Archives

Sign of a Kind Heart: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 26

Monday Aug 5 – Up early. Jessie and Sylvester get started about 8 oclock to Hayward for him to Entrain for Fort McDowell where Uncle Sam will make a soldier boy out of him. Eilene and Leo Hoffman came about 2:30. I will cut and fit her gray dress. I dislike the job exceedingly. I […]

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Happy that the World Still Contains a Little Joy: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 24

Thursday April 11 Fri 12 – Sat 13 — Helping Jessie with her washing & housework and looking over my diary. Sunday April 14 – Spent most of the day writing. Later in the afternoon Mrs. Miller & I went call on Mrs. Hausenbalg. She is an old woman of German birth and widow of […]

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The Shelter of My Big Bay Tree: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 23

Fri Feb 1 1918– Usual routine Sat Feb 2 – Usual housework, sewing, etc. baking Sun Feb 3 – Eilenes birthday anniversary and they all except Milo came over to Jessies. Frank brought them their water pipe, window sash, sack potatoes and box of Newton Pippin apples. Dewey brought my hamper. Jessie put up my […]

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Amid the company of Happy Maidens: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 21

July 23 1917 Since noting the past events a number of things have happened. I finished Fannies things $6.00 also a dress for Mrs Fish $6.00 a skirt and waist for myself w white dress for E. [Eilene] and other things. On the 16th E. [Eilene] was sick and I had all the work to […]

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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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Once Seen & Heard, Never Forgotten: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 20

Mar 17 Cut Agnes’ black satin skirt. Started “Jane Eyre”. Cleaned up the house and finished a successful day tired but satisfied. [Transcriber’s note: this was the favorite novel of my youth so I found it delightful that my great grandmother was reading it.] Sun Mar 18 Agnes had to work at the telephone exchange […]

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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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Start with a Title: Appeal to Your Audience

Do you Want People to Read your Family History Story? Or maybe not. If your title is “Mable Anne Jones,” or “Great Grannie Sally Mae Lawson” or “Frederick Adamson” or any other such thing, no matter how great your story is, I won’t be reading it. And sad to say even your intended audience (family) […]

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