The old lady was pushing herself to get things done at this location. Obviously, “the old lady” has lots of space, and an unlimited amount of water. Wash with water, move it clean, spray with paint, attractive when seen.
Yesterday, there wasn’t a “stopping point.” I’d finish one project and sit down for a few minutes. I’d see something else that needed attention and jump up to do that task. Repeat: There wasn’t a “stopping point.”
A Gift For the Ages by Lorraine Frantz Edwards
What could this old lady—with limited resources—give her children and grandchildren? She owned no Real Estate, no stocks or bonds. Her household items were well-worn. She had computer skills and she had a passion for genealogy. She’d document the ancestry of her in-laws (and “out”-laws); she’d “climb the family trees.”
No longer the familiar names of Old German Baptist Brethren, and Mennonite, ancestors, and their descendants. Now a virtual phone book of known—and unknown—surnames. For example: Duerksen, and Gaede, from Russia, and Rainwater (Google search suggests NOT Native American).
Challenges were numerous—and embraced. Several incidents of individuals with identical given name and surname erroneously (in Ancestry.com) attached to the family tree. Search records, document children, compare dates and locations. Discard the “duplicate” who wasn’t the spouse. Example: Dorothy Mae Kirby married to Stanley Lee Cotton. Two such marriages, two couples, several men named Stanley Lee Cotton.
Working with surnames “in the Deep South” proved to be a very unique experience—a “first” for someone with twenty-plus years experience “climbing the family tree.” Specifically: Grover Cleveland Blackwell. Several men… and two with similar birth year. The only way to properly identify them: Document their spouse and children, and examine their resident localities. Where did they live; was it consistent with known information? Eventually the “maternal grandfather” (of her son’s father) was positively accepted, and documented. Documenting men named Andrew Jackson Blackwell and Napoleon Bonaparte Blackwell posed a whole new search criteria. Check each “source” for the reference to race. Sometimes simply “B” or “W,” sometimes “black” or “white.” The “hints” on Ancestry did not discriminate: Five, ten, fifteen… and each “hint” had to be scrutinized. Sadly “black” Blackwells had been attached to our “white” Blackwell tree by careless subscribers to Ancestry.com.
Often the given name was simply “A.T” or “S.W.” Frequently the name is spelled different from one Census to another (and detective work required): “Agnew” on one is “Andrew” on another. For the women: Lizzie, Eliza and/or “E.A.”
What could the old lady give her grandchildren? Answer: A well-documented, accurate list of their ancestors, their ancestor’s children, and children’s children. A tree full of aunts, uncles and cousins. (If and when they have a DNA test, they can find that fourth or fifth cousin on their tree.) Hours, days, weeks…. Accuracy was imperative; no hastily prepared, or “copied” from Ancestry individual Member Family Tree(s). The old lady admits she compared her work to that of Ancestry individual Member Family Tree(s) and witnessed obvious duplicates, and inconsistencies. (Three daughters named Eliza, Lizzie, and E.A., with same birth date.) Two, or three, marriages while wife number-one was still alive. Didn’t the owner of that Ancestry tree see the discrepancy? A man in his 70’s didn’t leave Mississippi and marry a woman in Ohio—and have more children! (In Real Estate they say “location, location, location.”)
Speaking of “location.” this question came to mind: “Why did this widow die in Texas after a (documented) lifetime in Mississippi?” The answer was apparent when all the children were documented. Widowed mother was living with married son or daughter, in Texas.
Climbing the trees for grandchildren revealed unexpected fruit. In two places, two uniquely different “trees,” the branches overlapped. What a joy to find her sixth great-grandfather, William Glover Vestal, was the father of David, and James, two branches of the tree. Grandma (Lorraine) and granddaughters are cousins.
Sweater weather!! The propane furnace is “on” long enough to chase away the cold temperature.
I’m inclined to believe I can have a garden at my new location. Therefore, I can use my two Garden Towers–and some decorations. I’m rushing to have everything sparkling clean and freshly painted. Some will go, but not all.
The TV news is full of details about the wildfires in California. One fire is a few miles from my former home. Santa Clarita is in the headlines and I lived about fifty miles north, in Lancaster. Fire on both sides of Highway 14 and that is the major route between Los Angeles and towns of Palmdale, Lancaster, Littlerock, Pearblossom, etc., in the “high desert.” (Click the image to enlarge for better viewing.)
Gratefully, the propane furnace warms my trailer home quickly. TV meteorologist indicates cooler temperature and rain tomorrow. Fewer outdoor projects?
“Yes” and “no.” Yes, it would have been more comfortable with A/C but I stubbornly refused to turn on (end of October).
Three Quarters & Counting 