Showing posts with label Louisiana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Louisiana. Show all posts

Thursday, February 21, 2013

A Visit to Oak Alley Plantation

We took a road trip to New Orleans last weekend. For part of one day, we explored the Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana.

Here is the "big house."


An admission ticket allows you to walk around most of the grounds. This is a working blacksmith shop. They have demonstrations, but we weren't there at the right time. The plantation foundation is currently recreating slave cabins. They use historic construction methods and tools of the era, including what is made here:


There are several examples of slave cabins. This one is actually two one-room cabins divided by a wall that includes a double fireplace.


Here is the view of the "Oak Alley" with your back to the big house. You can see that the path ends at a small green hill:


A walk to the end of the path reveals this view of a river levee. The people standing on it give you an idea of its height...which isn't much.


When you're on top of the levee, you see it is all that stands between the residents of Vacherie and the Mississippi River. Kind of scary when you think about it.


...but when you turn your back to the levee and back toward Oak Alley this is the incredible view.


There were tours of the Big House, but we didn't partake. Our teenager was being a teenager and the high winds weren't helping the situation. Still, I'm glad we made this visit.

All we can do is expose our kids to history and hope these experiences stick in their brains. They may not act interested at the time, but I have faith that they will draw on these memories when it matters down the road.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Cross Country Thibodeaux Travelers

During a rare free evening earlier this week, I did a little poking around Ancestry.com and my own private family tree there. It's been so long since I've been able to work on my own ancestral lines that there were dozens of "shaky leaves" or hints waiting for me.

Two of the hints were for my great-grandfather, Noel Holly Thibodeaux. Both were for city directories that had been added since I last worked on my own tree. 

The timeline for this man is a work in progress. He moved his wife Josephine (my great-grandmother) and his family back and forth between Louisiana and California several times. This was in the 1920s and 1930s before a national highway system, convenience stores and everything we expect for a road trip.

Circa 1926. One of many road trips between Louisiana and California.
Photo courtesy of my cousin, Eldridge, whose parents were along for the ride.

Though I am still searching city directories in southern California and Louisiana, here is a loose timeline of the many residences of the Noel Holly Thibodeaux family:

between 1914 and 1916 - Noel and Josephine got married. My grandfather says his parents got married in California. However, my great-grandmother was a young lady in an established Louisiana family. Did they elope to California? That would be quite a scandal, though I wouldn't put it past Noel as he looked like he was a handsome charmer. I'm still looking for a marriage record.

1917 - lived in San Bernardino, California with a child on the way.

1920 - Noel, Josephine and 2 children lived in New Orleans, Louisiana.

1922 - lived in "furnished rooms" in San Bernardino, California.

1924 - lived in Los Angeles, California

1926 - at least one trip to Lousiana, as the photo above was on a trip from Louisiana to California.

1928 - lived in Brawley, California. They had 4 kids then.

1930 - lived in Josephine's parents' house in Rayne, Louisiana.

1931 - lived in New Orleans, Louisiana. They had 5 kids.

1937 - lived in El Centro, California. They had 7 kids.

1939 - lived in El Centro, California at a new address.

1940 - lived in El Centro, California at a new address.

1944 - lived in Bell Gardens, California.

1948 - lived in Bell Gardens, California at a different address.

1950 - lived in Downey, California.

1962 - lived in San Jacinto, California, at the time of Noel's death.

I can't imagine moving around that much, especially cross-country with kids, but they did it. Hopefully Josephine had a sense of adventure and it wasn't just a chore. Here is a photo of my great-grandparents and one of the cars that took them there and back and there again:

Josephine Bourgaux and Noel Holly Thibodeaux
On the road again. And again. And again.

Hopefully this summer I'll get some more time to scour the city directories and fill in this Thibodeaux timeline. Until then, those shaky Ancestry.com leaves will continue to tease me.


[Here's a search tip: don't always trust the search box for city directories on Ancestry.com. I've found this family in two separate directories where the search said "not found," but they were there when I manually searched the books page-by-page online. This manual search isn't hard, as the directories are in alphabetical order. Put in the extra time in searching. They payoff is worth it. --A]



Monday, May 28, 2012

Book Review: Cajun by Any Other Name






Cajun by Any Other Name* focuses on the history of one person’s Acadian, Native American and European ancestral lines. Author Marie Rundquist shares the relocation and establishment of her ancestors from Canada to Louisiana.

