Geneabloggers

New Genealogy Blogs May 25, 2013

Thomas MacEntee — Sat, 25 May 2013 14:00:06 +0000

There are 10 newly-discovered genealogy and family-history related blogs that we’ve located this week. Remember to try and help out these new blogs by:

using any follow feature listed on the blog
adding them to your blog reader
adding a comment on their blog saying “hi” and “welcome”

Here are this week’s new listings:

Blog Blog Black Sheep ~ Have You Any Clues?
http://blogblogblacksheep.me
Blog type: Genealogy education, genealogy research

I’m Eowyn.

And I love dead people. I know…weird right?

They fascinate me. I love learning their stories about who they were and where they came from.

For me, every time I find an ancestor it’s like finding a little piece of my own puzzle. I was adopted when I was a baby but about 8 years ago I found my biological mother. I’ve been so blessed to be able to learn about both my biological and adoptive ancestors. It’s helped me understand that I’m a part of something so much bigger and more beautiful than just myself.

I first got into Genealogy when I was about 14 years old (a couple decades or so ago). My mother was a volunteer at a local family history library and I would go with her and hang out and research the family. That was back in the day when everything was still on microfiche and microfilm and we wrote out pedigree charts and family group sheets by hand.

As I got older, I got busier with other life things and for awhile genealogy was pushed to the side. Several years ago however, I felt that tug to start looking for family again and dove back into the research. I’ve been working as a professional genealogist for about three years now and LOVE it. I love the mystery, the history, putting together the pieces of the puzzle and helping other people discover their ancestors and where they came from.

I started Turning Hearts Genealogy for my own heart to be turned toward my kindred dead but also to assist anyone else who is wanting to seek out their ancestors as well. This is what I have dedicated my life to and I do so willingly and without direct compensation. At THG, hearts of love give many long hours of research to find your ancestors so that you might have the opportunity to get to know those who have come before you.

Through family history we discover the most beautiful tree in the forest of creation—our family tree. ~J. Richard Clarke

Brooklyn Ancestry
http://brooklynancestry.com/blog/
Blog type: Individual family history, New York genealogy, Professional genealogist blog

My Blog is about my own family, and Genealogy research in general, with special attention to New York City and Brooklyn.

Carr Family Search
http://ecarr357.blogspot.com.au/\
Blog type: Australian genealogy, Individual family history

I want to record my family history journey and reach out to others interested in the family tree.

Chroniques ancestrales
http://chroniquesancestrales.blogspot.ca
Blog type: French Canadian genealogy

« Le Canadien français n’arrive pas à mourir à un certain passé, à ce qu’il fut dans une lointaine ascendance. Les racines de l’arbre (généalogique) lui dévorent la moelle. »

D’aussi loin que je me souvienne, la passion pour la généalogie et son origine surtout remonte à plusieurs décennies. En fait, je l’ai découvert alors que j’étais étudiant au secondaire, dans une salle d’étude, et je lisais le roman de l’auteur bien connu Alex Haley, lui-même animé par le même intérêt, la même exaltation pour ce genre d’étude.

“French Canadians can not die in a past, it was in a distant ancestry. The roots of the tree (genealogy) devour the marrow. ”

As far as I remember, the passion for genealogy and origin mostly dates back several decades. In fact, I discovered when I was a high school student in a study room, and I was reading the novel by well-known author Alex Haley himself animated by the same interest, the same excitement for this kind of study.

Family Album Journey
http://familyalbumjourney.blogspot.com
Blog type: Individual family history

Family Album Journey is about genealogy research inspired by my Armstrong and Davis families’ historic photographs. Using the family photo album as a guide, I tell their stories and how I did the research.

I’m a librarian who loves genealogy and reading. I also have a fascination with historic photographs and easily lose myself looking at these windows into the past. Why “Friend of Pogo?” As a small child, I would beg my dad to read me the comics in the evening paper. One of my favorites was Pogo. I credit him and my dad for helping me develop a love for reading.

