Merry Christmas from the You Go Genealogy Girls

North Platte (NE) Semi-Weekly Tribune,
3 December 1920, page 7

Christmas will soon be here.  We are both caught up in the season.  You Go Genealogy Girl #2 is making preparations to travel to Topeka, Kansas to spend Christmas with her son and family who live there.  My family will be here, including my son who lives in Virginia.  This is the first Christmas for my great grandson and I cannot wait to see his face as presents are opened.

This time of year I tend to think of how my ancestors spent Christmas.  According to our standards of spending and the types of gifts we buy, it was probably meager.  But they were happy and just like us, the spirit came through in the love and joy of being together.  There were no electronic gadgets, such as tablets, iPads, flat screen TVs ... there were simple gifts such as hair bows, rag dolls, wooden toys, pencils, handkerchiefs and mittens.  In 1921 perfume for the lady sold for 10 cents to $1.00.   I wonder if it smelled good!  Teddy bears for the babies sold for 50 cents, 75 cents and $1.00.  The jumbo bear probably sold for the $1.00.  Newspapers for the same year advertised that it was a year for "practical gifts."

North Platte (NE) Semi-Weekly Tribune,
22 December 1916, page 4

Just for a few hours, I would like to have a time machine and travel back to my ancestors' Christmases.  I would like to celebrate in a simple way, then be able to return to my computer with digital images, blogs, Facebook, Twitter and e-mail.  Fortunately, I can read newspapers on Internet that give me a glimpse into the past.  I can read stories that were left by family members.  The true meaning of Christmas is not lost.  It's still in our hearts to be rekindled.

You Go Genealogy Girls --- Ruby #1 and Cheri #2 --- wish you a Merry Christmas.

Happy Thanksgiving

The You Go Genealogy Girls Wish You a Happy Thanksgiving!!

Even if you don't have Mayflower ancestry, go ahead and celebrate the holiday.

Ruby - YGGG #1
Cheri - YGGG #2

A Week in THE Library

Temple at Temple Square

My one week in Salt Lake City at the Family History Library went quickly, but with good research results. I had estimated the time it would take to complete my to-do list for the book I have been writing and fortunately I was right on target.  That left me with a couple days for personal research.

When I arrived at the local airport, the shocking news was that my luggage was 5 1/2 pounds overweight.  I was not willing to pay $100 one way to travel overweight.  With it on the scale, I began putting things into my purse and carry on luggage until it was of legal weight.  However, that meant that I could not shop in Salt Lake City and I could not bring home an abundance of paper copies.

There were several groups of researchers in the library.  They came from all parts of the United States.  Even so, there was never any lack of tables or film readers.  The only problem came on Thursday morning of that week when at about 8:30 a.m. there was an announcement over the loud speakers that the photocopy machines were not working.  As the day went on with no machines and signs were posted OUT OF ORDER, some people were disgruntled and others resorted to old-fashioned research ... taking notes by hand.  Fortunately I had brought my hand-held scanner for making copies.  Microfilm could be copied only by scanning to a flash drive.  By evening the photocopy machines were back in business.

Before leaving on the trip, I ordered vault film through the FamilySearch web page form.  Once there I learned that some had been put in the proper drawers on the second floor and others were in overflow drawers.  If you are needing vault film during your visit, order it in advance and inquire about it when you arrive.

Since I was there in May and June of this year, I was curious about any changes that have been made.  There is a large machine on the third floor that will copy pages from oversized books, two pages at once.  Having found a map in the map cabinet on that floor, I asked if it could be copied.  They did it for me in three sections on the machine and YGGG #2 has promised to piece it together for me.

Three times at the library over the last three years, I have tried to locate a certain land record in the 1790s Washington County, Tennessee microfilm.  It is indexed, but the records were not entered in any type of chronological order and the person microfilming them had cut off the page numbers at the top.  Once again, I was unable to find the deed.  Once home I contacted the courthouse at Jonesborough and they mailed me a copy of it.   I thought after the third time and no charm, it was time to ask for help.

Turning leaves in Temple Square

The weather was perfect the entire week.  Leaves were turning and falling and the temperatures were splendid.  After arriving on Sunday afternoon, October 16th, I had a late lunch with some people I met on the shuttle coming in from the airport.  Then I unpacked and went for a long walk around Temple Square.  The flowers were gone that had been so colorful in the spring and strings of Christmas lights were being strung on the trees.  The next few days bulbs were planted for spring blooms in 2012.

Fall splendor at Temple Square

My last day of research was spent on the British Isles floor, the second floor in the basement.  I attended a class on Wales research which proved to be enlightening and helpful.  Then I progressed to actual research in the records of Wales.  Seeing names on those old parish registers is so much fun!  While you are researching at the library, check out the class schedules.  They are free and informative, plus a good diversion from constant research.

I met old friends and made new friends at the library.  It is fun to chat and get caught up on what we are doing with our research and about our families.  I enjoyed flying to Salt Lake City, but it meant a different type of packing than when I drive.  Even with the body scans and pat downs in airport security (because of my two steel knees), it was a quick and easy way to get there and back home.

The last two weeks have been spent working diligently on my new book.  The electronic manuscript is being mailed to the publicist in the morning.  Do I have withdrawal?  Not yet.  I have gotten behind with my own research and cleaning up genealogy files.  As usual though, I find my mind wandering to the next trip to Salt Lake City and ideas for research.

You Go Genealogy Girl #1  Ruby

Doing Honor to Family

There are many different ways that we as genealogists and family historians find to honor the memories of our ancestors. Many of us write stories taken from the bits of information we glean from research, others of us love the joy of making beautiful scrap book pages, and still others are content to gather all available information in our software programs and make printed family trees to hand down. All are worthy endeavors to keep the memories of the past alive.

The two of us, The You Go Genealogy Girls, find many different ways to honor our loved ones. Girl #1 has made purses and bags with photos on them and Christmas tree ornaments. I love to do scrapbooking pages and wall art of various types, all with photos and trinkets of our ancestors added. I am running out of wall space to display everything and have even helped Number 1 fill up her wall space too.

