Sunday, January 28, 2007

I Couldn't Have Gotten This Far Without Them!

Much of my research is done on the internet so I really need to give a big thank-you to all those who have transcribed records and newspaper articles that have helped me. Thanks to all who maintain the various sites that I've used. I've received help from many a stranger via various message boards (and hopefully helped some out as well.) There is no way that I can name every person that has published something on Genweb or elsewhere online. This abstract from a newspaper that I found at the Ontario Co Genweb site does not say who it was contributed by. It is only one example of hundreds of similar items that have helped me.

My great-aunt, Arabella Carlisle Osborn, was a member of the DAR and she and / or her husband, Walter W. Osborn, had done quite a bit of research on the Carlisle and Glover branches of the family. Among the papers of my grandfather, Daniel M Carlisle, was a letter he received from his uncle, Walter Osborn, which included a brief genealogy that was invaluable to me when I first started. I might have given up quickly if I hadn't had these few pieces of paper to point me in the right direction.

A cousin, Cecil Camfield, wrote a brief account of my gr-great-grandparents Camfield. It gave me a glimpse into their lives that I never would have gotten from record books. Also included were reminisces of his family that I have not put online as yet. I don't know who asked him to write it down but I'm greatful that they did.

My grandpa Berry tried to interest me in genealogy as a child, without success. He saved copies of all of his correspondence with a distant cousin which pointed me in the right direction for my paternal side. I also have Grandpa's bible in which he carefully recorded family events. He died 14 years before I began my research.

A very distant cousin sent me copies of my gr-great-grandfather, William Wisner's bible. So a big thank-you to Warren.

My Mom has been a huge help not only with her side of the family but also with my father's side. She has shared stories that gave the names on paper some character. We've shared a laugh or two and had a great time discussing "new finds" as I've made them. She was sure our ancestry would trace back to the Mayflower but was only slightly disappointed when it didn't, as there were so many other colorful characters discovered along the way.

There are also many cousins (some newly discovered) that have helped. My family puts up with me and listens patiently as I tell of some new piece of trivia that I've discovered. John, who has no interest in genealogy, keeps my computer running and reminds me to make my backup copies of everything. So I offer a Big Thank You to everyone who has helped me along the way!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love telling family members about new things I've learned. Sometimes I think Dad gets fed up with it, but then I overhear a conversation of him telling somebody about what I've told him. :)

Miriam Robbins said...

Great blog, Apple!

Miriam Robbins said...

Apple, you make a great point for genealogy societies when you mention transcribers. In an era when many think genie societies are on their way out due to the Internet, we need to remember that they are the work force that has created so much of the online data! The older members also know how to break down brick walls, as they've had to do genealogy the hard way...through books, microfilm, letter-writing, repositories, etc.