Jewish Gem’s Genealogy: Mining for Your Elusive Ancestors
http://yourjewishgem.blogspot.com
Blog type: Jewish genealogy

Some of you may recognize me from my various postings on several of JewishGen’s SIGs (Special Interest Groups) over the last couple of years.

Hopefully, you will find my new outlet for Jewish genealogical information as interesting and helpful to you in your search for your elusive ancestors.

Since I am very new to a blog venue, any suggestions and feedback that you would like to share in order to improve your viewing experience would be much appreciated.

Nanticoke River Roots
http://naniroots.com
Blog type: Delaware genealogy, Individual family history

“Nanticoke River Roots” is a Delaware family history blog and website created to share information with family, friends and other individuals researching the people and history of Delaware.

I’m researching four family lines: my father’s family in Sussex County Delaware and Dorchester County Maryland; my mother’s family in the coal hills of West Virginia and Virginia; my wife’s father’s family in northern Delaware and Ireland, and my wife’s mother’s family in Northern Delaware, Maryland and Germany. More about these four lines can be found on the “Surnames” page of this site.

I created this site to achieve a few things:

I believe the act of narration helps anyone be more precise about their genealogical conclusions and crystalize what they believe they know. Nanticoke River Roots gives me a reason to take some of the information I’ve collected about people, places, events and dates and turn them into written narratives.

Selfishly, I need some help! I have only a few oral histories handed down to me along with a handful of photographs and other artifacts. But I know there are others just like me who have collected history, photographs and artifacts that will complement mine. I hope that this blog will ‘beat the bushes’ an provide a way to collaborate with other family historians.

Not everyone in my family shares my passion for this research. For those that do, this site provides a way to share what I discover with family members without needing to wait for a family party or reunion to do so. For the youngest members of the family (and those yet to come), I’m leaving a record to make their future research a bit easier.

Through research and information provided by people who have helped me along the way, I’ve discovered a number of resources, tips and tricks specific to researching a family history in Delaware. This site provides a single place to document and link to the resources that I’ve found most useful.

I’m a Delaware native who has never left the state. I have worked as a systems analyst for almost thirty years but am a complete amateur when it comes to genealogy research. However, I try to apply the same focus, structure, and precision in the documentation of family histories that I do in the design of complex information systems.

Off-Shoots
http://offshoots.chattdeltagensoc.org
Blog type: Genealogical society blog, Tennessee genealogy

A companion blog to the Chattanooga Delta Genealogy Society’s journal “Southern Roots & Shoots” and the best way to stay up to date on genealogy and history news and events for Chattanooga and surrounding area.

The Organized Genealogist
http://organizedgenealogist.blogspot.com
Blog type: Genealogy education

The blog includes how-to articles, links to web sites and other blog posts and products geared toward making you a more organized genealogist. Blog functions to support the Facebook group, also called The Organized Genealogist. Guest blog posts and photo submissions are welcome.

Yancey to Yancy
http://www.yanceytoyancy.blogspot.com
Blog type: Individual family history blog

I just blog about any and everything I encounter while looking for the stories of my (and other peoples) ancestors.

Genealogy Blogging Beat – Saturday, May 25, 2013

Thomas MacEntee — Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:32 +0000

Today is Saturday, May 25, 2013 and here is what’s available in terms of Daily Blogging Prompts and other related events in the genealogy blogosphere:

Items of Note

Happy blogiversary to the Illinois State Genealogical Society blog (started May 25, 2010).

Today is Buddha’s Birthday. Constitutional Convention anniversary, Flower Moon, National Tap Dance Day, and Towel Day

Don’t forget! The list of newly-discovered genealogy blogs comes out later today here at GeneaBloggers.

Daily Blogging Prompts

Shopping Saturday – many families – especially busy working families – would perform their weekly shopping on Saturdays. Tell us about the various stores and vendors that your ancestors used to patronize. Or perhaps your ancestors had their own store? And don’t forget to also document your own memories of stores and shopping. This prompt has been suggested by Audrey Collins of The Family Recorder.