We are lucky to be the proud owners of a beautiful family photo of our Great Great Grandparents and their family, The George Albert Copsey family which was taken in Custer County, Nebraska in about 1886-87. Not only do we have this treasured photo of their family and their sod house but it is also an important photo in the collection taken by the famous early photographer, Solomon D. Butcher. He made many early glass plate negative prints of the Plains, mostly in Nebraska during the later part of the 1800's and often centering around Custer County, Nebraska. This collection of glass plate negatives is at the Nebraska State Historical Society. Ours is a photograph and the original glass plate negative from the Butcher collection can be seen HERE and the plate details are available HERE. We invite you to take a look at the original glass plate, it is quite interesting and has a somewhat different look from our photo.

Many of the Solomon D.  Butcher photographs can be seen on the Library of Congress American Memory website. If you are a student of history and especially that of the early Plains and  American west those photos offer very poignant views of sod houses and the families who lived during those early years.

Cropped closeup taken from our original photograph of the George Albert Copsey family.

As many of you may already know, Ruby recently wrote a helpful new book about doing "Genealogy Research in Nebraska". Of course she had many hundreds of family photos that she could have chosen from to use on her book cover but our Copsey family is the one she wanted to use and when she suggested that to me in the pre-production stages, I was in total agreement that she had chosen well. What better way of doing honor to one of our dearest families? We are both so proud and so thankful that the Copsey's chose so many years ago to have their photo taken for posterity. Little did they know that thanks to Mr. Butcher, their Great Great Granddaughters would "make them famous" 130 years later! To us they were already a great family in our knowledge of their history and accomplishments...and were it not for them just where would we be? It is they who deserve our love and we honor them each time we look at those faces.

One of my other postings on my photo blog Taken Somewhere in Time has more early photos and information about Effie Mae Copsey, our G Grandma, the little girl with the doll in the sod house picture. "Great Grandma Gardner's Photo Timeline"

Ruby's book cover!

Ruby's book can be ordered from Roots Family Publishing: HERE.


Thanks for stopping by our blog!  ~Cheri, You Go Genealogy Girl #2

YGGG #1 is in Salt Lake City

A view from my room.

That's right folks!!  I flew into Salt Lake City yesterday from Nebraska, arriving about 12:46 Mountain time.  After walking about five plus miles in the Denver airport to reach my gate, I didn't mind being squeezed into my United flight for at least ten minutes of the flight.

Where are the flowers I saw here in June?

While YGGG #2 is home still harvesting the garden, I am going to enjoy a week here in the Family History Library.  The Plaza Hotel shuttle was full coming in from the airport yesterday afternoon.  Everybody was a buzz introducing themselves.  They were like bees buzzing with words such as census, tombstones and ancestors.  Well, what did I expect when I boarded the Plaza shuttle?

Once settled in my room, I took a walk around Temple Square.  It was late afternoon and the colors of trees were magnificent.  My walk was refreshing after being cooped up on planes for half a day.  Oh well, I might as well admit it.  I am so used to driving here so YGGG #2 and I can bring everything but the kitchen sink.  My luggage was overweight.  I had to unzip it and put shoes and other items into my carry-on bag.  What does it matter if it's in one suitcase or another?  It all gets on the plane.  The only thing I kept hearing from the boarding attendant was that I was going to pay $100 if I didn't do something.  That was one way!!

Where do I start.  My main purpose in coming here is to finish research on a book that I am writing.  I also hope to have a couple days this week for personal research that did not get finished in May/June when I was here.

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 .... Ruby

Where are the Girls?

The You Go Genealogy Girls are both still on the planet and alive!  Life doesn't seem to slow down for either one of us.  Until #2 slows down more, I'll be handling this blog ... hope you all don't mind!

YGGG #2 has been freezing garden produce Go-Hubby tended to all summer.  It seems never ending and now she is about out of freezer space.  But, it will taste good this winter.  Just think of the pots of soup and chili with those frozen tomatoes and home--made salsa for the tacos.  I think she should share some with me since I'm tending to our blog.

She is also still fighting the computers with various types of malfunctions.  After months of her printer speaking to her in a foreign language, she finally figured out how to make it return to English.  It was so foreign that she didn't have a clue about what things meant.  So far she hasn't put her main computer in the dumpster or in the middle of the street or even on the sidewalk with a sign, "Take me!"  I think she's getting close to that point though.  Last week her mother-in-law blessed her with a couple of large albums from a genealogy aunt, all needing to be scanned.  What a nice gift, especially with malfunctioning equipment and a garden that needs to be picked.

As I am preparing to go on a research trip before too long, I decided it was time to bid adieu to my old, red wheely computer bag.  It has been on many trips in the US and overseas, thrown into the overhead bins of airplanes, crammed into the trunk of the car or smashed between boxes in the back seat of the car as the YGGGs head out for Salt Lake City.  It has traveled around airports, up and down stairs, escalators and elevators, never complaining, but wearing out.  The wheels are down to nothing and there is a hole appearing in the bottom of it.  Even though wheely bag is a good friend, I am retiring it for a while to the closet and maybe eventually to the dumpster.

Today I purchased a new wheely bag.  It has bigger wheels and lots of compartments.  Now I am faced with the problem of knowing exactly where to put things in it.  I'll be flying so need to have it light enough to lift into the overhead bins.  It's black.  Red wheely bag was easy to spot among all the others that are usually black.  I hope that my new wheely bag doesn't elude me ... ancestors are enough.

Fall is that great time of year that the kids go back to school and life is supposed to slow down. The other day I realized that Lil' Red has taken on a new name ... Grandma's Taxi.  I thought those days were over when my own children learned to drive and obtained wheels (many years ago).  The rewards for this service are the smiles, hugs and togetherness I experience with my granddaughter and her friends.  But sometimes I need a perk or two along the way.

