Congratulations to everyone who has made it to Week 8 and to those who are just getting started (and to everyone in between)! I’ve seen several people commenting that they’re “trying to catch up.” Remember – the goal is write something. It doesn’t have to be the definitive work on that ancestor. Don’t feel guilty about only posting a photo or only posting a couple of paragraphs. My motto: “Anything you write is more than what you had before.”
This week, we had both the serious and the silly. Larry Sanburg told about his ancestor’s involvement with the Underground Railroad. Susie Reynolds shared how her great-great-grandparents met. Genohio isn’t quite her own grandpa, but she is related to herself. Cheryl Biermann Hartley wonders why her grand-uncle was wearing a dress.
One post that I’d like to bring special attention to is Cheri Daniels’ touching tribute to her Aunt Janet in “The Last Cup of Tea.” It’s a story of family dynamics, grief, and how one cup of tea really can make for a family story. (Thank you, Cheri, for allowing me to highlight your beautiful post.)
My contribution this week was about my great-great-grandfather George Skinner of Perry County, Ohio and why I’m glad he didn’t follow his siblings.
- ADAMS – “Adams, Joel about 1846-???” by custer2custer on A Tangled Trail
- AIRLIE – “Immigration Redux” (Robert Orr Muir Airlie) by Schalene Dagutis on Tangled Roots and Trees
- ALLEN – “George Allen” by Pam Carter on My Maine Ancestry
- ALLERTON – “Isaac Allerton” by Pam Carter on My Maine Ancestry
- ANDERSON – “Orin McClure Anderson, Capt. Co. E” by Brenna G. on Green Family Archives
- ASCHENBRENER – “George and Marietta Aschenbrener, Early Twentieth-Century Entrepreneurs” by Susan McNelley on Tracings by SAM
- AUTREY – “John Mabe Autrey” by Daniel Sample on Where Were They Then?
- BAILEY – “Rebecca Ella Bailey Fisher (1858 – before July 1926)” by Jo Allison Henn on Climbing My Family Tree
- BARKER – “The Barker Sisters” (Lelia Leona, Mary Elizabeth, Melinda Jane, and Hannah Eldora) by Bill West on West in New England
- BANCROFT – “Flora Gertrude Bancroft Knows How to Live Large” by Charity Johnson on Past Remains
- BIANCHI – “Who Is Victor Bianchi?” by Eileen A. Souza on Old Bones Genealogy
- BIRD – “William Henry Bird” by Kirsty Gray on Family Wise Ltd
- BOSSELLER – “General Sherman Bosseller Becomes Sherman Volser” by Wally Huskonen on Collecting Ancestors
- BOWEN – “Happy Birthday Nana: Doris Bowen” by Dave Lucey on The eLuceydator
- BRADLEY – “Michael Bradley” by Kay on Relative Storyboards
- BRANTLEY – “Iva Mae Brantley” by Iva Jackson-Ketchum on My Genealogy Quest for Jackson-Ketchum Genealogy
- BRINK – “The Young Widow – Mary V. Brink Anderson” by Vera Marie Badertscher on Ancestors in Aprons
- BRODERICK – “Sarah ‘Daisy’ Broderick” by Cindi on My Moynahan Genealogy Blog
- BROWN – “Alice Margaret Brown” by Linda Woodward Geiger on My Family Research
- BROWN – “Thomas Brown, Native of Ohio 1843-1927” by Denise Hibsch Richmond on Denise Digs Roots
- BRUYNELL – “Oscar” (Oscar William Bruynell) by Karen Bruynell on Getting to Know You
- BRYCE – “Margaret Maria Bryce” by Gail on Family History Etc.