The book is organized into six chapters. Five of the six chapters detail distinct eras in the location of the author’s ancestors. The first chapter details the relocation of Rundquist’s ancestors from Nova Scotia to Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The author’s description of their plight and the setting make a good read for those unfamiliar with the area’s history. This section itself would make an excellent book on the topic of Acadian exile in Maryland.

The middle chapters of Cajun by Any Other Name focus specifically on the authors own ancestors as they made their way to Louisiana. Rundquist moves back and forth between her ancestors’ past and her own story in the present day including detailed travel itineraries and commentary. This works most of the time but occasionally takes away from the historical narrative. 

Chapter six is titled “Out of Acadia,” but it actually is a discussion on the use of DNA tests in genealogy. Here the book shifts unexpectedly from the focus on history as the author discusses her own experiences with DNA and shares those of others who are in her same research interest group. Those who are not familiar with DNA tests as they are used in family history may be confused by this chapter, as there is no introductory lesson on haplogroups and Y-DNA and mt-DNA. This final section--like the first chapter--would make an interesting book topic in itself.

The book includes several color photos and references at the end including a healthy bibliography. There is no name index, though the author’s maternal ancestral line is provided for reference as an appendix.

Cajun by Any Other Name is most relevant to those who share common Acadian ancestry with the author. Though my own Cajun roots landed and grew further west in Louisiana, I still found Rundquist’s ancestral story to be an interesting read.



* affiliate link

Cajun by Any Other Name*
by Marie Rundquist
ISBN - 978-0-7414-7042-X
$11.95

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Book review: On the Banks of Plaquemine Brulee by Gene Thibodeaux

On the Banks of Plaquemine Brulee: Une Histoire de la Pointe de l'Eglise is a history of Church Point, Lousiana written by native Gene Thibodeaux.

My own interest in this book stems from my connection to the area. My great-great grandparents Noel Thibodeaux and Eliza Eldridge were married there. You may remember Noel as the one with the wandering eye.

Thibodeaux's book is organized into eighteen chapters, sorted by time period. The first chapter begins with the Native American history of the area. Later chapters each cover a set time period and the events that occurred during that time.

A typical chapter includes and overview of the national, state and local history of the era. Notable events, social changes and disasters are included. Readers will get a detailed picture of the region, it's economy and local flavor.

On the Banks of the Plaquemine Brulee is a history book with value to genealogists. Thibodeaux includes many names of Church Point citizens and their role in the city's history. A name index is included in the back of the book.

Numerous black and white photographs are featured in certain sections of the book. Thibodeaux also included an impressive source list and several appendixes featuring lists of names in historic Church Point groups, censuses, etc.

On the Banks of the Plaquemine Brulee is a well written, thoroughly researched look at a slice of Acadiana. It helped me get a sense of the former home of my ancestors and learn more about Louisiana. It also makes me wonder if I'm distantly related to the author through my Thibodeaux line. That's a search for another day, however. For now I'll just be content with my new knowledge of Church Point, Louisiana.


Information on ordering the book can be found here.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Fun with Search Terms


It's time for another round of "Fun with Search Terms!" People type certain words or phrases into search engines. If the combination is right, my blog turns up in the search results. Sometimes the searches are funny. Sometimes I can provide more information to users, if only they'd comment on my blog. Either way, I enjoy the process. Please note that these searches are anonymous so I don't know who is stumbling on my blog. I just comment in the hope that they find it again.

Now on with the show. Actual search phrases are in bold.


kelly rodgers cemetery cameron parish




In January of 2009, I made a trip to Cameron Parish, Louisiana. On the way home, I stopped and took some pictures at the Kelly Rodgers cemetery. I blogged about it and put the photos on Find a Grave. The cemetery is just a patch of land. It's not very big and the graves are pretty compact, Louisiana-style.


become an arbitrator on family search
After someone volunteers for FamilySearch Indexing, the next step is FamilySearch Arbitration. The arbitrators oversee the work done by the indexers and make decisions when the indexers information differs from each other. I started as a volunteer indexer and did that for several months (at least 6). One day I got a notice from FamilySearch with an invitation to be an arbitrator. I watched some videos and read instructions and the rest is history. If you want to be an arbitrator, keep faithfully doing the indexing work until your time comes.


