Sunday, December 24, 2017

Celebration Sunday~Genealogy Happy Dance!

You know the dance. You know you've done it. The one every researcher does after finding something new. The one where you want to jump up and down and shout to everyone around that you found the document, contacted a cousin who has the family Bible, made a DNA connection or found a whole new branch to your tree. The one that is met with glazed stares and eye rolls.
                                                          Celebration Sunday is a place to share your discoveries. 
This is a weekly series to enable everyone to tell about their Genealogy Happy Dance moment. This can be done by scrolling down and adding your story to the comments section. You may also put a link to a blog post. If you don't belong to a local club or society start one yourself. There are also groups that meet online




My Happy Dance This Week:  
 A reader left me a comment and shared a link to a site containing digitized images of yearbooks from the high school both of my grandmothers attended. I have a copy of my maternal grandmother's but not my paternal grandmother Mary (Baker) Hudson's  (1920-2010).  I was able to search through and locate it. Although I had seen a graduation photo, it was fun to see it in the yearbook along with the quote by her name with the list of her school activities.The "Baby Brawl section had a photo of her as a young child,  she was pictured with a group of friends and she had signed her name in the autograph section!


My maternal grandmother and her sisters attended the same high school so I looked for each of the sisters in the years they would have graduated and found photos and other information about them. I have passed what I discovered on to their daughters. 
Once again, blogging has been the source of a connection to family information!  Another grateful Happy Dance!                                                        Share your discovery!
                                                                                   Let the dancing commence!


Share the fun! Click below to tweet this post! 


Looking forward to reading about your Happy Dance moment!


Thanks so much for stopping by!
Helping you climb your family tree,


Thursday, December 21, 2017

Blog Caroling 2017-Angels We Have Heard on High




It's time again for the annual Blog Caroling event from FootnoteMaven. Each year she sends out an invitation for bloggers to post their favorite Christmas song with lyrics. We can then join together and sing along as we move from link to link added to the comments on her page.

This year, my carol is "Angels We Have Heard on High".
Our son Reagan passed away in November 2015. He loved this song and singing the chorus. "Gloria" was belted out whether we were singing in church or at home. 
We miss our boy, but memories flood back and bring peace as do the words of this song.
This one's for you, Reagan!


Angels We Have Heard on High

Lyrics

  1. 1. Angels we have heard on high
    Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
    And the mountains in reply
    Echoing their joyous strains.
  2. Gloria in excelsis Deo.
    Gloria in excelsis Deo.
  3. 2. Shepherds, why this jubilee?
    Why your joyous strains prolong?
    What the gladsome tidings be
    Which inspire your heav’nly song?
  4. Gloria in excelsis Deo.
    Gloria in excelsis Deo.
  5. 3. Come to Bethlehem and see
    Him whose birth the angels sing;
    Come, adore on bended knee
    Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
  6. Gloria in excelsis Deo.
    Gloria in excelsis Deo.
  7. Text: French carol, ca. 1862
    Music: French carol






Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Tuesday's Tip-Gettin' By With Help From Our Friends!~Amie Bowser Tennant



This Tuesday, we have tips from our friend Amie Bowser Tennant, The Genealogy Reporter
Amie shares what she has learned from researching her southern ancestors.


My Southeastern US roots hail from way down in the “hollers” of Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. In doing years of research there, I have discovered three tips every southern researcher should know!
Tip One: When the babies were born in the homes of the “hollers,” it would often be several weeks until the mother, father, doctor, or midwife got to town to register the birth of the child with the town clerk. It was also not unheard of to have a midwife or doctor pop by the clerk’s office only once-a-month to drop off the information for the babies born over the last few weeks. Because of these circumstances, you will want to be aware of the following when searching:
On the birth register pages, if it seems the clerk is only recording births once or twice a month, it may indicate the births are recorded by the day the information is brought to the office, not necessarily the date the child was born. Typically, we consider the record created at the time of the event by those with firsthand knowledge to be the most accurate. However, in this case, you will have to evaluate the record set as a whole and make a determination as to its validity.

