Olives and Moss

Genealogy is an ongoing puzzle for me, and I love it. Our past, present and future. We won’t be here forever and we should try to preserve and share the puzzles we have managed to put together.

I have been researching various names and many associated lines for over half of my lifetime. Most of my search has focused on: Sweeny, Sweeney, Bayard, Blizzard, Bouchelle, Burton, Cleaver, Creighton, Fisher, Hazel, Herman/Hermann, Kelly, Kierstede, Levering McLaughlin, McMaster, Mulholland, Pearson, Roe, Shields, Stringfellow, and Wheaton. Of course, there are many more!

I have been working on my family history long before the internet made everything instantly accessible. I’ve visited courthouses, historical societies, walked through cemeteries, taken pictures of headstones and have a lot of my own hand-written notes from those outings. I’ve sent letters and paid for copies of documents and have ordered copies of historical books. I’ve gathered so much information over the years, I’ve decided it is time to share and there is no better way then via this blog.

Presently, I have over 2,600 people in my family tree.  I am a stickler for details and I spend way too much time verifying my work. It can be disheartening to see some of the incorrect information that is being shared just for the sake of growing a tree. With that being said, I am happy knowing that I have connected the majority of the branches of my family tree.

In order to achieve accurate work, research is an essential tool and verifying what you find is the most important way to insure that your research is accurate. Simply by clicking on a link or copying and pasting from an online tree, doesn’t necessarily make your family tree correct. Always check your sources and don’t be discouraged if you can’t instantaneously find the documentation that you are looking for. Sometimes you might have to “go old school” and do your research the hard way!

Other than working on this blog, I do plan on publishing my work for family members sometime in the future. The problem with genealogy is the research is never completed. You always manage to find another clue or another fact about a relative. It is hard to walk away and declare your family tree complete.

Just remember, even though you are researching your family’s past, there is a “present” and that you could gather some unknown information by talking with your living relatives. Don’t forget to document moments that make your time together special and write down your thoughts on current events that are happening.

You never know, what you share today, could be part of your family history tomorrow.