The Genealogy Search

It almost here!!!!!  I am so excited to go to FGS and RootsTech.  I am not sure how things could possibly get any better.  Donny Osmond, Laura Bush and Jenna Bush Hager will be keynote speakers.  The family history library is close by.  Thousands of people that enjoy the same things I do and vendors that sell things I would love to own will be gathered at the Salt Lake Convention Center.  There will be speakers on every possible subject for societies and family history.  There will be social events for both FGS and RootsTech.  FGS will be hosting Behind the Scenes: Family History & Television. This event will explore television and family history.  RootsTech will be hosting YouTube sensation Alex Boye and the One Voice Children’s Choir.  RootsTech will also be hosting extended hours in the Expo Hall featuring a night of culture.   The RootsTech closing event will feature David Archuleta and the cast of BYUtv’s Studio...

William, Ella, Julia Ann, Edward, George, and Wilhelm Skibbe.  North Judson, Indiana circa 1920

Wedding of Stanislaw Mikolajczak and Agnes Kwiecienski, Milwaukee, Wisconsin  prior to 1907

Christmas 1967 Lorraine, Amy and Matt Clark

No it does not matter is your naughty or nice –however making a list will help you get all that vital research done.    I currently have two lists that I am developing.   The first list includes hard copy books; the second is a listing of film to be reviewed.     My book list includes the name of the book, location(call number), what I am looking for and some brief background such as William Hobbs 1787 SC – 1837 AL wife Frances McWilliams and a space to designate findings and whether or not copies were made.  I will sort the books into like call numbers and pull sections at a time to review.  My second list is similar with a listing of microfilms that I want to review.  I did find a few that I will need to order ahead of time to have available during my visit.  I am also making a list of items I will need to bring with me to the library.  The usual items include pen/pencils, paper, several USB drives (I have a tendency to ...

1967 Matt and I with Santa

Taffy our Great Dane, Me ready for church choir, and Matt cir 1967

When we were little, every Christmas my mother would have us listen to "The Cinnamon Bear" radio show.  We would listen almost every day starting after Thanksgiving to the adventures of Paddy o'Cinnamon and siblings Judy and Jimmy Barton.  The Barton's lost their Silver Star that belonged on their Christmas tree.  The radio show takes you through the adventure as Jimmy and Judy try to recover the star in Maybeland.  They run into the Crazy Quilt Dragon, The Wintergreen Witch, Penelope the Penguin and many others. I know my brother and I would listen attentively while the show aired - it was a station in Chicago that replayed the original.  The show originally broadcast in December of 1937.  The radio show is available at  Cinnamon Bear .   “The Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories (ACCM) allows you to share your family’s holiday history twenty-four different ways during December! Learn more at  http://adventcalendar.geneabl...

Irene Drezdon Sobczak, Steve Urman, and Eva Urman 1977

Memories of our holiday tree............. First and foremost were the German glass ornaments that we were not allowed to touch until we were in high school.  Always high up on the tree - the ornaments were collected by my mother's family.  I knew they were old and special to my mother and quite frankly they scared me.  I knew if one of them broke we were in big trouble. One of the oddest things on our tree was our baby rattles.  Mom saved each of our rattles and used them as ornaments.  I don't know where my brother's are, I have my rattle on my tree.  I wish I would have thought to save my children's rattles to add to the tree.  Perhaps I can add my grandchildren's to mine one day. My mother also added Hallmark ornaments to our tree.  She started buying one for each of us yearly.  When we moved out of the house we had a few ornaments to call our own. My favorite ornament was not a Hallmark, it is a Fozy Bear ornament my mo...

Tonight's assignment - Make a timeline for an ancestor.  Please see Randy Seaver's blog at  http://www.geneamusings.com/2014/11/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-make.html  for information!  Thanks for the challenge Randy!  Here is my timeline for my third great grandfather John Nicholas Poundstone: I used RootsMagic to create my timeline.  I then saved the timeline and endnotes to a PDF and used the snipping tool to create a jpeg to upload to my blog.   I now see that I need to correct my endnote 27 - somehow the citation is incomplete.  Good thing Randy had us do the task, now I can correct poor Great Grandpa's citation!  Interesting to note the probate for John N Poundstone was settled about fifteen years after his death!    #SNGF

I have been coming up with a plan to make FGS and RootsTech conference the best they can possibly be.  It is a three part plan that will hopefully come together and provide the experience of a lifetime. I am also keeping in mind sometimes it is OK to fly by the seat of your pants. I missed out on  Geneablogger time at the SCGS Jamboree by trying to fit in every possible class.  What you learn socially is just as important as what you learn in the sessions.  Part one of my plan:  Preparing for a visit to the Family History Library.  I have been reviewing my database looking for research holes that could potentially be solved by locating information at the FHL.  I have been looking through the catalog for books and microfilm and organizing that information for the most efficient use of my library time.  I like to organize my research for each floor and then by area.  I have decided to add additional days to my visit for the ...

Bottom Row:  Lorraine and her father William Skibbe Top Row:  Aunt Ann, Clara (Lorraine's mom) and Uncle Edward Skibbe cir 1950 Chicago, Illinois

Otis E Clark Lloyd E Clark Harold Clark William Skibbe Sr William Skibbe Jr

Robert Urman, October 1934, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

What could be better than being able to research in Salt Lake, meet new people, learn new things, and rev up your genealogy research?  The upcoming FGS  conference combined with Rootstech will begin February 11, 2015.  This will be my first FGS Conference, my expectations are high.  I have had the opportunity to attend several NGS and Family History Expo Conferences.   My most recent attendance at a conference was at the 2014 Southern California Genealogy Society Jamboree.  I have thoroughly enjoyed them all but the FGS Conference will offer more opportunities to enhance my skills for my society.  I currently serve as President of the Pima County Genealogy Society.  We are a fairly new society and will be launching our first website in January 2015.  I have learned that connecting with people at conferences is just as important as attending a class.  At the Jamboree in California I met several people from Arizona...

Great Uncle Arthur  and Great Aunt Susie (Poundstone) Despain

Bob and Frank Urman, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 

Clara Miottel Skibbe