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)

Louise King Fowler

 

Family Story... Hummels 

My Grandpa and Grandma Fowler lived on a farm south of Lethbridge, in southern Alberta, Canada.  I can remember going to visit them.  There were lots of black cows, and quonset huts for the chickens. Best of all I remember visiting with grandma in the den of their home.  That was where the t.v. was, but also there were shelves of National Geographic magazines (a most unique find). However, in the formal living room, where we children only occasionally dared to venture were two tempting treats.  The first, an arrangement of fifteen Hummel ornaments, on several low tables placed between the various couches and chairs. I loved to stare at the various children in their lovable poses. the other excitement in that room was a cut glass crystal candy dish that held "Licorice All-sorts"---a yummy, yummy treat.

Why Keep a Journal?

 

Click this link for the article-from the October 1975 New Era
The Angels May Quote From It. 

President Spencer W. Kimball  said:

"Your story should be written now while it is fresh and while the true details are available."
"A journal is the literature of superiority. Each individual can become superior in his own humble life."

"What could you do better for your children and your children's children than to record the story of your life, your triumphs over adversity, your recovery after a fall, your progress when all seemed black, your rejoicing when you had finally achieved?

"Some of what you write may be humdrum dates and places, but there will also be rich passages that will be quoted by your posterity".

Hauling Water -

Caroline McMurray Davies -  

Water - Easy to Take for Granted

It's Saturday morning, and my firm commitment for family history sleuthing will help me press forward today as I clean my house so latter I can sit unencumbered to work on family information gathering.

I will be thankful for the modern appliances I have that help make my life easier. I just put the linens in the washing machine and turn a few dials. They will be washed (through no effort of my own)and then I can move them to the dryer and in a short time they will be dry and I can  take them upstairs and remake my California King size bed..

My mother told me that while she was growing up, her mother, my Grandmother Davies had to haul all the water she needed everyday into the house,  then she had to haul it all out. They kept a reservoir (steel or tin tub of some kind) on one side of the stove so that they always had some warm/hot water. Imagine for a day that everything you needed water for you had to walk to the well, carrying a bucket, then pump the water or pull it up from the well and carry it inside, then heat for cooking and bathing, and laundry, and for any other needs. Then once the water had been used it all had to be carried outside again.

I have no excuses about getting my laundry done today.  I won't even go into other details of my easy life- that can come later.

Caroline McMurray Davies

I found this short bio on my grandmother- I don't know what it was written for, but it is just a short, concise piece:

Caroline McMurray was the 9th child of James S. McMurray and Sarah Orr. She was born on march 11, 1902 in Orton, Alberta, Canada. Her parents and seven siblings moved from Idaho in march.  It was cold and windy, they had no house, and lived in a tent for a few weeks.  Being very windy in March many times her parents and older brothers would stand outside and hold down the tent poles.

Carrie, as she was called, also had a younger sister named Lila. They were the only ones born in Canada.

When Carrie was nine her mother died of a rare disease. Lila was only four months old. Carrie was very sad and lonesome. Her older sisters helped take care of her and little Lila. Before her mother died, Carrie would stand at her side with a fan to help keep the flies from bothering her.

She attended school to sixth grade. She lived with some of her older siblings to help take care of their children. Late she worked for several different families helping with housework.  While she was doing that kind of work she met George Davies and they were married.

About 18 months after George died in 1957 she attendend Nursing School in Calgary and became a successful Nursing aid and worked at three different hospitals until she retired.

She died June 1, 1981 after being ill with Parkinson's disease.

Launa Fowler Stout - My Own Story

One spiral notebook

Thinking about my ancestors has made me think about writing my own story. I should be journaling my  experiences but also need to go back and write my past.

In 1979 we moved to Ft. Riley, Kansas. I was taking a class where the teacher challenged us to write everyday in a journal.  I didn't feel that my life was special enough to go out a buy a nice journal. I was also worried that my handwriting was not going to be neat enough, so I just bought an orange spiral notebook. I filled up several orange spiral notebooks over the next year or so.

What did I learn from that experience?
My life as I was in the day-to-day of it didn't seem too spectacular, but when looking back on the experiences from the writings in my journal, it was pretty amazing.  I found that by reading those pages floods of memories came to my mind, and now, because it is in print and I can read it,  I remember the year we spend in Kansas as one of the best years.

I wish I had bought a nice journal when I started, because my life was worth it, and it didn't matter that my handwriting was not perfect.

My Family Names - My Ancestors

My Grandparents Surnames

Fowler (my father's father's line)

King (my father's mother's line)

Davies (my mother's father's line)

McMurray (my mother's mother's line)

My Great-Grandparent Surnames

Fowler - Bradshaw
King - Arbon

Davies - Nowlin
McMurray - Orr (Hoar)

My Great-Great-Grandparent Surnames

Fowler - Kemmish
Bradshaw - Bone
King-Debanham
Arbon-Nicholas

Davies - Cole
Nowlin-Tolley
McMurray-Stevenson
Orr-Derricott

My Great-Great-Great-Grandparents Surnames

Fowler - Linton
Kemmish - Wilkins
Shipley - Bradshaw
Bone - Wagstaff

King - Tapfield
Debenham - Larter
Arbon - Dennis
Nicholas - Allen

Williams - Grace
Cole - James
Durfee - _______
Tolley -Warren

McMurray - Hutton
Stevenson - Vickers
Hoar - Webb
Derricott - Ashley

Back to School

Saturday Shop ... 

Many friends are in a flurry of last minute shopping to get their kids ready to start school  on Monday.  It is a perfect time for you to stock up what you need to get started on family history.  School supplies are usually really inexpensive at this time of year.

Here is a checklist of supplies to get you started:

• black ink pens and pencils
• blank paper or index cards for recording information
• file or archival folders
• filing cabinet or storage boxes
• loose-leaf binders and notebooks (avoid spiral notebooks)
• dividers or index tabs
• blank pedigree charts, family group sheets, correspondence and research logs
• colored labels (optional)
• digital camera

You don't need to wait till you have everything on the list - just let the desire burn in your heart, and do something towards your family and personal history.