- BUCKMASTER – “Eva Evelyna Buckmaster Musgrove” by Andrea Musgrove Perisho on After Toil Comes Rest
- BURNSIDES – “Charlotte Debolt: Making a Case for Her Parentage” (Charlotte Burnsides Debolt) by Karen on Ancestor Soup
- CAHILL – “Elizabeth (Cahill) Welch – Living Heirs Named on Quitclaim” by Leah on Genealogy in West Brookfield, MA
- CARHART – “Hamilton Carhart (Will Someone at the Oscars Be Wearing Carhartt?)” on Notes From the Past
- CARRUTHERS – “Andrew William Carruthers” by Sharon Simms on 52 Ancestors – 52 Weeks
- CELMIŅŠ – “Pēteris Celmiņš” on Discovering Latvian Roots
- CHRISTOPHERSON – “Anna Christopherson’s Unexpected Cause of Death” by Jana Last on Jana’s Genealogy and Family History Blog
- CLYMER – “Clymer Brothers and the Civil War” (Charles Renfrow, John D., Samuel, James C. “Jonah”, and Louis Clymer) by Laura Johnston on Getting Started in Genealogy
- COBB – “Murder of John Franklin Cobb (1859-1915)” by Debbie T. Hilliard on Past Times of a Native Texan
- COCHRANE – “Andrew George Cobbett Cochrane” by Mary on Ancestors I Wish I Knew
- COLT – “Who Was Dorothy Colt’s Mother?” by Michelle on My Family History
- COLT – “John C. Colt: Murder, Mystery and a Body Snatch?” by Michelle on My Family History
- CONOVER – “Sara Frances Conover” by Kathleen on Ancestry Search
- COUGHLIN – “Glassblowers in the 1800’s” (William Henry Coughlin) by Cindi on My Moynahan Genealogy Blog
- COUNTRYMAN – “Jacob Countryman, the Heir of Hairlines” by SallySearches on SallySearches
- CROAD – “Robert Rendle Croad” by Leah A. on Leah’s Family Tree
- DANIELS – “The Last Cup of Tea” (Janet Louise Daniels Millard) by Cheri Daniels on Journeys Past
- DANSON – “GGGG Grandfather John Danson” by Susan Donaldson on Family History Fun
- DEMPSEY – “My Most Frustrating Brick Wall – William A. W. Dempsey” by Cathy Meder-Dempsey on Opening Doors in Brick Walls
- DEVANE – “Margaret DeVane” by Catherine Pendleton on The Pendleton Genealogy Post
- DINGMAN – “Guy Bradley Dingman of Venango County, Pennsylvania” by Wally Huskonen on Collecting Ancestors
- DOSTAL – “Great Grandfather Karl Dostal” by Bob and Debbie Biggs on Bob & Debbie’s Next BIGGS Adventure
- DOUGHERTY – “Our Civil War Soldier” (John Lyle Dougherty) on Putnam Sisters
- DOUGLAS – “The Douglas Brick Wall” (Winfield Scott Douglas) by Niki Davis on Rooted in Foods
- DUDLEY – “Ann Dudley” by Janet Iles on Janet the Researcher
- DUNCAN – “Bertia Mae Duncan” by Candy Kammerman on Candy’s Family Maze
- DURBIN – “Mary Elizabeth Durbin Clark” by Amy Urman on The Genealogy Search
- EDENBOROUGH – “Arthur Edenborough” by Jennie Fairs on Edenborough One Name Study
- EDENBOROUGH – “Fanny Elizabeth Edenborough” by Jennie Fairs on Edenborough One Name Study
- EDENBOROUGH – “Henry Edenborough” by Jennie Fairs on Edenborough One Name Study
- EDENBOROUGH – “William Edenborough” by Jennie Fairs on Edenborough One Name Study
- ELEQUE – “Marie Eleque (? – ca.1737)” by A. R. Dotson on The Genearchaeologist’s Field Notebook
- FEHER – “Vilma What? Feher? Schmidt? Furez?” by Joanne Clyde on Do You Know the Muffin Man?