+search blob
This blog has been described many ways, but "search blob" is a first.

who do I need to contact regarding St. Joseph cemetery Rayne, La
There are two St. Joseph cemeteries in Rayne. The first and oldest is right next to St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church. St. Joseph #2--as it is called--is on the edge of town. I do not know who handles both cemeteries, but the Church may have the answer for you. I would call them.

amy coffin book reviews
All book reviews I feature on this blog are tagged "book reviews" and can be found by clicking the label that says that on the right.

complete family tree in minutes
Oh this I gotta see...

What happened to the Shiloh cemetery in Russellville, Ark?
As far as I know, the original Shiloh-Williamson cemetery was down by Lake Dardanelle. It was moved (in the 1950's or 60's? Don't quote me on this) to its present location in order to make way for said Lake. This makes me sad because so many of my Williamson ancestors were affected. When I visit the current cemetery it just feels like I'm looking at markers and the *real* final resting place is still down by that lake. If you need more information, call the Russellville branch of the Pope County Library and ask to speak to the genealogy department. They'll be able to help.

is jay verkler evil?
I don't think so, but if the President and CEO of FamilySearch International is truly evil, he certainly hides it very well.



Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Not a Wordless Wednesday: Through the Eyes of Babes

Long time readers of this blog know about my son's love and encyclopedic knowledge of railroad crossings and signals. Any family history trip we take together involves some train watching time as well.

We spent some time in New Orleans during our vacation last month. My son didn't have his camera, so I loaned him my phone when a train crossed our path.

These are some of the photos he took. It's fun to see these often ignored trains and signals through the eyes of someone who loves them so much.




My son has a couple of self-published train blogs and he welcomes new readers. Email me privately if you'd like to check them out.

He also has a birthday this month and he reads my blog.
Happy birthday, dude.
.
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Thursday, May 19, 2011

Water, Water, Everywhere


Atchafalaya Basin, Louisiana
I-10 at 70 MPH

I took this picture from a speeding car in 2010. Atchafalaya Basin is truly a lovely place on the road between Houston and New Orleans. Most speed right by Cajun Country on the way to The Big Easy without even a sideways glance toward the view.

Those that do get off the highway are rewarded by good scenery, good food and wonderful people. 

It's hard to watch the news and hear the reports of flooding in this area. It looks like a bunch of water and swamp from the Interstate, but if you take an exit you'll see the people that live and work there.

I have faith these folks can bounce back in time. When they do, I encourage you to get off the freeway and explore this area. It's truly an American gem. Buy some cracklin, too. 

.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

My Ancestral Ties to the Civil War

Battle of Calcasieu Pass Civil War Memorial
Cameron Parish Courthouse, Louisiana

This week marks the sesquicentennial of the start of the Civil War. Many genealogy bloggers are writing profiles of their ancestors who fought. I've enjoyed reading these.

Though I don't have the time to write profiles of my own, I thought that the 1.5 family members who read my blog might be interested in knowing who in their family tree participated in the Civil War.

Union

Maximillian Baerecke 1827-1904 ( Max > Harry > Gertrude > Buster )
Max Baerecke was a German immigrant living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served in the 26th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, Company I. A book called The Sigel Regiment by James S. Pula (affiliate link) was written about this group and their experiences including Gettysburg. Max is in there. He also served in the Mexican War. [Note to family: I own this book if you ever want to borrow it. --Amy]

Joseph Smith 1826-1903 ( Joseph > Mary > John A > Buster )
Joseph Smith (also Schmidt) was a German immigrant living in Kilkenny, Minnesota. He served in the 2nd Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Company I. His pension file doesn't say much about his experiences and I haven't investigated further yet. Joseph also served in the Mexican War.

Confederate

John Laurens Williamson 1811-1862 (John > William > Sam > Doris )
I haven't researched this person's service too much. Confederate records are more challenging to search, plus there are a few John Williamsons out there. I did read in an unsourced book, that John was injured in his leg in the War. He died at home in Pope County, Arkansas, but his injuries may have contributed to his passing.

