My Trails into the Past

Copyright © 2022 by Lisa S. Gorrell, My Trails into the Past. All Rights Reserved.

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, ...