Memory Tree Genealogy Journal

Matrilineal Monday - sharing photos, stories, or genealogical information about women in our family tree.  Today, I'm sharing a photo of my great-grandmother, Catherine Margaretha Miller.  What's not to love about this sweet photograph?  Taken at my great-grandparents' home in Samoht Ridge, Delhi, Hamilton County, Ohio, a copy of this photo was passed to me as part of a collection of family history information from my maternal grandfather.  Catherine passed away while my grandfather was bravely serving the United States abroad during World War II.  Some of the details I love most about the photograph include her beautiful outfit, lapel pin, and necklace, the fact that my hair appears so much like hers (I get my dark hair from both sides of the family, though!), the brickwork on the front facing of the home, and the family dog making a cameo in the back left.  Old photographs like this one really enable me to feel a personal connection to relatives I have never met!

Smyrna Baptist Cemetery, Dothan, Houston County, Alabama Nancy Ann (Barber) Thompson (1822-1887) is one of my 32 (yes, 32!) 3rd great-grandparents.  Does that number seem high?  Never thought about it before?  Folks, make sure to look at THIS WEBSITE and let the math blow your mind. Back to Mrs. Thompson.  I realize that I have members of both my immediate family and my husband's family (maybe?) reading this blog...and the many family lines can get a little crazy.  Nancy Ann (Barber) Thompson is related to my HUGHES family through my grandfather (Alto) and his mother (Hattie Bruner - 1881-1966) and then Hattie's mother, Mary Thompson (1848-1892).  Nancy Ann (Barber) Thompson is Mary Ann (Barber) Thompson's mother.  Nancy married Theophilus Thompson (1820-1877), and they lived first in Gadsden County, Florida (this is where Nancy's father, William Barber (1792-?) owned a considerably large farm.  Both Barber and Thompson families lived in close proximity to each

This post isn't so much about a "recipe" as it is about a legend.  The Banana Sandwich.  OR - the 'nana sandwich.  Have you experienced this wonderfully simple sandwich?  Were you thinking peanut butter or fluff...and are now completely grossed out by the suggestion of mayonnaise?  Don't fear the mayo!  Trust me.  It's a winning combination. Just ask Matt LeCroy of the Washington Nationals.  Obviously banana sandwiches didn't help his team make it to the World Series...but at least he gave the Southern delicacy a little press . The truth of the matter is...this wonderful pairing of bread, thinly-sliced bananas, and mayonnaise is part of my family identity.  Only one of my parents actually eats banana sandwiches (HI Dad!).  At least I think so (Hi Mom!  I don't think I've ever seen you eat one...).  I *believe* this is a Southern tradition, and I will do my very best to promote this culinary tradition in my own home. If you have ever watch

Just yesterday, I wrote about my mother's SMITH family and their Indiana beginnings.  I also mentioned my 3rd great-grandfather George SMITH (1813-1890) , son of John Smith and Jane Wayne (or Wain, as listed in her marriage record in Yorkshire, England).  Here are a few additional images & finds for George: 1.  Photo of George Smith (1813-1890) found on the Ewbank-Smith Family research website.  2.  Burial site for George Smith and wife Henrietta Ferree Smith.  Mt. Hope Cemetery, Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan.  (FindAGrave) 3.  Marriage license and certificate for George Smith and Henrietta Ferree.  1 September 1844, Dearborn County, Indiana.  Officiant - Ezekial F. Stiles of Milan, Indiana. Source: "Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XXTS-186 : accessed 14 Oct 2014), George Smith and Henrietta E Ferree, 01 Sep 1844; citing Dearborn County; FHL microfilm 001313299.

