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.

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.

Your Life History

- a gift you can give yourself

These guidelines helped me, perhaps they will help you . . .

Gather and organize your personal records

Make an outline

• your full name
• birth info- where , when, etc.
• parents full names and names of their parents
• memories of your preschool period- get recollections from parents or older siblings
• childhood memories about friends, schools, teachers
• young adulthood- thoughts on growing up, what it was like at home and at school, college
• courtship and marriage- how you and your spouse met, special dates, the marriage proposal, the wedding, your first home
• children- incidents that took place during pregnancy, names of children, hopes and dreams you had for your children
• vocations- jobs held, what you did to prepare for your life's work, different successes you had at work
• civic and political activities, with a list of positions held, and services that you did performed in your community and church
• spiritual  and faith-promoting experiences , and the effect those had on you
• what you plan and hope for the future

If you haven't already started, I encourage you to start writing your history as soon as possible

• don't be worried about whether your grammar or language is good enough- use your own style and tell how you feel and how things happened
• be honest, don't embellish, and don't dwell on negative experiences
• stick with your outline

If you would rather record your history

• be sure to use a good quality tape and recorder, or digital recorder
• go to a quiet place so you won't have background noise interruptions
• speak in a natural voice and speak clearly
• follow your notes and outline
• record  you musical talents and other voices if they fit in the story

Keep your history up to date by keeping a journal

• choose a nice book to keep as your journal
• set a scheduled time for journal entries, and stick with your plan
• daily entries are best

Enjoy the opportunity to preserve your life for generations to come.

It is never too early or too late to start - just DO IT!

Oral History Interviews

Oral History Interview Techniques

When you are planning a trip to visit relatives and you want to do some oral history interviews here are a few tips that worked for me. I like to have a bag all packed and hanging inside the front coat closet, then I don't have to look all over for the things I need and run the risk of forgetting something very important.

• digital or cassette tape recorder (bring a microphone it there is not one built in)
• AC cord
• supply of cassettes if using a tape recorder
• labels for the tapes
• extension cord
• extra batteries
• notepad and pens
• list of questions, or a book on oral history with sample questions
• address book to note relatives' names and addresses the person you interview may give you
• a research notebook with pedigree charts and family group sheets
• watch or cellphone so you don't overstay your welcome (one hour is a good amount of time for an interview)
• photocopies of any documents you've gathered to show the relative- they may be good conversation starters
• photographs that your need to identify
• magnifying glass, in case the relative needs to have the picture amplified
• cell phone or other digital camera to take picture of items or documents that cannot leave that home

A lap-top is also really good to have when you go to an oral history interview.

Killing Turkeys for Market

Carrie and George Davies

"Every year we had some turkeys, and usually about ten survived the skunks and coyotes. We would usually keep one for Christmas and then decide when we could take the others to Lethbridge to sell.  Two days before we would go to sell them, George would slit their tongues to kill them.  They were then hung by their feet so all the blood drained out.  Then they were laid out on the kitchen table to get all the feathers out.then we laid them on some newspaper on the living room floor. There was no heat in the living room, so it was pretty cold in there. Over night they would freeze.  The next day we took the frozen turkeys to market to sell them."

Learning to Embroider

Family Story...Embroidery

Beginner stitches

Some intermediate stitches

Grandma Caroline McMurray Davies -

My grandma taught me embroidery stitches.  She gave me some fabric, and embroidery hoop, some needles and some embroidery floss. With the exception of the hoop, it all fit into a Whitman chocolate box. She taught me some basic stitches, and then got me started on my first project, a pink toaster cover with a picture to embroider on the side. I did pretty good - I thought, but when I needed to take out a stitch I ended cutting into the fabric, so the little bear on the side had to have a patch job in the middle of his nose.  The rest of the embroidery was quite good for a beginner. Later I learned more stitches, and did embroidery work on some pillow cases, several table clothes, and even some pictures for the wall.
It was really special to learn from my grandma as my mother didn't do much handi-work. She did her creating with her sewing machine.(I am glad my mom taught me to sew with a machine)

A Photography Hobby

Douglas Bradshaw Fowler - A Photography Hobby

Grandpa Fowler took and developed his own photographs. I always thought of it as just a hobby he had.  However, when I read his life sketch that he wrote it tells of how he first started to develop film.

" In 1912, at age 14 he commenced as an apprentice in Pharmacy. An apprentice was only paid $10 a month. He had to find some way to pay his way through University.  He took on the extra job of Night Operator on the telephone exchange that was in the drug store.  He opened the store at 8 a.m. and got an hour for lunch and dinner and closed the drug store at 8 p.m., and went on the switchboard at 9 p.m. until 7 a.m.  .  He had a cot by the switchboard and could get some sleep between 1 a.m. and about 5 a.m.using a buzzer on the board to wake him up for calls. After he gave up the switchboard, he fixed up a dark room at home and developed and printed the films that were left in the drug store - often working in the dark room until 2 or 3 AM.  In this way and with some help from his  parents he was able to complete his University and graduated with the second class that the University of Alberta graduated.  He was then a Registered Pharmacist at the age of 18."

One of his philosophies of life - "one can accomplish anything one makes up their mind they can accomplish".

Grab a cardboard box ---

To help organize your personal and family records so you can use them when you write you life history.  Actually, it doesn't really matter what type of box, but put it in a very obvious place.  When I was doing this, I used a couple of different boxes.  I had one in the hall upstairs, and one on the dining room table.(I didn't want to make going up and down stairs an issue on whether it would get put in the box, or whether I would set it on a shelf or counter.