Sibling Saturday – NEW! – There’s often a special connection between siblings in a family. Tell their stories on Sibling Saturday, a daily blogging prompt suggested by Susan Mosey of Ancestry Binders.

Society Saturday – Are you involved with a genealogical or historical society? Do you want to showcase their good works, projects and events? Society Saturday is a way to do that at your own genealogy blog. This prompt has been suggested by Dana of the Just Folks blog.

Sorting Saturday – Any tips on how to go about sorting through a closet or box of stuff, what to do with what you find, organizing, supplies and tools you might need, etc. What about having to clean out a parent’s home once they’ve passed? This is an ongoing series by Michelle Goodrum at Turning of Generations.

Sports Center Saturday – do you have photos and stories about ancestors and their love of sports? Be it basketball or water polo or skeet shooting, tell their stories in your blog posts! Sports Center Saturday is a series suggested by Susan Petersen of Long Lost Relatives.

Surname Saturday – create a post in which you discuss a surname and mention its origins, its geographical location(s) and how it fits into your genealogy research. Surname Saturday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Sympathy Saturday – While Funeral Card Friday and Sunday’s Obituary revolve around a clipping related to the death of an ancestor or relative, with Sympathy Saturday you can post about any aspect of the passing of a person. This is an ongoing series by Anne Kruszka at GeneNotes and Generational.

To ensure that your blog post is included in the “roll-up” widgets above, include the name of the blogging theme in your post title. Examples: Black Sheep Sunday – Carmen Dioxide; Tombstone Tuesday – Carrie Oakey.

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If you would like your event or Daily Blogging Prompt included, please contact Geneabloggers at geneabloggers [at] gmail [dot] com.

Genealogy Blogging Events Week of May 24-31, 2013

Thomas MacEntee — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:00:26 +0000

Here is a list of events and goings-on in the world of genealogy blogging. Here’s what is happening in the coming week:

Daze of the Week!

Some of you may have noticed that in each Genealogy Blogging Beat we now feature national holidays and some of the more offbeat holidays. Here are some dates next week to look out for so you can plan your blog posts for next week:

May 24: First Night Game in Baseball Played,
Brooklyn Bridge Opening Anniversary, International Tiara Day and First Telegraph Line Opened.

May 25: Buddha’s Birthday. Constitutional Convention anniversary, Flower Moon, National Tap Dance Day, and Towel Day

May 26: Indy 500

May 27: Amelia Bloomer’s Birthday, Golden Gate Bridge Opening anniversary, Memorial Day, and UK Bank Holiday.

May 28: Amnesty International Day, Dionne Quintuplets born, and Sierra Club founded,

May 29: John F. Kennedy’s Birthday, Mount Everest Summit Reached anniversary, and Wisconsin Admission Day.

May 30: First American Daily Newspaper published.

May 31: Copyright Act of 1790 enacted and Johnstown Flood anniversary.

Happy Blogiversary!

If your blog anniversary is coming up soon, make sure it gets on our GeneaBloggers calendar! Remember to send your blog anniversary info to GeneaBloggers.

Genealogy Conferences and Events

Conference Keeper is the resource to help you keep track of upcoming conferences on the national, state and local level! You can also learn more about call for paper and exhibitor deadlines and more! GeneaBloggers is proud to partner with Conference Keeper to make sure the genealogy community has the latest information on genealogy and family history related conferences in one convenient online location.

Genealogy Webinars This Week

From the GeneaWebinars site:

“We provide information about how to attend genealogy-related online meetings, classes, hangouts, seminars and webinars, where there is a visual slide share and/or website or software demo for attendees to view.

Hosts may use a variety of platforms including Adobe Connect, AnyMeeting, Captera, Google Hangouts, GoToMeeting, GoToWebinar, Live Meeting, Skype, Web-Ex, and Wiggio, to name a few.

