Like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, this researcher enjoys “fitting” the family together. Decades ago, “cousins” shared their information as I prepared the book titled FRANTZ  FAMILIES–KITH & KIN. Now I can share with other “kith and kin.”  That’s the comment I attached to the image, in Ancestry. Believe it or not, I am still documenting the extended families of John Bowman (the tombstone death date discrepancy was noted in an earlier blog message). These families are closely knit together and “there is never a stopping point.” ~~~ When blessed with a new obituary, I don’t stop with the individual and his/her immediate family. I “climb the tree” because “these families are closely knit together.” ~~ (FYI: I haven’t gotten to the newest obituaries yet.)

I’m not finished with yesterday’s research project. It’s just past midnight of a new day and I should be asleep in bed. “Never a stopping point.”  Creating a “cousin marriage” chart is very time-consuming!! First I see that the bride’s maiden name is the same as her husband’s.  Then document the parents, grandparents, etc., until I have the common ancestor. Yesterday, the cousin marriage AND a man with three wives, and the wives had two or three husbands (one at a time). Try sorting all that out. It was interesting because a lot of the documentation listed locations—in California—that I am very familiar with. So I was “time-traveling”; I put myself in those locations with pleasant memories. Several of the folks are buried in the LaVerne Evergreen Cemetery, LaVerne, Los Angeles County. I walked every inch of that cemetery  (time and time again) as I documented more than 3,000 tombstones. I published the information in 1989. ~~ I planned to check my email before going to bed—and found two new obituaries. Without a doubt, they are “extended family” members. They will have to wait until later today.

When it is hot outdoors (and indoors), I gravitate to the computer. Today, I’ve been “climbing the family tree” in someone else’s yard. Only one surname in common (“Bowman”) when I exchanged messages with a man regarding a disputed death date. Ancestry tells us if we are related (if each of us has taken DNA tests). Ancestry told me we were not related but I was related to someone in his tree. For several hours, last night, I was browsing hundreds of DNA cousins. Long story short, “Traxler” folks are in both our trees (my grandmother was a “Traxler”). ~~ I love researching, and documenting, “extended family.”

For the first time in months, I saw a comfortable temperature on the indoor-outdoor thermometer. I couldn’t believe it, it was so unusual. I’d just (grudgingly) gotten out of bed. It amazes me how quickly my body reacted to the cool morning. I’m heading outdoors to water the remnants of my scorched veggie garden. ~~ (Note: This is a “real-time” blog message while the following message was previously prepared and scheduled.)

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Oh, what a beautiful morning!

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Second postscript: Could my pain have been psychosomatic? I felt great while in the yard, and while sitting on my porch drinking coffee. It was remarkable!! (“Remark.”)

An RVing acquaintance sent an email message expressing concern for my health. I’m “isolated” but I’m not alone. Folks “far and near” reach out by phone and email. I appreciate her message by Martin Luther.

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One hundred twenty-two individuals were added in two days plus dozens of sources. Here is an illustration of my sources compared to sources in a cousin’s tree. (“Cousin’s” lack of… is not an exception.) I’m always scribbling notes as I research and document individuals. I’m finished with that frustrating project with two ladies named Lydia sharing identical birth and death information. ~~ “Downsizing” today; piles of paper going into the wastebasket.  🙂

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Postscript (almost 10:00 PM): Late last evening, I received an obituary via email. Today I documented the individual and shared my information with several other family researchers. Here’s a response and I want to shout that a few kind words encourage me to “climb trees,” research, and “dig deeper.”

to LorraineEEdwards

Thank you
I was about to give up and your email filled in a couple gaps and I found that James Edward BEISNER 1932 is a 13th Cousin twice removed. Neff’s line made the connection.

Ron

This evening, a message came via Ancestry messaging. I answered within a few minutes… and the frustration of inaccurate death date information—from Find A Grave—was again a priority. My next project (tomorrow) is to double-check all my information about John Bowman and family.

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Labor of Love Day

A friend phoned (last night) with helpful health instructions. (Phone “socializing” makes me very happy!!) My friend still enjoys the luxury of RVing and always has delightful stories about his adventures. One such story was about the Hobo Museum in Britt, Iowa. I said, “I know that place, my father was born there.”  Of course, I had to “double-check” and I was partially accurate: My uncle was born there and my father was born in a nearby community. (I’m so blessed to have my good memory!!)

Click the image to enlarge so details are readable.

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It amazes me to see that I have added seven thousand individuals in four months; one thousand is less than sixteen days.

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Postscript, afterthought: I’m obsessive-compulsive about accurate documentation of vital information.