Genealogy Gabbing

Hi neighbors. Once a very wise bear commented that you could always tell when it's Wednesday, because that's the day the winds begin to blow. And blow they did! I hope no one lost their trash cans, patio furniture, or small dogs! Although I didn't find my little dogs high in the air at the end of their lines, I did find my attic fan nestled safely in the seat of my granddaughter's patio chair. Fortunately, both were still in my yard, unfortunately they were both in the yard and not on the roof or porch.

Hopefully everyone picked up their photos and the Sesquicentennial "Pass It On" two volume set of local history Saturday. A lot of your neighbors families are represented in the books and I know you'll be sorry if you don't get a copy for yourself.

If you didn't pick up your copy Saturday, you can go Sunday to the Bushwhacker Museum between 1 and 3 p.m.

Next weekend is the big Tri-County Genealogical Society Seminar. I'm really looking forward to it. We have some great speakers scheduled, genealogical and historical books and researching supplies will be for sale at the vending area between speaker presentations, during lunch, and for a short while following the completion of the seminar.

Vendors will include The Cedar County Historical Society, The Ottawa County Genealogical Society, The Roscoe Community Historical Society and The St.

Clair County Historical Society.

Of course our own Vernon County Historical Society will have books and related items for sale as well.

Randy Bell of Bell Books (the man and the company that did such a great job on the Sesquicentennial "Pass It On" book,) will have many of his publications on display.

Local authors Ellen Gray Massey and Carolyn Gray Thornton will be there to sell and autograph their books. Ellen will be one of the speakers at the seminar and will do her presentation concerning pioneer women in the Ozarks.

Terry Ramsey, coordinator of the Bushwhacker Museum will open the day with her genealogical research tips on finding information through local museums and historical societies.

Janice Schultz, Genealogy Library branch manager, regularly roots out genealogical gems from the Mid-Continent Public Library. She will give specifics on how to get the most from the library's resources.

Linda Myers, field archivist for the Missouri State Archives works regularly helping preserve Vernon County's historical papers to ensure they are available for future generations. She's currently helping the Tri-County Genealogical Society prepare Vernon County courthouse records for microfilming.

There will be door prizes won by some lucky participants. One very important ingredient to this fine get-together is the fact that free coffee will be served throughout the day! Now that alone is a sign of greatness as far as I 'm concerned.

Held Saturday, April 9, the seminar will run from 8:30 a.m. till 3 p.m. and a catered lunch will be served by Count On Us Catering as part of the ticket price.

Some of you may remember my column about Thomas and Polly, my gr-gr-grandparents who married during the Civil War. As you may recall, Thomas was killed at Prairie Grove, Arkansas and was brought home by his brother to be buried. I've found out since that one of the reasons he was allowed to bring his brother home for burial was to use the wagon on the way back to bring much needed supplies. Where he is buried is still a mystery and several in the extended family are busy digging through many leads to find that particular treasure.

I have discovered that Polly did remarry many years later and moved to Kansas to start a new life. Her daughter, my gr-grandmother, had married my gr-grandfather by then as well. They had four children but Mary Tom (my gr-grandmother) died while my grandfather was young.

Just this week a distant cousin sent me a copy of a photo of Mary Tom and Matt (my gr-grandparents!) My living aunts had never known what she looked like. Another distant relative sent me a photo she thinks may be Thomas.

Good news, he was really cute! These are the types of findings genealogists thrive on -- few and far between as they sometimes are -- the suddenly discovered golden nuggets can make any genealogist shout "Eureka!"

Until the next time friends remember; if you want to dig for treasures buried deep within the roots of your family tree, genealogy and history are your spade and lantern. I hope to see you at the Tri-County Genealogical Society Seminar April 9.