Tag Archives: genealogy

Genealogy: A Little Help

I love doing genealogy. I love my ancestors. But, from time to time, we can all use a little help. Today, I thought I’d share with you a few ways that help me find the inspiration to keep going when I’m feeling a … Continue reading

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Genealogy: Hero Cousin

I’m not referring to some distant ancestor who fought in the War of 1812, I’m talking about a real live, first cousin. After our grandmother died in 1989, she salvaged boxes of family keepsakes that were bound for the dumpster. … Continue reading

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Genealogy: Putting it all together

I wrote about my maternal great-grandmother back here, but I’ve been thinking it was time to put something down on paper about my great-grandfather. I’ve been collecting links and scanning documents and photographs for a year or two to prepare … Continue reading

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Archives: Etched in Stone

I was not sure how to categorize today’s post. Genealogy? Field Trip? I just wanted to share this marvelous family cemetery I came across on a recent outing and point out some of the clever things this family is doing … Continue reading

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Genealogy: On Display

There is a set of tea towels in my possession. They were made for my mother by her grandmother, Elizabeth Ann Williams Mansfield (1867-1949). I wrote a little about my great-grandmother here.

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Genealogy: Using the Local History Room

I was asked in a recent conversation I had with a new friend, “How do you find stories about your ancestors when you haven’t inherited any stories?” I’m afraid the answer is “You have to write them.” The best place to … Continue reading

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Genealogy: Reading between the bars

I have had access to the 1910 US Census record for my great grandfather for a long time. Five of John J. and Matilda Peterson Gillis’ then seven children were living at home. That was very helpful information to me. … Continue reading

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Genealogy: Census Strategies

I have been trying to nail down the exact birthdates and given names of a family on my father’s paternal side, that of John Gillis and Margaret MacFarlane. I have a well-researched genealogy prepared by my late cousin Robert J. … Continue reading

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Archives: Wessyngton Plantation

In the fall of 2011, as a graduate student in archives, I attended the annual conference of the Society of Tennessee Archivists in Nashville. One of the speakers was John F. Baker Jr., who was presenting his research on his … Continue reading

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Genealogy: Find A Grave

Have you ever entered a surname into a search engine bar and noticed that one or more of your hits was for findagrave.com? Have you ever gone to the site and used findagrave.com’s own search tools? Doing so can bring forth surprising results … Continue reading

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