Back To My Old Tricks

I'll admit it. I have a very bad habit of becoming super enthusiastic about something only to let my vitality drain quietly away. However, in my defense it usually takes about ten years to completely turn to other endeavors.

I've been working on the family history now for about seventeen years; a milestone of hanging in there! Of course, within that time I've changed my direction many times and there are so many lines to discover it's hard to get bored.

I spent many years devoted to my great-grandfather, William Sidney Emay, the orphan train rider. Taking the time to learn all I could about the era, organizations, social mores, etc. causing and facilitating such programs. I joined the Orphan Train Heritage Society of America serving on the board and as president the last few years of its existence until merging with the National Orphan Train Complex in Concordia, Kansas. During those years I gave lectures/presentations which allowed me to meet many wonderful genealogists and historians.

During all this time, I was also researching other lines of my and my husband's family. I attended conferences, joined societies, took courses such as American Genealogy from NGS, and read everything I could get my hands on about my newest addiction.

A couple of years ago, I decided it was time to write about the family lines I'd been researching. To help me with the task, I began this blog hoping it would keep me on track. I do think it's helped and I did publish my husband's Rush line in 2010.

Last year I was supposed to publish my Leisure line but I didn't get that done. I let too many things get in the way of my writing. My resolution for 2012 was to "write" 5 out of seven days during the year; well, that resolve went by the wayside quickly! However, I am determined not to let my oh so familiar lagging interest get the better of me this time.

In an effort to jump start my enthusiasm I've joined The Family History Writing Challenge issued by Lynn Palermo, The Armchair Genealogist. I've committed to 250 words a day during the month of February. That's 7,250 words in 29 days (darn leap year!) Now, I'm sure I'm allowed to do more than that but not less:)

Can I do it? Can I stay focused and excited enough to stick with it? I'm going to give it my wholehearted best! So if you don't see many posted to this blog or the Leisure blog or the EGS blog, remember that probably means I'm sticking to my guns and writing about my Leisures. Unfortunately, words written for the blogs won't count in the challenge.

Oh and the word count above is 330. Just maybe I can do this!

52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy Week 2

Week 2 – Paid Online Genealogy Tools: Which paid genealogy tool do you appreciate the most? What special features put it at the top of your list? How can it help others with their genealogy research?


I have to admit I'm very tight with my genealogy funds and I've whittled my paid site down to only a couple that I use most. I'd love to add more but tend to only subscribe to some on a monthly basis when and only when I need them.



That said, I've been a member of Ancestry.com for years now. Sometimes I'm concerned about the price (it is a bit pricey, isn't it?) but, for me, the benefits outweigh the cost. I'm not a great user of on-line trees, unless they are well sourced. However, I use "user" trees" as clues only and never assume they are correct.


My favorite feature is the ability to merge data into my tree. Although I usually have to refine the citation, I love having an image merge along with the source.


I'm sure Ancestry would be helpful to others in their genealogy research and the nice thing is there is the library addition which makes it available to so many without cost. I, however, would find it difficult to give up perusing its databases at home in my 'jammies.

52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy - Week 1

Week 1 – Blogs: Blogging is a great way for genealogists to share information with family members, potential cousins and each other. For which blog are you most thankful? Is it one of the earliest blogs you read, or a current one? What is special about the blog and why should others read it?


I have so many blogs I'm thankful for and for many different reasons. Some I like best because of the light and playful voice I hear as I read, some because they instruct me on the best use of software I use, some for the great ideas and suggestions I glean, and some for leading me to information and data helpful in my personal research.


The one I'd like to highlight here is Dear Myrtle's Genealogy Blog. Her posts so often fill more than one of my reasons for reading. Her sense of humor shines and she instructs and directs her readers with excellent ideas and suggestions.


I recommend this blog to any and all of my fellow genealogists.

Mary Frances Leisure Outline

In order to know what I need to fill in while writing Fannie's bio, I've created an outline with what I know. Please note the sources are listed for the same reason - what do I have and what do I need.

What I know about Mary Frances "Fannie" (Leisure) Emay

Ø  Born in Rush County Indiana 26 Oct 1861
Sources: Tombstone, Obituary, 1900 Census - Born before birth certificates were required.

Ø  2^nd child of 6 and only daughter of Joseph & Eliza Jane (Hinton) Leisure
Sources: 1870 Census, obituary, family photo with parents & brothers

Ø  Born just after the start of the US Civil War

Ø  Married William Sidney Emay in Rush County, Indiana on 12 Sep 1878
Source: Rush County Marriage certificate and return
She was just turning 17 when she married.

Ø  Reference: William was an Orphan Train Rider having been brought to Rush County in February of 1862 at the age of 8. (Create appendix with his story.)