Do you need a perk?  How about a genealogy perk?  I have been enjoying the courses at the FamilySearch Learning Center.  The best part is that I don't have to be at school at a certain time, don't need to drive Lil' Red somewhere ... just allocate some time at the computer to study and learn.  The courses range from one hour to 12 minutes.  Even those of us who think we know everything can learn something.

Grandma's Taxi is parked in the garage today.  My only garden is my basil plant which is about at the end of its 2011 summer life.  I have nothing to freeze or can, so it's either learning online or learning how to pack my new wheely bag ... or both.

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 --- Ruby

Chocolate Chip Cookies and Genealogy

Today feels like I think September should feel.  It is cloudy, a few sprinkles of rain and a very cool breeze.  What a change from 99 degrees that greeted us on September 1st (yesterday).  It's a pleasant change.  It makes me think about a different kind of genealogical research, such as roaming a cemetery, looking at interesting tombstones, finding stones for relatives and just absorbing the change of season.

Since my last post I am still not organized.  I have decided it might make a good winter project.  Maybe I won't be able to put it off until the snow flies.  Today I'm taking a needed break from my book so I can blog (also needed), write an article, go for a walk and maybe stopping by a cemetery.  Several years ago I had a boss who referred to these days as "chocolate chip days."  He would try to talk me into taking the day off to bake cookies with pay.  I'm going to call days like this "the enjoy genealogy days."

You Go Genealogy Girl #2 has been doing catch up from her trips this summer, plus resting and reading.   She is still doing research even though she has an aching, failing computer.  Occasionally I can hear her all the way to my house (more than 100 miles) telling the computer that it has to go, possibly by putting a give away sign on it and placing it on her sidewalk.

In my busy days of non-stop writing, I have discovered some interesting things that I'll share.  I know many of you, myself included, are not fond of the library catalog on the new web site for Family Search.  One way to overcome some of the frustration is to use both catalogs, the new site and old site.  The more frequently you use the new site for the library catalog, the more adept you will become.

Another tip ... Ancestry.com is great for searching "Historical Documents", but there's a lot more you need to do.  From the pull down menu of Search, select "Search All Records."  Up pops a listing of databases by category such as census, military, newspapers and more.  If you are specifically interested in one of those categories, browse through the collections available.  Should your research be in a specific area, such as the state of Kansas, click on the state in the US map or the link below to see what is available in all collections for that state.  This will enhance and enlarge your research possibilities beyond just searching "Historical Documents."

Time to decide if I'm going to write the article, go for a walk or bake chocolate chip cookies.  Those cookies sound really good!

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 --- Ruby

What To Do ... a test of organizational skills

The mess begins here!

This is not a "what to do" day.  It's an "I need motivation day."  Actually I'm not lacking for motivation, but after traveling all summer, it seems strange to be home with nothing on the agenda for a few weeks.  I returned Sunday from another jaunt here in Nebraska.  Looking at my luggage, I don't want to think about traveling any too soon.  I can pack it with my eyes closed ... well almost.  Since early May my various pieces of luggage have been kept in waiting in the extra bedroom.  It has been a fun-filled summer of lecturing, book signings and travels.

YGGG #2 just returned from her vacation in the Wyoming mountains.  She was there without cell phone reception and obviously no Internet.  Locked out from the real world, I hope she got caught up on her genealogy reading.  While I was wrestling luggage in and out of hotels and going through the packing and unpacking routine, she was peacefully watching the sun go down over the mountains and then counting stars in the sky.

To make the best of today, my granddaughter will be here this afternoon after an early-out at school.  She will be helping with chores around the house, like those little things I have not done all summer.  Also on the list is my computer/genealogy room.  It has been organizationally neglected all summer.  Books are askew on the shelves, the closet is piled with carrying bags and supplies.  It's like open door and throw something in.  I am behind on reading genealogy periodicals.  Eventually I may get caught up, but in the meantime I need some order.  They seem to be here, there and beyond, such as in the living room, dining room and kitchen.  Some were packed in my luggage and never made it back to the genealogy/computer room.

This brings up the question as to how to keep track of my genealogy periodicals.  I cannot part with them because I continually browse through them looking for ideas and references.  Perhaps I should start by determining the spaces available in this room.  There aren't any.  I have filled up almost every corner and cranny.  Isn't that the life of a genealogist?  We are hoarders.  Not only do we collect ancestors (not just names, dates and places), but we collect everything that goes with collecting ancestors.  I can't resist books, I can't eliminate any of the my genealogy subscriptions and periodicals, and I can't find room for any more. Because I know there are organizational aids, such as storage boxes, bins and containers, maybe I should start by visiting my local office supply store.  I definitely need a plan.

The last two days have been spent non-stop writing on my latest book.  That means there are books and documents and papers piled all around the desk, on the floor and elsewhere.  I think I am about two-thirds done and then I change something and I am back to half done.  I need to stay home and finish it before the snow flies.  Of course, I'm still thinking about genealogy-day-trips when the weather cools.  I need to explore cemeteries, go to libraries and courthouses and collect more "stuff" for my genealogy/computer room.  Maybe I shouldn't put the luggage back in the closet.

Today is the day I am going to make organizational plans for my genealogy/computer room.  It's the day I will not think of traveling and packing luggage.  It is the day I'll will put my genealogy life in order ... I hope.  While I'm doing this, YGGG #2 is putting things away, doing mounds of laundry and avoiding genealogy, the computer and Internet.  She knows what awaits her ... hundreds of e-mails.  The genealogy world can change in one week.  Maybe that is why I am so unorganized.  At least I can blame it on a changing genealogy world!

You Go Genealogy Girl #1    Ruby

The Girls Stay Home, The Girls Travel

After being home exactly one week from attending the Family History Expo in Overland Park, Kansas, I am enjoying the comforts of home, but also longing to get Lil' Red back on the highway.  YGGG #2 has been home most of the summer and she is anxious to get under some wheels and travel.  Unfortunately we are going different places at different times.  She and her husband are going on a much needed camping vacation and I am leaving in less than two weeks for my high school class reunion.  Notice I didn't precede it with a year!

