Ancestors who tend to disappear can leave interesting records that provide more information about them than we often find in the usual census or deed. Such is the case of John Royston, who ran away from his employer when he was a 19-year-old apprentice in Virginia. I discovered this record in the early stages of my research, and upon revisiting it, I utilized AI to enhance my understanding of the context and gain further insight...
When we encounter women named in deeds, probate, or court records, finding and understanding the law behind the action helps us in our research. We find the law by looking for the federal or state statutes on which the action was based. Understanding the law can be more difficult. Marylynn Salmon’s book, Women and the Law of Property in Early America fills that void. We’re reading this book for our fall selection of the FamilyLocket...
Visiting the land where ancestors lived out their lives provides much-needed context when researching and writing about their lives. My paternal lines all lived in Texas in the mid-1800s and moved north to Indian Territory by 1900. After twenty-three years of studying their lives through the records, histories, and photographs, I visited some of the places where they lived. Walking in the cemetery, visiting the historical museum, and driving through the countryside drew me closer...
Researching our ancestors in the newspapers of their time gives us insight into their community, family, and work ethic. My second great-grandfather, William Beddoes, played a pivotal role in establishing Salem, Utah, in the late 1800s and early 1900s. His obituary provides a starting point for further research on his life accomplishments and also highlights the need for verifying details. William Beddoes Life Summary William and Mariah Beddoes William was born on 17 June 1838...
What can you find in a local historical society and museum? I recently visited the Cassia County Historical Society & Museum located in Burley, Idaho, my hometown. I had visited the museum as a young girl and then later as a young mother, taking my children. This time, I visited with a genealogist’s perspective to see what could be gleaned for someone researching their ancestor’s history. I noticed that many of the exhibits were the...
Reading examples of how other family historians share the stories, memories, facts, and photos they have acquired can inspire us with new ideas for sharing our own love of our ancestors. I recently read “Keeping the Watch: Caretaking The Hidden Value of a Family Heirloom ” by Patrick Blau. This is the story of five generations of Blau sons, each of whom becomes the caretaker of the family heirloom —a gold pocket watch. The book begins in...
We often have family stories that have been passed down through the generations to us. How much truth is in the story we may never know, but in the novel, The Thread Collectors by Shaunna J. Edwards and Alyson Richman, we have an interesting example of weaving a tale from historical research and a thread of a story. The authors collaborated on this novel. Shaunna has African-American ancestry, and Alyson has Jewish ancestry. They combine...
On this Father’s Day, I’ve been reminiscing about my dad, Bobby Gene Shults. He was one of the “greatest generation” who served in World War II and went on to build a life and raise a family afterward. He wrote his own life history, which is filled with stories about the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, and his adventures as a young boy in Texas, Oklahoma, and California. When we visited, he’d tell those stories...
Do you have any photos of family members by their cars? What can you add to a family’s story by analyzing the make, model, and price of the car? It turns out, this is another great use of artificial intelligence. For this 52 Ancestor blog post around the theme of “Wheels,” I chose a photo of my mother, Anna Mae Kelsey, where the family car is the backdrop. Using AI to help with the analysis,...
My second great-grandmother, Alice “Allie” (Frazier) Harris, was a special lady. I thought about her today, on Mother’s Day, as she was not only a mother and grandmother to her children and grandchildren but also to many others. She cared for her son-in-law’s baby sister after her mother died in childbirth and was recognized for her nurturing nature towards many in her community. Alice (Frazier) Harris Alice is my second-great-grandmother on my mother’s side. She...
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