What's New

My granddaughter is attending the local community college and is taking intro to public speaking.  For her first speech she chose to talk about genealogy, cause that's what she sees her grandmother involved in all the time.  She used some of my forms, trees and books for her visual aids and the professor was pleased with her end product.  She said she was afraid at first, but after she got started it just kinda flowed out.

We have been watching the "Who Do You Think You Are?" series on TV on Friday nights and were pleased to find that Ashley Judd shares a common ancestor (and a Mayflower pilgrim at that) - William Brewster.  We are big Judd fans and it was great to find out we are related - even if it is distant.

Of course, I had to check my database to be sure I was related - there are several of the Mayflower passengers that I've traced my lineage back to - besides Brewster, I can trace lines back to John Cooke, Francis Chilton, William Latham, Richard Warren, Edward Winslow, and possibly John Billington.  So opening up my Family Tree Maker 2011 and the MayflowerHistory.com site with its list of Mayflower passengers.

With my Dexters married into the Washburn line, my first discovery of Mayflower connections was through Joseph Washburn marrying Hannah Latham, daughter of Robert Latham and Susanna Winslow (daughter of John Winslow and Mary Chilton - daughter of Francis Chilton - who was herself a Mayflower passenger).

And to bring myself back to the present.  I'm interested in becoming active with our local Native Daughters chapter - being born in Idaho, daughter of parents born in Idaho and granddaughter of Idaho pioneers.  Both maternal and paternal grandparents came to Idaho before statehood in 1890. 

This group meets in Caldwell once a month with yearly dues of $5 and the requirement of writing a biography of your life - something I've had written for several years. 

I'm also contemplating attending a

Volunteer Field Genealogists Workshop (VFG)

State: Montana
Date: September 20-21
Location: Bozeman.

Training, by NSDAR genealogists, is given in the proper completion and documentation standards required by the DAR for verification of applications. Graduates of this class may then share this information by leading workshops at the local level.  Living within driving distance of Salt Lake City and all the wealth of information there to research, and in a state with an abundance of LDS members who value genealogy, is a true advantage - the LDS Family History Center around the corner from my home has been invaluable in my own research.