Tip Two: Marriages for young ladies often happened at a very tender age. Marriage laws were different from state to state and changed over time. If the young lady’s family wanted her to marry, they would sometimes need to give written permission. This permission can be found on either the marriage license or marriage record. Sometimes, these two different records are found on the same page of the marriage book, but that is not always the case. I suggest:

Checking with a knowledgeable person in your targeted area to determine if marriage licenses are held in a separate book from the actual marriage records. You want to check both the license and the marriage record for genealogically relevant data, like the name of a parent giving permission.
Tip Three: Many of the families in the “hollers” claim Native American roots…or at least that’s their story! It really doesn’t matter whether the tradition is true or not for this next tip. It only matters if the family members were trying to convince the government they were Native American. In the 1890s and again in the mid-1900s, the government was making amends to many of the Southeastern tribes who had been forcibly removed from their homelands many years before. To properly allocate money and land to the descendants of those removed, applications were sent out and persons applied. The applications were reviewed and the applicant was found to either be eligible or not. Eligibility was based on whether the applicant could sufficiently prove their descent from someone who appeared on the rolls and censuses of the Native Americans.
The applications, even those denied, are packed full of genealogical data and clues. For example, my great-grandfather Jake Cole filed an application. The name of a previously unknown daughter was found on that list. In fact, I would have never known about her without this application. She was born in 1881 (after the 1880 census was taken) and married before 1900 (when the next census was taken). To take advantage of these application record sets has a bit of a learning curve. For this reason, I suggest:
Reading the following three articles to guide you in locating and searching these applications and more. Click the following titles to read.
I hope these three tips for researching in the South come in handy and lead you to amazing new discoveries in your family history.



Bio:
Amie Bowser Tennant is The Genealogy Reporter. She is a professional genealogist, nationally known speaker, and internationally known blogger. Amie provides blog and written content for both her website, at www.TheGenealogyReporter.com and many top companies and societies in the genealogy field. Visit her blog for more tips and strategies for family history research.




Thanks for the tips, Amie! 

Do you have southern ancestors? What tips can you share?

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Helping you climb your family tree,





Sunday, December 17, 2017

This Week On My Family History Calendar

December 17-December 23



December 18~
    My paternal 3rd great grandfather, Ezra Ashby Hudson (1821-1882), died 135
years ago in Sardis, Darlington, South Carolina. He is buried in Sardis Baptist Church Cemetery in Sardis, Florence, South Carolina.

Ezra Ashby Hudson
Headstone
Sardis Baptist Church Cemetery
Sardis, Florence, South Carolina
©Cheri Hudson Passey


Mary  Elizabeth Stafford Dority (Abt. 1843-1930), my maternal great great Grandmother died 87 years ago of heart disease in Sumter County, South Carolina. She is buried in the Sumter City Cemetery.

Mary Elizabeth (Stafford) Dority
Seated in chair on porch
©Cheri Hudson Passey

Who are you remembering this week?

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Helping you climb your family tree,



Celebration Sunday~Genealogy Happy Dance!

You know the dance. You know you've done it. The one every researcher does after finding something new. The one where you want to jump up and down and shout to everyone around that you found the document, contacted a cousin who has the family Bible, made a DNA connection or found a whole new branch to your tree. The one that is met with glazed stares and eye rolls.
                                                          Celebration Sunday is a place to share your discoveries. 
This is a weekly series to enable everyone to tell about their Genealogy Happy Dance moment. This can be done by scrolling down and adding your story to the comments section. You may also put a link to a blog post. 




My Happy Dance This Week:  
 A few weeks ago, I was interviewed by a local TV show about my work as a genealogist. Boy was I nervous as to how it would turn out. It was hotter than expected and there was more noise than we bargained for when jets started practicing "touch and goes" at the nearby airport! We had to stop and start over several times. The video was released just a few days ago. It turned out much better than I had hoped!! Thanks for all the support from those of you who have seen it. I appreciate it so much!

What had you dancing this week?                                                                                    
                

                                                        Share your discovery!
                                                                                   Let the dancing commence!


Share the fun! Click below to tweet this post! 


Looking forward to reading about your Happy Dance moment!


Thanks so much for stopping by!
Helping you climb your family tree,



Saturday, December 16, 2017

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun~Pauleen's Christmas Meme





This week Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings has challenged the community to participate in Pauleen Cass' Chrismas Meme. Pauleen writes the Family History Across the Seas blog.