Richard M. Jones 1828-1864 ( Richard > Frank > Frankie > Doris )
The photo at the top of this post is a memorial that has Richard's name on it as "Sgt. R.M. Jones." This is the only ancestor I know of so far that died in battle. You can read about the Battle of Calcasieu Pass at this website.

All of these men are my great-great-great grandfathers. There may be more ancestors out there who served in the Civil War. I just haven't found them yet.

So, dear family, when you see stories about the Civil War on television, know that you have roots on both sides of the battle. Also, there will be a quiz on this at Christmas.
.
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Thursday, January 6, 2011

Genealogy Videos: Family History in 3 Minutes

 I think I found a way to share family history without people knowing they're learning family history.

(Heads up at work: there's music involved. Also, enlarging the video to full-screen makes it blurry. Blame Blogger.)


What do you think?

I love this process. It lets me tell stories with words, pictures and music. In 3 minutes, I shared with you (and my family members who are reading this blog) about my great-great grandparents, and your eyes didn't glaze over nor did you fall asleep at the table.

Genealogy purists will probably get their ahnentafels in a bunch because this piece lacks sources, but you know what? I don't care. My mission is to share about the lives of my ancestors and help others do the same. With this nifty storytelling avenue, I'm well on my way. 

The process of developing a personal genealogy video isn't too hard. You just have to have the patience and confidence to experiment with whatever software program you choose. I used Roxio Creator 2011 (affiliate link). You can also use programs that came with your computer, such as Windows Movie Maker or Mac equivalent.

Once you have that sorted, here are the basic steps to creating a narrative slideshow:

1. Gather photos. Make sure you own them or have permission to use them. Finding pictures on the Internet or someone else's Ancestry tree doesn't count. Allow time for cropping and editing if necessary.

2. Upload and sort. Upload the photos you want to use in your slideshow. All the video programs I've used have a place where you can drag images around the screen and put them in the order of your preference.

3. Add text. Depending on the story you want to tell, you can interject slides between photos or put words directly on the images. Keep the narration simple. Limit the amount of words per slide and use a big font.

4. Add audio if desired. If you choose this option, I recommend making the selection of music "Step 0" in this process. Finding music for this slideshow was the first thing I did. Why? Because once I found the right piece, it set the tone and guided my story. There are plenty of places to get legal music for videos. If you want to get all fancy, you can also use audio clips from your own digital recordings. 

Hopefully this little video gets your own creative gears grinding. Telling the story of my great-great grandparents was a fun process. I fully intend on making another narrative slideshow. In fact, I already have an idea....


[Note part 1: This video is also on You Tube. I tried to upload it here via that site, but Blogger was having a fit. Perhaps their ahnentafels are in a bunch. --Amy]

[Note part 2: Grandpa, if you're reading this, I hope you liked it! --Amy]

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Fun With Search Terms

It's time for another round of "Fun with Search Terms!" Hard to believe it's the last one for 2010.

What is "Fun with Search Terms" you ask? People type certain words or phrases into search engines. If the combination is right, my blog shows up in the search results. Sometimes the searches are funny. Sometimes I can provide more information to users, if only they'd comment on my blog. Either way, I enjoy the process. Please note, these searches are anonymous so I don't know who is stumbling on my blog. I just comment in the hope that they find it again.

Woodmen tombstone
Are you looking for a picture of a specific tombstone? I probably can't help you there without more information. However, if you are looking for Woodmen of the World tombstones, we'll then here's a whole set of them and another whole set of them.

Valerie Craft and blog
I can help you with both: Begin with Craft is a blog by Valerie Craft

my experience at ighr
The Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) is held every year at Samford University. I've never been to IGHR so I don't have any blog posts about my experience. However, Sheri Fenley, aka The Educated Genealogist, has been there and lived to write about it.

Here is her 2008 series, which was featured at Genea-Musings: Intro, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Here is her 2009 series, Sheri Goes to Samford, Sophomore Year: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

starting over from scratch in genealogy
Been there, done that. I don't have any detailed advice for you. Just start with your home person (likely yourself) and move back. Making sure all your facts have sources takes time, but it's worth it. Be patient and careful with your citations. If you need help in this area, consider genealogy software that includes source citation templates. Put in the work and your tree will grow and you will have a quality, accurate history of your family.

the mervine kahn building historical facts
Do you mean this Mervine Kahn building?