The next thing to do is casually go about your daily work around the house, but now with your eyes, mind and heart focused on finding important papers. Over the next few weeks you can collect and put into the box records of your life.

• birth certificate
• certificates of ordination
• certificates of graduation

Everything that you can find pertaining to your life - diplomas, honors, awards, photographs, a journal or diary goes into the box.  Anything that is written or registered or recorded that testifies what you have done during your life.

The process takes a while, that is OK,  don't rush it.  You will probably find that these things are scattered all over the house. I truly found them all over the place.  I found some in several boxes in our shed. A few more were discovered in a box under a bed, and several important pieces were located in various other boxes in closets and in the garage. ( I was looking for important paper documents for all my kids...so I really had to search all over.)

Gather all the items and keep them together in the box, and keep collecting.  When you get to the point that you think you have everything available you can go on to the next step.

Next steps:
Sort everything out on a table and divide your life into three periods -

1. Start with the birth certificate and sort every record that goes with childhood- photographs, records and other documents until age 12. Arrange them in chronological order.
2. Then pull together everything that pertains to your youth - from 12 to 18 years of age- put it all together chronologically.
3. Then all other records fit the section for the rest of your life.

Line up all these records - the certificates and the photographs and all other items and keep them safe in an other envelope or box..

By gathering these items you have began to compile the important information you will need when you want to start your family tree or do a pedigree chart.  

William John Davies

On November 25, 1896 William John Davies and Sarah Amanda Nowlin were united in marriage. They farmed in the Shelton district in Idaho, their nearest town being Idaho Falls, Idaho.  Mr. Davies was born in Wyoming in 1872 and Mrs. Davies was born in Utah in 1878.  Their were five children born to them in Idaho, Janie, George, Ivan, Glenn and Charlie.

In March 1908, Will decided to sell his farm and come along to Canada along with several other families, brother and sisters of Will and Sarah.  In early March all their belongings, such as machinery, household effects, livestock and, yes, the family, were loaded onto a train and headed out for Canada.

However, upon arriving in Great Falls, Montana, they found all their livestock had to go through inspection and had to be put through disinfection, so there was a delay of several days.

All the women, with the children, went to a hotel.  There were five or six women and somewhere around eighteen children in one hotel, so the children had a hilarious time, lots of noise and excitement with lots of mad patrons in the hotel.

One man was so mad because George Davies and Leland Nowlin knocked on this door; he opened the door and said he would kill them if they didn’t stop, so they went out on the street looking for a policeman.  While they were looking they ran into Charles Nowlin’s family, who had left a few days later and were looking for the group. They returned to the hotel with the boys.

In a few days however, it was discovered that Charlie Davies, seven months and Harold Nowlin, four months, had chicken pox. The babies were wrapped in their shawls, and all the women and children left for Claresholm by train with Jabus Nowlin, as leader and protector.

Upon arriving in Claresholm, the group was met by a brother of Sarah and Ernest Nowlin, from Carmangay, so the two men with the women and eighteen children marched from the station to the Wilton Hotel, with all who were able, carrying bags, suitcases, etc. As we went along the street, we heard people say, “There goes a bishop and his family”

 William and Sarah moved onto a farm in the Starline district with their five children and in 1910 Victor was added to the family and in 1916 Mary was born. Mary died in young childhood at the age of eleven and a half.

William Davies bought and farmed several parcels of land in the Starline district and was a very successful farmer from 1908 until his death in 1935.  Sarah and sons Glenn and Charlie farmed a few years, then Sarah moved to Claresholm, then on Christmas day in 1945 she passed away after several years of failing health

Janie married Harry Taitinger, a son of Nick Taitinger. George married Carrie McMurray of Cardston. Ivan married Rachel Lepard of Claresholm.  glen remained unmarried.  Charlie was married to Zelpha Newby of Lethbridge and victor married Mabel Johnson of Claresholm. There were nineteen grandchildren.

Shop for Supplies

Saturday Shop ... Supplies

Like many we work all week and only have Saturdays to do the shopping. I can see that this family history search project that I am starting on will need a few more supplies.  So, today I bought some hanging file folders and some tote bins to start keeping everything organized.

Stories in Boxes

We all have stories tucked away. Some are tucked away in shoe boxes. Some may just come from a random photograph. It is my job to make sure that the stories stay alive.

A Book of Family Stories

I think it would be wonderful to have a book full of family stories that could sit in the living room on a table to be picked up and read at any time.  These stories could remind us of the sacrifices that our ancestors made through their lives.

Sacrifices they made, moves they endured,  hardships that helped them become the people they became. Those who joined the Mormon church against the wishes of their parents, those who walked across the plains as part of a handcart company.

Family ancestors who moved their family to Canada and then lived in a tent for two years- and it is cold in Canada. Ancestors who were in Nauvoo, Illinois  and met Emma Smith shortly after her husband was martyred.

Nauvoo, Illinois

A I sat here tonight reading many stories, I feel blessed that my mother gathered many of these stories and typed them up and then they were duplicated on a mimeograph machine (now days they can be typed on a computer, and saved or set up in a desktop publishing system and produced into a book).

This is why I started my quest for family history  and stories and why I call  it a "gold mine". Nothing could be worth more to me than this as it helps me know where I came from and what my family sacrificed for the truth of the gospel.

As time goes on, these stories will also be made available on this blog for all to read and appreciate.