I've been asked if my children really do have ancestors who were Quakers, Shakers, and History Makers. The answer is.....
Quakers? Yes.
Shakers, the religion? No. But people unafraid to shake things up? Absolutely!
History Makers? Every last one of them. Some you'll find in history books, others simply made history by living modest lives, raising families, and enduring life's day-to-day challenges.
As far as I am concerned, they are all he-roes and she-roes. Some may have lived with a bit more honor and integrity than others, but all deserving of our respect and gratitude.
When our computer gets back from the shop, I will hopefully be able to add photos to my first ancestor's story, just waiting to be upgraded from 'draft' to 'post'.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
A REBELLIOUS GENEALOGIST
For 30 years, I was a rebellious genealogist, determined "I will NEVER, EVER do genealogy!"
Then I found myself wanting to know more about the people in the photos we had inherited over the years.
So, I turned our family room into a family history room, which included a woolen blanket woven by my Finnish great-great grandmother for her American daughter's wedding, a Conestoga wagon lamp made by my father-in-law, and framed sheet music purchased and loved by my mother when she was just a girl. Next to each item were photos of the people associated with those keepsakes. Even still, I was just redecorating, and refused to admit I was doing genealogy!
Looking into the faces of our kin in those photographs, I was instilled with a deeper desire to get to know them better, so I began meeting with the oldest members of the family.
Together we identified many individuals in all those boxes of photos, I was told stories which I couldn't record fast enough, and I knew I needed a way to start organizing everything. Still...I was not doing genealogy! I was just trying to get to know my family better!
Over the next 18 months, I spent 20-30 hours a week learning how to organize, research, and record family information. Yes, I was doing genealogy..... AND LOVING IT!
For many years I've wanted to write a book: "QUAKERS, SHAKERS, AND HISTORY MAKERS (stories from the lives of my children's ancestors)", but haven't known how to start such a monumental project. Blogging became my solution.
In the days, weeks, and months ahead, I will add stories, photos and documents from the lives of my children's ancestors. I will not post people in any particular order, but will archive them so they will be easy to find.
Oh, and rest assured. If you, too, are (or were) a rebellious genealogist, I won't tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me!
Then I found myself wanting to know more about the people in the photos we had inherited over the years.
Johanna Andersdotter (My children's paternal 3rd-great grandmother)
Ronald Zook>Arlene Skoog>William Skoog>Amanda Sandberg>Johanna Andersdotter
Looking into the faces of our kin in those photographs, I was instilled with a deeper desire to get to know them better, so I began meeting with the oldest members of the family.
Saimie Josephine (Kangas) Hietala (My children's maternal great-grandmother)
Debra Palkki>Helen Hietala>Saimie Kangas
Over the next 18 months, I spent 20-30 hours a week learning how to organize, research, and record family information. Yes, I was doing genealogy..... AND LOVING IT!
For many years I've wanted to write a book: "QUAKERS, SHAKERS, AND HISTORY MAKERS (stories from the lives of my children's ancestors)", but haven't known how to start such a monumental project. Blogging became my solution.
In the days, weeks, and months ahead, I will add stories, photos and documents from the lives of my children's ancestors. I will not post people in any particular order, but will archive them so they will be easy to find.
Oh, and rest assured. If you, too, are (or were) a rebellious genealogist, I won't tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me!
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