There are a series of questions to answer about our holiday traditions. Here are my answers.
1-Do you have any special Christmas traditions in your family? 
We have several.  We have a trim the tree party where everyone comes and hangs their ornaments on the tree. It's fun to watch grandchildren help their parents.  A Christmas Eve program where everyone participates with some kind of talent and the reading of the story of the birth of Christ is the ending of the night.  A book of 25 stories was given to us years ago. Each night a story is read until Christmas along with watching an advent calendar from Jackie Lawson. Recently, we have added participating in the #LighttheWorld campaign and encourage each other to follow the suggestion for service each day.
2-Is church attendance an important part of your Christmas celebrations and do you go the evening before or on Christmas Day?  
We always attend our church's Christmas celebration, usually on a Friday in December, watch the worldwide Christmas Devotional and attend services when they fall on a Sunday. We don't have a special service on Christmas Day if it doesn't fall on a Sunday. This year Christmas Eve will be even more special since it will be on the Sabbath Day.
3-Did/you or your children/grandchildren believe in Santa?
Yes! Some of my favorite Christmas Decorations are photos of my children and grandchildren sitting on Santa's lap! As I write this, a test has come in from one of my daughters with pictures of her three with Santa. One with big smiles, and the two younger ones not so sure they want to meet the big guy in person!
4-Do you go caroling in your neighborhood?
We have often gone with our church youth group. One of my favorite caroling experiences was when my oldest son lived nearby. He rented a trailer to pull with his van, added some hay and we drove around the neighborhood singing. All 11 of my children with their children were together on that special night.
5-What’s your favorite Christmas music?
I love listening to the music from my teenage years. The Osmonds, Carpenters and Amy Grant's Christmas Albums always bring back wonderful memories of being with my parents and grandparents.
6-What’s your favorite Christmas carol?
I'm not sure I have a favorite. I love the classic songs and especially love December when we sing them in church.
7-Do you have a special Chrismas movie/book you like to watch/read?
My husbands are "A Christmas Carol", so we watch that every year along with "It's a Wonderful Life". If it's a Christmas Movie, we will be watching it sometime during the season.
You can catch me watching the Hallmark Christmas Movies all month long!
8-Does your family do individual gifts, gifts for littlies only, Secret Santa (aka Kris Kringle)? 
Since we have a large family, the children have a sibling assigned to them each year to buy for.
The kids still at home get presents and filled stockings. My married children receive a package with a present to open for each of the 12 days before Christmas.
9-Is your main Christmas meal indoors or outdoors, at home or away?
Christmas Dinner is usually at my mom's house. Whoever is in town comes and it can get quite noisy! Each has an assignment for what food to bring so that one person doesn't have the burden of cooking for so many!


10-What do you eat as your main course for the Christmas meal?
Turkey, Ham and all the fixings are on the menu.  Chocolate, pecan and pumpkin pies for dessert with plenty of eggnog ( non-alcoholic, lol!)
11-Do you have a special recipe you use for Christmas?  
My mom makes the most delicious Christmas candy every year. She dips all sorts of things in chocolate and white chocolate. My favorites are the candied orange slices and the Ritz crackers with peanut butter in between two. Whether they've been dipped in white or regular chocolate, they are amazing!
12-Does Christmas pudding feature on the Christmas menu? Is it your recipe or one you inherited?
I have made a Christmas pudding from time to time. It is a recipe found in a cookbook years ago.
13-Do you have any other special Christmas foods? What are they? 
Our Christmas Eve dinner is made up of appetizers. This was started years ago so that we could graze as we participated in and watched our family program. We have taco dip, spinach balls, ramachi, BLT tomatoes, meatball, and the list goes on and on! A tree in our kitchen has popcorn balls, cookies, and candy canes hanging on it for dessert.
14-Do you give home-made food/craft for gifts at Christmas?
We usually make a plate of goodies for neighbors and friend from work and church.
15-Do you return to your family for Xmas or vice versa? 
When I was little, we would take turns at grandparents homes if we could. My dad was in the Air Force and many years we were too far away. Today, we go to my mom and dad's and our children who are out of town come when they can.
16-Is your Christmas celebrated differently from your childhood ones? If yes, how does it differ? 
They are still full of family and love. The only difference is that we are active in church and have more of a religious aspect to Christmas now that I have a family of my own.
17-How do you celebrate Christmas with your friends? Lunch? Pre-Christmas outings? Drop-ins?
Lunches, parties, and other gatherings.
18-Do you decorate your house with lights? A little or a lot?
White icicle lights on the house and luminarias are put out on Christmas Eve.
19-Is your neighborhood a “Christmas lights” tour venue?  
No, but many in our cul-de-sac and the streets around us have wonderful light displays!
20-Does your family attend Carols by Candlelight singalongs/concerts? Where?  
Many of our children have been and still, are involved in Bands and Choirs. Each year we attend Christmas concerts at their schools. We've now added grandchildren's  Christmas programs!
21-Have any of your Christmases been spent camping (unlikely for our northern-hemisphere friends)?
No, but it sounds like fun!
22-Is Christmas spent at your home, with family or at a holiday venue? 
Typically is in with the family at home, but we have spent a Christmas in a beach house and at Disney World in the past.
23-Do you have snow for Christmas where you live?
When we lived in Utah and New Mexico we always had a chance for a white Christmas and had several. Now that we live in South Carolina near the beach, chances are very small we will see one here!
24-Do you have a Christmas tree every year?
Yes! We have a real tree in our family room, and artificial ones in the sunroom, kitchen and master bedroom. The kids have small tabletop trees in their rooms.
25-Is your Christmas tree a live tree (potted/harvested) or an imitation?  
From childhood, I have always had a live tree. We continue the tradition along with the artificial ones.