Or the one next to it?

Or this old photo I found of Mervine Kahn: Dealer in General Merchandise?

If you're interest is in either property in Rayne, Louisiana, you should check in with the archives room at the Acadia Parish Library. Usually there are members of the Acadia Genealogical and Historical Society there and they will be able to help you.

Merry Christmas to my husband
I have no idea why this search term landed someone on my blog. Merry Christmas to your husband, and Merry Christmas to everyone else as well.

That's it for 2010. Be ready for more "Fun with Search Terms" in 2011!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

COG 100: There's One in Every Family

The topic for the 100th Carnival of Genealogy is "there's one in every family." One what, you ask? Well, it's up to each blogger to individually interpret and answer that question.

I'm always drawn to tall tales in family history: gossip about minor crimes, moonshiners, supposed ties to famous people, and the like. Everybody seems to have a tale, yet no one can provide a source for the information. They just heard the details as they were passed down through generations.

My own family has it's share of said lore. However, in researching our history, I noticed that many of the tall tales seem to be tied to the same ancestor. Moreover, the more I learn about that person, the more the tales prove to be true.

Who is the "one" in my family? No contest, it is my great-grandfather, Noel Holly Thibodeaux (1889-1962).




Here is the short story on Noel (known as Holly, but that confuses people so I'll stay with Noel). He grew up in French-speaking Louisiana. He never knew his father (who was the subject of my 57th COG entry). He struck out on his own as a teen, lying about his age as he crossed the country.

The collected records and interviews in my possession tell me he was a charmer. That must have been how he snagged such a pretty young wife from an upstanding Acadian family. I can't find a marriage record for them. Did her family disapprove? Did the young couple elope? Perhaps they traveled to New Orleans.

The tales tied to Noel include gambling, gunshots, kidnapping, boxing, jail time, Huey Long and "delivery fulfillment" during prohibition. At one point, he supposedly won significant southern California land holdings in a poker game. At another point, he supposedly lost his New Orleans tailor business the same way. Were either of these true? I don't know, but records put him in the right place and time for both, and the 1920 census confirms the tailor shop connection.

From 1917 through through the 1940's the Noel Thibodeaux family moved dozens of times to, from and around Louisiana and California. Was Noel looking for work or staying two steps ahead of the landlord and the law? The answer is probably all of the above.

Each family member I talk to has a different Noel Thibodeaux tale. So many so that it seems impossible that they could all be true. But you know what? The more I learn about my great-grandfather, the more these stories are fitting with the facts.

However, what makes Noel the "one" is the strong, affectionate impression he made on his family. For each tall tale I'm told about Noel, I'm also given three stories of how nice he was or how fun. The grandkids thought he was great. The facts shouldn't add up but they do, and it makes me want to learn more.

I started this research on Noel thinking he liked to embellish his life. Perhaps, but there's more than a grain of truth in each tale. I've yet to completely disprove any of the stories passed down by his kids and grandkids.

If there's one in every family, I'm glad to have Noel Thibodeaux in mine. He makes things interesting.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday: Unmarked Crosses Edition


Fuselier's Cemetery
Acadia Parish, Lousiana
Photo taken July 2010

On a trip to Acadia Parish, I stumbled on this little cemetery on a gravel road, far from anyone. There were several grave stones, but I was drawn to this line of unmarked crosses. Who were they for? Did the people all pass at the same time? Is this a special section of the cemetery? I sure wish I knew something about them.

Friday, July 16, 2010

2010 Family Heritage Tour, Part 3

[Part 3 of 3 in a series. Part 1 here and  part 2 here. --Amy]

Yesterday was the final day in the tour of my mother's "ancestral homeland" (aka Louisiana). In the morning after checking out of the hotel, we drove out to Iota:


The town may have a big heart, but there's zero cell phone reception of which to speak. What Iota does have is a lot of rice fields:


We paid a visit to the St. Joseph church and cemetery. I've read a couple books and records that say the church was built on land my ancestors used to own. There was a big house here once upon a time.


