Early this morning, I watered the plants in the yards of two neighbor ladies. Then, in my yard, I climbed a step- ladder and inserted bulbs in the new string of lights.  The remainder of the day was spent at the computer–climbing the family tree–attempting to find “sources” of information for an extended (extended) family member. I didn’t fix a meal; I snacked.

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I was “tired” when I got up at 6:30 this morning. (1) I watered the plants in the neighbor’s yard. (2) I enjoyed coffee with the guys, at the clubhouse. (3) Another  “traveling” neighbor’s yard needed tender loving care (and I was there). (4) “Motivated”… I worked in my yard for more than an hour. (5) Hot, and very tired, “the old lady” retreated to her comfortable chair. (6) Prepared this blog message…

My neighbor lady is in England to deliver a speech at a conference. Afterward, she will tour England, Ireland, and Scotland. For me, her yard is “foreign soil” and I’m there to visit her plants. This experience takes me back to the years–in Livingston–when I spent time in my “yarden.”  Enjoyable hours each day tending to my dozens of plants–and an exaggerated effort to have a beautiful yard. In contrast, my yard–in Waco–is neglected and I spend almost all my time sitting at the computer. I’m hoping and praying my early start mornings will lead me to “tend” to neglected projects. (Due to the heat… I must visit her yard early each morning.)

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I planned to ignore Ancestry for a few days (a few hours?) but a cousin was frustrated with inconsistent documentation. He asked for clarification (because he says he trusts my research) so I immediately leaped into action.  I quickly recognized my information is flawed (if it is flawed) and this will require hours of scrutiny.  Information NOT noted on the image: A different set of parents. I confessed to the error (if it is an error) when I published the image with the controversial individuals (on Ancestry). Who’s who? To my credit: I am usually correct and “the other guy” made the mess. (I’m just a janitor cleaning up messes?!)

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Doctor’s appointment (scheduled every six months) and she convinced me to take a prescription drug for my sleep/fatigue problem (and I balk at prescriptions), It’s not working! ~~ The doctor is concerned with the weight loss but I’m delighted. I have no appetite; it’s easy to skip meals. Ancestry is my medicine and I’ve been involved with tangled relationships. I research… and I prepare collages to attach to the individuals. Ancestry subscribers copy one another’s mistakes!! They seem oblivious to errors that are obvious to me.

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Confession: “Stale news” because “too busy” doing research and documentation to prepare a blog message.

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This image of the current outdoor temperature is the only up-to-date information.

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Two-and-one-half days on this family and I am NOT certain of 100% accuracy. The records are limited so I felt the need to create images so I (we) can see each piece of the puzzle. Remember “Field of Dreams” ? If you build it they will come. Perhaps by “building” images, another researcher will have the collaborating documentation?

“The old lady” left home shortly before 8:30 AM–en route to a nine o’clock doctor’s appointment. The doctor was very helpful as I discussed my health problems. A battery of tests will follow after she gets a report from the blood tests. The doctor’s visit was followed by an extreme haircut in a nearby shop. Then, to nearby Walmart for things (on the list) not available at my market. Recently, I acknowledged that I can’t handle large boxes of books (too heavy). I need smaller boxes for the pending donation to Love Packages. In the Deli Department, I saw a shopping cart with a pile of flattened empty small boxes. I asked… and “yes” I could take the boxes. It doesn’t balance money-wise but I “spent” the money I saved on colored light bulbs. I’ll always have pretty bulbs decorating the carport and front yard. The bulbs are reported to last for twelve years so they will outlive me (ha). Confession: The light bulbs (and strings of lights) are less expensive than plants for the garden. They are my “inexpensive” (feeble?) attempt to have an attractive yard (with low maintenance).

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POSTSCRIPT

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A neighbor man climbed the ladder and attached the hook where I wanted it.

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Hello,

I am sending this email to the descendants of Charles and Emma Steward and other interested parties.  They, like many of us, have dirt from Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, or some other place in our blood.  I recently discovered that I have a familial connection to an iconic Hollywood actor from my home region.

In the event you have been living under a rock or are too young to remember the 1971 movie The Last Picture Show, this movie won both best-supporting awards at the 1971 Academy Awards.  The best supporting actor award went to a 53-year-old actor named Ben Johnson, Jr.  My second cousin married Ben Johnson’s sister.

There is a story within a story.  Ben Johnson Sr (on the left) is the father of both Ben Johnson Jr (the actor) and Helen Lee Johnson (who married my cousin.)  There is a 20-year gap between Ben Jr and Helen because Ben Sr was divorced from his first wife and married Helen’s mother.  Ben Johnson Sr (do you see a resemblance with Ben Jr.?) was a World Champion Cowboy…so Ben Jr was the second-ranked cowboy in the family!

See the attached relationship chart…

Here are some quotes from Ben Johnson, Jr:

[on leaving Oklahoma for Hollywood, where he became a horse wrangler for Howard Hawks on The Outlaw (1943)] I’d been making a dollar a day as a cowboy, and my first check in Hollywood was for $300. After that, you couldn’t have driven me back to Oklahoma with a club.

 [speaking about how his life was affected by winning the Oscar for The Last Picture Show (1971)] After I won that old Oscar, everybody thought I knew something. I didn’t know any more than I did before I won it, but they thought I did.

You just never know where family history leads…

 Leland

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Lorraine here with more interesting information from my cousin. I sent the ancestry chart and asked the question: “Is this accurate?”  Below is the answer.

All the basic people are there and placed accurately.  Good job!  The Steward family, like the Showalter family, was large and filled with every variety of personalities, life decisions, and excitement. 

Attached is one example, Naomi Adcock, who I got to know from the Anna Gertrude Steward Adcock family.  She knew my mother very well, but I only got to meet her after I moved to California.  Also attached is a diagram that shows the connection of the Adcock family to my Vandiver side.  As it turns out Naomi’s first husband was a TRIGAMIST.  He was married to three women at one time!

There are so many dots to connect…but most of the dots will connect up if you dig deeply enough.

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Lorraine here to state that “cousin” is quite possibly **more** devoted to “ancestry” than yours truly. He digs deep into DNA so he knows the individuals better than Lorraine who relies exclusively on Ancestry.com sources. It bears repeating: “There are so many dots to connect…but most of the dots will connect up if you [we] dig deeply enough.”

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Did you like the information researched and documented by my cousin?