My Trails into the Past

Before looking ahead at my genealogy goals for 2023, I would like to look back at the goals I had for 2022. Did I accomplish what I wanted to? 2022 Goals I had three goals : Finish going through family files to scan, file, or discard Write more Create 2-3 new presentations for genealogy societies I did not finish going through the family files. I somehow forgot I was working on that. I did manage to go through two file boxes, but I have four more. I scanned the papers I didn’t need anymore using the copy machine at the Family History Center and then recycled the paper. I did write more. Up to this post, I have written 165 blog posts across both of my blogs, though it is only one more than in 2021. I wrote all 52 posts for Amy Johnson Crow’s #52Ancestors. I wrote two articles for the California Genealogical Society’s Nugget . I have an article to be published in the next issue of Der Blumenbaum , the publication of the Sacramento German Genealogy Society. I did not write man...

I have completed one hundred forty-six (146) weeks of semi-lockdown due to Covid-19. I took a few walks, went to phenology, and volunteered at the Oakland Family History Center. It was a quiet week. Genealogy Blog Writing :  This week’s 52 Ancestors blog highlighted my previous post about Christmas pajamas. Perseverance: Matilda Pearl “Tillie” Davey . I wrote how even though Tillie had a tough childhood, she turned out fine. I have two blogs. This one, I write about ¾ of my family and all my husband’s family. On Mam-ma’s Southern Family , I write about my maternal grandmother’s family. I don’t write there much as it amounts to only 1/8 of my children’s ancestry. I posted Christmas greetings to both: Merry Christmas! I posted a German postcard from my collection. Fröhliche Weihnachten! Merry Christmas! I posted a photo of my Mam-ma and Tom-Tom in 1972, the last Christmas we had Tom-Tom. Meetings/Discussion Groups.  The only meeting I had this week was with Jacq...

May you and your family have a wonderful Christmas! Copyright © 2022 by Lisa S. Gorrell, My Trails into the Past. All Rights Reserved.

Not much is known about my husband’s grandmother, Matilda Pearl “Tillie” Davey’s early life, except that her mother died young and her father had a severe drinking problem. Despite being shuffled between family and an orphan home, she survived, married, and had four children. She involved herself in community life as a member of the Christian Church, the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, and the Webb City Garden Club . Tillie was born on 18 April 1880 in Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky to Frederick Henry Davey and Matilda Wollenweber. [1] Her mother died on 1 November 1885 of diphtheria when young Matilda was just five years old. [2] Fred was left with four children under the age of eight, the youngest at two. It is unfortunate that the 1890 census was lost. Many events occurred during the twenty years between 1880 and 1900. As a child, she would not likely be found in many records. To learn more about her childhood, one needs to learn what the adults in her life were do...

I have completed one hundred forty-five (145) weeks of semi-lockdown due to Covid-19. I took a few walks, went to phenology, had lunch with a friend, and attended a musical program. Otherwise, I watched World Cup matches. Genealogy Blog Writing : Traditions: Pajamas for Christmas . I wrote about how my Nana gave us pajamas for Christmas and how we were allowed to open them on Christmas Eve. I didn’t write a Saturday Night Genealogy Fun post this week because I would have answered no to all of Randy’s questions about Santa Claus. It wouldn’t have been a very interesting post. My post last week about attending my freshman year at college was highlighted on Linda Stufflebean’s Friday Family History Finds post . Meetings/Discussion Groups On Monday, I had a full day, first meeting with the Kinseeker’s military SIG, then with Jacqueline. On Wednesday, we hosted the CGS Roundtable and discussed our memories of family times at Christmas. Friday was the Oakland FamilySearch Library ...

I’m taking a step from writing about my ancestors and instead will write about my own history Traditionally, while at least one of us kids believed in Santa Claus, we opened our gifts on Christmas Day. This was after our attending an early Mass service and eating breakfast of pancakes or Danishes. On Christmas Eve we were allowed to open our Nana’s gift to us—pajamas! We knew what they were before opening. Even if we didn’t, they were usually wrapped only in colorful paper, without boxes, so one could squeeze the package and know first off, they were clothes. Once our packages were opened, we immediately changed into them. The boys got tops and bottoms and the girls got nightgowns. I cannot remember if the pajamas matched—if they did, likely the boys were matching and the girls were matching. I do remember they were soft cotton flannel. It was wonderful having new pajamas. Now, my husband’s family also got pajamas at Christmas. There are photos of his family in matching pajamas, ...