- FIELDS – “Carrie C. Fields, Red Skelton’s Aunt” by Brenna G. on Green Family Archives
- FLAUGH – “Learning About Matthias Flaugh, Revolutionary War Ancestor” by Wally Huskonen on Collecting Ancestors
- FROMAN – “Tressa Rose Froman” by Nancy on My Ancestors and Me
- GALSTER – “Jacob Galster” by mvillhauer on Branching Out: My Family Tree
- GILL – “Earl Morrison Gill, Sr.” by Joan McHale on The Lopsided Tree
- GLOVER – “Archibald Ritchie Lawrence Glover” by Jillian Glover on My Ain Folk
- GODIN – “Aime Godin (1852-1909) Caraquet, New Brunswick, Canada” by Linda Albert on My Acadian Roots
- GONCALVES – “Forgotten Child, Maria” on The Creola Genealogist
- GOWER – “Nancy Gower” by Beth Gatlin on So Many Ancestors!
- GRANT – “Christopher Grant” by Pam Carter on My Maine Ancestry
- GRAVES – “Esther Laura Graves” by Tina Marie Chase on Random
- GREEN – “James Wilkinson Green, Country Doctor” by Brenna G. on Green Family Archives
- GREEN – “Jared Green, Civil War Veteran From Conneaut, Ohio” by Wally Huskonen on Collecting Ancestors
- GREEN – “Joab Green, Early Settler in Conneaut Twp, Ohio” by Wally Huskonen on Collecting Ancestors
- GREENLEAF – “Edmund Greenleaf” by Bill West on West in New England
- GRUISSY – “N. Regina Gruissy; Ohio Wife & Mom” by Colleen G. Brown Pasquale on Leaves & Branches
- HAIRSTON – “Phillip A. Hairston” by Diana on Moments in Time
- HAIRSTON – “William Hairston” by Diana on Moments in Time
- HAMMON – “Sharon Gay Hammon” by J. E. Brooks on Brooks/Norton Beginnings
- HANCOCK – “Kyle Hancock (1930-2011)” by Ray Nichols on Questions and Ancestors
- HAND – “Sarah Britton Hand, Mother of Five, Died Too Young” by Judy Everett Ramos on Fort Worth Genealogy Examiner
- HARTLEY – “Alma Jeanette Hartley” by Caroll on Trace Your Genealogy
- HARTLEY – “The Shocking Findings About William Hartley” by Cheryl Biermann Hartley on My Search for the Past
- HENSON – “Hattie Mae Henson” by Terri on Genealogy Junkie
- HILER – “John G. Hiler, Ironworker and Capitalist” by Kathy Nemaric on KJN Genealogy
- HOLMES – “Holmes, Lewis Joel (1909-1988)” by custer2custer on A Tangled Trail
- HOOVER – “A Letter from Sibyl Middleton to Her Sister Josephine Pullen, 1924” (Sibyl Hoover Middleton) by Susan McNelley on Tracings by SAM
- HOSKINS – “Mary Elizabeth (Hoskins) Anderson” by Susie Reynolds on Our Families and Their Untold Stories
- HOWARD – “John W. Howard” by Cathy G. on Orlandel Creations
- HUBER – “Frederick Huber (1864-1946)” by Miles Meyer on Our Ancestories
- HUYLER – “Betty Dolores Huyler” by Valerie Craft on Begin With “Craft”
- HYDE – “Baby Girl Hyde” on thegenealogygirl
- IRWIN – “Charles Irwin” by M. Diane Rogers on Newdale, Manitoba, Canada – Genealogy
- JACKMAN – “Alzina Jackman Doyle” by Leah A. on Leah’s Family Tree
- JACKSON – “Mary Jackson Campbell – It Took an Act of Congress” by Cheryl Biermann Hartley on My Search for the Past
- JOHNS – “Shadrach Johns” by Charlie on Carolina Family Roots
- JOHNSON – “A Wicked Stepmother” (Elmira Johnson Colwell) by Pam on Our Own History
- JOHNSTON – “William George Washington Johnston (A 71-Year-Old Mystery)” by Kaila Johnston on From Mowat and Beyond
- JOLLETT – “James Jollett” by Wendy on Jollett Etc.
