"We are the Chosen Ones"

In each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors, to put flesh on their bones and make them live again, to tell the family story and to feel that somehow, they know and approve. To me, doing genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts but, instead, breathing life into all who have gone before. We are the story tellers of the tribe. All tribes have one.

We have been called as it were by our genes.

(Excerpt from the poem The Story Tellers attributed to Della Joann McGinnis Johnson)

I am proficient in utilizing genealogical tools such as Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.com, FindAGrave.com, WorldCAT, Fold3, and digitized records from courthouses, local and state libraries and historical societies as well as Family Bibles and journals.

All research should be documented, verified and scrutinized. (Be wary of US Census takers who often made mistakes).

It is my aim to bring to life the ancestors who have been forgotten. I particularly like FindAGrave because it is free and provides invaluable genealogical information that even a novice can use. I am so appreciative of the dedication of the LDS Church volunteers whose tireless work provides digitized records, supports FamilySearch centers, indexing of historical documents, and assistance to local communities with family tree research.

Kudos to the thousands of dedicated FindAGrave volunteers who document cemeteries, and connect family lineages.

If you contact me, I assure you I am "user-friendly," and will assist with any edits.

May your family research result in rewarding genealogical discoveries.