A Smörgåsbord of Stories
Robert Garnett (1736-1830) was a native, colonial Virginian. How is he related to the Willis-Gordon-Garnett clan? What role did he play in our country’s independence? The Willis-Gordon-Garnett and Allied Families association honors the lives of Anne Garnett and Capt. Isaac Willis, who were first … read more
Gillison “Gee” Rector and May “Pettris” Garnett were the parents of Florence Gertrude “Gert” Rector Gentzkow. What is known about Gee and Pettris? Gert’s Father Gillison G. Rector was the 4th of 8 children born to Milton A. Rector (1855-1951) and Charlotte “Lottie” … read more
In 2016, I begged my son to take me on his road trip to Oklahoma where he was to enter the FAA Academy. After we arrived in Oklahoma City, I rented a car and drove west to see where my Grandma Gert was born. All … read more
Back in August, I wrote about my Grandma Gert’s Bible. Grandma’s notes provide clues and point me in the direction of my maternal ancestors. In particular, I’ve been thinking about Grandma’s maternal grandmother, Dollie Pile (1870-1955). At FamilySearch.org, I even started a discussion thread. No … read more
Bible Records are a wonderful tool for a family historian. Sometimes an old Bible provides the only records of births, marriages and deaths. Each set of records written in a Bible need to be examined carefully. Were the entries written at the time of the event? … read more
Haden family research is built upon the foundation of many talented and thorough cousins, notably: Edith Attkisson Rudder, author of My Father’s Family (1947) Dorothy Kabler Haden, author of John Haden of Virginia (1968) Kay Haden, researcher and blogger at Leaves of the Tree and … read more
The Battle of Blue Licks was one of the last battles of the American Revolution. Ten months after Cornwallis’s surrender at Yorktown, British and patriot forces met on a hill next to the Licking River in what is now Robertson/Nicholas Counties, Kentucky (then Kentucky County, … read more
Mother’s Day, May 14, 2023. I’m sitting next to my mother’s bed; she is dying. I love you, mom. Hospice and mom’s care team are guiding my family through mom’s final journey on this earth. It is a time to reflect on her strengths, remember … read more
When pursuing the lives of my ancestors, I frequently find myself “down the rabbit hole.” Like Alice, I’m chasing a proverbial white rabbit. Today, this particular genealogical digging adventure led me to Oscar Pile. Karrie Blees – yet another Rabbit Hole Last week, I … read more
It’s snowing (again) in Minnesota. The beautiful flakes cover everything with a clean coat of crisp, sparkling delight. A handful of snow brings back memories of younger days, building impressive snowmen, sledding down steep hills or creating cavernous forts. Not everyone is enamored with snowfall … read more