I remember a story about a woman who always cut the end off the roast. Asked why, she said it was because her mother did. Someone asked her mother, and the mother said the same thing—because her mother did. Grandmother, tracked down and asked the same question, said, “Because I never had a pan big enough.”
Tradition lives on in our kitchens, at least through some of the foods we eat.
In the world of genetic genealogy, I descend from Helena, a “daughter” of ancestral Eve. My father descends from Jasmine. We know this because we tested our mitochondrial DNA. The results identified us as descendants of certain “clan mothers,” but more importantly, the results provided us with the potential for finding other people who descend from the same line of women.
In the Name of Taxes
It all began very innocently one Saturday afternoon sitting at the dining room table with my husband, Dave. We were discussing our bills.
Before reading any further, see if you can answer the question. And here is a hint—you’re looking for something that’s not there.
You’re looking for children who aren’t in the photo. You can tell the couple had at least five children by the gaps in the ages of the children pictured.
Finally we can all have a reason to like taxes–we can put them to USE when LOOKING for our family history.
Never has a government said, “Golly, we don’t feel like collecting taxes this year. Let’s just skip it.” You pay taxes. Your children will pay taxes. And your ancestors before you paid taxes.
Forget trees. When it comes to family history, mixed media artist Valerie Atkisson relies on everything from paper clips to tanned goat skin to celebrate her family history.
“I wanted to bring life into the raw, vital information that you get from genealogical research,” says Atkisson.
Who: Susan Sarandon, actress
What: Coming Home, a family history series produced by BBC Wales in which Sarandon participated
Why: To discover her Welsh roots
“Of course when I started acting, all these very interesting actors were Welsh, and it just sounded like a very kinda’ explosive background.
Julia Morgan was married in 1876 in Greene County, Arkansas, leaving her maiden name, Craven, behind. Now it’s time to find her parents, but where to start? With clues on Julia’s marriage license.
Step 1
Julia was 18 in 1876 (A). She should be with her parents on the 1870 census and her husband in 1880.
While it’s true that records of private attorneys can contain valuable information about an ancestor, particularly when that ancestor was the attorney’s client, two problems arise that tend to render these records unlikely and inaccessible sources.
Addressing Ancestors
Historic Map Works is a new site for locating an ancestral residence via atlas, directory, or map or even for identifying relevant historic maps based on GPS coordinates. Primarily focused on North America, resources may be searched online. Maps may be viewed in detail with an annual subscription or can be purchased.