- JONES – “Uncle Donald Jones” by Jill Hill on The Life and Times of Trixie Jones
- JOYNER – “Whitehead Joyner” by Celia Lewis
- KAHN – “Harry Francis Kahn” by Elizabeth Richards on Scrapping My Family History
- KEEN – “Lawrence Keen, The Shoemaker (continued)” by Nancy Hurley on Indiana Ties
- KEMP – “Georgianna (Kemp) Auble (1868-1952)” by Randy Seaver on Genea-Musings
- KESNER – “Hortense Kesner Samuel – My Nana” by Deborah Holman on Who We Are and How We Got This Way
- KING – “Is This a Photo of Newel King?” by Shelley Ballenger Bishop on A Sense of Family
- KING – “Were Thomas and Lewis King Illegitimate?” by Lorine McGinnis Schulze on Olive Tree Genealogy Blog
- KOSACK – “DNA Connection Week” (Kosack family) by Cheryl Miller on Shaking Cheryl’s Family Tree
- KLINKMANN – “Schmidt & Klinkman Wedding” (Friedrich Theodor Schmidt and Henriette Elisabeth Sofia Maria Klinkmann) by Barbara Schmidt on Barbara Schmidt
- LAMB – “Nettie (Lamb) Baisley” by Hiztorybuff on Rattling the Bones
- LANGENECK – “Frederick Langeneck” by NikiMarie on My People in History
- LARIMER – “Brice S. Larimer, Elkhart Pioneer” by Marian Burk Wood on Climbing My Family Tree
- LARSEN – “Oda Juanita Larsen (1906-1993)” by Scott on Finding My Ancestors
- LEA – “Sarah Ann Mottram nee Lea (1840-1894)” on Joynealogy
- LEIGHTON – “James Leighton (1797-1844)” by Pam Schaffner on Digging Down East
- LEMON – “Jane Francis Lemon Blackmore (1835-1927)” by Karen on Karen’s Genealogy Oasis
- LEWIS – “Sarah Tillin (nee Lewis) (1827-1891) (Berkshire, England)” by Jo on Full Circle Family History Blog
- LLOYD – “Ltnt. Governor Thomas Lloyd, Keeper of the Seal” by Ray Nichols on Questions and Ancestors
- MAIER – “William Anthony Maier – Why Is My Uncle Wearing a Dress?” by Cheryl Biermann Hartley on My Search for the Past
- MARSHALL – “Chief Benjamin Ben Marshall” on The Ancestry Angel
- MARSHALL – “Fr. Ed Resumes Parish Life” (Rev. Edmund P. Marshall) by purslandeforever on Who Were They?
- MARSHALL – “A Guy You Want to Add to Your Family Tree” (George Shriver Marshall) by Cindy Freed on Genealogy Circle
- MARSHALL – “Helen Marshall” by Kathy on Study by Night
- McCLURE – “Typhoid Fever Fells William M. McClure” by Marian Burk Wood on Climbing My Family Tree
- McCULLOUGH – “Sarah Elizabeth McCullough Tidwell of Alabama” by Beverly McGowan Norman on Roots, Branches, and a Few Nuts
- McGOVERN – “John McGovern – My First Brick Wall” by Michelle on Leaves and Nuts
- McILRAY – “McIlray, Richard – Seaman 1801” on McElrea Genealogy Blog
- McNEAL – “Garnet Jane McNeal” by Jessica on Carlson and Carrico Family History
- McNELLEY – “Three Little Girls – Lives Cut Short; Daughters of Thomas and Sarah McNelley of Chicago, IL” by Susan McNelley on Tracings by SAM