There are currently over 35 with posting access to this calendar and blog, and over 200 hours of scheduled instruction for genealogists wishing to hone their research skills during the coming year. If you’d like to join the calendar to post your organization’s events, just drop a note to Myrt@DearMYRTLE.com.”

For more information on genealogy webinars check out GeneaWebinars and thanks to DearMYRTLE for all her hard work in making this resource available!

GeneaBloggers on Facebook

Check out the Facebook page for GeneaBloggers (http://www.facebook.com/Geneabloggers) and click LIKE in order to follow the latest news and events related to GeneaBloggers on Facebook.

Genealogy Blogging Beat – Friday, May 24, 2013

Thomas MacEntee — Fri, 24 May 2013 05:01:56 +0000

Today is Friday, May 24, 2013 and here is what’s available in terms of events in the genealogy blogosphere:

Items of Note

Today: First Night Game in Baseball Played, Brooklyn Bridge Opening Anniversary, International Tiara Day and First Telegraph Line Opened.

Look for the Genealogy Blogging Events for the Week of May 17-24, 2013, later this morning.

Daily Blogging Prompts

Family Friends Friday – NEW! – We all have those friends of the family that are considered family. You know who . . . someone called “Uncle _________” or “Aunt ________,” a set of godparents, and their kids were called your cousins. These people are often not only an important part of our families but also important sources of genealogical information to us as the keepers of the family history. Tell us their stories on Family Friends Friday which is a daily blogging prompt suggested by John F.W. Goodwin of Remember When Genealogy.

Family Recipe Friday – is an opportunity to share your family recipes with fellow bloggers and foodies alike. Whether it’s an old-fashioned recipe passed down through generations, a recipe uncovered through your family history research, or a discovered recipe that embraces your ancestral heritage share them on Family Recipe Friday. This series was suggested by Lynn Palermo of The Armchair Genealogist.

Follow Friday – create a post in which you recommend another genealogy blogger, a specific blog post, a genealogy website or a genealogy resource. Tell us why they are important to the genealogy community and why we should follow. Follow Friday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers and was suggested by Earline Bradt of Ancestral Notes.

Friend of Friends Friday – if you have encountered records of enslaved ancestors, whether they are your own ancestors or not, make it a point to transcribe those records and get them posted on the Internet via your blog. Friend of Friends Friday is an important service to the genealogy community – both Leslie Ann of Ancestors Live Here and Greta of Greta’s Genealogy Bog have been posting to this series for some time now and their inspiration is much appreciated.

Friday Funny – have you come across something genealogy-related that makes you laugh or smile? Post images, stories, quotes and more during Friday Funny. Friday Funny is a daily blogging prompt suggested by Jennie Pak of They Came to Montana.

Friday’s Faces from the Past – NEW! – Have you come across photos with people and places that you can’t identify? Do you rescue “orphaned photos” at flea markets and antique shops? Or do you just want to tell the story behind a cherished family photo? Friday’s Faces from the Past is a way to highlight photos, of known ancestors or complete unknowns suggested by Smadar Belkin Gerson of Past-Present-Future.

Funeral Card Friday – do you have a collection of memorial cards for your ancestors or family members, the kind that funeral homes produce and give out to mourners? Post images of these cards and stories about the person memorialized during Funeral Card Friday. Funeral Card Friday has been an ongoing series by Dee at Funeral Cards & Genealogy.

To ensure that your blog post is included in the “roll-up” widgets above, include the name of the blogging theme in your post title. Examples: Black Sheep Sunday – Paige Turner; Tombstone Tuesday – Pearl E. Gates.

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If you would like your event or Daily Blogging Prompt included, please contact Geneabloggers at geneabloggers [at] gmail [dot] com.

Genealogy Blogging Beat – Thursday, May 23, 2013

Thomas MacEntee — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:01:50 +0000

Today is Thursday, May 23, 2013, and here is what’s available in terms of Daily Blogging Prompts and other related events in the genealogy blogosphere:

Items of Note

Today: Bonnie and Clyde Death Anniversary and New York Public Library Anniversary.