Summer is far from over even though school bells will be ringing here in a couple of weeks.  They can just ring because I am not going back to school.   At least I'm not going back to school in a building with regimental classes.  I can select my classes.  Genealogists are not exempt from the learning process.  There is always something new to learn.  That is why this year's theme for the Family History Expos is appropriately titled, "Where Ol' Dogs Learn New Tricks!"

This summer I purchased books at the various Family History Expos.  Many were from Family Roots Publishing's booth in the exhibit halls.  As my genealogy grows and develops, I have to stay informed of techniques, records and resources.  Internet does a great job of supplying information, but some of the best is still found in genealogy books.  Christine Rose's new book, Military Bounty Land 1776-1855 was one of my first summer purchases.  An older publication I purchased is Inheritance in America From Colonial Times to the Present by Carole Shammas, Marylynn Salmon, and Michel Dahlin.  I am not anxious for cold weather and particularly not for snow, but a stay-at-home day with my books would be welcome.

After those school bells ring my plans are to continue traveling.  I have long accumulated research needs in eastern Nebraska.  A trip to the east coast to visit family and relatives, as well as do genealogical research, is also anticipated.  Fall is a great time to travel and see the country in different colors, at a slower pace and with renewed vigor for research tasks.  I will stuff the books in my bag and read as time permits.  There are always evenings to learn new genealogy tricks, or while on airplanes, or even when camping.  Both of the You Go Genealogy Girls hope you never stop learning.

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 -- Ruby

Attending a Family History Expo

Not many of the attendees of a Family History Expo or any genealogy conference know what goes into getting everything ready for the event.  A year or more ahead of time plans are made for where, when and how the next year's Expos are going to be held.  It just doesn't happen.  The staff and vendors arrive ahead of time to set up and coordinate.  Many people get involved, hours tick by and even though tired, they are dedicated to presenting a top notch event for genealogists.

I just returned home from the Family History Expo in Overland Park, Kansas.  As you can see by the photos, there is a good deal of thought that goes into setting up.  Some of the vendors have their props and signs shipped and others bring trailers, some fly from one location to another and others drive.  It's like old home week when finally get together.

Once things are in place, the rush and sometimes confusion begins the next day.  If you are attending an event, keep in mind that we are all human and errors happen.  Even computers are not perfect.  Smile and be patient!  People register and are given their packets or hand out bags.  They ask questions and we try to answer them.  Then the classes begin.  Unfortunately attendees can not take in every class and hear every speaker.  They must choose between several tracts.  However, they can use their syllabus to read what they missed.

As a speaker I enjoy seeing genealogists, meeting them and learning from them.  Yes, I learn also!  If they attend my class and go away learning just one thing, I'm happy.  That's my goal as a speaker!  There has not been one Family History Expo this summer where I have not met a relative or somebody that I have met through e-mail, Facebook, Twitter or blogging.  The world tends to be small and getting smaller.

One of the exhibitors brings his children.  They are polite, cute kids.  If you meet them, you won't forget them.  Rachel is a young artist.  She draws what she sees or what she imagines.  I commissioned her to do a painting of me in one of my classes.  Rachel doesn't go into the presentation rooms.  She stays in the vending area, so she drew what she imagined it would look like, including the escalator which was beside the exhibit hall.  Rachel did a good job and I will treasure her drawing.  She drew a good likeness of me.  Notice the blonde hair.

A friend of mine has attended three Family History Expos this summer,  as well as the Civil War Conference here in Nebraska.  She said she thought she was becoming a Family History Expo Groupie.  Even if you are not a joiner, you can attend one of many enlightening genealogy conferences this summer, fall and next year.  Be sure to put the Family History Expo on your calendar!

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 --- Ruby

KANSAS ... I'm here

After a very enjoyable trip across Nebraska and south into Kansas, the Family History Expo gals and one guy arrived at Overland Park, KS close to midnight last night.  Opening the vehicle door we were greeted by a heat wave and wind.  What did we excpect?  It's July.  As we drove through Seneca, KS I noticed a bank temperature sign reporting a whopping 104 degrees. 

For the most part we will be inside for a while.  No worry about what's going on outside.  Today is set up day to make sure everybody enjoys their Family History Expo experience.  Tomorrow morning we will early greeted by the words and wisdom of Lisa Louise Cooke.  She is that amazing gal who hosts Genealogy Gems podcast and has all those great Google tools for genealogists.  Then everybody scatters to their appropriate classes.  The chatter begins as people exchange ideas as well as surnames.  Never know where you will find a relative or at least somebody who will share their genealogical frustrations as well as success stories. 

Stay tuned with the You Go Genealogy Girls and I'll keep you posted on the latest and best of the Expo.  As a lecturer I do know genealogists like to learn.  If they come away with just one idea from my classes, I have succeeded. 

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 -- Ruby

This and That with the Girls

The You Go Genealogy Girls are busy filling summer hours with genealogy, traveling and family commitments.  One thing for sure, we are having fun.  We e-mail each other and chat on the phone, sharing our experiences and plans.  Sometimes our schedules change, but we still focus on genealogy and history and try to put hours into the day for personal time.

Since returning from the YGGG's trip to Salt Lake City in June, I have been traveling with the Family History Expo.  It has been a fantastic summer of meeting people who have a desire to learn about their ancestry.  I have met relatives along the way, enjoyed visiting and sharing tidbits of family information.  The Civil War Conference in YGGG #2's hometown of Alliance, Nebraska was a great experience.

Here it is July 23rd and I leave on the 27th for Overland Park, Kansas.  The Family History Expo there will be another adventure.  Wonder who I'll meet there?  If you are planning to attend, you will have a great genealogy experience.  We are like one big family and all of us, whether beginning or advanced in our research knowledge, are learning.

The weather in west-central Nebraska has been extremely hot and humid for several weeks.  That has necessitated that I spend more time inside going through genealogy files, preparing future lectures, writing a book and also reading books.  I have also enjoyed spending time with my family.  My granddaughter reminded me yesterday that school starts in less than a month.  What?  How did that happen.  Guess the days and weeks of summer are going fast.