- MELICK – “Melick: I Am My Own Grandpa” by genohio on Flowers on the Family Tree
- MILLER – “Caylor and Miller” (Abraham Caylor and Susan/Susanna Miller) by Wendy Littrell on All My Branches Genealogy
- MONTGOMERY – “Thomas Montgomery Taken Prisoner War of 1812” by Brian on Ancestors at Rest
- MONTRAN – “Madonna Mae Montran (1893-1976)” by D. Taylor on D. Taylor’s Genealogy
- MOORE – “Caroline Grover Moore – Surrogate Mother” by Arlene Baker
- MORAN – “Frederick Moran” by Brian Zalewski on Zalewski Family Genealogy
- MORRIS – “Hoyt Morris, Sr.” by heather73 on Chasing the Past
- MOYNAHAN – “1829 – The Day of the Horse Boats” (Timothy Moynahan) by Cindi on My Moynahan Genealogy Blog
- MOYNAHAN – “Family Photograph Mysteries” by Cindi on My Moynahan Genealogy Blog
- MOYNAHAN – “John Moynahan” by Cindi on My Moynahan Genealogy Blog
- MOYNAHAN – ‘Timothy Moynahan” by Cindi on My Moynahan Genealogy Blog
- MOYNAHAN – “The Voyage ‘From the Old Sod‘” (Timothy Moynahan) by Cindi on My Moynahan Genealogy Blog
- NELSON – “Acker K. Nelson (1843-1907)” by famfinder4 on The Stories Found Among the Leaves
- NIELSEN – “Jensene Marie (Nielsen) Sorensen” by Dr. Bill Smith on Dr. Bill Tells Ancestor Stories
- NYLEN – “David Emanuel Nylen” on I’m Proud to Be the Family Historian
- OLDS – “Franklin Lyman Olds, Postmaster, Father, General Store Runner, Husband, Legislator, Piano Owner” by Liz Loveland on My Adventures in Genealogy
- PHARES – “Civil War Vet, Francis Marion Phares” by Nellie on Nellie’s Basket
- QUINTEROS – “Maria del Patrocinio Quinteros Mendez de Aguirre” by Juli D. Quinteros de Hernandez
- RAND – “Finding Great Grand Aunt Asenath Matilda Rand” by The Down East Genealogist on Pine Trees and Pedigrees
- REES – “Eliza Ann Rees” by Rachel Andrews on Stalking the Dead
- REISNER – “Henry Reisner” by Marcy Belles on 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
- REYNOLDS – “Joseph D. Reynolds, Real or Fictional?” by Carol on Reflections From the Fence
- RICHARDSON – “My Uncle How-Who, Howard Ware Richardson” by Kathryn Adam Hurst on Conrad’s Stories
- RITCHIE – “Happy Birthday Grandpa Ritchie” (David Washington Ritchie) by Diana Ritchie on Random Relatives
- ROBLEDO – “My Great Grandfather Jose Robledo (1875-1937), Still a Brick Wall” by Colleen Greene on Colleen and Jeff’s Roots
- ROMÁN – “Bernardina Supúlveda Román (1803-1893)” by Luis Rivera on Genealogy Under Construction
- SANDEMAN – “Shot By a German Prisoner of War” (Robert Learmouth Sandeman) by Simon on The Branches of My Tree
- SANFORD – “Mary Monroe Sanford Welch” by Donna Brown on DonnaB’s Weblog
- SAWYER – “Archibald Sawyer (1795-1880)” by Susan Clark on Nolichucky Roots
- SCALETTI – “Antonino Rocco Scaletti, Prolific Sicilian Farmer” by Tim Graham on Photo Restorations by Tim G.