Ø  They had 5 children:
     Clara Elizabeth – 11 Sep 1879-14 Mar 1956
      Joseph Blount – 19 Jun 1881-24 Jun 1969
     Cleveland – 18 Sep 1884-24 Jul 1885
     Ola Blanche  - 31 Mar 1886-28 Dec 1970
Sources: Certificates for Cleveland and Ola, obituaries, tombstones, census records

Ø  Her father died 15 Sep 1896 in Rush County.
Sources: Death record and obituaries.

Ø  Husband William died 31 Oct 1901 of a sudden stomach ailment.
Sources: Death record, obituaries, tombstone (Note: he was originally buried in the Hannegan Cemetery but moved to Center Church Cemetery after Fanny died.)

Ø  Children’s marriages:
Clara “Lizzie” to Charles Sumner Stewart 10 Sep 1902 in Rush County, Indiana
Joseph to Luva May Reeves 12 Sep 1907 in Rush County, Indiana
Ola to Glen Ging 23 Oct 1913 in Rush County, Indiana
Sources: county records and misc. announcements

Ø  In the 1910 census, Fannie’s mother, Eliza Jane, is living with Fannie and Ola in Mays, Rush County, Indiana.

Ø  Eliza Jane died 21 Sep 1915 in Rush County, Indiana
Source: Rush County Death Records & memorial card

Ø  In the 1920 census, Fannie is living in the Charles Stewart household with daughter, Lizzie.

Ø  In the 1930 census, Fannie is living in Rush County in the household of Glen Ging with daughter Ola.

Ø  Fannie died 22 May 1951 in Hancock County, Indiana where daughter Ola Ging and family lived and is buried in Center Church cemetery in Rush County, Indiana.
Source: obituary, tombstone photo.

GeneaPress: Illinois State Genealogical Society Announces Webinar Series

GeneaPress: Illinois State Genealogical Society Announces Webinar Series:

Just think you can go to class in your 'jammies and no one will know:)
'via Blog this'

My 2011 Goal Results & 2012 Goal

This year is nearly over and I know without a doubt I'll not be reaching my 2011 goal of writing and publishing my Leisure family. I did make some progress. I decided on a format and created an outline. The format which includes biographies for my direct line seems to have been my stumbling block.

As you may know, if you've followed my posts, writing my father and my grandmothers' bios took considerable time and no small amount of "pondering." I feel great accomplishment in saying their stories are finished (some editing still needed) but, since my Leisure line in America goes back to the 1700s, I have oh so far to go.

What I'll need to do in 2012 - because this goal will carry over - is be diligent in keeping to a writing schedule. No excuses this year! Of the 24 hours in each day, at the very least, one must be dedicated to completing this task. Let's say five of seven days anyway, with the exception of vacation days. See there I go again!

I know I'll be drawn to more research as I go along and, though I don't consider that wasting time, I'll need to balance it with "getting things down on paper" - so to speak. I must keep reminding myself the research will never be finished - there will always be something new popping up; but, maybe, some of that should be left to the genealogists who come after me. After all, I have lots of lines I need to cover before I'm through. If I don't provide what I know in a concise and easily accessed manner, very likely my work will end up in a recycle bin somewhere.

So, I welcome 2012 with new enthusiasm and commitment to publish my Leisure Line.

Doing The Happy Dance

Lucky for you, you can’t see my version of the happy dance.  Picture the combination of an Irish gig and the twist being performed by a senior (albeit not too senior) citizen with a stupid grin on her face. That’s it and that’s enough because I don’t want to gross you out!

Why all the frivolity, you ask? Did you find a missing ancestor? Did you break through a long standing brick wall? Have you found that missing cousin who has all the family photos and the family Bible?

No, I answer. None of those wonderful things occurred. But, I am a step closer to my 2011 goal of writing up my Leisure line. Now it doesn’t mean I’m even close to any publication which I had hoped would happen but I did finally finish my Grandmother’s bio.

I once heard a fellow genealogist say “Writing about our recent ancestors is easy because we know more about them.” Well, I’ve found just the opposite to be true. Yes, I did know both my father and his mother. Yes, I could relate from personal experience certain events. However, with both I had, let’s say, issues I needed to deal with in order to present them in as true a light as I could.

Writing Grandma’s story helped me pull back from my view and take a look at her life from, hopefully, her perspective. I came to understand why she reacted to events and circumstances in certain ways. I now see her in a different, more accepting light.

The happy dance is over. I’ll move on to my next ancestor in the line – Mary Frances “Fanny” Leisure. This one should be easier because I didn’t know her personally and I’m not starting with baggage that needs discarding.