Those Ancestors Left By Aliens

Miriam, at AnceStories, wrote a wonderful post called Who Are Our Brickwall Ancestors, and Why Aren’t We Blogging About Them Regularly?. As usual, Miriam is full of great tips and advice about how we can more effectively share information by writing about those ancestors that some of us feel have been “left here by aliens”.

In the next few days, I will share information that I have found and documented, and information I still need to locate, about one of my brickwall ancestors.

Thanks, Miriam, for inspiring me as well as others to get busy writing and sharing!

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99 MORE Things!

Becky, at Kinexxions, Thomas at Destination: AustinFamily and Donna at What’s Past is Prologue have been compiling the “99+ Genealogy Things Meme”. I won’t repeat all of it here – but I will list those things which I have done.

1. Uploaded tombstone pictures to Find-A-Grave.
2. Documented ancestors for four generations (self, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents) .
3. Joined Facebook.
4. Joined the Genea-Bloggers Group on Facebook.
5. Talked to dead ancestors.
6. Researched outside the state in which I live.
7. Posted messages on a surname message board.
8. Googled my name.
9. Performed a random act of genealogical kindness.
10. Researched a non-related family, just for the fun of it.
11. Wrote a letter (or email) to a previously unknown relative.
12. Contributed to one of the genealogy carnivals.
13. Responded to messages on a message board or forum.
14. Participated in a genealogy meme. (DUH!!!!)
15. Created family history gift items (calendars, cookbooks, etc.).
16. Performed a record lookup for someone else.
17. Am convinced that a relative must have arrived here from outer space.
18. Found a disturbing family secret.
19. Told others about a disturbing family secret.
20. Combined genealogy with crafts (family picture quilt, scrapbooking).
21. Think genealogy is a passion not a hobby.
22. Taught someone else how to find their roots.
23. Been overwhelmed by available genealogy technology.
24. Know a cousin of the 4th degree or higher.
25. Disproved a family myth through research.
26. Got a family member to let you copy photos.
27. Looked at census records on microfilm, not on the computer.
28. Used microfiche.
29. Visited a church or place of worship of one of your ancestors.
30. Traced ancestors back to the 18th Century.
31. Traced ancestors back to the 17th Century.
32. Have an ancestor who fought in the Civil War.
33. Taken a photograph of an ancestor’s tombstone.
34. Became a member of the Association of Graveyard Rabbits.
35. Joined a Rootsweb mailing list.
36. Created a family website.
37. Was overwhelmed by the amount of family information received from someone.
38. Have broken through at least one brick wall.
39. Have an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War.
40. Use maps in my genealogy research.
41. Have an ancestor who was married four times (or more).
42. Learned of the death of a fairly close relative through research.
43. Have done the genealogy happy dance.
44. Reunited someone with precious family photos or artifacts.

Wow – out of a total of 104 items, I’ve done 44!  There are a couple other things I’ve done – not on the list:

1. Taken photos of a dead ancestor/relative in their casket.
2. Possess photos of dead relatives.
3. Sent away and received an ancestor’s Civil War Pension Files.
4. Helped organize a family caravan to cemeteries to visit ancestors/relatives graves.
5. Visited a Health Dept. in another state to get death certificates of ancestors.
6. Found my parents’ wedding announcement in the newspaper.
7. Possess memorial/funeral books for ancestors.
8. Possess reunion minute books for family reunions held before my birth.
9. Research the addresses for living relatives to send letters.
10. Shared gedcom files with newly found and long lost cousins.

So how about you?  Have you played?

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Carnival is Posted!

The 63rd Carnival of Genealogy (New Year’s Resolutions) is posted at Creative Gene. Once again, Jasia outdid herself with this one! And for all of the genea-bloggers whose resolutions were to “host a carnival” or show some kindness to other bloggers – Jasia is looking for hosts for this year to help take some of the work off her back.

I urge you to go visit each of these blogs to read their New Year’s Resolutions and add a comment or two!

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2008 Year in Review

Some of the genea-bloggers are listing a “Year in Review” of their blogs for 2008. Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings discovered this meme at John Newmark’s Transylvanian Dutch blog. The idea is to take the first sentence from the first blog of each month. There will end up being 12 sentences. (Since I didn’t start my blog until April, I’ll only have 8 sentences!) So here we go . . .

1. April: Welcome to “All My Branches” – my blog on genealogy.
2. May: If I haven’t mentioned it here before, then I will now.
3. June: Back in the mid 1960’s during a reunion trip to Coshocton, my parents had discussed finding a house that my dad’s mother had grown up in (or was born in). 
4. July: Please go to Destination: Austin Family to read the 51st Carnival of Genealogy post.
5. August: To my faithful readers – just a note that I will be posting new stuff soon!
6. September: Yes, I’ve felt like I’ve taken a long commercial break!
7. October: The theme for the 6th edition of Smile for the Camera is “Funny Bone”. 
8. November: Glen Roy Johnson, Jr. being held by his mom (my grandmother), Vesta Wilt Johnson
9. December: Miriam Robbins Midkiff, of Ancestories2 and Ancestories issued a new word prompt on her Ancestories2 blog.