- SERFASS – “Aaron Serfass” by Patricia Rohn on Shaking the Tree
- SHACKLEFORD – “Louisa/Lucy Shackleford Sherrod” by Judi Carroll-Thompson on Journey of a Family Historian
- SHAND – “John Shand (1825-1906)” by Ian Hadden on Ian Hadden’s Family History
- SHEA – “Loretta Shea Brooks” by JessLibrarian on Genie Roadtrip
- SHINKLE – “The Shinkle Brothers in the Revolutionary War” (Philip Jacob and Christian Shinkle) by cosmokids on Our Family Tree Tales
- SIMS – “Elisha C. Sims” by Chelsea on All Roads Lead to Jones
- SKINNER – “The Family Scattered, But He Stayed Still: George Skinner, 1841-1920” by Amy Johnson Crow on No Story Too Small
- SMATTS – “John Smatts” on Looking through the Lens of a Millennial Genealogist [Facebook page]
- SMITH – “Dorthula Dalue ‘Dorothy’ Smith-Eads” by Gwen Eads on Eads and Allied Families
- SORENSON – “Lauritz Christian Sorensen” by Dr. Bill Smith on Dr. Bill Tells Ancestor Stories
- SOULAS – “Silas Soulas” by Marine S. on Dans les branches [NOTE: in French]
- SPAIN – “Cyrus Spain” by Gail on Family History Etc.
- SPEAKS – “Elizabeth Ann Speaks (1832-1903) and the Path From Tennessee to Gisburn, England” by Roberta Estes on DNAeXplained
- STAFFORD – “Remembering a Visit to Grandma Grace’s House in Cleveland & Her Button Collection” (Grace Stafford; not her maiden name) by Wally Huskonen on Collecting Ancestors
- STERLING – “John ‘Johnny’ Sterling” by Amy Cole on Tracing Amy
- STERNITZKY – “Charles Friedrich Sternitzky” by Melanie Tafaro on Melanie’s Genealogy Journey
- STERNITZKY -“Friedrich Sternitzky” by Melanie Tafaro on Melanie’s Genealogy Journey
- STEVENS – “Who Were You, David Stevens?” by Denise Lemon Knapp on Roots and Branches
- SVENSON – “Anna Emelie Helene Svenson and Her Sister Rosali Svenson” by Yvonne on Swedish Thoughts
- SZODRY – “Charles Szodry or Charles Dorn? Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe” by Rachel Mackin Evans on My Genealogical Ramblings
- TAYLOR – “Mary Was a Madam” (Mary Elizabeth “Bettie” Taylor) on Skeletons in the Closet
- TENNANT – “52 Ancestors 52 Weeks” (W. T. Tennant) by Sylvia on Wandering Through My Roots
- THOMAS – “Harrison Thomas (1846-1878)” by Jen Smart on Jen’s Genealogy Pages
- THORN – “Who Was the Owner?” (Thorn family – Masonic apron) by Fran Ellsworth on Branching Out Through the Years
- TIERNEY – “John J. Tierney” by Barbara Murphy on My Family’s Branches and Twigs
- TINSLEY – “Rachel Tinsley” by Ann Hinds on Yeakley/Jones Family History
- TOLBERT – “Who Was Polly Tolbert?” by Cherie Atkinson Clark on Still Digging for Roots
- TOURVILLE – “Philomena Tourville (1841-?)” by Diane on Genealogy on My Mind
- TOURVILLE – “Philomena Tourville (1841-?)” by Diane on Généalogie en tête
- TROUTMAN – “Charles Troutman. I Must Be Careful What I Ask For.” by Elizabeth Wilson Ballard on Diggin’ Up Graves
- VAN LARE – “Abraham Van Lare” on A Couple of Whiles
- VANASSE – “Olivier Vanasse – Husband, Father, Farmer” by Yvonne Demoskoff on Yvonne’s Genealogy Blog
- VANDERPOOL – “Col. Jay Vanderpool” by Myra Vanderpool Gormley on Shaking Family Trees
- VAUGHN – “The Night Riders of Kentucky” (Norma Vaughn) on Skeletons in the Closet
- VERNON – “Robert Vernon: History Survives 319 Years Later” by Cathy Sowders Fern on Remember Me
- WAGNER – “Charles Wesley Wagner, 98 Years in North Carolina!” by Helen Holshouser on Heart of a Southern Woman
- WALTON – “Abraham Walton” by Larry L. Sanburg on larrysgroup
- WARRY – “Alfred William Warry” by Jacqueline Foster on My Journey Back
- WASHINGTON – “George Washington, General, Command in Chief, and 1st President of the USA” by Ray Nichols on Questions and Ancestors
- WATSON – “John Watson” by Brad on Montanatude
- WELLS – “Martha Ann Maloura Wells Reynolds Being Frugal” by Fran Ellsworth on Branching Out Through the Years
