The best experiences in life come when you love something you're good at. That worked well for me in my first career. I earned my Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Oklahoma in 1980 and, after a year's post-doctoral fellowship at Iowa State in the US Department of Energy Ames Lab located there, I enjoyed a 36-year college teaching career, which ended when my institution closed in May 2017.
Doing what you love and are good at also sums up my approach to genealogy, my chosen second career. Many genealogists will relate a similar story: A little over 30 years ago, my mother handed me a box of family records, correspondence, photos, DAR record copies, and old family trees. It was a treasure trove, including my grandfather's baptismal certificate, in German even though he was born in northern Iowa. There were photos of my 2nd great grandparents taken in the early 1860s, along with his military death record stating he died in a military hospital in Columbia, South Carolina in 1865. One record suggested we were descendants of the Plantagenet royal family of England. Needless to say, I was hooked and wanted to know more of the stories that made my family.
Every family has its fair share of oddballs, successful people, and maybe even a criminal or two. Our history can't be changed, so embrace the oddities!
My personal journey into genealogy began with taking that box and preparing my first society application, to the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), as a descendant of Timothy Taylor of Merrimac, New Hampshire. As my family tree grew, I identified two more Revolutionary Patriots, Benjamin French and Jedediah Holmes, and prepared supplemental applications to SAR for them. One application came back from the Indiana SAR Genealogist telling me that I hadn't proven that MY Benjamin French was the patriot Benjamin French. I took care of that by finding the death record of another of Benjamin's sons that gave Benjamin's military rank and named the boy's mother, Benjamin's first wife. That is the closest to failure I've been since.
All along the way, chance discoveries keep a genealogist going. They fill in the family legacy. For example, I found my great grandfather's autograph book. I also knew that one of my great uncles was a physician in Oneida, New York and I happened to find a series of his IRS Tax Stamps (permits) to dispense opium in the 1930s, on eBay, no less. Both of my grandfathers were bankers in the early 1900s, at a time when currency was dispensed by banks, not the federal government, and each bill required the signatures of the bank president and the bank cashier (Then, the cashier was a bank officer, not the friendly folks we now call tellers.). I set out to collect bills signed by my grandfathers and have collected quite a few, some hand-signed (pre-1929) and some machine-signed (1929 on).
Over time, I started researching and completing lineage society applications for friends and family and for prospective SAR members. I currently serve as Registrar/Genealogist for my local SAR chapter.
I also hold a Certificate in Genealogical Research from the well-regarded Boston University program.
I have gained a lot of expertise in doing it and so now is the time to offer my services publicly.
Finally, I belong to a number of societies and professional organizations to help me learn and to share my passion for family history:
Doing what you love and are good at also sums up my approach to genealogy, my chosen second career. Many genealogists will relate a similar story: A little over 30 years ago, my mother handed me a box of family records, correspondence, photos, DAR record copies, and old family trees. It was a treasure trove, including my grandfather's baptismal certificate, in German even though he was born in northern Iowa. There were photos of my 2nd great grandparents taken in the early 1860s, along with his military death record stating he died in a military hospital in Columbia, South Carolina in 1865. One record suggested we were descendants of the Plantagenet royal family of England. Needless to say, I was hooked and wanted to know more of the stories that made my family.
Every family has its fair share of oddballs, successful people, and maybe even a criminal or two. Our history can't be changed, so embrace the oddities!
My personal journey into genealogy began with taking that box and preparing my first society application, to the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), as a descendant of Timothy Taylor of Merrimac, New Hampshire. As my family tree grew, I identified two more Revolutionary Patriots, Benjamin French and Jedediah Holmes, and prepared supplemental applications to SAR for them. One application came back from the Indiana SAR Genealogist telling me that I hadn't proven that MY Benjamin French was the patriot Benjamin French. I took care of that by finding the death record of another of Benjamin's sons that gave Benjamin's military rank and named the boy's mother, Benjamin's first wife. That is the closest to failure I've been since.
All along the way, chance discoveries keep a genealogist going. They fill in the family legacy. For example, I found my great grandfather's autograph book. I also knew that one of my great uncles was a physician in Oneida, New York and I happened to find a series of his IRS Tax Stamps (permits) to dispense opium in the 1930s, on eBay, no less. Both of my grandfathers were bankers in the early 1900s, at a time when currency was dispensed by banks, not the federal government, and each bill required the signatures of the bank president and the bank cashier (Then, the cashier was a bank officer, not the friendly folks we now call tellers.). I set out to collect bills signed by my grandfathers and have collected quite a few, some hand-signed (pre-1929) and some machine-signed (1929 on).
Over time, I started researching and completing lineage society applications for friends and family and for prospective SAR members. I currently serve as Registrar/Genealogist for my local SAR chapter.
I also hold a Certificate in Genealogical Research from the well-regarded Boston University program.
I have gained a lot of expertise in doing it and so now is the time to offer my services publicly.
Finally, I belong to a number of societies and professional organizations to help me learn and to share my passion for family history:
Lineage Societies |
Professional Organizations |
The Sons of the American Revolution |
The Association of Professional Genealogists |
The General Society of Mayflower Descendants |
The National Genealogical Society |
The Jamestowne Society |
The New England Historic Genealogical Society |
Flagon and Trencher |
The Indiana Genealogical Society |
First Families of Ohio |
The Indiana Historical Society |
Society of Indiana Pioneers |
The Ohio Genealogical Society |
Guild of Colonial of Artisans and Craftsmen 1607-1783 |
|
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War |
Value |
Descendants of Early Postmasters 1607-1900 |
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National Society Descendants of American Farmers |
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Military Order of the Southern Cross in the Pacific Theater |
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First Families of New York |
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Sons and Daughters of the Colonial and Antebellum Bench and Bar, 1565-1861 |
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National Order of the Blue and Gray |
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Sons and Daughters of Virginia Founding Fathers |