Daily Blogging Prompts

Thankful Thursday – Create a post that expresses gratitude for a person (past or present), resource, family history tool or anything connected to you or your and family history that has had a positive impact on your life. This prompt has been suggested by Carolyn Murphy of Family Tree Gal and has been in use by Mary Warren of Mary’s Musings for the past year.

Thrifty Thursday – do you have some neat ways of saving money when it comes to genealogy? Have you located a bargain on some research resource or office supply? Post about it during Thrifty Thursday! This series has been suggested by Judy Webster of Queensland Genealogy.

Thriller Thursday – Are there murders, bizarre accidents or other thrilling stories among your family history? Tell us about them through words and pictures during Thriller Thursday. This is an ongoing series by Anne Kruszka at Gene Notes.

Those Places Thursday – do you often think back to places where you lived and worked at one time? What about those places where your ancestors spent time? Post about “those places” with photos and stories on Those Places Thursday. This has been an ongoing series by Cheryl Palmer of Heritage Happens.

Treasure Chest Thursday – create a post with the main focus being a family treasure, an heirloom or even an every-day item important to your family. A special thanks to Leslie Ann Ballou of Lost Family Treasures for suggesting Treasure Chest Thursday as a daily blogging theme!

To ensure that your blog post is included in the “roll-up” widgets above, include the name of the blogging theme in your post title. Examples: Black Sheep Sunday – Anita Bath; Tombstone Tuesday – Aleta Buffet.

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If you would like your event or Daily Blogging Prompt included, please contact Geneabloggers at geneabloggers [at] gmail [dot] com.

Genealogy Blogging Beat – Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Thomas MacEntee — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:01:23 +0000

Today is Wednesday, May 22, 2013, and here is what’s available in terms of Daily Blogging Prompts and other related events in the genealogy blogosphere:

Items of Note

Today: Johnny Carson’s Final Show Anniversary and National Maritime Day.

Daily Blogging Prompts

Wedding Wednesday – a great way to display those old wedding photos or scan wedding invitations and announcements! Suggested by Carol of Reflections from the Fence and in use by several genealogy bloggers.

Wednesday’s Child – Post photos of gravestones of children. A sad topic indeed but posts can give life to the stories of these young souls. This has been an ongoing series by Amy at Gravestoned.

Wisdom Wednesday – an alternative to Wordless Wednesday for those who just can’t post without words! Create a post in which you share words of wisdom about any number of things including weddings, marriage, children, work, and so on. A post could include such things as favorite sayings of grannies, superstitions, that sort of thing. Words of wisdom should have their origins in the past and have been passed on from generation to generation. Wisdom Wednesday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers suggested by Jennifer Geraghty-Gorman of On a Flesh and Bone Foundation: An Irish History.

NEW! Wishful Wednesday – what ancestor do you wish you could have met? What day,event in your ancestor’s life do you wish you could have been a part of? Describe your meeting or the day. Wishful Wednesday is a daily blogging prompt suggested by Deborah Carder Mayes of Rambling Along the Ancestral Trail.

Wordless Wednesday – a great way to share your old family photos! Create a post with the main focus being a photograph or image. Some posters also include attribute information as to the source of the image (date, location, owner, etc.). Wordless Wednesday is one of the longest running “memes” in the blogosphere and is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Workday Wednesday – a way to document your ancestors’ occupations (they weren’t all farmers), transcripts of SS-5s, photos and stories of ancestors at work, announcements of retirements, etc. This prompt has been suggested by Denise Spurlock of the Denise’s Life in the Past Lane and Reflecting on Genealogy blogs.

To ensure that your blog post is included in the “roll-up” widgets above, include the name of the blogging theme in your post title. Examples: Black Sheep Sunday – Juan Nightstand; Tombstone Tuesday – Bessie Mae Mucho.

