My mom was born on 20 June 1946 in Murfreesboro, Arkansas. She was the first and only child of my grandmother, Patricia and she was my grandfather Lambert’s first and only daughter. My grandparents divorced when she was a small child.

My mom’s first home was in Murfreesboro with her maternal grandparents. She lived in many different states during her 11 years living with them because they were migrant farmers.

My grandmother married a wonderful man named Ralph and when my mom was 11 years old, my grandmother came and got her and they moved to California where Ralph was a municipal sheriff. This was her first time living with her mother. While she was living in California, she met a handsome young man named Chuck. He became her first love and high school sweetheart. They dated all through high school and in 1963, he proposed to her. They were married in a beautiful wedding on 1 October 1965.

On 14 December 1966, my mom gave birth to her first child, whom she named Paula Ann.

Life was busy for my mom during our years growing up! The next significant first in my mom’s life came on 10 April 1993 when her first grandchild was born. She came to be with me for a week after he was born and you could tell that being a grandma was something that she really enjoyed. Today, she is a grandma to 11 grandchildren.

I know that I haven’t covered all of my mom’s firsts, but I wanted to concentrate on the SIGNIFICANT firsts in her life. Those firsts that have helped mold her into the woman she is today.

For all my life, I kept hearing that our heritage was “Scotch Irish.” It wasn’t until I started doing genealogy research, that I found exactly what that link was. My first link to Ireland, is my great great grandfather Michael Kirwin. Here’s a chalk drawing of him:

There is not much we know about Michael. We do know that he was born in Ireland in County Cork in 1829. He immigrated to the United States prior to 1850 because he is enumerated on the 1850 census in Chicago, Illinois. He married Sarah Jane Noonan and together they had nine children. He was a civil war veteran who fought hard to get his benefits. He was finally approved his benefits and he died two weeks later on 15 Feb 1899 in Fillmore County, Nebraska.

My next link is Michael’s wife Sarah Jane Noonan. Here is a chalk drawing of her:

There has been a difference of opinion as to what her surname really is. The lady that shared this information with me as to where my Irish ancestors were born believes that her name is Noon and not Noonan. All records that I have, indicate that her name is Noonan so that is what I have decided her surname is until I can prove otherwise. She was born in Ireland in County Roscommon  in 1829. She also immigrated before 1850 because she is working as a maid in 1850 and is enumerated on that census with her employers.

Obviously, I have not found these two in Ireland since their names are so common and the time frame is so old. I’m going to continue to try however because I would like to know more about their ancestors.

Ok, this is unfair because I have many favorite photos for many different reasons. But, lately, I am drawn to this one:

This is my DHs maternal great grandmother - Alice Vilate Jex McKell and her youngest two children. I love the way she’s on the very edge of the photo and I love the look on her face. She looks like she just adores her two babies. The little boys are cute too, but I love that little hint of her.

And we were also challenged to post a photo of an unknown person. Well, I know the family these little ones come from, but I don’t know WHO these little boys are. Take a look:

These little boys come from the McKell family from Spanish Fork, Utah. But, their exact names, I do not know. I have MANY more photos that I hope to share on a weekly basis.

I saw this on Julie’s genealogy blog and I thought it would be fun to do it here. So, without further ado, here’s my genealogy tidbits.

The list should be annotated in the following manner:
Things you have already done or found: bold face type
Things you would like to do or find: italicize (color optional)
Things you haven’t done or found and don’t care to: plain type