From my mother's SMITH family line: John Smith (1778-1860) and Jane (Wayne/Wain) Smith (1778-1863)  Source HERE   In The History of Dearborn and Ohio Counties, Indiana : from their earliest settlement (1885), there is a short biography of my 4th great-grandparents John Smith (1778-1860) and Jane (Wayne) Smith (1778-1863).  Both are considered some of the earliest pioneers of the State of Indiana, having emigrated from Thirsk, Yorshire, England in 1818.  More information on the early settlers in Indiana can be found on the website for The Society of Indiana Pioneers . Most of the genealogical information about John and Jane smith circulating online stems from a family history book published by Henry Nowlin in 1938 entitled John and Jane Smith Family .  Anyone interested in viewing the original document on microfilm can request it through the LDS library HERE .   Here is an excerpt:  John Smith (1778-1860) was born at Thirsk, Yorkshire, England. He married Jane Wayne (17

Have you browsed through census documents, vital records, or city directories and wondered exactly what your relatives' hometown looked like?  Where did your loved ones live, work, and play?  For today's "Those Places" topic, I chose a very broad one...Houston County, Alabama.  The majority (possibly all?  will have to check) of my father's family lived in this area of Southeastern Alabama at some point.  I have visited before, but only a few times...and on at least one of those trips I spent an hour or so walking, bent over at the waist, scouring a freshly plowed field for Native American artifacts.  During high school, I participated in a summer archaeology program through Fernbank Natural History Museum in Atlanta...working alongside their resident anthropologist and his team.  Identifying pottery shards and points became second nature to me.  My dream was to become an archaeologist.  Deep down, that dream never died :).  Just ask my husband.  We are within

Castle Garden in New York, 1840 (precursor to Ellis Island) - Library of Congress Genetic genealogy. This phrase is simultaneously overwhelming and magical for me.  My angst comes from not enough time to devote to learn, grow my understanding, and fully digest all that this field has for newbie genealogists like me (hello, life...I need about 4 extra hours in my day strategically placed after children are asleep at night).  Excitement comes from the obvious: discovering what I don't know I don't know. I was recently asked to give a short talk about my foray into DNA research at our weekly meeting for amateur family researchers in our community.  Talk about angst!  Overwhelming!  Wanting to shout from the rooftops, "I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing!" No shouting was involved (thank goodness) - just a bit of sharing.  Both my husband, my mother, and I have tested with AncestryDNA .  My dear husband has also tested with 23andMe .  Two very diffe

Glad to be back in the swing of things after the break!  One of the easiest ways for me to resume writing is to follow the daily prompts from Geneabloggers ...and start off with "Tombstone Tuesday".   Nels Nelson Melvey (1867-1942) and Ingeborg (Johannesdatter Winger) Melvey (1864-1952).  Buried at Riverside Cemetery, Moorhead, Clay County, Minnesota.  *Photo credit: Suzanne McConn (Hi Suzanne!!  You're awesome!) You'll notice the discrepancy between the birth date listed on the grave stone for Ingeborg (1865) and the one I have listed in my records (7 February 1864).  The birth date I have in my database is directly from her birth record from her home church - Vinger Church - in Norway.  Source HERE .  I have no great explanation for the error, other than that it was probably misinformation transferred from parent to child.  Her death record from Seattle, King County, Washington indicates "about 1865".  I'll stick with the original chur

"The Definition of Mythology: Genealogy Without Documentation" I'm loving this quote. What's that, you say?  Where in the world have I been lately?  Sicily.  Mothering.  Living.  Researching. I'm so very glad to be back - writing, thinking, sharing all of our (and by "our", I mean myself and my husband) finds.  After all, I find most everything and he spends evenings listening to me drone on and on about them.  Thank goodness he acts excited to hear about these long lost relatives!  Half of them are his, anyway :). After our third little boy joined the crew back in March, life has been a bit of a grind in mostly positive ways.  The fog has cleared, baby is a little less dependent, and I'm finding regular time every afternoon (blessed nap time) to devote to my passion of super-sleuthing in the genealogical sense.  Since we live in Sicily, and I don't always have an opportunity to Skype with all of our relatives to share the details I'v