- WESTBOY – “Roy William Westboy – Cattle Buyer, Farmer, Needlepoint Artist?? Found in Chicago, IL” by Aymee Lubinski on My Ancestor’s Leaves
- WOODWARD – “Stephen Woodward” by Linda Woodward Geiger on My Family Research
- ZIRKLE – “Brick Wall Time – Noah Zirkle (Zirkel, Circle)” by Jenn Merry on Descendants of the Shaffer and Zirkle Family
- name unknown – “Who Is This Woman? Do You Know This Woman???” by custer2custer on A Tangled Trail
- name withheld – “Esther” by Linda O’Donnell on One Branch at a Time
- name withheld – “Treasured Photos” by Kathy on Study by Night
- no name – “Everything is Relative” by dgfamilyhistorian on I’m Proud to Be the Family Historian
- no name – “An Unusual DNA Result” on Passage to the Past’s Blog
Amy, thanks for highlighting my post in your intro. I’m really having fun doing these weekly posts and am so glad I let you inspire me to do this! My family members are paying much more attention to my posts and I’m getting good feedback. Please keep up the good work with your recaps (it must be an incredible amount of work!) I always go through them and go to several (wish I had time to go to them all) posts. This has proven to be a great way to expand my connection with other family history buffs out there.
I’m so glad that you’re enjoying the Challenge! When I started it, I had no dream of it becoming as popular as it has, nor did I anticipate what an impact it would have on my personal blogging. Like you, I’ve seen so many blogs that I hadn’t seen before and I’ve had interaction with family members that has been priceless. I’m so glad to hear that others are having a similar experience with it!
Amy,
I too am enjoying the Challenge. Thanks for mentioning the post about my grand-uncle and his dress. I told my cousin about the post and it led to a candid conversation about Uncle Will. My cousin grew up with him in Cincinnati. I, on the other hand, did not. I worked hard to be objective in my post, but my cousin said, in a respectful way, “If Uncle Will were alive today, I am sure he would have come out of the closet.” So now I know a lot more about Uncle Will than I did before.
Cheryl
Cheryl — That’s great that you had that conversation with your cousin, and even better that it was candid. It’s often hard to bring up uncomfortable or awkward subjects. It’s neat, too, that you were able to gain some insight into your Uncle Will, beyond the conjecture. So many people don’t have that opportunity.
Thank you for featuring Aunt Janet’s tribute, Amy! Her memorial services are tonight and tomorrow, so I know the family appreciates letting Janet touch even more folks with her story.
Amy, I’ve been enjoying this challenge too. I’m using a different surname each week plus I’ve added an extra to the blog – pages showing a timeline for that surname. I’m hoping to make connections with other’s researching the same surname. Plus, it amazes me what type of information I have and how much of it is actually documented!
I like your recaps of surnames – I go through it to see if anybody else may have my surnames. I too appreciate all the work you do in these recaps.
Totally enjoying the 52 Challenge. It’s giving me the opportunity to put down all the family stories. I’ve been wanting to do it for sometime, but the challenge gave me the push that I needed. By the way I’ve posted another story to Skeletons In The Closet. this one is called The Baby Bonnet.
There is something about posting each week, rather than “when I get around to it,” isn’t there?! I know that’s what I’m finding! Glad you’re enjoying the challenge
Another blog is up on Skeletons In The Closet. It’s called A Girl’s Postcards.
I managed to completely zone out and forgot to post week 8 (that is what happens when you take a couple of days off from work.) So I posted 8 and 9 last night. Thank you so much for doing this! It is really keeping me inspired!