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Location, Location Location: Changing Names and Jurisdictions & Finding Records

My recent trip back to Massachusetts underscored the SUPREME importance of understanding a Town’s history. It is not just the names that often changed, but their jurisdictions and sometimes their ACTUAL location. What do I mean by knowing a Town’s history. Specifically nothing will serve your genealogy research and your family history writing more than […]

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Foxes, Wild Cats, Crows & Woodchucks – Negros, Indians & Servants: The Battle for Control in Early Rhode Island as reflected in South Kingstown Records

The joy and horror of reading original colonial town records is the discovery of everyday life in the Colonies. On a recent visit to South Kingston, [Originally named for the Naragansett Indians and later known as Kings town], Rhode Island Town Record office I stumbled upon these records, which were both illuminating and disturbing. What […]

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The Very Best 50th Wedding Anniversary Gift of All

Sometimes we must tell our own family stories. Back in February of 2021 after we received our first Covid-19 vaccines, we began talking about a trip to celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary. I did lots of research and came up with 20 or so places we might go. They ranged from Vancouver Island, BC to […]

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A Fairy Land of Snow Embroidered Dreams: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 19

Jan 1 1917 Monday Came back to Allie’s this morning and accompanied him to see Mr & Mrs. Jacobson where we will live for a few mo. Allie having rented it furnished. We were received very graciously by them both and I think will be satisfied out there for the winter mo. Came back to […]

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Back to the Heartland: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 18

Oct 25 1916 Wed Up bright and early getting ready to start on our trip to Neb. Uncle accompanied us down to the [Salt Lake Railway] Depot. [It operated from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City Utah] I bought a magazine and was glad to get started. I so got my first sight of the […]

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Faith & Fury: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 15

There are no entries from Christmas Day 2015 until Valentine’s Day. Feb 14 1916 Valentine’s Day. But no Valentines for me I guess. I must make this entry fill a period of 6 weeks the intervening time between Christmas and Valentines Day. In many ways it has been the most enjoyable time for me. I […]

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Good bye Old Year, More Joy to the New: A Soprano’s Aria Part 7

1913 Nov 3 Monday Went down town and did a little marketing. Bought a salt and pepper box. Nov 4. Tuesday Worked on rug all day. Rained some. Nov 5 Wednesday A blue day. Wrote to Emma and worked on my rug. Some sun and rain. 6, 7, 8 Unusually dull and monotonous. Nov 9 […]

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Gentle Genealogy: More Discoveries, more Delight, less Drudgery

Sounds great, right? Well I found this out as a side effect of becoming a Reformed Genealogist. All one needs is to shift your focus from collecting and researching: to resurrecting and writing. It’s  called a Paradigm Shift. I am telling you it will be the best thing that ever happened to you, as a […]

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Who was on the Train? A Soprano’s Aria: Chapter 4

BACKGROUND On the 2,000 mile train trip from Minneapolis to San Francisco we have our heroine Mary “Lulu” (PADEN) MOSIER 45, her husband “Frank” Franklin Stewart MOSIER 45, also known as F.S. in Lulu’s Diary. Then we have their children: Eilene 18, Dewey 16, Milo 13 and Lolita 12. Left back in Minneapolis is Leo […]

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On the Rails: Minneapolis to San Francisco: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 3

1913 Wed Oct 1 Wed Mrs Haley and Nellie came up in the evening. We had a pleasant time. Oct 2 Thurs Mooved into the New Flat at 1109 E. 17 st. A beautiful sunny day Frank Hoffman [Eilene’s husband] moved us in his auto-truck. Dewey went down to Haleys and got some pickles and […]

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