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If you would like your event or Daily Blogging Prompt included, please contact Geneabloggers at geneabloggers [at] gmail [dot] com.

Genealogy Blogging Beat – Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Thomas MacEntee — Tue, 21 May 2013 05:01:22 +0000

Today is Tuesday, May 14, 2013, and here is what’s available in terms of Daily Blogging Prompts and other related events in the genealogy blogosphere:

Items of Note

Today: American Red Cross Founded and National Waitstaff Day.

Daily Blogging Prompts

Talented Tuesday – Got ancestors who had a special talent? Be it musical, comical, or any manner of skill, post at your genealogy blog through words and pictures.

Tech Tuesday – Have you stumbled upon a piece of technology or new Web-based application that would be of interest to your fellow genealogy colleagues? Post at your blog on Tech Tuesday and show us the ins and outs of this technology and how it can benefit the genealogy community. This is a new series suggested by Donna Peterson of Hanging with Donna and in the past there have been many iterations of this series: the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) blog Narations as well as The Family Curator by Denise Levenick.

Tombstone Tuesday – To participate in Tombstone Tuesday simply create a post which includes an image of a gravestone of one or more ancestors and it may also include a brief description of the image or the ancestor. This is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Travel Tuesday – Do you have images, quotes or stories about trips your ancestors or family took during their lives? Or have to ventured out on travels to your ancestral homeland as part of your genealogy research? Travel Tuesday is a daily blogging prompt suggested by Susan Donaldson of Family History Fun.

Tuesday’s Tip – What advice would you give to another genealogist or family historian, especially someone just starting out? Remember when you were new to genealogy? Wasn’t it great to find tips and tricks that worked for others? Post your best tips at your genealogy blog on Tuesday’s Tip. This series was suggested by Susan Petersen of Long Lost Relatives and, in fact, this has been an ongoing series by Lynn Palermo at The Armchair Genealogist and by Miriam Robbins at AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors.

To ensure that your blog post is included in the “roll-up” widgets above, include the name of the blogging theme in your post title. Examples: Black Sheep Sunday – Andrea Dorea; Tombstone Tuesday – Nequelle Anne Dyme.

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If you would like your event or Daily Blogging Prompt included, please contact Geneabloggers at geneabloggers [at] gmail [dot].com.

The History and Beginnings of Memorial Day

Thomas MacEntee — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:19:01 +0000

I grew up calling it Decoration Day thanks to my great-grandparents who made sure I understood the importance of the holiday. Here’s a neat infographic about the history of Memorial Day and some information to ponder as you prepare to commemorate your ancestors who died in military service to the United States.

Via: In the Light Urns

May I Introduce To You . . . Deborah Sweeney

Gini Webb — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:00:53 +0000

I have the great pleasure if introducing you to Deborah Sweeney and her blog, Genealogy Lady, described as, “ . . . Mainly, I am focusing on the letters written by my grandparents, Roscoe and Gladys Yegerlehner, during World War II with some additional family genealogy, Kentland history (the town where they lived) and World War II history.”

How Deborah Got Started in Genealogy

“I was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts but moved to central Massachusetts when I was three. I consider Worcester, Massachusetts to be my hometown. I currently live in Elk Grove, California (my husband’s hometown).

I have been working seriously on my research since I moved to California in 1994 and was introduced to the Family History Centers by a co-worker (who was Mormon). I have always been interested in my family’s genealogy. Both my grandmothers were a big influence on me. My Yegerlehner grandmother worked on putting together a chart of the Yegerlehner family. They were immigrants from Switzerland in 1851. She and my grandfather were able to travel back to Switzerland and meet some of the distant cousins on several occasions. My maternal grandmother was of old New England blood. She and her cousin worked on proving the lineages for the Mayflower Society and the Alden Kindred. By the time I was in junior high, I was already obsessed with genealogy. I also loved Greek mythology. I volunteered in all my school libraries throughout my school days. One of the libraries had this huge tome of mythology. I can’t tell you how many hours I spent tracking and charting the interwoven families of the Greek Gods. (That’s my total teen nerd moment for you).”

