Welcome to Our Twigs and Branches

I want to thank you for visiting my humble blog. Please feel free to look around. Any suggestions and comments will be appreciated. I am new at this and my goal is to learn from my fellow genealogy bloggers.

I have many "Brick walls" and unidentified people in pictures. I am hoping that I may find "cousins" and make aquaintence with the many people who are bloging. I have visited many blogs today and have already learned alot from many of you.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Treasure Thursday

First, I forgot how to get into my blog so I could post. Treasure Thursday was a little difficult to choose. My husband had brothers and sisters who had the same father. Calling them half brothers and sisters never set well with him. Because, my husband, was in the military we had lost contact with the girls. They were ages 2 and 5. We had thought that they had probably married, and we would never see them again. That is pretty ironic for someone trying to be a family historian.


A short time ago, Donna, one of my husband’s sisters found him. We chatted over the internet for about six months. We loved learning about her and her family. She and her children came to visit us. It was wonderful, getting to know her. She is beautiful, sweet and wants to know more about her father’s side of the family. She was the first treasure I wanted to mention.

Then I remembered about a treasure we have had for forty years. They meant to us. It was pictures my husband had taken shortly before his father died. There were pictures of his brothers and sisters. When I mentioned these pictures, Donna told me she didn’t have many pictures of her dad. I posted them on Facebook and My Family. Donna told me she thought she would never see a picture of her with her daddy. She told me that she cried when she saw the picture. Of course, hearing what she said, I cried. Writing this bring tears to my eyes. Who would have thought just one photograph would be such a treasure.

Treasure Thursdays

First, I forgot how to get into my blog so I could post. Treasure Thursday was a little difficult to choose. My husband had brothers and sisters who had the same father. Calling them half brothers and sisters never set well with him. Because, my husband, was in the military we had lost contact with the girls. They were ages 2 and 5. We had thought that they had probably married, and we would never see them again. That is pretty ironic for someone trying to be a family historian.

A short time ago, Donna, one of my husband’s sisters found him. We chatted over the internet for about six months. We loved learning about her and her family. She and her children came to visit us. It was wonderful, getting to know her. She is beautiful, sweet and wants to know more about her father’s side of the family. She was the first treasure I wanted to mention.

Then I remembered about a treasure we have had for forty years. They meant to us. It was pictures my husband had taken shortly before his father died. There were pictures of his brothers and sisters. When I mentioned these pictures, Donna told me she didn’t have many pictures of her dad. I posted them on Facebook and My Family. Donna told me she thought she would never see a picture of her with her daddy. She told me that she cried when she saw the picture. Of course, hearing what she said, I cried. Writing this bring tears to my eyes. Who would have thought just one photograph would be such a treasure.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Monday Madness

My grandmother, Norma Lee JAMISON TIMMONS often told this story. When her mother Zenith Elizabeth GREENE JAMISON was pregnant with Juanita Elizabeth JAMISON DEUEL an old lady came to talk with Zenith. Norma overheard most of the conversation.
The old lady had told Zenith that Lydia Lorena GREY GREEN or GREENEwas not really her mother. She said that before David Albert GREEN or GREENE had been married before and widowed coming to Missouri in 1880. Leaving two boys named Bill and Jim with their grandmother. The old lady said that David brought a little girl back. That little girl was Zenith.
After the old lady left, Norma remembers coming down the stairs and finding her mother crying. Zenith intended to confront her mother, Lydia Lorena GREY GREEN or GREENE, but Zenith died before she confronted Lydia.
Norma Lee JAMISON TIMMONS b. 17 July 1908 in Bedford, Livingston County, Missouri d. 13 October 2001 in Chillicothe, Livingston County, Missouri
Zenith Elizabeth GREENE JAMISON b. 7 November 1880 in Illinois or Missouri d. 19 September 1923 in Bedford, Livingston, Missouri
Juanita Elizabeth JAMISON DEUEL b. 1 June 1923 in Bedford, Livingston County, Missouri d. 5 April 1977 in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota
David Albert GREEN or GREENE b. 28 December 1850 in Terre Haute, Indiana d. 23 February 1916 in Bedford, Livingston County, Missouri
Lydia Lorena GREY GREEN or GREENE b. 30 March1857 in Trenton, Grundy County d. 5 October 1940 in Bedford, Livingston County, Missouri

I have, to this date 8/2/2010, been unable to prove or disprove this information. I had wanted to verify her story before my Grandma Timmons left us. I looked at census records until I was blue in the face with no luck whatsoever. Any suggestions?

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Help! New Blogger with Old Problem

I became interested in genealogy in 1980. I worked on a maternity ward.  Bonnie, a wonderful nurse that I worked with was talking about her genealogical search.  I had notebooks that had information about my SCRUGGS family and my husband’s GRAY family.  After showing her the information that I already had, she showed me how to start. She introduced me to Everton Publications. I bought family group sheets and several other forms. Back then the computer was not an option for me.


I started by filling out our family group sheets. Then added what I knew about our families, and the information that was in the SCRUGGS and GRAY information done by other family members. Of course, I didn't check the information, and I took it as totally correct.

Bonnie stressed that I needed to source everything and verify other peoples information.  I was in such a hurry to procede that I didn't do either.  Sourcing seemed unnecessary, because I knew where my information came from and thought I would remember.  I thought that the information should be correct as it was very recent information.

Well, you guessed it! I gathered more information and totally forgot to source my information. I had not made sourcing a habit.  I realized to late that I couldn’t prove the information that I gathered, and I have over 9,000 names in my genealogy.  I don't remember most the sources that I have used.

I am now overwhelmed as to where to start. Sourcing is not any fun, and I would much rather find more ancestors. I think that is the reason, I haven’t done any real genealogy research in about 10 years.

I bet you are wondering what made me decide to get my research going again. I was on CraigsList searching for tickets to country western concert yesterday. I found a ticket advertised for the Midwest Family History Expo, and it was only 5 miles from my home. It made me sick to think I had not been researching our family, and I hadn’t gone to the Expo.  I hadn’t known it was happening.  I had always wanted to go to the seminars, but never had the money or time to travel. It was too late to go to one class. I read about the classes offered. One mentioned a genealogical blogging class. I Googled, genealogical blogging.

So here I am. Starting a blog and hoping to continue my genealogical search. I am interested in some advice on getting my sources and where to begin. Like I said, I would much rather be finding my ancestors and “cousins”. Please help!