Cooler days of September and October will not slow me down.  I am already calculating where I will be going in search of ancestors.  I can always stay inside later and watch it snow.

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 .... Ruby

"Shades" of Fame and Fortune!

The newest issue of Shades of the Departed Magazine has hit the internet and You Go Genealogy Girl #2 has a couple pages of featured scrapbooking designs in the new issue. I am thrilled to have my work included by the footnoteMaven in this issue which is all about "OCCUPATIONS". Most of my scrapbook pages are three dimensional and many end up framed as wall art. They are one of the ways that I like to honor my ancestors and loved ones. fM has included one of my designs that features the Railroaders in my family and another that honors my Great Grandmother. Grandma Effie Gardner had the full time occupation of being Mom to 15 children, raising 12 to adulthood!

I am a regular reader of all of the Shades issues and anxiously await each new issue. I especially enjoyed the article on Barbers in this latest issue and the photos of firemen as I have several ancestors including my Dad who were volunteer firemen.  I love old photos, collect them  and cherish them all...even the ones  in which I will never know the people; my orphan photos! Every issue of Shades of the Departed Magazine offers great insights into the world of antique photographs. If you have not seen the magazines, you can click here and read to your hearts content. Every issue also contains great live links for additional learning and entertainment.

I offer a lecture/presentation about identifying, dating, caring for old photos and learning about vintage fashions in your own collections and the Shades magazines often offer inspiration! My lecture covers the years of 1850 through 1940 and I just gave that program at the recent Civil War Conference in Alliance, Nebraska. I will continue to add to that presentation for future use and will always suggest the Shades Magazines as very helpful for those wanting to learn more about old photos, especially in a very entertaining format.

John and Mary Copsey come to America

I have included a photo in this post of another framed page that both You Go Genealogy Girl #1 and myself worked on to celebrate the lives of our Copsey ancestors who immigrated to America in 1834. It hangs in a place of honor in her home.You can also see my two entries in the Shades of the Departed Magazine on pages 54 and 55.

Thanks again to the fM for giving me fame and fortune!

You Go Genealogy Girl #2, Cheri

Behind the Conference Scene

Getting ready for any conference is no easy task.  There is a lot of work for many months to a year before the conference begins.  The planning takes time and a good deal of volunteer help to pull it off.

On July 6th I arrived in Alliance, Nebraska to get things ready for the Civil War Conference to be held on July 8th and 9th.  Instead of going to YGGG #2's house, I went directly to the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center where I found #2 hard at work with staff members and volunteers.  I pitched in stuffing hand-out bags and figuring out door prizes.

The next day we returned to the museum to assist in decorating, setting up displays and vendor tables.  YGGG #2 decided she needed some photographs to display.  We went to the acquisition room in the basement of the museum.  Actually that is more fun than touring the museum.  Don't you often wonder what lies beneath a museum?  While she looked at many shelves of old photographs, I discovered old hats.  Feeling somewhat silly, I decided to start trying on old hats.  I encouraged #2 to lighten up and do the same.  Eventually we each had an appropriate hat.

One of the staff members wanted the horse "Newberry" in the museum entrance lobby to be decorated for the Civil War.  We found an American flag plus an old tattered quilt.  The flag was draped around the saddle horn and the quilt was rolled up behind the saddle.  I must say "Newberry" looked like a typical Civil War horse.

The You Go Genealogy Girls did not look like Civil War matrons, but we had fun pretending.  Putting on our hats, we posed for pictures, pretending that our husbands or lovers had just gone off to war.  As you can see by the photo, I was very sad, but #2 looks like she may have had mixed emotions.  Maybe she's thinking good riddance.  I have not had that much fun since I was a little girl playing dress-up.

Eventually we returned to the serious job of decorating the museum in Union and Confederate flags and displaying old photographs. By late that afternoon everything was in order for the conference to begin the following morning.  "Newberry" looked grand and the hats were back in the acquisition room.  The show was on the road!

Civil War Conference - Alliance, Nebraska - July 8-9, 2011

If you love genealogy and history, this is one conference you won't want to miss! The Heritage Seekers Society and the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center in Alliance, Nebraska are hosting a two day Civil War Conference on July 8th and 9th. Coming up soon!

Both of the You Go Genealogy Girls will be attending this one and we both will be presenting programs and classes! This should be an awesome conference and we hope to see all our friends there. We are excited to be part of this great Civil War Conference as we support our home town and it's great new museum. Come join us!!!

Titled "Remembering the Civil War...150 Years Later", this will be a premium offer for anyone interested in this part of history. We have been planning this conference for many months and it will be a first for our brand new museum facility. We have one of the finest new museums in the midwest and again, we invite all to join in our conference as we honor the Civil War Sesquicentennial and the memories of those who fought.

We are offering seventeen (17) educational, genealogical and historical presentations over the two days (lunch included both days) and you can attend all classes and presentations, no need to choose only a few. We will have many great prize drawings for attendees throughout the conference as well as huge bags of "goodies" for those attending. (Our first bag has filled all the way up with great giveaways and we are now filling bag two for each attendee--so it's an added free bonus! )  Everyone attending will get great handouts of the classes from several of our speakers so they can study again at home...as the learning never ends with a genealogist or historian! Our 11 speakers are all professionals and well qualified  in their field of study and will offer classes on genealogy researching as well as historical presentations for your enjoyment. This is a top quality conference and we invite everyone to contact us for more information.

To our local residents, your new museum is hosting this awesome event and we encourage you to support the facility and come see what is new!

Here is a sample of what we are offering along with even more...

Civil War research classes

History of the Kansas/Missouri Border Wars

Historical programs on Civil War quilts, along with a quilt show and a local quilt shop will display their wares.

Civil War character portrayals

Classes on the GAR and Lincoln's war time rule

Program featuring firearms of the Civil War........

plus much more! 

