My Trails into the Past

Calling all Genea-Musings Fans:  It's Saturday Night again -  Time for some more Genealogy Fun!!   Our assignment from Randy Seaver of GeneaMusings is to: 1)  Serendipity! What happened when you went looking for an ancestor or a genealogical record and were pleasantly surprised to find someone else or something else you didn't expect while you were doing that search? 2)  Please share an instance when you had a serendipitous experience. Thank you to Marian B. Wood for suggesting this topic. Here's mine: This is a tough assignment as I cannot think of a serendipitous moment in the 30 plus years of research. It all seems that way whenever I research. However, this month I am researching the Shotts family, a paternal line of my daughters, and in searching for information at Ancestry about David Shotts (1760-1825) who married Mary Wagoner (1766-1862), I discovered a newspaper article attached to someone’s tree. It was about the 100th anniver...

The theme for this week’s 52 Ancestors is “A Small Detail I Love.” I discovered a small detail that warmed my heart. My grandmother, Anna Marie (Sullivan) Hork registered to vote in Los Angeles, California, as a Democrat. Her husband, William Cyril Hork, registered as a Republican. [1] She chose the party that matched her convictions and did not just follow her husband’s advice. In fact, this could have been the start of their disagreements about things that later led to their life-long separation. #52Ancestors: Week 36 – “A Small Detail I Love” This is my ninth year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow ( https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/ ) at Generations Cafe . I write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or My Trails into the Past . I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways. [1] "California Voter Registration 1900-1968," digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com), 1...

Outside activities included phenology, History Center, hike, and trips to National Park sites with Jacqueline. Genealogy Genealogy Volunteer/Work: I volunteered twice at the History Center again this week. Traci, John, and I worked on the Betty Maffei collection on Monday. On Tuesday, I helped a trio of researchers. Genealogy Meetings:  Meetings I attended this week were a special CCCHS board meeting and the RootsMagic SIG.   Genealogy Writing/Research : I got in a little more writing this week, finishing up the Johnston line by writing about Reuben’s wife, Olivia Jane Jones. I have started on the new month researching Shotts. Blog Posts Published: The Family of Olivia Jane Jones – Final 12 for ’26 for August I finished up the Johnston month by researching and writing about Reuben’s wife, Olivia Jane Jones. Catharine Elizabeth Shotts Gorrell For 52 Ancestors, I wrote about Amos Gorrell’s wife, Catharine. SNGF: How Do You Use Artificial Intelligence Too...

Calling all Genea-Musings Fans:  It's Saturday Night again -  Time for some more Genealogy Fun!! Here is your assignment if you choose to play along (cue the Mission Impossible music, please!): 1)  How do you use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to help you understand the lives, history, and geography associated with your family and your ancestors, that aid your genealogy and family history research?   2)  Please share the ways (at least one way!) that you use AI tools in your genealogy and family history research.  Here's mine: To be honest, I don’t use AI much. I enjoy the artificial intelligent tools that makes full-text search available at FamilySearch and look forward to this technique at other genealogy websites. I also enjoy whatever tools are being used to enhance OCR capability in newspaper research. I have not used it much besides the above. I tried having it analyze my research results but realized I should be doing the anal...

This post will double as a 52 Ancestors and a 12 for ’26 post. This month, I’m studying the Shotts and Bishop families, beginning with Amos Gorrell’s wife, Catharine Elizabeth Shotts. Elizabeth was born on 18 February 1835 in Ross County, Ohio, to Daniel Shotts and Mary Ann Bishop. [1] She was the second child of six. The family lived in Huntington Township and Daniel was a farmer. Even though Daniel could not read and write, his children were all attending school in 1850. [2] When she was 22 years old, she married Lemuel J. Sayre on 14 January 1857. Rev. William Morris officiated. [3] Lemuel was a 21-year-old Virginia-born farmer, the son of Squire and Lydia Sayre. [4] They had three children. Mary Adela Sayre was born on 29 May 1857 and she died 11 November 1858. [5] She is buried in the Denver Cemetery, Ross County. Her death date was calculated from age at death: 1y 5m 13d. [6] George Sayre was born on 3 August 1859 and he died on the same day. He is also buried in the D...

Outside activities included gym, phenology, History Center, trip to the Google Store, and dinner at Original Joes. Genealogy Genealogy Volunteer/Work: I volunteered twice at the History Center again this week, working with Traci and John on the Betty Maffei collection on Monday and my regular shift on Tuesday, where I opened. Genealogy Meetings:  I attended the RootsMagic SIG and met with Jacqueline for last minute plans for her trip – she’ll be arriving this coming week.   Genealogy Writing/Research : I wrote about Samuel & Elizabeth Johnston in Texas & Mississippi, then wrote about Reuben’s wife, Oliva Jones’ family. Blog Posts Published: Samuel Johnston’s Land in Yalobusha County, Mississippi on a Map For the theme of “a spot on a map,” I wrote about how I found Sam’s land on a map. SNGF: Describe One of Your Own, or an Ancestor’s, Life Turning Point I wrote about my early career decisions. Courses Attended :  I again attended the last two ses...

Calling all Genea-Musings Fans:  It's Saturday Night again -  Time for some more Genealogy Fun!! Here is your assignment if you choose to play along (cue the Mission Impossible music, please!): 1)  Every historical person has major events, milestones and "turning points" in their life, from birth through death and even beyond.  These events, milestones and turning points can be the basis for family stories of the historical person. 2)  Please share one of those events in your own life, or the life of one of your ancestors.  Here's mine: One turning point in my life was figuring out what I was going to do with my life after graduating from college with a degree in Biological Sciences. I really didn’t want to go out in the working world. I liked college, taking classes, and learning new stuff. My job at the college library was fun. In fact, I was enrolled to work on a second major of Geography. Besides, there were no jobs to be had. We were in a ...