Finding an additional connection between myself and my “Ware” grand-children is very emotional. The following is the comment I attached (on Ancestry.com) to the record  of William Glover Vestal (1692-1744).

The greatest gift I can leave my grandchildren (imho) is the accurate documentation of their ancestry. I’ve spent days (weeks?) meticulously building their tree one leaf at a time. Yesterday, the name “Vestal” appeared as an ancestor on (“other parent”) tree. I started weeping because I sensed I already had that family in my database. Today, I completed the connection. My sixth great-grandfather is the father of James (1726-1793), my grandchildren’s (Ware) line, and David (1736-1819), my maternal line.

These are our Quaker ancestors–and the Quakers were very thorough with documentation. Their records are interesting reading. ~~ One Ancestry.com Member Family Tree record may have been “tweeked” for bragging rights and “interesting reading.”  It suggested their ancestor was the builder and owner of the Mayflower. Personally, I only document information with reliable sources.

Not a thing I can do for people in the path of Florence. I’m watching TV coverage of the storm. We are not in the affected area but I feel our weather is “weeping” in sympathy; cloudy and misting rain. Hurricane Harvey is still a topic of conversation here in Southeast Texas. This time five years ago, I was a North Carolina resident. Only six years in N.C. but enough time to become familiar with the State. ~~ As indicated, “misting rain” so I don’t need to water plants.

It’s uncanny!! Searching Ancestry.com for my grandchildren’s “other parent” ancestry, I came right back to some of my own ancestry–my Quaker ancestry. When I came across the Vestal surname, I started weeping.

My ancestry has been a topic of blog conversation; the “Old German Baptist Brethren“ playing a predominate role. Documenting the ancestry of two granddaughters led me to one branch of their tree that overlaps my own (almost). My granddaughter’s “other grandmother” is Patricia Tracy and her second great-grandfather is James Tracy. One of my “cousins,” Otho Winger,  wrote an eloquent biography about James Tracey. I hoped to attach the information here (but failed several times). I encourage the reader to click the following link, download and open, Biography of James Tracey. During that time frame, my great-grandparents lived in that locality and may have listened to this preacher. I searched Census records to see if my family members were a near-neighbor; apparently not.

…except, due to recent rain, no need to water plants.

.

.

Raining again as I publish this message. Hallelujah, I won’t need to “water” tomorrow. ~~ Internet and TV reception is limited.

Stuck in the mud? I’ve been “involved” lately creating a family tree for granddaughters. I’m incredulous because two women named Dorothy Mae Kirby and two (or more) men named Stanley L. Cotton. These four, and additional spouses, are intermingled on Ancestry Member Family Trees. As previously stated, I despise the inaccurate Member Trees. “Hey, guys, look at the dates. If he was born in 1925, he didn’t marry in 1935.” That’s just one of the statements I’ve yelled at the computer!! “Where did you get that marriage?” I go into their “tree” and no sources; their reference is another Ancestry Member Tree. I eventually identified the correct Dorothy May Kirby–a grand-aunt to my granddaughters. Finally, I located a marriage license application with names of applicants and their parents; Stanley L. Cotton rightly identified.  Yet to document: The other men named Stanley L. Cotton and their spouses. ~~ With so many projects awaiting my attention, why am I wasting my time on these individuals?? Answer: The challenge to identify, and document. (Why climb Everest, or Half Dome?) Furthermore, it is material for another story/article for Mennonite Family History. No, these folks aren’t Mennonite but an interesting topic regarding “family history.”

Nine men named Stanley Cotton. With persistence, I was able to identify one man as Stanley “Perry” Cotton (in some records, the “P” looks like “L”). One Member Family Tree listed a man with specific birth and death dates and it was “unsourced.” (I could not match that information with Ancestry searches.) There are several wives, and several divorces (well documented), and I can’t identify who belongs to whom!! (I know they are married, and divorced, from Stanley, but which Stanley?) ~~ I’m overdue for a meal, and have to admit defeat. My only accomplishment today (this morning): Water the plants, clean the fountain, pick up downed limbs. Ninety four degrees at four and forty-nine percent humidity. Too hot to be outdoors!!

.

When I took my head out of the computer (lol) I saw three Hummingbirds fighting for the feeder. My yard offers a lot of entertainment. ~~ I’m enjoying a starchy supper of corn-on-the-cob (two) and deli potato salad. (Went grocery shopping yesterday.) I have a BIG supply of salad veggies but was too hungry to postpone eating.  ~~ Time to make more nectar because Hummingbirds are (obviously) heading South. I have three feeders, in various locations. “For the birds”; you can honestly say that about Lorraine (lol).

“A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Yesterday, I climbed a different “tree.”

For the granddaughters (imho), simply names, dates, and locations. My “tree”  is very personal because I “know”  so many of the individuals and can relate to their ancestors. Never-the-less, good to know our roots?