Archive for the ‘preservation’ Category

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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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!





Family Heirlooms~ Preserving The Past For Future Generations

Posted: July 13, 2011 in childhood diary, family cookbooks, family heirloom ideas, family treasures, heirlooms, jewelry, Medals of Honor, memories, preservation, scrapbook, the sky is the limit
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When you think of the word “heirloom”, do you think of the old doilies your grandmother hand crocheted so long ago, but now look yellow and dingy? I do. When I think of heirlooms, I think of useless objects that have seen better days. Old sienna photos in antique silver frames, handkerchiefs with flower embroidery that my grandmother used to carry around with her, family albums, quilts, baby blankets, family Bibles, and my own wedding dress, which I hope to one day hand down to a granddaughter or great granddaughter of my own. One day! Not anytime soon mind you. What heirloom object would you treasure if it were given to you, to pass on to your children, grandchildren or even great grandchildren? How would you preserve it? 


You may already have a cedar chest full of potential heirlooms, or maybe even in the attic in boxes.  I remember playing with my grandmother’s old clothes when I was probably 8 or 9 years old. She had vintage hats made of black velour with feathers and trim which covered the top half of my face. I remember they were in a box that my cousin and I used to go through to play dress up. 


Isn’t it funny how certain memories resurface when you see an image, read, or even for me as I  happen to be writing in my blog about something as simple as family heirlooms? The memory of my grandmothers old hats just popped into my head for some reason. I wish I had all of her old hats! That would be such a treasure! I don’t know whatever happened to them after she passed away, but it would be an heirloom I would treasure!  

Family Heirloom Ideas

Family heirlooms should evoke special memories of a bygone era. You can even create your own if you wish. Here are a few ideas that have crossed my mind a time or two. It doesn’t have to be expensive to make it an heirloom of quality. For most, it is just tradition past on from generation to generation. 

  • Wedding dresses or christening gowns
  • Create a family cookbook of family favorite recipes- include some that are handwritten   and  dated.
  • Jewelry~ If you wish, you can have a custom made ring, broach, or even a charm bracelet made.
  • Artwork or drawings that were created by an ancestor- have it professionally framed and matted for other generations to see.
  • Medals of Honor- maybe one of your ancestors fought in the Civil War or the American Revolution- creating a shadow box of these medals would be an idea!
  • Another popular idea is creating a scrapbook for each of your children, inside include items of times past i.e., a piece of lace fabric, pressed flowers, photos, or something else that may bring back fond memories.
  • You could even gather memorabilia from older generations, like maybe a childhood diary that may have been kept over the years, a favorite book that an ancestor may treasure. For example, it could be a signed baseball that was part of a collection in your grandfathers belongings, an old trophy, the list can get longer, believe me.
Use your imagination when it comes to collecting family heirlooms, the possibilities are endless. 


Share your ideas! Comment below…


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Antique Linens

Photo Credit: Doris Rudd Designs, Photography


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!