26-Do you have special Christmas tree decorations?  
My children have received an ornament every year until they left home. We still have them and they are put on the live tree each year. One day I will give them to them, but I am not ready to give up the memories yet! I have a special stuffed Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer that I put near the top of the tree each year. When I was a child, I insisted it go on the tree and not anywhere else!
27-Which is more important to your family, Christmas or Thanksgiving?
Although Thanksgiving is important to us, Christmas is the favorite for most.

Thanks, Randy and Pauleen! What fun to think about and answer each of these questions!

What about you? Will you take the challenge and participate in Pauleen's Christmas meme?
If you do, add the link to your post to Randy's Saturday Night Genealogy Fun post and leave Pauleen a comment letting her know you joined in!



Thanks so much for stopping by!
Helping you climb your family tree,




Sunday, December 10, 2017

This Week On My Family History Calendar

December 10-December 16



Dec. 10~
 My paternal 3rd great-grandmother, Mary Ellen (Jones) Baker (1826-1865) was born 191 years ago in Sumter District, South Carolina. Mary was the daughter of Ludolphus Jones and Mary Elizabeth Chandler.

Dec. 12~
  William A. McManus (1854-1914) and Frances Virginia McRady (1856-1903) my maternal 2nd great-grandparents were married 145 years ago. William was 18 and Fannie 16 when they were married in Sumter County, South Carolina. 

Who are you remembering this week?

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Helping you climb your family tree,





Celebration Sunday~Genealogy Happy Dance!

You know the dance. You know you've done it. The one every researcher does after finding something new. The one where you want to jump up and down and shout to everyone around that you found the document, contacted a cousin who has the family Bible, made a DNA connection or found a whole new branch to your tree. The one that is met with glazed stares and eye rolls.
                                                          Celebration Sunday is a place to share your discoveries. 
This is a weekly series to enable everyone to tell about their Genealogy Happy Dance moment. This can be done by scrolling down and adding your story to the comments section. You may also put a link to a blog post. If you don't belong to a local club or society start one yourself. There are also groups that meet online




My Happy Dance This Week:  
 Several genfriends have shared new discoveries, brick walls coming down and joy in finding photos and other items belonging to their ancestors with me this week. It's so much fun to meet with and talk genealogy!  If you don't belong to a local club or society start one yourself. There are also groups online you can join. Often, researching our family is a solitary pursuit. Reach out and get together with others and share your passion.  We can all dance together!


What had you dancing this week?                                                                                    
                

                                                        Share your discovery!
                                                                                   Let the dancing commence!

Share the fun! Click below to tweet this post! 
https://ctt.ec/BDk4U


Looking forward to reading about your Happy Dance moment!

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Helping you climb your family tree,


Sunday, December 3, 2017

This Week On My Family History Calendar


December 3-December 9






December 5~
     Mary Christine (Williams) Sullivan (1896-1930), my maternal step great grandmother, was born 121 years ago in Kershaw County, South Carolina. Christine was the daughter of James Lewis Williams ( 1873-1937) and Lizzie Pettigrew (died before 1900).


December 6~
  My maternal grandmother, Azile Juanita (Daughrity) Roberts Sullivan (1921-2009) would have been 96 years old on this day. Azile was born in Sumter, Sumter, South Carolina to Manning David Daughrity, Jr. (1889-1931) and Loretta McManus (1894-1936). 
    Azile Juanita (Daughrity) Roberts Sullivan
    (1921-2009)

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Helping you climb your family tree,




Celebration Sunday~Genealogy Happy Dance!

You know the dance. You know you've done it. The one every researcher does after finding something new. The one where you want to jump up and down and shout to everyone around that you found the document, contacted a cousin who has the family Bible, made a DNA connection or found a whole new branch to your tree. The one that is met with glazed stares and eye rolls.
                                                          Celebration Sunday is a place to share your discoveries. 
This is a weekly series to enable everyone to tell about their Genealogy Happy Dance moment. This can be done by scrolling down and adding your story to the comments section. You may also put a link to a blog post.




My Happy Dance This Week:  
 The end of my month-long class for the In-depth Genealogist Acadamy has come to an end. What fun it has been!  There's nothing like having a student tell you that the things learned in class helped them find a record they had been looking for, or that they feel their skills have improved or that they understand a concept they have been struggling to grasp until the class. I love teaching! It is so rewarding! I have been doing the Happy Dance since the class began! 


What had you dancing this week?                                                                                    
                

                                                        Share your discovery!
                                                                                   Let the dancing commence!


Share the fun! Click below to tweet this post! 


Looking forward to reading about your Happy Dance moment!


Thanks so much for stopping by!
Helping you climb your family tree,