Deborah’s Thoughts on Blogging

“I started my blog last November over Thanksgiving weekend. I had been trying for years to figure out a way to share the World War II letters. I am also terrified that some natural disaster will occur and the letters will be lost before they get preserved. I have had possession of them for about a decade. Before that, my dad had rescued them from the trash bin years ago. My grandmother was doing some cleaning and told my dad he should just toss them. He decided to save them instead. As a result, he carted them around for decades. Finally, I got to the point in my genealogy research that I wanted to read them so he passed them on to me. I had tried scanning them, but there are just so many of them that I would quickly lose interest in the project. At this point, I estimate there are between 750-1,000 letters. The blog has created the perfect way to break the project into small chunks. I spend an hour or two each day with one letter (transcribing, scanning, checking historical references, etc). I have learned so much from the letters in just the last 5 ½ months. I have also connected with several distant cousins as well as descendants of the townspeople mentioned in the letters. My grandmother did not like to gossip but many of her letters mention her daily interactions with the neighbors and other townspeople (in Kentland and Lafayette, Indiana).”

Deborah’s Favorite Blog Post

“I am not sure I have a specific favorite post. There are a couple themes that have popped up throughout the letters. One of them has been my grandfather’s struggle with his laundry. At this point the saga is quite hilarious and I know it is a problem he had throughout the war. When he was stationed in Norfolk, it would typically take 2-3 weeks for him to get his laundry back. He went home for leave in mid July 1942 and was almost immediately called back because his orders to ship out were issued. Of course, he didn’t have time to retrieve the laundry when he returned to Norfolk. At this point in the narrative, the laundry has been shipped across country in an attempt to catch up with him and has finally landed with my grandmother in Kentland. I don’t know yet if she attempted to ship it to the South Pacific but I just published a post in which my grandfather was wondering what had happened to the laundry. Another theme is the arrival of my father. My grandmother was pregnant with him when my grandfather signed up. It was very exciting to finally announce my father’s birth on the blog (70 years later). That post was titled, September 23, 1942 – Red Letter Day (Roscoe). It was a ‘red letter day’ for my grandfather because he received some long awaited mail but it was also the day (unknown to him) that his youngest son was born.”

Deborah’s Tip for New Bloggers

“Just do it! When I started 20+ years ago, my grandmother gave me piles of lineage charts and family group sheets that she and her cousin had put together. They didn’t really teach me anything. When I started going to the local Family History center, I didn’t really know much about what to do or how to research. I listened to the experienced researchers and I read a lot to educate myself. There is so much available online today and so many opportunities to learn good research practices. There are no excuses!”

How Genealogy Has Improved Deborah’s Life

“I can’t really imagine my life without genealogy. I have connected with some great people (and distant family) around the country over the years. With the addition of the blog, I now have people around the world that I connect with through our shared love of genealogy.

I just finished Boston University’s Genealogy Research Certificate Spring (Online 11). I am working towards becoming a certified genealogist (CG). Next up, I want to do ProGen and then get myself ‘on the clock’ for certification.”

Deborah’s Favorite Ancestor

“I am not exactly sure that I have a favorite ancestor. I have a favorite brick wall ancestor. His name was Alfred M. Dicks. Born in Guilford County, North Carolina to a Quaker family, he moved to Illinois in the 1830s. When he married his wife Ruth Reynolds in 1840, they were disowned from the local Quaker Monthly Meeting for marrying outside the faith. Although I know his parents and family, he is my brick wall ancestor because he was amazingly good at staying out of public records. I hope to travel to Crawford County, Illinois one day and lock myself up in the library in Robinson and see if I can find something more about him.”

What Deborah Loves Most About Genealogy

“I probably love the hunt and the discovery aspect of genealogy the most. I love trying to solve the puzzle and trying to fit all the pieces together.”

