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.


Johanna Andersdotter (My children's paternal 3rd-great grandmother)

Ronald Zook>Arlene Skoog>William Skoog>Amanda Sandberg>Johanna Andersdotter

 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.

Saimie Josephine (Kangas) Hietala (My children's maternal great-grandmother)

Debra Palkki>Helen Hietala>Saimie Kangas

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!