Asking Questions --- Taking Notes...

You will find yourself taking notes as you start researching and discovering new and exciting info about your family and their history.

If you notice that you are actively writing stories, and gathering  information and facts about your family - then that's the time to start paying attention to your notes.  You should develop consistent and systematic note taking methods, and be sure you are using the right materials.

It is only natural to grab whatever is handy to start taking notes when an occasion arises that you can get some family information.

 I did it all wrong - I phoned my mom with every intent of asking her many questions about her mother. I wanted to know what it was like in the day-to-day. I guess I wasn't sure how much information I would  get and how many questions I would ask. I didn't even really have a set of questions to ask. I just planned to let the discussion go wherever it was going to go . 

 I didn't even have a notebook or pen handy.  Once she started to talk I had to grab a used spiral notebook (bad, bad), and a pen that kept skipping,          

Learn from my mistakes - Don't use a spiral notebook, Don't use an old "Big Chief" tablet - they have too much acid and it is good to try to use acid-free or alkaline-based paper. Don't use the back of old envelopes or other scratch paper, stick with good quality 8 1/2" x 11" paper.
Don't use metal clips or rubber bands in with the material you will be keeping for a long time, and don't use transparent tape.

TASK .... Think about note taking and where and how you are going to file your notes:

• only write about one family member on a sheet of paper
• note your source first
• at the top of the page write the name of the family that the notes will pertain to 
• if notes need to go in more than one file, photocopy them to make a second page or put a cross-reference note in the second folder
• since you may need to photocopy your notes it is good to use black ink or s soft-lead pencil (blue ink or hard-lead pencil may not photocopy well)

Caroline McMurray Davies - the stork's visit

Having a Baby - in 1939

An oral interview with my mother, Glenna, about her mother, Caroline McMurray Davies.

Question: Tell a memory you have of your mother.
Answer:

 I was only ten years old when we noticed Mother was getting  bit heavy around the middle. Let me tell you in those days it seemed you were still supposed to think the stork brought babies. My mom's pregnancy was never discussed with us as children.  Shirley being the oldest knew a little more. It was unbelievable when I look back. One time in the fall of the year my dad was off doing some custom combining, and I assume Mother may have had some indication things were not going right so she had Shirley get on the horse a mile and a half to make a phone call and have Dad come home. (we had no phone) this she did, but still no one let on that anything was amiss. Dad came home and they went to see the doctor. She seemed to get better after that but everyone was still concerned after that.

Mother kept getting a bit bigger, but still nothing was talked about. At this time in our lives my sister and I were getting bussed into town for school. I remember that on the afternoon January 30, 1939 while on the bus heading home, the bus driver told s that our dad said we could come home to town with him and to meet him downtown.  When we got down town Dad said mom was in the hospital, but there was still no mention of why, but by then I was suspicious, but we never even talked about it. We visited mom, had supper in the cafeteria but now it was getting late.  Dad had milking to do and other chores so he had to get home, so we left Mother at the hospital, but by now I knew what was going on.


We had no phone, so no communication. Shirley and I took the school bus to town the next morning, but I stayed on the bus and rode downtown to go to the hospital to see how my mother was.  I was met at the door by the head nurse who informed me that I had a new baby brother and that I could go up stairs to see my mom.  I was so excited that I could hardly stand it.  So I guess you could say that I was the last to know, but the first to know about the end result.


Dad came to town as soon as he got the morning chores done. After school Shirley and I went down to the hospital, and of course we were thrilled for a new baby brother.  Mothers stayed in the hospital about two weeks in those days, so it was awhile before we got to take him home. My dad was so thrilled to get a boy.

When I think back to how things were with a new baby in those days compared to new babies today. My mom had sewed diapers, and made some little night gown and little kimonos to wear when it was cold. Parents did the best they could; we were not able to call the doctor over every little problem which came up.  I remember about two times when Murray was a baby that dad went to the neighbors and called the doctor who drove seven miles to our home to help determine the problem.


I remember for about ten weeks Mother had a hired girl come and help in the house to help with laundry and chores, but my sister had to help more after she left. times were tough in those days and hired girls who helped out were paid about $4.00 per week, and helped with other house work as well. I also remember she slept in the same bed as Shirley  and I. the bed sagged in the middle and she slept in the middle.

Researching your Family History

First Steps to Getting Started

When you have your goal defined for researching your family history you can step up your game plan. Gather your supplies, and now you are ready to begin discovering your past.

Where should you begin your search? - the library, the internet, national archives?

No, you start with yourself and what you already know.  Write down what you know about your family.  Ask yourself key questions, answer the best you can. Be specific! Record everything, be precise and fastidious and do not abbreviate.

Proving Who You Are- look at your birth certificate, it will probably list:

• your full name at birth
• your sex and whether you were part of a multiple birth
• date of birth
• county and state of birth
• usual residence of your mother
• mother's full maiden name
• her age and race
• state or foreign country of her birth
• number of previous children
• number of her living children
• father's full name
• his age and race
• state or foreign country of his birth
• his usual occupation
• kind of business or industry in which he worked
• name of the informant
• attending physician or midwife's name
• signature of the doctor or midwife
• name of the hospital or institution
• date of registration
• registration number on the certificate
• and usually the certification by the state registrar attesting that it is a true and correct copy of the record

If you don't already have a copy of your birth certificate, you can request one from the state bureau of vital records in the state where you were born.

Grandma Davies Makes Hot Cereal

"Sunny Boy" for Carol

There are three girls in my family.  I am the middle sister. When we were little kids we lived in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Our parents had to go somewhere for a number of days so Grandma Davies came to take care of us.

"Oatmeal" for Judy

My only remembrance of that time is that she made a different hot cereal for each of us. I only liked  "Cream of Wheat", my older sister liked "Oatmeal" and didn't  like "Cream of Wheat", and our younger sister only liked "Sunny Boy" a wholegrain cereal.     ( I need to ask my mom for a few more details of the when and why and where the parents were)

"Cream of Wheat" for me

I remember thinking it was so special, we all felt so loved... but now I am a grandma myself I realize it was probably the easiest thing to do to keep the kids happy.   I hope I can be as good to my grand-kids.