Tracing your family tree can be interesting,

[Capt. Morgan]

Well since I can't do much of anything till the Dr. releases me. I started doing a search of my family tree. So far on my mothers side, I have found that 1 of my relatives rode with Butch Cassidy and Sundance, and another unfortunately was involved with "Trail of Tears". On my fathers side it looks like I may be related to Daniel Boone.

[Bob E.]

I have long been contemplating doing this.  I find the thought of tracing my roots fascinating.  I just haven't gotten down to doing the dirty work of the research...probably because I don't know the best way to start.  I look at the whole tree of just the folks I know and the task just becomes very overwhelming.

[Jack]

My uncle researched ours.  Most were poor dirt farmers and a few crooks.  After a bit, I decided I did not want to know. 

[R J]

Have fun Cap-a-tan.

My youngest daughter had to research our family in high school.   Well, not really, but she got extra credit for it if she did.

We went in it together, she got what she needed and quit, dad kept going.

I chased my dad's side back to  1723, found out my of my great grand parents was married to the Dalton gang's sister.     Another deeper grandfather had slaves, and produced some kids, they are a lot harder to trace, but it can be done.

So enjoy it.    What software are you using?   I currently have Family Tree version #5.     Later versions are out but I don't like them.   Currently I have 4,400+ names on my tree, 10,400 records, 12 generations & 1,100 + surnames......      Yep, been chasin it for almost 30 years now.

So from someone who has been there, it is addicting.    All I do anymore is add new births and deaths.   Last year must have been a super cold winter as I have added 23 babies, and I'm guessing there will be more this winter.   LOL.

[Super Santa]

This letter was written by my great-grandfather.  (A.T. is Arizona Territory).  I love his reference to 'call it a shack' (shacking up) back in 1890.

Florence, A. T.
Nov. 7th, 1890

Dear Ones at Home -

I received your letter but put off writing because I wanted to surprise you when I wrote again. I have left the road of batchelor life and taken to myself a wife.    I got married last Saturday, Nov. lst to Will LeBarrons's sister. She has been stopping with us for over a year in the same house so we are pretty well acquainted I think. She is just what I have been looking for. We had no wedding, just went to town and was married at Mrs. Thomas'. Mrs. Foreman's youngest daughters, the old lady and Gussie happened to be there and saw me get married. She got a divorce from her other husband, he has been away from her four years.  He was in Colorado when last heard from. He was an inveterate drunkard. She has four kids, three boys and one girl. The oldest is 11, the youngest is four. They are good children to mind. They mind me better than they do their mother.    I will give you their names, John is 11 years old, Joseph is 8, Nellie 6, Benjamin 4.

I guess will think I have made a great match but I have made it and never asked anybody for advice, so I can’t grumble.

I got so tired of living alone. I feel well satisfied so far. Her name was Mary Elizabeth Holigate. I call her Libby for short. She has kept herself and the kids washing and sewing. She has made most of my clothes since I have been here if I would furnish the ranch and cows and chickens and pigs so I told her it was a shack because I knew I could keep myself. I had the ranch but would not live on it without a woman.  I got my cows the other day from the mesa, 4 years ago I put a calf to pasture in the mountains and sent for her and there were five head. She had 3 heifer calves and one of these had a calf.    I gave 2 of the calves for to pay the pasture and got 2 cows and a calf yet. They are wild but I will soon tame them; one of them is giving milk now.    I will try and milk her today. We have just got well started putting in grain. We have about 60 acres in and it is raining very hard today.

Dr. Hurley was here two weeks ago with a gang of men and put us up a new addition to the house and put up a 2500 gal. tank and fixed the windmill to pump it full and put a pipe to the house and it is very handy for the women folks. He said he was going to fix things so handy so that we would stay here. He is a very jolly fellow and he is well pleased with our style of taking care of the place and he says he wants to make us comfortable. We have sold part of our grain, we got 1.25 for it, that is some better than .65 and still raising, for barley is scarce. We are only going to sow 120 acres here this year. The other 320 is in alfalfa. We put it up on shares, but we want to sow 160 on our own land. Bill has his all cleared and I have 80 acres of mine cleared.    I tell you it keeps us busy. We are working 10 head of stock every day. We want to get it all in before Christmas, for early grain is what counts.

Will close for this time. With love to all at home from

Mrs. &  Mr. William Schmidt

Hoping to hear from you soon.

