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The Life From The Roots blog topics have changed several times since I began this blog in 2009. I initially wrote only about the family history I had been working on for 20 years. Years later, I was into visiting gardens, historical homes, churches, libraries that had genealogical collections, historical societies, war memorials, and travel/tourism places. I also enjoy posting autographs and photos of famous people I've met or have seen.

Along with my New England roots, other areas include New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada.

Please check out the labels on the right side for topics (please note, they need work). Below the labels and pageviews is a listing of my top nine posts, according to Google. Four of them pertain to Lowell, MA. These posts change often because they are based on what people are reading.

Monday, May 31, 2010

Looking Back

It was quite a surprise to be in the Top 100 Genealogy Blog list from MyHeritage.com.  I must admit, it was nice, but now on to other things.

I received an Ancestors Approved Award from Lisa who writes Old Stones Undeciphered.  Thank you Lisa. When I read her 1920s Beeville, Texas: Shades of the Ku Klux Klan I really woke up at 5:45 AM on a Sunday morning. I know I should be talking about the article, but I was delighted that she had photos of Beeville, Texas. I made many trips to the NARA to use the microfilm to locate a family from there and that memory is very vivid. Why did they move from Michigan to Beeville, Texas, I've often wondered.

Another email came from Brenda of Journey to the Past who wrote, "Do you have gravesite photos? This (West Leroy) cemetery is about 3 miles from where I live." Subsequent emails brought additional information and about 19 photos!  She also drew a detailed map of the cemetery and indicated where my different direct line families were buried! Brenda has helped me in the past in locating a newspaper article about Yates Adams, and his murder / suicide.  She may help me with obituaries too.

Lester "Les" Larrabee of Bits and Pieces sent me an email with an attachment of a Barnes tombstone. In his note, he mentioned that I didn't have that name in my Surname Saturday for the Barnes name listed that week. Lester knows I have a lot of Barnes, and that is why he sent the photo.  I now have this person entered into my database, and Les gave me permission to put the picture on Find-A-Grave.

Joyce, a friend of mine who took the same Family Tree Maker class with me over four years ago knows a number of my surnames. She wrote about her ancestor, then said, "They were married in St. Armand, Quebec, Canada on February 22, 1813 and the 2 witnesses to the marriage were Abigail's father, Benjamin JOY and a AQUILA KNAP."  She was right, I have that Aquila Knap in my tree. My ancestor and hers knew each other in 1813, pretty amazing.