How can t-shirts be a part of genealogy? My creative daughter cut out the feature back portion of dozens of t-shirts she would no longer wear but wanted to keep the memory, and quilted them together into a college bound blanket. Now her memories can go with her!
Doing family history over Labor Day weekend was not a labor at all. We enjoyed a family reunion in Panaca, Nevada with the pioneer descendants of Charles P. Mathews and visited the local Panaca heritage museum for a glimpse of some great pioneer treasures. Next time you're planning a family reunion, think about adding a visit to the local history museum in your ancestral town for an added element of nostaglia.
While traveling to Europe with some friends and fellow nurses this Spring, we found some long lost cousins of the Cuomo family in an inlayed wood store in Sorrento, Italy. Larry thought the wood was wonderful but found a new family discovery much more valuable than the beautiful artwork. Listen to Larry's recount of his long lost "wood" in his family tree.
If you're familiar with surnames in your family history, they'll appear in wonderful places!
Roots Television vlogger takes you along a pioneer trek of the Old Spanish Trail near Sandy Valley, Nevada. Here's a hands- on practical approach to teaching youth and adults about their cultural or religious heritage. The memories will last longer than the blisters on the feet!
The Old Spanish trail was the desert segment for many western travelers in the mid 1840's. This youth group of 150 kids traveled 12 miles pushing handcards, and in dresses for the girls!
If they will do this to learn their heritage you could also probably drag them to a genealogy library and get them to explore microfilms in an air conditioned library!
Thursday night I went to a lecture at UNLV with my daughter to hear the amazing stories of the holocaust by survivor and author Gerda Klein. She spoke of the atrocities to the Jewish people during WWII but her message was more powerful than the horrors she lived through. She issued a call to patriotism and plea to help our fellow mankind through any human rights violations. Just google her name to learn of many Jewish roots resources. When you're feeling depressed or down, read more about her life history and her contributions to humanity and it puts it all back into perspective. Happy Heritage Hunting!
The great Chicago fire of 1871 destroyed four square miles in Chicago, Illinois and was one of the largest disasters of the 19th century in the United States. It was alledged that the fire was started by a cow kicking over a lantern in the barn owned by th O'Leary family, but the Chicago reporter who wrote about the fire later admitted in 1893 that he made it up because he thought it would make a more colorful story. For genealogist, we lament the loss of valuable census records that were stored in the court house within that four square inferno.
The only standing building left from that fire is the Water House, pictured behind me. Although the city was devastated from the fire, Chicago began rebuilding quickly, however the precious information on the census records was gone forever.
Just a reminder.. store your genealogical data in a fireproof file!
On St. Patrick's Day everyone is Irish in Chicago. We talk alot about celebrating your unique family heritage and that includes your ethnic heritage. There are more people in American who claim Irish heritage than are actual people living in Ireland! Take a peek at this moment in the Chicago Patty's day parade!
Genetics has become the hot topic in genealogy and family history. Check out this quick interview with twin Tracey and the Sorenson Molecular Biology project to learn about this great resource in your heritage hunting.