So there you have it!

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A New Award!

Jessica, at Jessica’s Genejournal has awarded me with the Proximidade Award.  This award is for “These blogs invest and believe in PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time, and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming! These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends! They are not interested in prizes or self -aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”

This award has been going around for a few days now so I’m not sure I’ll be able to award it to eight others who have not already been given this award – but I’ll try!

So here it goes.  I’m awarding these eight folks:

1. A. Spence of Spence-Lowry Family History
2. Janice Tracy of Attala County Memories
3. Denise Olson of Family Matters
4. Becky Jamison of Grace and Glory
5. Amy Coffin of We Tree
6. Ruth Stephens of Bluebonnet Country Genealogy
7. Chery Kinnick of Nordic Blue
8. Lori Thornton of Smoky Mountain Family Historian

Thank you, Jessica, for this award!

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I Resolve To . . .

For the 63rd edition of the Carnival of Genealogy, the topic is New Year’s Resolutions!

As far as my genealogy research for 2009 -  I resolve to:

• Scan many more documents, photos, and the rest of the slides in my possession
• Organize my files
• Obtain / organize documentation for direct ancestors
• Enter documentation and information into family file

As far as genea-blogging, I resolve to:

• Participate in more carnivals, memes, word prompts and “fun” posts
• Post varied information (local, city, county and state links) in order to help other genealogists
• Visit more genea-bloggers and comment more than I do now
• Visit other history or genealogy based sites and do a write up on the blog in order to provide others with information

As far as my Graveyard Rabbit blog, I resolve to:

• Take more photos of cemeteries and grave markers in my area
• Do more research on local burial customs and cemetery history
• Post more articles per week

All I ask is to let me get through the holidays first!

(CoG graphic courtesy of footnoteMaven.)

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Thanksgiving Meme

My newfound cousin, Julie Cahill Tarr, at GenBlog, began a Thanksgiving meme and tagged me. The challenge is to write a blog post listing 2 things I’m thankful for and tag a person to spread the love.

I am thankful for having the best husband in the world who has been my rock for over 20 years; my parents, my four beautiful kids and three grandkids, my sister, niece, nephews, and extended family who I remain close to in spirit even if miles separate us.

I am thankful for being able to visit my mom for a second time this year.  Since my visits are usually a year apart, being able to see her four months after my last visit – especially at this time of year – was a wonderful blessing.

I am going to tag A. Spence of Spence-Lowry Family History.  Julie’s instructions for this meme are:

1. Write a blog post telling us about 2 things you are thankful for.
2. You can post the Thanksgiving Day banner above in your post if you like.
3. Tag one person to spread the love.  Post a comment on their blog so they know they’ve been tagged.
4. Send a link to your blog post by 11/25 to Julie at:  genblogjulie@gmail.com.

 Julie will post all submissions on 11/26!  Happy Thanksgiving!

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. . . And My Cousin, Becky!

I posted a few days ago about my new found cousin, Julie Cahill Tarr, of GenBlog. Today my other new found cousin, Becky Wiseman of Kinexxions posted her line back to Richard Treat – our common ancestor.

When I first entered the genea-blogging world back in the early spring, little did I realize that some of the people who I met in this wonderful community would turn out to be distant relatives – not to mention blogging friends. On GenBlog, Julie writes that she

. . . started this blog to share my genealogy research with others. Mini-bios of family members is my main focus. However, I also plan to share research challenges and successes, hint and tips I learn along the way, and participate in various carnivals and memes to add variety.

Julie is researching and preserving the past of the Cahill, Miller, McMahon, Rottman, Stoffel, Wach, & Webster families (and over 1,000 other twigs)! She is also the owner of Design Write Communications in Central Illinois.

Becky considers herself a GeneaHistorian and is a native Hoosier (which is great since a lot of my ancestors on my maternal grandparents side lived in Indiana!). She served in the U.S. Navy and also writes Whitley County Kinexxions. Becky’s web site is Kinexxions – Kin Connections. Her blog states:

Kinexxions will be presenting the History and Heritage of my ancestors and their kin, many of whom settled in the Northern Indiana counties of Elkhart, Kosciusko, and Whitley.

Maybe I’m a little biased, especially now that we are “kin”, but I urge you to go check out Julie’s and Becky’s sites and blogs. Two very talented ladies that I’m proud to call my cousins!

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Slow Posting

Things have been terribly busy on my end for the last week – which explains why I haven’t posted as much (or what!) I’ve wanted to. Had a toddler grandchild stay with me this weekend so have had extra stuff to deal with. Last week I put over 100 miles on my van in one day – just playing chauffeur. Posting will resume shortly and I’m thankful everyone has been patient with me!

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I’m a Rabbit, too!

Earlier today I became a member of the Association of Graveyard Rabbits!  I will post a link to my Graveyard Rabbit blog on the right.  Soon I will begin posting about Cemeteries, Tombstones, and Burial Customs in South Denton County (Texas).  I hope you’ll stop by and perhaps leave a comment or two!  Please find me also at Graveyard Rabbit of South Denton County!

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