"Tracing Our Roots" Newsletter Archive (A monthly genealogy newsletter written by the late Brenda Kellow, dec'd, for the Plano Star Courier newspaper. We've included all the ones we could recover.)
Good things can come from bad or sad events when hidden treasurers from these times are found that warm the cockles of your heart. I felt particularly blessed with my find, and I think you will agree with me.
I have been busy scanning pictures and other family memorabilia to add to a book I am about to publish. Next to scan was a box of items I had stored away after cleaning out my mother s possessions after her death. I remember that it held many fascinating items, but I had forgotten just how valuable some of those things were to my family history pursuit.
The first thing I found was my baby book. I don t believe I had ever seen it. In it I found a lock of hair; a baby ring that fit a tiny finger; a formula recipe; a history of shots; a history of my tonsillectomy with the doctor s signature and the names of my nurses; and a baby picture I don t believe I had ever seen before. There was also a list of visitors who came to see me when I was hospitalized and a record of gifts they gave to me. All of this gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling.
The next thing I found were the funeral books of my grandparents who died in the 1940s. Inside were beautiful handkerchiefs delicately wrapped and placed inside greeting cards, and pictures of them before they died. Years ago, my father gave me his mother s wedding ring and I still have it. I even copied the design for my own wedding ring.
But the funeral books were most valuable. Inside the pages are the signatures of those who attended the funeral. There was a page for relatives and one for friends. There were obituaries carefully attached to the pages, and a flower from the services. In the back of the books were photos of the deceased as they lay in their coffins and of the people attending the services inside and at the gravesite.
The names in the books were familiar to me, but many of the friends names had not crossed my mind in years. The previously hidden pictures of the objects found and shared in a family history book will appear within the book in hopes others will value these as I treasure them.
Have you contacted your living relatives for any of these hidden treasures? These items can be priceless to your future research and may just answer some of your questions.
GENEALOGY FRIENDS: The next GenFriends Saturday Morning Seminar feature two interesting topics: Leaving Home: Reasons for Migration by Barbara Coakley, and What Church Did Grandpa Go To? by Jean Funk. These talks will provide ideas to help you "flesh out" your family history.
The event is this Saturday, July 20 at the Gladys Harrington Library, 1501 18th Street, Plano. The program runs 9:30am to noon (doors open at 9:10am). Admission and coffee are free. Sponsored by Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc. This is a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization with donations going to buy census microfilm, census indexes, and reference books for the Genealogy Section. Their web site is at www.geocities.com/GenFriendsghl.
ATTENTION AUTHORS: Have you written a new book that you would like the genealogy community to hear about? If so, send a brief description of the subject and the contents, a web address or e-mail address so potential buyers can locate you to newbooks@rootsforum.com and it will appear in future Eastman s Online Genealogy Newsletters in a new section called New Books.
RECOGNITION: GenealogyPages.com, advertised as the world s premier genealogy portal, will list your columns, newsletters and publications, military, associations, etc., at www.genealogypages.com.
MUSTER ROLL CDs: Ancestry.com has the Revolutionary War Muster Rolls on CD this week for only $10. This is an extraordinary discounted price. Order from www.ancestry.com/productwatch/landing/PW20020712.htm.
RANK INSIGNIA URL: Tony Burroughs, genealogist from the University of Chicago, shared a military site of interest for those of you who have wanted to research U.S. Military Rank Insignia. It is at www.defenselink.mil/pubs/almanac/almanac/people/.
WILLOW BEND BOOKS: The summer catalog for Willow Bend Books and Family Line Publications is in the mail. The 92 pages are filled with important books of interest to genealogists. Willow Bend has some of the best collections of military reference books on the market. To order your catalog, write to them at 65 East Main Street, Westminster, MD 21157-5026, or phone 800-876-6103 or e-mail bookorder@WillowBendBooks.com. The website is at www.WillowBendBooks.com.
Brenda Kellow, dec'd, Certified Genealogist and Certified Genealogical Instructor, had a Bachelor s Degree in history and taught genealogy courses at the local Community College and computer genealogy at the University.