We hope to see you all there on July 8th and 9th for a great learning experience.
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For a 4 page copy of our brochure in PDF format, click on the word Brochure below. You can save and print it if you like. It takes a minute to load so be patient!

If the link fails, email me!
Brochure

Email me:   clchopkins@gmail.com  I will email you a copy of the brochure in PDF

Contact for more info:
Knight Museum and Sandhills Center
Alliance, Nebraska
308-762-2384
museum@cityofalliance.net

Are We There Yet?

Imagine trying to get to Greeley, CO on a frontage road. With YGGG #1 it happens. Yes, my granddaughter and I were traveling down I-76 at 75 mph when I saw a Highway 34 exit sign and did just that. After about a mile my granddaughter said, "Granny, you are heading back east again." No, not me!! Finding another point to turn around and go back where I had made my exit, I ended up on a country road at a farm house. It happens!

Finally, I found the road that should have taken me back to I-76 in order to locate Hwy. 34 WEST. Instead I ended up on a frontage road. We traveled the frontage road along side I-76 for miles. The only thing I knew was that I was heading WEST in the same direction as everybody going to Denver.

After a while I began to panic. Pulling into a horse trailer place, I asked directions. Go a bit further. Whew ... at last we were on our way to Greeley. After a quick lunch we headed toward the Embassy Suites where we are attending the Family History Expo. Missing the road we needed to the hotel, we found another road. Yes, we were there!!

Last night we decided to go to the Cracker Barrel to eat. After winding through rotary circles and one way roads, we managed to locate FOOD. Leaving there posed a problem as I took a road that took me back to the Cracker Barrel. If there is a way in, there has to be a way out. Right? Eventually.

Are we really here? I think so! Reminder list ... purchase a GPS!

YGGG #1 Ruby

On the Road Again

On the Road Again is my theme song. While YGGG #2 is home working on the Civil War Conference details, I am off in Lil' Red lecturing at Family History Expos.

A great time was had by all at the Family History Expo in Rapid City, SD on Saturday the 16th. I drove home Sunday in non-stop rain from the Black Hills to south of Alliance where YGGG #2 lives. Once home, tired and wanting to go to bed early, the sirens announced a possible tornado near North Platte. My shelter is my walk in closet. I sat down and read while the sirens roared. Everything was south of town, but eventually the rain began to pour buckets here. It's been raining off and on since. If any of you have kept up with news reports, North Platte's bulging North Platte River does not need rain added to it.

I unpack, do laundry and pack again. Day after tomorrow my granddaughter and I will set out for Loveland, CO to attend the Family History Expo. I will present two classes on Saturday. It is exciting to be with genealogists. I listen to their frustrations and stories and try to offer suggestions. My hope is that they do not procrastinate, but go home and put their new ideas to work.

Once home I can unpack for a longer amount of time until I leave on July 6th for the Civil War Conference in Alliance, NE. I will be presenting three lectures at the two day event on July 8th and 9th. It will be a great learning experience ... conferences allow genealogists to learn and share.

There is still time to register for a Family History Expo. Check out their schedule. You can still register for the Civil War Conference in Alliance, NE. Don't miss out on the fun.

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 ... Ruby

We are home and planning a busy summer...of conferences

The girls finally arrived back in Nebraska this week after a tiring but fairly successful trip to the Family History Library. Both of us have mounds of papers and digital scans to work at getting organized, some of which will wait until fall when life slows down a bit. We should consider our trip at another time of year when we can come home and hibernate for the winter with all our precious finds, but we will get through it all and organize our treasures as soon as possible. Girl #1 has started going through hers and I simply organized mine so that when I get time to work on my papers I won't be lost as to what is what and goes to whom!

I acquired a wonderful little "bug" while in Salt Lake, so as we made our way home the trip was slightly longer with extra stops but we made it and even managed a couple shopping stops with purchases to add to all our baggage and junk. Both of us came with several new books for our libraries!  Now that we are home we can turn our thoughts to the busy schedule of travel, vacations and conferences coming over the summer.

Civil War Conference, July 8-9- Alliance, Nebraska

  Number 1 will be speaking at several of the Family History Expos during June and July and she will travel with Holly Hansen and Arlene Eakle to those venues. Family History Expos offer educational genealogy classes at reasonable prices and many are planned in various communities allowing for easy access to them. I will vacation with Go Hubby, help with the planning for our local conference and work on my lectures that are upcoming. Both of The You Go Genealogy Girls will be  among the presenters for the two day Genealogical and Historical Civil War Conference that will be held at the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center in Alliance, Nebraska on July 8-9. "Remembering the Civil War...150 Years Later " has been in the planning for many months, with noted academic speakers and genealogy specialists as our featured speakers. We are offering 23 programs and classes over the two days with attendees able to take in every class if they choose. This will be a very special conference for Nebraskans and visitors from surrounding states. The girls are looking forward to a wonderful time during this outstanding conference which will be sponsored by our genealogy/history Society, The Heritage Seekers, and our beautiful new Knight Museum and Sandhills Center.

Join us if you can for any of our conferences, we would love to have you!

For information on the Family History Expos, click here.

For information and a downloadable 4 page brochure on the Civil War Conference in Alliance, Nebraska on July 8-9,  click here.

You Go Girl #2--Cheri

Goodbye, Farewell, Adios

It seems we arrived yesterday, but our two weeks are up and so we say goodbye to Salt Lake City and the Family History Library. YGGG #2 and I have had a marvelous time, not just in the library but walking and exploring the city. It is a beautiful time to visit Salt Lake City. The days have been slightly cooler than normal, but comfortable. The flowers are showing off their colors and our breaks from the cranking of microfilm or reading books have been enjoyable.

We have learned about ancestors and learned about the living. People from all walks of life come here to do research. That is best understood when you visit floor B-1, the International floor, at the library. There the Spanish, Swedes, Norwegians, French, Germans and others are all in a cluster and chatter. The mission? Discover and learn about our roots and beginnings.