I have completed one hundred forty-four (144) weeks of semi-lockdown due to Covid-19. I was better this week but I still didn’t take any walks. I did phenology and attended an operating session at a friend’s model railroad layout. Otherwise, I watched World Cup matches. Genealogy Blog Writing : New Horizons: Going off to College—Freshman Year . I wrote my own history, my freshman year at Cal State Hayward. Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: Linda’s “December Genea-Meme” We were to answer twenty questions about Genea-Christmas. Meetings/Discussion Groups I met with Jacqueline and the SLIG writing group on Monday, my cert mentee and the Der Blumenbaum editorial team on Wednesday, and book club on Sunday.   Volunteer I volunteered at the History Center on Tuesday and Thursday. I worked on editing the photos in PastPerfect and labeling the shelves in the library. The larger labels will make it easier to find the books. There was a nice box of See’s Candy there to munch on. I ...

It's  Saturday Night  - Time For More Genealogy Fun! Our mission from Randy Seaver of Genea-Musing is to: A)  Genea-Blogger Linda Stufflebean created a "December Genea-Meme" - so this is our challenge for Saturday Night.  Thank you, Linda!! B)  Copy the 20 questions below to your own blog post or to a word processor, and answer the questions. Here are the 20 questions with my answers: 1. What is one genea-accomplishment this year of which you are proud? I am proud of teaching two courses, Foundations 1, the Records, and Foundations 2, Focus on Improving Research Skills & Reporting with our Applied Genealogy Institute. 2. Is there a particular song that when you first hear it, tells you that the holidays are  here? Sleigh Bells. The high school my daughters attended always played this number with such enthusiasm. 3. Share a holiday memory that is special to you. Getting to open Nana’s presents on Christmas Eve because they wer...

I’m taking a step from writing about my ancestors and instead will write about my own history . I thought that I was the first in my family to attend college but after doing genealogy research, I discovered that my grandmother had attended Normal College in Montana, and later again at San Francisco State to get a California Teacher’s Certificate. I also had a few older cousins who attended college before me. Anyway, I was the first of my immediate family to attend and the only one of my siblings to graduate. High School Because my parents never really encourage us to go to college, I was at a disadvantage in high school. I only thought about college in the fall of senior year when I heard an announcement about a meeting for those who plan to attend college. I went to the meeting and learned I needed to take the SAT test. There wasn’t time to take it and still apply for fall 1973 during the month of November. So, I took the test and applied as a biological sciences major to Califor...

I have completed one hundred forty-three (143) weeks of semi-lockdown due to Covid-19. I was sick all week with my cough and skipped most activities. I finally felt well enough to do phenology (it was icy there) and on Sunday, visited the N-scale model railroad layout of the San Ramon Branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad that is on display at the Concord Historical Society. Genealogy Blog Writing : The post last week, “Wrong Side of the Law” was highlighted on Linda Stufflebean’s roundup post “ Friday Family History Finds .” Overlooked: Don’t Forget to Locate all the Sources That Document a Deat h . I wrote about the different records that documented my grandmother, Mam-ma’s death and burial. Saturday Night Genealogy Fun: Pretend You Are a Time Traveler We were to choose someone we would like to go back and visit—I chose Samuel Johnston. I sure would love to know his origins in South Carolina. Meetings/Discussion Groups I hosted the Monday Morning Zoom meeting and the f...

It's Saturday Night -   Time For More Genealogy Fun Our mission from Randy Seaver of Genea-Musing is to: A)  Genea-Blogger Linda Stufflebean noted that December 8th is "Pretend You Are a Time Traveler Day."  Today's challenge is:  Where would you go? Would you choose a person, place or event in the past or travel into the future? Would you remain an observer or would you actively participate?" Linda suggested this challenge . Here’s mine: We all have unknown ancestors or unknown dates of events. Right now, I’m working on the Samuel Johnston family. [1] He and his wife, Elizabeth were born in South Carolina, had a bunch of children in Alabama before arriving in Yalobusha County, Mississippi where I found them in the 1850 census only because I browsed page by page looking for someone named Samuel. [2] His name was miss-indexed “Dehnson” and that is what it looks like on the census page. But his children line up except I had no idea about a daughter nam...