Ancestral homes are an important part of our family history. We can research the home’s architecture and records, such as city directories, taxes, maps, newspapers, and more. For this 52 Ancestor blog post theme of “Home Sweet Home,” I researched and wrote about the Spanish Fork home of my great-grandparents, Charles Cannon Creer and Mary Margaret Peterson. Charles built the home for his bride to move into upon their marriage on 23 March 1892, and...
We are reading Homeplace by Ann Shelby this month. You can read my review of Homeplace here. The story is about a family who lives in the same place and takes care of the family farm for several generations. They feel a close connection with the land and the home. Kids love to feel that same connection to their grandparents and ancestors. Here are three ways you can help kids experience their ancestor’s homeplace: Look at Pictures of...
Family history and serendipity go together. Talk to any genealogist or family historian and you’ll hear stories of amazing finds – cousins who email with just the information needed, family bibles that turn up in unusual places, the headstone you find in the cemetery when you’ve almost given up searching. I’ve had my fair share of serendipitous moments, but today I’ll share just one: revisiting the house that William H. Kelsey built. As a young...