I have had several people ask me if I'm having good luck. Of course! I consider negative searches as good luck ... I won't go there again so I'll move on to another source or possibility.

One question comes to mind. When doing your research, do you stop and think about what you are seeing? As I cranked microfilm yesterday in German records, my thoughts were on the people going to the church to get married or having their infant baptized, then returning to their homes. They were living, breathing people at the time. As ancestors we tend to isolate them and think of them as something special. To us they are special, but when they were alive, they were among many others just as ordinary people. Spend a little time thinking about your ancestors. You'll learn more than what is on the printed page.

Adios Salt Lake City ... turning Lil' Red east this morning. See you again sometime.

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 Ruby

Visiting Ancestors

Kimball family monument

Heber Chase Kimball 1801-1868

part of the Kimball monument

Wednesday we took our daily break and went for a walk a few blocks north of the Family History Library to try and locate the grave site of Heber Chase Kimball. I am related to him on my Mother's side of the family, of course back a few generations! We were wondering if he was to be found by the directions we had but when we came across the Heber condominiums we figured we had to be close. There was a narrow brick walkway between two buildings that went back behind them all to an old family burial plot of the family. It was really quite a picturesque little place with the look and feel of a small park. Very beautifully kept as are all the church grounds.

What an unusual place it was to find right in the middle of a City, surrounded by homes and renovated condo buildings. That was the final resting place of Heber Kimball and several of his wives and family members, marked by one large monument to honor them all. Heber Chase Kimball was an early part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints and one of the early Presidents of the Church. The town of Heber, Utah is named for him. He was born in 1801 and died in the Salt Lake City area of the early Utah Territory after an illustrious career and life with his church. The museum which is next door to the Family History Center has several personal items of Heber on display too so it was quite interesting to see those as well as to visit his burial site.

While I am not of the Mormon faith, the Latter day Saints have an extremely interesting and honored history and "The You Go Girls" really enjoyed our little day outing when we learned more about our family and payed respects to our ancestors!

more pretty Poppy flowers!

We topped off our little adventure with a nice lunch at the Nauvoo cafe in the Joseph Smith Memorial building and soon were back at the library hard at work as there are many more ancestors yet to be found.

Today we are joining our friends Becky and Carol, fellow GeneaBloggers for lunch.....so watch for reports soon!

You Go Genealogy Girl #2--Cheri

The Girls' Day in the Cemetery

view of the city from the cemetery

When the library is closed, there is nothing left to do but shop and then go to the cemetery. We restocked snacks, bought jewelry and office supplies. From the shopping center we drove north and east to the Salt Lake City Cemetery which overlooks the city. The views are spectacular!

YGGG #2 commented about so many people being in the cemetery on a Sunday. At that point I had to remind her that this is Memorial weekend. Oh yeah!! There are various parts and sections to the cemetery. We tried to drive around and through as much as possible.

Baby Zula Kimball

Thomas Tanner, blacksmith

Not far from where we entered the cemetery are the graves of Solomon Farnham Kimball and his wife, Zula Pomeroy. Solomon, the son of Heber Chase Kimball and his first wife, Vilate Murray. Lined up in a row are the stones for Solomon and Zula's infant and small children. It is sad to see graves of small children who did not survive the rigors of pioneer life.

Cunnabell Prentice Stevens

We quickly spotted the impressive stone of Thomas Tanner who was born in 1804 in Bristol, Gloucestershire, England and died in Great Salt Lake City in 1855 while the foreman of the public blacksmith shop. The many sided, large stone of Dr. E.S. Barney contains extensive information on the lineages of the Stevens and Prentice families. On one side is carved, "Cunnabell Prentice Stevens Genealogical Books for reference can be found at the L.D.S. Historian office S.L. City."

Honoring military heroes

The day was well spent and now we are going through our notes and ideas for continuing research in the library tomorrow. Yes ... they are open on Memorial Day. We couldn't be at the cemeteries where our parents, grandparents and my husband are buried, but the next best thing was to visit the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 -- Ruby

Saturday Update: Genealogy, Bulls... and Bad Dogs

Garden flowers....

and pretty pansies!

Today was the first day since we arrived that we saw the sun so we took a break from the research isles and walked around the temple grounds. The flowers, many of which are newly planted are maturing by the day and very beautiful. We are sharing several more photos with our friends and hope you enjoy the sights.

In other exciting news of the day:

1) We had a very nice lunch at the Lion House Pantry Restaurant which was very enjoyable and toured the building which was finished in 1856 as a residence of Brigham Young. It had beautiful original windows and rock walls with some historic items displayed within such as quilts and glassware. The meal was great too.


2) Touring the temple grounds we ended up among at least four brides and their parties who were all taking pictures today as part of their wedding day festivities. We were slightly under dressed for the happy occasions but they did not seem to notice the Genealogy Girls anyway! You will notice one of the pretty brides in a photo here in the blog.

3) As we returned to the library for more arduous work, Ruby got a call that her granddaughter was going to take part in a bull riding contest for young ladies in North Platte so we waited for news of that venture as her granddaughter was excited to let Grandma know all about it. She had fun, stayed on for a short ride and did not end up in the ER... so the bull ride was successful and Grandma finally quit worrying.

4) Go Hubby called to tell me that my loving and gorgeous border collie who is staying home with her "sister" had been a BAD DOG while he was out of town working for two days. Our Babe ate part of the sofa and part of Hubby's chair. Guess she is tired of being alone for almost a week and there is one more week to go. BAD DOG!!!  The price I pay for a trip to Salt Lake.

Temple Gardens

Brigham Young's Home ( Lion House Restaurant)

A bride among the flowers!

5) Last evening we were serenaded by a bagpiper down on the street below our hotel for a couple hours. He was quite good and it was fun to hear the "pipes" in the evening and view the mountains at dusk from our window.

6)  We both managed to find some good information today to add to our growing pile of ancestor research papers that will add to many more weeks of work once we get home. The days are long but with short walks, we get re-invigorated and go back for more! Sunday will be a day of rest and hopefully sleeping in a bit, and then off to scout out the local cemeteries.

