In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss using the Research Like a Pro process to discover more about the actions of our ancestor, Florence Creer Kelsey. She was a War Mother during WWII, and Diana did a project to discover what that was and learn more about the organization. Veteran’s Day this year is the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, so we discuss a little bit about honoring our ancestors who are veterans. Links The Scraps of a Well-behaved Woman’s Life: Florence Creer Kelsey Part I US Military Old Soldiers Home Records at the FamilySearch Wiki Research Like...
In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss how to deal with and write about family secrets that we uncover during genealogy research. Often these skeletons in the closet bring up difficult emotions and threaten to upset family members. As the historians in our family, do we have a duty to tell the story? How should we tell it? Diana shares some thoughts about uncovering how her great grandfather died, and how another great grandfather was committed to a mental hospital. I will share about the illegitimate children I found in one family line as well as the ancestor...
What life lessons have you learned from a beloved ancestor? Have you recorded them or even thought about them? Reading bestselling author Adriana Trigiani’s book Don’t Sing at the Table: Life Lessons from My Grandmothers might be just the inspiration you need to get started. In the introduction, Trigiani writes: My grandmothers bestowed on me, through their example, the importance of developing character, rooted in kindness; and a spirit that might negotiate loss and rebound from grief to love more deeply. . .In dark moments when despair kicks joy to the curb, and I feel I don’t have it in me...
How do you go about writing your own life story? Do you stick with the dry facts or do you delve deeper into your memories? Reading how someone else has shared their stories can give you ideas on what you could write. A Girl Named Zippy, Growing Up Small in Mooreland, Indiana by Haven Kimmel is the quirky reminiscing of a small girl in a small Midwestern town. Haven Kimmel writes of her family relationships through the perspective of a young child. The normal ups and downs of family life are depicted in humorous fashion, with hints of deeper currents. Have...
I have a secret weapon for making family dinner happier. Every time I try it, it results in laughter, connection, and fun. Oftentimes when we sit down together to eat diner, all that can be heard is: “Ugh be quiet, stop making that noise, you’re bothering me.” “Please don’t eat until we say the prayer.” “I need a snack.” “We’re not having a snack right now we’re eating dinner.” “Can I have something else?” “I need a fork!” “It’s hot so make sure you blow on it.” “I don’t like peas.” “Don’t get up until you finish your food.” According...
Did you know that when you learn stories about your ancestors, it actually gives them power to reach through the centuries and touch you?! At Family Discovery Day last week, Hank Smith, popular speaker for youth, shared how knowing a story from his family history helped him make a good choice. (See the video of Hank’s address here. And don’t forget to watch the bonus video at the end of this post!) Hank was a teenager trying to fit in at a party and someone handed him a bottle of alcohol. He couldn’t believe what he was holding! He was afraid...
How stories from the presidents’ childhoods inspired me to share family history in a way that kids can laugh at and connect with. President elect Trump is taking office in a week and a half. My six-year-old son was extremely curious about the election and asked his teacher and all our neighbors who they voted for. He is fascinated by the office of President of the United States, so when I stumbled across the book “Kid Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America’s Presidents,” I knew he would like to read it together. With the inauguration coming, I chose it for our kids book...
My mom has been writing a series of short stories to share with our family about her dad. I decided to illustrate one of the scenes using StoryBoard That. Eventually I’d like to illustrate each of the scenes and short stories she is writing so I can read them to my kids at bedtime. The scene I did was about picking cotton in Texas when my grandpa was a boy, in the 1930s. The software is pretty simple to use. I was happy to find that there was a cotton field background ready to use. I added some characters, adjusted...
Do you have any members of The Greatest Generation still living in your family? Have you recorded their stories? If you’re not sure why those who united their efforts during World War II to defeat evil were dubbed “The Greatest Generation” by journalist and author, Tom Brokaw, you might want to join us in reading his book this month. Veterans Day, celebrated on November 11th, gives us the perfect opportunity to remember the men and women who sacrificed so much in defending our country. The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw Brokaw begins the book with his experience of standing on...
Today I’m pleased to share a guest post written by Beverly Scott. Bev tells about the mystery of her grandfather’s life, her genealogical journey to uncover the truth about him, and her decision to turn the story into a historical fiction novel. She had always wanted to write her family’s story, but as she researched, she realized that it would be best to write historical fiction. Read a little bit about her decision to write her family’s story here. Today, Bev shares how she researched to provide context to her tale. She gives some tips at the end for others who are...
