"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.)
Networking with others in the field is a must. Lucky for me that I mentioned to some friends over dinner the items I found while moving my office to a new location, and also things in boxes I found when I cleaned out the attic. Many of the pictures are scanned and filed in my computer database. Tags identify the objects recovered from the past generations. But that can t be the last step. Committing the items to memory is not an option. Just how should I prepare an index of everything?
That question was answered over dinner that night. One of my friends, an exceptional person with amazing energy and know-how, told me how she identified her treasures. First she entered everything into an MS Excel database. Then she spread a blanket over her coffee table and took a picture of each item. This gives a written record as well as an image database. I thought that showed exceptional forethought.
In the database is the description of each item; to whom it belonged; when it was passed on; and to whom it was given. The name and address of each person who has custody of the items is also in the database and will be highly important in years to come. The tagging system I am using does not have room for all the information, so the MS Excel is certainly a must for proper identification.
An interesting book on this subject is Katherine Scott Sturdevant s Organizing and Preserving Your Heirloom Documents. In it, Sturdevant explains proper organization and storing of diaries, letters, and memoirs to name just a few items covered in this excellent book.
She covers the care and preservation of older papers and fragile documents with step-by-step directions providing you with the opportunity to be the keeper and teller of your life s family s life story. Sturdevant is an excellent writer and coveys her love of collecting and knowledge through the written word.
Organizing and Preserving Your Heirloom Documents is available at your local bookstore for $21.99. She is also the author of Bringing Your Family History to Life Through Social History. Other books on the subject of preservation are Preserving Your Family Photographs by Maureen Taylor and New Ideas for Crafting Heritage Albums by Bev K. Braun.
TOLLESON QUERY: Ellen Tolleson Reesh, 1504 Jacquely Way, Modesto, CA 95355, email e_reesh@pacbell.net, is looking for descendants of Histon Harrison Tolleson. He and his wife Lucy Elkins moved to Collin County sometime after the 1870 census from Independence County, Arkansas as they are found in 1880 in Collin Co. Justice precinct # 4, E.D. 28. The family is listed with their six youngest children: Mary D. Tolleson, born Oct. 16, 1853, married William H. Muncy, Feb. 12, 1880, died Sept. 1891 in Kansas; Devarilla, b. Aug. 19, 1855, m. Andrew D. Morgan, Jan. 30,1884, d. Oct. 23, 1931 in Brewster Co.; William Benjamin, b. June 10, 1860, m. (1) Annie C. Davis, (2) Ruby Glendenning, d. Big Springs, Howard Co.; Silas Price, b. Dec. 29, 1864, m. Ida Leona Axley Sept. 21, 1898, d. Potter Co.; Isaac Joshua, b. Aug. 4, 1866, m. Mary Lee Franklin on Nov. 29, 1888; Charles Francis, b. Jan. 31, 1868, m. Minnie Maude Miller, Jan. 28, 1893 in Amarillo, Potter Co. Ms. Reesh would like any information on the children listed above, and H. H. Tolleson and his wife. She descends from their second child Henry Oscar Tolleson who married Sophronia Williams. Henry and Sophronia lived in Izard Co. AR.
NEW IN THE LIBRARY: The Original Scots Colonists 1612-1783; Royal Families vol. I; Genealogical Dictionary of New England, 1600s-1700s, CD #169; Military Records: War of 1812 Muster Rolls, CD-ROM.
MARYLAND RESEARCHERS: Henry C. Peden, Jr. just published the fifth edition, standard research guide for the Old Line State, A Guide to Genealogical Research in Maryland. The new publication is revised and enlarged. It is available at your local bookstore for $18.
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.
