I can still remember the look on my doctor’s face when she asked me for my family’s medical history. All she saw was this teenage girl sitting in front of her; I can tell you she did not expect the laundry list of information that came out of me. I rattled off all the information […]
ancestry
Painted with the Same Brush
From a very young age it was not uncommon to find me with my head buried in a coloring book surrounded by crayons. As I got older, I traded my coloring books and crayons for sketchpads, canvas, colored pencils, pastels, paints and an assortment of other mediums. Art was something I loved and, in many […]
Haunted by a Queen’s Broken Heart
Most people get into paranormal investigation for their love and interest in the supernatural. For me, that was not the case. Although my family and I shared several unexplainable experiences, it was my love of history that pulled me in. Paranormal investigation has brought me to historic locations across the United States and around the […]
American Servicemen In Australia
The Japanese military attack on the Pearl Harbor naval base in Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941, thrust the United States into WWII. It wasn’t long after that Australia and New Zealand found themselves also under threat of Japanese attacks. While the majority of Australia’s soldiers fought alongside the British Royal Army against the Germans in […]
Italian Birds of Passage
Tracing my Italian roots has been difficult to say the least, especially when it comes to name changes or my ancestors names being misspelled. However, I was stumped with a new mystery when I came across three separate passenger lists that listed my 2nd great grand father, Andrea Cautilli. At first, I figured it must […]
Keeping The Dead Alive
Mindy Windholz: My Lineage’s Link to Liberty
The promise of snow only days before Christmas proved to be no more than a whispered threat, but the wind still whipped a chill around those who slipped from their warmed hearths and into the dark night. Wrapped in blankets and faces smeared dark with soot, they boarded the three English vessels which had docked […]
A Haunting Reality
Over the years, I have learned many things about life and myself by researching my ancestors. Through interviewing my parents, grandparents and other descendants, making visits to town halls, libraries, vital statistic offices and cemeteries I have discovered several things about my family’s past. Every now and then though, this look back comes with a […]
The Mystery of Alice McCurdy
Anyone who has spent years researching their family history will tell you to be prepared for hidden surprises. The lives of our ancestors were just as complicated back then as our lives are today. I think most of us tend to forget they were living breathing people until we start uncovering their lives through the […]
Genealogy Correspondence Sheets: How Do I Get Started?
Over the last couple of weeks I have introduced you to two worksheets that are commonly used when doing family research, Pedigree Charts and Family Group Sheets. Continuing with the How Do I Get Started? series, let’s take a look at another helpful worksheet, Genealogy Correspondence Sheets. What is the purpose of the worksheet? The […]