaves.

English: The lonely tree again! With new leaves. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are hundreds of web pages out there that display family trees, but are they your “go-to” source? Is it truthful or just word of mouth saying it’s so? Where did they get this information from? If it was from family members, that’s GREAT! But thinking back to when I was in elementary school, I remember my teacher playing a game with the entire class. She would call on one student at random, whisper something in their ear and tell the next person whatever it was she may have said. On and on it went around the room until the last student received the teachers’ message. Let’s just say that it wasn’t the same as what the teacher had told the first student. I guess you know where I’m headed with this…and if not, then I’ll explain. When people share things, no matter what the subject, in time they just become distorted.


One resource that I use almost daily to search my own family roots is the Mormon based website called Family Search. They place a religious emphasis on publishing materials or documents after a death, and therefore, baptism has inspired the creation of the world’s largest collection of genealogical materials. So with respect to this web site and others that are similar in nature, I thank you for this great resource tool. After all, do I just want a tree full of collected names or do I want the facts? Granted, sometimes you want to go to a resource that offers free information. But you have to think about what you will be getting in return. I, myself, want the facts that lead me on my journey to find out exactly who my ancestors were, how they lived, and where I come from.

From what I can understand through Family Search, they are in the midst of a gigantic project that will take the millions of records they have of microfilmed documents, for online viewing. When researching your family, think strongly about joining a genealogical society for the area in which you are searching. So for me, I would join one in Virginia, Kentucky, Scotland, and England; my ancestors from the Sutherland line originated from Denmark, Scotland, and England. So this is where I could start searching and collaborating with others that are trying to accomplish the same thing that I am.