Enjoy a few pics from today's walk, hopefully we will have some great cemetery photos to share after tomorrow.

Cheri and Ruby, The You Go Genealogy Girls

The Four "Belles" of GeneaBloggers...in Salt Lake City!

GeneaBloggers: Cheri Hopkins, Ruby Coleman, Carol Stevens and Becky Wiseman

Today was day four of our trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake and to our surprise we met two other gals in the library today who are also bloggers,"GeneaBloggers", to be exact! Becky Wiseman of Kinexxions and Carol Stevens of  Reflections From The Fence. The four of us took a short break to visit and compare finds and funny stories, it was fun to meet new friends who immediately seemed like "old friends". Carol and Becky were really nice and another researcher kindly took our photos for posterity. Surely everyone in the library must have thought we were all very special as we posed for the cameras. You never know who you might meet here, yesterday we ran into Michael John Neill of RootDig.com and today we made new genealogy friends.....this has been a good week so far! Who will we meet tomorrow?

The girls had a nice lunch out on the town and both did well with locating many great family records today, the sun even came out for awhile so we are making progress. We are still looking for warm weather here though, glad I brought along my Nebraska cold weather clothes. Even many of the flowers are late here in Salt Lake City this year but those that are out are bright and colorful as usual.

Enjoy one pretty picture of the beautiful white iris here and especially the one of the four gorgeous genealogy "Belles" above!

You Go Genealogy Girl #2, Cheri

white iris in Salt Lake City

Where Did I Put It?

It's always so much fun packing for a trip. However, trying to find things after you have arrived can be a problem. I need a road map to my luggage.

Cheri #2 and I are in Cheyenne, Wyoming at her son's house. We have been here long enough to experience snow on Thursday morning and a couple days of overcast skies and rain. Snow in May happens in this country.

In the morning we will finish loading up Lil' Red and head for Salt Lake City. We were successful in our packing, except I can't find anything. I've juggled things around and that doesn't help. Cheri thinks she may have left her cell phone charger at home ... not good.

Once again Lil' Red has been packed with all our luggage and genealogy items, including computer bags, bags of computer cables and Cheri even decided to bring an extra table again this year. The photographs on this blog were taken before she finished loading the car. I am not exaggerating when I say that most of what you see is hers. Somehow we have to repack in two weeks and bring back more "stuff" from Salt Lake City. I'll worry about that when it happens and hopefully by then I'll know exactly where I put things.

Ruby .... YGGG #1

Going Prepared to Learn a Lot

The time has almost arrived for our annual trip to Salt Lake City. The You Go Genealogy Girls have been preparing for the trip for months. This has entailed updating genealogy files, preparing a research notebook, aka "big to-do list in a binder." It would take me a year to get through my research notebook to-dos, but I am going prepared. We will be there two weeks. Even with pacing ourselves, there should be time to locate some ancestors.

I also have to-do lists all over the house. A friend recently told me to "get crackin'" so I would get everything done. I have been keeping pace all week. Here's my list of items to pack for trip:

2 pieces of medium sized luggage for clothing

1 bag for 7 pair of shoes

1 bag for cosmetics, hair supplies and good smelly stuff

1 bag for laundry detergent and miscellaneous items

1 bag for the over-sized research notebook, maps and reading material

1 carton-on-wheels for food supplies, such as snacks, cereal and cookies

1 bag on wheels for laptop computer and library supplies

1 fold up mini-bike for exercising in the room

3 pillows

With all these bags, I feel like a pioneer forging the trail. Nobody ... and I mean nobody ... will force me to throw items overboard.

The purpose of the trip is genealogy. How well are you prepared when you take a genealogy trip? That is where our over-siezed research notebooks come in handy. This is no spontaneous trip. It has required hours of reviewing and studying our lineages, looking for research problems and missing information. Notice I did NOT say brick walls! I can work around and through research problems. Identifying them, I analyze what information is need, the best sources and the information they possibly contain and then where they can be found. Will the information produce itself in a marriage record, a will, a land record or death certificate? What is available in the Family History Library? We use the Family History Library Catalog while working on our research notebooks and will continue to use it at the Family History Library.

Let's not get paranoid with "what ifs." Those are the culprits in research. You can talk yourself out of about any phase of research by telling yourself there may not be information in a certain record. Keep in mind your ancestor's records can be found in the most obvious as well as the most obscure of records. If one document does not produce the information, move on to something else. Keep trying. One of the most valuable documents I ever found was a court record for the contesting of a will about 1870 in New York state. The person I wanted and needed to find in the will was not named, but when it was contested, all of the heirs, including that person, were named along with their reasons for contesting the will.

Think while you are researching. What does the document tell you? Does the information pertain directly to your research problem? That doesn't mean it has to answer all of your questions, but perhaps contain substantial information, or information that may prove helpful at a later time. Does the information in the document pertain to your ancestor, but has no direct bearing on your research problem? There may be clues, so do not discount the document. It may be what you need to jump start your research. There is no perfect record and thus you will need to use more than one ... over and over and over. This is why the YGGGirls stay two weeks in Salt Lake City and wish for a year.

Almost forgot the documentation. Silly me. While you are doing all of this research on your dream trip to Salt Lake City, be sure to do it right and document what you copied or used. That includes things such as titles of books, copyright, author, where it is located, case numbers, file numbers, page numbers, column numbers, film numbers. Don't weep later. I told you to do it while you are there.

If you happen to be in Salt Lake City at the library while we are there, stop and say hello. We will be doing research on all five floors at various times. YGGG #2 has dark brown hair and I am the blonde. The color and style of my shoes will change every day. I anticipate that #2 will wear the same shoes each day. Why change a good thing is what she tells me. On the other hand, I only have to wear the same pair of shoes twice in the two weeks I am there. Regardless of how we look or what we wear, the ancestors are waiting for us. We'd better "get crackin'."

YGGG #1 -- Ruby (the one with all the shoes)