Deborah’s Time Capsule Message

“It is never too early to start learning about your family. Ask the questions sooner rather than later, before the oldest generation is gone. My grandmother Yegerlehner was able to help me a little, and even though she lived into her 90s, her memories were gone due to Alzheimer’s.”

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Please take a moment to head on over to Deborah’s blog. Leave her a comment letting her know you stopped by. Welcome Deborah, it’s great to have you here!

Gini Webb lives in San Diego, California and manages her own blog, Ginisology, while also researching her own German heritage, recently retired, enjoying life with wonderful husband Steve and visiting with her now seven grandchildren!

Are you a genealogy blogger who would like to be interviewed for the “May I Introduce To You . . .” series? If so, contact Gini Webb via e-mail.

Genealogy Blogging Beat – Monday, May 20, 2013

Thomas MacEntee — Mon, 20 May 2013 05:01:13 +0000

Today is Monday, May 20, 2013, and here is what’s available in terms of Daily Blogging Prompts and other related events in the genealogy blogosphere:

Items of Note

Happy blogiversary to Caroline’s Chronicle (started May 20, 2011).

Today is the Homestead Act Anniversary and the Lindbergh Transatlantic Flight Anniversary.

Come meet blogger Deborah Sweeney of the Genealogy Lady blog this afternoon as part of the popular series May I Introduce To You.

Daily Blogging Prompts

Amanuensis Monday – An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin – some we never met – others we see a time in their life before we knew them. A fuller explanation can be found here.

Madness Monday – create a post with the main focus being an ancestor who either suffered some form of mental illness or an ancestor who might be hard to locate and drives you mad. This is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Mappy Monday – do maps, deeds and land records factor in to your family history? Join us for Mappy Monday where you can post map images and how they relate to your research or discuss other aspects of land ownership and your ancestors. Several members of GeneaBloggers suggested this type of theme and in fact Holly Spencer of Ravenna Area Historical Society Blog has been using this theme since March 2009.

Maritime Monday – Post about anything to do with the sea: ancestors who were sailors, shipwrights, fishermen, or coastguards including images, records and links. Maritime Monday is an ongoing series created by Ros Haywood at the GenWestUK blog.

Matrilineal Monday – Post about the female line of one of your families you are researching. Matrilineal Monday is an ongoing series by Jennifer Geraghty-Gorman of ‘On a flesh and bone foundation’: An Irish History.

Military Monday – We all have ancestors who have served in the military. Military Monday is a place to post their images, stories and records of their service in various branches of the military. Military Monday is an ongoing series by Cindy at Everything’s Relative – Researching Your Family History.

Mobile Monday – Do you use mobile applications on a SmartPhone to assist with your genealogy research? Post a review of any applications you’ve used or post about what you’d like to see in a mobile application related to genealogy. This is an ongoing series created by A.C. Ivory of the Find My Ancestor blog.

Motivation Monday – do you have a set of genealogy-related goals you want to tackle? Do you have tips on getting motivated? Whether you want to lend advice or you need advice, participate in Motivation Monday at your blog and tell us what’s on your genealogical plate. This is an ongoing series created by Dionne Kurti at Finding Josephine.

Mystery Monday – Closely related to Madness Monday only these missing ancestors might not cause madness! Mystery Monday is where you can post about mystery ancestors or mystery records – anything in your genealogy and family history research which is currently unsolved. This is a great way to get your fellow genealogy bloggers to lend their eyes to what you’ve found so far and possibly help solve the mystery. Several genealogy bloggers have been using Mystery Monday as an ongoing series including Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings, Kathleen Moore of The Misadventures of a Genealogist and Betty Tartas of Betty’s Boneyard Genealogy Blog.

To ensure that your blog post is included in the “roll-up” widgets below, include the name of the blogging theme in your post title. Examples: Black Sheep Sunday – Honey Dijon; Tombstone Tuesday – Ida Slapter.

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If you would like your event or Daily Blogging Prompt included, please contact Geneabloggers at geneabloggers [at] gmail [dot] com.