[Jess from VA]

I tried researching the family tree some years ago, but could only get to here:



(No offense intended to anyone's beliefs)

[Ratdog]

I tried researching the family tree some years ago, but could only get to here:



(No offense intended to anyone's beliefs)

Congrats on finding YOUR roots.   

[Capt. Morgan]

Have fun Cap-a-tan.

My youngest daughter had to research our family in high school.   Well, not really, but she got extra credit for it if she did.

We went in it together, she got what she needed and quit, dad kept going.

I chased my dad's side back to  1723, found out my of my great grand parents was married to the Dalton gang's sister.     Another deeper grandfather had slaves, and produced some kids, they are a lot harder to trace, but it can be done.

So enjoy it.    What software are you using?   I currently have Family Tree version #5.     Later versions are out but I don't like them.   Currently I have 4,400+ names on my tree, 10,400 records, 12 generations & 1,100 + surnames......      Yep, been chasin it for almost 30 years now.

So from someone who has been there, it is addicting.    All I do anymore is add new births and deaths.   Last year must have been a super cold winter as I have added 23 babies, and I'm guessing there will be more this winter.   LOL.

So far I've just been searching family names through the INTERNET, and found 1 relative who did some extensive research, so that made the start easy. I haven't tried any software yet, so that may be my next step. One thing that was nice was that I found out what one of my grandfathers name was, as I never knew it before and he died before I was born. Like you I also found some were plantation owners, some had slaves, 1 was the 1st mayor of Flintville TN. @ brothers fought against each in the war against Northern Aggression (Civil War), so yes it is becoming very interesting.

[R J]

I tried researching the family tree some years ago, but could only get to here:



(No offense intended to anyone's beliefs)

Damn, we must be related.    That looks like my great great great Uncle Joseph.

[Bandit]

I think back in the 1800,s my family tree forgot to make a fork you all know how us OKIES are!!!!      Bandit.

[R J]

I think back in the 1800,s my family tree forgot to make a fork you all know how us OKIES are!!!!      Bandit.

Yeah, you are all related in OK., just like those of us from North Carolina that moved to Thorn Hill. TN., about 1830......... 

[T-Bird]

Hey Cap....you may be related to my wife, she is also related to Daniel Boone. I have reseched my family tree over the years and traced my mothers side of the family back to the 1600's to Germany, France & Holland. I always run into brick walls on my fathers side of the family, and can't find out much past his grandfather & grandmother. I had always thought my family was from the north, My brothers & I were all born in Detroit as was my mother. After reserching I found out all my mother's side was from around Dickson, TN. My fathers side was from south Georgia and both sides fought for the south, Like a lot of families they migrated north to find jobs. I have located cousins of mine all over the country, which is very cool...not found a rich relitive yet..lol.  Good luck on your research, it's important for someone in every family to do this.

[Spirited-6]

My Granfather rode with the "Night Riders" in Ky. and Tn. These guys hung folks and ask questions later. The way they would catch folks/people that tried to run was with hay hooks, only those that have a farm background would understand "hayhooks"  I don`t think I want to go farther !

[fudgie]

Where do you begin online or software? I started a few years ago thru obits at the library. Dad says his grandpa/ma or great is from Belguim and moms side from Germany. Trying to find when this farm house was built also. Guessing late 1800's. Cant find records at the court house.

[Thunderbolt]

I started out with an older version, but now have what they call their 2009 version.  They also have a 2010 version out.  It's kinda like new cars, they keep adding features each year and trying to sell you the new version.  They give you a trial subscription to Ancestry.com and then want to sell you a monthly or yearly subscription.  BUT there is a lot of information there and if anyone elses tree branch crosses or matches yours you can usually merge their information with yours and save yourself a lot of time and effort.  I think it is worthwhile, don't remember the price, not cheap, maybe somewhere like $50 to $75.

[sheets]

Been at it off and on for several years, long before the online way of doing things.  My surname back to Germany and back to about 1690.  My blood line has been "here" since 1730 (Philly).  Used the local Mormon church library.  Anybody can use it.  Order film from Salt Lake City for a couple weeks at a time.  Mind boggling to say the least.  And is addicting.  Once you get started it's difficult to stop.  Dabbled with a couple other lines, but just don't have the time or energy to invest.   A retirement project in the not too distant future.  Start with your parents or grandparents death certificates, then birth certificates.   Those documents have their parents names and where they resided at the time.  It goes on and on and on. . . . An amazing journey if you have the time and desire.  Roman Nose State Park in Oklahoma was my ancestors property before it was a Park.  Yrmv,