At the cemetery, which is part of the church grounds, I showed my mom the grave site of her great grandmother, Eliza "Lizzie" Eldridge Thibodeaux Matte. At the back of this photo is also the marker of Eliza's daughter Malina Thibodeaux, who is the great-aunt of my mom.


In another section of the same cemetery, there is a marker for Josephine DeGreve Bourgaux, who is my mom's great-great grandmother from Belgium. The stone also shares the names of two of Josephine's grandchildren. Upon seeing this marker, my mom realized that her own grandmother Josephine was named for this woman:


After that, we drove around Iota, which took about 2 minutes. Then we took the slow road home.

My mom doesn't *do the genealogy* like I do, but I think she really enjoyed this trip. She had heard stories of Acadia Parish from her parents, but had never been there. Now she has pictures, memories and new cousins.  And the food...we can't forget the food!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

2010 Family Heritage Tour, Part 2

[Part 2 of 3 in a series. Part 1 here and part 3 here. --Amy]

Day 2 in the 2010 Family Heritage Tour of my mom's "ancestral homeland" started early. We had a lot to do.

First, we headed out to the area where my great-great grandfather was killed in 1889. According to the newspaper articles, he stole his neighbor's wife, and flaunted the fact around town. Then he stole the neighbor's horse and that sent the guy over the edge. Anyway, here's the scene of the crime:


Last time I visited, this field was rice. I'm think these might be soybeans:


Near the scene of the crime, there was a cemetery. We stopped to see if my great-great grandfather was buried there. I've never found a grave for him and I didn't here, either:


I thought it was an interesting stop. My mom, not so much. She stayed in the car. There she is in the front seat:


For lunch, we met my mom's second cousin at Chef Roy's. We had never met before today, and this meeting was the product of a letter I sent out of the blue in March. We had a wonderful meal. She shared pictures and I feel like I hit the jackpot. I have a photo of my third-great grandmother and a possible contact with a cousin in Belgium. We'll see what happens. After lunch, we visited some more and saw some family homes.

I think my parents had a good time and my son wasn't entirely bored so it's a good day in my terms.

For dinner, we went here:


The food was fine, but really I wanted to go there for the Cajun tunes:


As you can see, I'm serious about my food, I'm serious about my live music, and I'm serious about my Family  Heritage Tours.

Next up... we'll spend some time in Iota, Louisiana before taking the slow road home.

Click here for part 3.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

2010 Family Heritage Tour, Part 1

[Part 1 of 3 in a series. Part 2 here and part 3 here. --Amy]

Today began the 2010 Family Heritage Tour, where we go to my mom's ancestral homeland. For many folks, that would be another continent. For my mom, it's Louisiana since the 1700's. This particular tour, however, is focusing on the French and Belgian immigrants who came to Acadia Parish in the 1880's.

After we crossed from Texas into Louisiana, I went south on route 27 to go to Cameron. However, I forgot there were two route 27s, and I was on the wrong one. That's ok because I got to see Holly Beach again. You'll be glad to know we didn't see any oil, just a lot of shells.


The because of my wrong turn, we had to go on the ferry to get from Holly Beach to Cameron. My son took this picture while we were waiting for the ferry:


When we got to the Cameron Parish courthouse, we paid a visit to the Civil War memorial that had my great-great grandfather's name on it (among many other who died that day):


All that travel made us hungry, so we stopped in Lake Charles for lunch:


I recommend a plate of pistolettes.

After lunch, we ventured off I-10 and took the more scenic route to our hotel. My mom got to see a bit of her "ancestral homeland" along the way. Once we got to the hotel, we chatted by the pool, which overlooks the bayou.

For dinner, we went to Prejean's, where we had delicious food and sat at a table in front of the web cam. We called my aunt in California and told her to look for us online. She said it looked like we ordered a lot of food, but I think she was just jealous that she wasn't with us. (Need I remind her of the fried pie incident? But I digress...) Maybe I can do these family heritage tours for hire...

Next up, a visit to the cemetery where my mom's great grandparents are buried and a first-time meeting with my mom's second cousin. Big day ahead on the 2010 Family Heritage Tour!

Click here for part 2.