1. Belong to a genealogical society.
2. Researched records onsite at a court house.
3. Transcribed records.
4. Uploaded tombstone pictures to Find-A-Grave.
5. Documented ancestors for four generations (self, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents).
6. Joined Facebook.
7. Helped to clean up a run-down cemetery.
8. Joined the Genea-Bloggers Group on Facebook.
9. Attended a genealogy conference.
10. Lectured at a genealogy conference.
11. Spoke on a genealogy topic at a local genealogy society.
12. Been the editor of a genealogy society newsletter.
13. Contributed to a genealogy society publication.
14. Served on the board or as an officer of a genealogy society.
15. Got lost on the way to a cemetery.
16. Talked to dead ancestors.
17. Researched outside the state in which I live.
18. Knocked on the door of an ancestral home and visited with the current occupants.
19. Cold called a distant relative.
20. Posted messages on a surname message board.
21. Uploaded a gedcom file to the internet.
22. Googled my name. (aka The Ego Search)
23. Performed a random act of genealogical kindness.
24. Researched a non-related family, just for the fun of it.
25. Have been paid to do genealogical research.
26. Earn a living (majority of income) from genealogical research.
27. Wrote a letter (or email) to a previously unknown relative.
28. Contributed to one of the genealogy carnivals.
29. Responded to messages on a message board or forum.
30. Participated in a genealogy meme.
31. Was injured while on a genealogy excursion.
32. Created family history gift items (calendars, cookbooks, etc.).
33. Performed a record lookup for someone else.
34. Went on a genealogy seminar cruise.
35. Am convinced that a relative must have arrived here from outer space.
36. Found a disturbing family secret.
37. Told others about a disturbing family secret.
38. Combined genealogy with crafts (family picture quilt, scrapbooking).
39. Think genealogy is a passion not a hobby.
40. Assisted finding next of kin for a deceased person (Unclaimed Persons).
41. Taught someone else how to find their roots.
42. Lost valuable genealogy data due to a computer crash or hard drive failure.
43. Been overwhelmed by available genealogy technology.
44. Know a cousin of the 4th degree or higher.
45. Disproved a family myth through research.
46. Got a family member to let you copy photos.
47. Used a digital camera to “copy” photos or records.
48. Translated a record from a foreign language.
49. Found an immigrant ancestor’s passenger arrival record.
50. Looked at census records on microfilm, not on the computer.
51. Used microfiche.
52. Visited the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.
53. Visited more than one LDS Family History Center. I’ve worked in four.
54. Visited a church or place of worship of one of your ancestors.
55. Taught a class in genealogy.
56. Traced ancestors back to the 18th Century.
57. Traced ancestors back to the 17th Century.
58. Traced ancestors back to the 16th Century.
59. Can name all of your great-great-grandparents.
60. Found an ancestor’s Social Security application.
61. Know how to determine a soundex code without the help of a computer.
62. Used Steve Morse’s One-Step searches.
63. Own a copy of Evidence Explained by Elizabeth Shown Mills.
64. Helped someone find an ancestor using records you had never used for your own research.
65. Visited the main National Archives building in Washington, DC.
66. Visited the Library of Congress.
67. Have an ancestor who came over on the Mayflower.
68. Have an ancestor who fought in the Civil War.
69. Taken a photograph of an ancestor’s tombstone.
70. Became a member of the Association of Graveyard Rabbits.
71. Can read a church record in Latin.
72. Have an ancestor who changed their name.
73. Joined a Rootsweb mailing list.
74. Created a family website.
75. Have more than one “genealogy” blog.
76. Was overwhelmed by the amount of family information received from someone.
77. Have broken through at least one brick wall.
78. Visited the DAR Library in Washington D.C.
79. Borrowed a microfilm from the Family History Library through a local Family History Center.
80. Have done indexing for Family Search Indexing or another genealogy project.
81. Visited the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
82. Had an amazing serendipitous find of the “Psychic Roots” variety.
83. Have an ancestor who was a Patriot in the American Revolutionary War.
84. Have an ancestor who was a Loyalist in the American Revolutionary War.
85. Have both Patriot & Loyalist ancestors.
86. Have used Border Crossing records to locate an ancestor.
87. Use maps in my genealogy research.
88. Have a convict ancestor who was transported from the UK.
89. Found a bigamist amongst the ancestors.
90. Visited the National Archives in Kew.
91. Visited St. Catherine’s House in London to find family records.
92. Found a cousin in Australia (or other foreign country).
93. Consistently cite my sources.
94. Visited a foreign country (i.e. one I don’t live in) in search of ancestors.
95. Can locate any document in my research files within a few minutes.
96. Have an ancestor who was married four times (or more).
97. Made a rubbing of an ancestors gravestone.
98. Organized a family reunion.
99. Published a family history book.
100. Learned of the death of a fairly close relative through research.
101. Have done the genealogy happy dance.
102. Sustained an injury doing the genealogy happy dance.
103. Offended a family member with my research.
104. Reunited someone with precious family photos or artifacts.

Wow! I’ve done a lot haven’t I? This was fun!

I just can’t believe that it’s the end of 2008! Where has this year gone? As with every new year, I have some goals and this year I am committed to keeping them! But, don’t we say this every year? This year seems a bit different for me because I am feeling a desperate need to get organized. So, with this need comes the necessity of being committed.

So, for 2009, here are my goals for my genealogical and blogging research.

1. I want to spend at least one hour a day working on my genealogy - especially those brick walls that I have.

2. I want to print off my entire genealogy and put it in binders. I have done this before, but the files are in need of serious updating since the most recent printing was done in 1992.

3. I need to update all my sources in my Reunion program. I don’t like seeing undocumented genealogy, so I need to start updating and adding those sources. I may just delete the 15 I have and start from the beginning.

4. I want to blog weekly about my progress. I also need to add the link to this blog on my main genealogy pages of my website. I have been toying with the idea of having this blog be the main page of my site and the genealogy be links within, but I’m still weighing the pros and cons of that.

5. I want to add more information to this site. I got sidetracked and haven’t updated in a long time.

6. I want to start posting update photos on here as well. I have been blessed with so many photos, that it’s a shame not to share them.

So, there you go. I have BIG plans for this site. I want to see it successful, but mostly, I want to see it be of help to people.

There are three things that I wish for from Genea-Santa. Here they are:

1. I wish that I had that photo that my great grandmother had of her grandfather in his braids and head dress.

My great grandmother was born to a Choctaw mother and a half Choctaw father. She often told stories of going to visit her grandparents and that he had long beautiful braids in his hair. He was originally from Mississippi and was forced to move into Oklahoma. She said that she had a photograph of him in his braids and that he was a handsome man. I wish I had that photo.

2. I wish I had the wedding china of my great grandmother. It was beautiful.

My great grandmother had a beautiful set of china that she received as a wedding gift from her in-laws. It had blue flowers on it and it was just beautiful. I remember visiting her and eating off those plates. I don’t know who got it when she passed on.

3. I wish I could have something, anything that belonged to my grandfather. He passed away before I ever met him and I would love to have even a photograph of him.

My grandparents were divorced when my mom was three. To make a long story short, she lost contact with her father, hence the reason that I never met him. I’d love to have anything that belonged to him, especially a photo.

These are all tangible things that I KNOW existed. I don’t know who has them now, but they are things that I’d like to have.

I thought I would start a genealogy blog on my genealogy research efforts. I think it’s neat to read them and had always considered it, but never done it until now. So, here’s my leap into the genealogy research blogging arena! LOL