2022 Foundations

The foundation of my love of history began with my mother’s love of history.  Although I didn’t realize it at the time how much I would grow to love family history;  I did listen to her stories.  I have always liked history & regret that I didn’t major in history in college.  I grew up in Beaverhead county, Montana where we lived among history,  Living close to Bannack, Big Hole Battlefield, Virginia City as well Lewis & Clark’s route through Montana, we were immersed in history.

Our family visited Mom’s hometown of Waitsburg, Washington often on Memorial Day weekend.  While Mom & her mother decorated family graves, my sister & I tagged along as we waked through 2 cemeteries.  Of course Mom told us what she knew about each ancestor.  Another time I should have listened more! And written the information down!

Genealogy was also mother’s other passion.  I knew she was collecting information but had no idea the extent of the collection until I brought it home when her health declined.  It took 12 hours to sort the box of files and pictures into the manila folders that I created.  Her collection was pre-computer age, so I realized I had to learn genealogy software & computers.  I estimate I brought her collection to my house in 1995 about 26 years ago. 

Lois Heath 1787-1878

Lois is my third great aunt, a sister of my third great grandmother.

The handwriting is my mother's.

Mom's collection was started by her great aunt on her paternal side.  Her Aunt Gilla collected information from her father & mother, Albert Gallatin Lloyd and Lois Jasper Lloyd.  Albert crossed the plains to Oregon in 1845 while Lois crossed in 1854.  

Gilla Lloyd

Gilla Lloyd researching in Tennessee at her grandfather's grave on

 17 October 1927

My mom added to the Lloyd Family collection with newspaper articles, funeral cards and pictures.  She even collected quilts made by ancestors.   She was born in 1924 and her first scrapbook was created in the 1930’s.  During Mom’s life she created scrapbooks, one is of her first year of college.  She also created scrapbooks for my sister as well as for me.

I would be the 5th generation to have the collection and add to it.  Although much of the information has not been documented, I attempt to find the source for the facts.  So far, I’ve only found 1 mistake in Aunt Gilla’s collection.  

 My Grandfather (my Dad's father) lived to be 103.  He also had a love of family history and wrote stories of his life, labeled pictures as well as inheriting the Family Bible, which has information pre-1850.  And yes, I inherited more family history pictures and stories.

My dad with the Shaffner Family Bible

I began collecting information on my husband's family when we married nearly 50 years ago.  His paternal line did not have much information since they were Germans from Russia.  Beginning with collecting obituaries, death certificates and marriage certificates, I tried to connect Gabel families.  It was worth it when I was able to connect his family to census records and families in Frank, Russia.   

Will the collection ever be complete?  At this point in life I wonder who will be the 6th generation to continue the family history?

#11-2020. Luck. 52 Ancestors in a Year

#11-2020.    Luck

With genealogy, luck is a word often used.  Sometimes luck when searching for ancestors is a huge part of the research.  Was the luck due to good investigative research process, or the angel on the shoulder luck?  Sometimes, one never knows!  

Most of my luck was inherited.  The luck is in the form of physical information. With any luck, I have several generations of information, which might include the person I am researching or writing about.  Yes, that includes pictures that are labeled.  I have funeral cards, address books from my mother and grandfather, newspaper articles, family group sheets done by others, lists of families done by ancestors (before family group sheets were a “thing”), a couple of Family Bibles and stories written by my mother.  

My Luck is a thank you to my mother who inherited and added onto to her family history.  Long before computers!  My Luck is a thank you to my paternal grandfather who also kept track of family, labeled pictures and worked his grandddaughter, Donnee, to pass down family history.  He was prolific in writing his family history, or his life story, through out the years.  

The unlucky part is that seldom is there a citation noting where they found the information.  My mother always said when asked where she got it….”Well Aunt Gilla said”.  Apparently she was the expert!  But which Aunt Gilla?

Gilead Ann Jasper born in 1839 in Kentucky and died in 1934 in Philomath, Benton County, Oregon.  This Gilla was a sister to my mother’s great grandmother.  She must have known some of the history, first hand.  Was she the Aunt Gilla who "said"?

But there is another Gilla in the family.   Gillian Ann Lloyd, born in 1873 in Walla Walla County, Washington and died in 1947 in Tacoma, Washington. This Gilla was a sister to my mother’s grandfather.  And she collected and worked on the family history.  Was she the Aunt Gilla who "said".

Both Gilla’s were probably referred to as Aunt Gilla.  

I love this picture of Aunt Gilla Jasper Irwin and the story. What knowledge and information she had.  I sure would like to talk with her!

The article says that Gilla is 90 years old.  So the article would have been written about 1929.

But as the majority of newspaper articles are lacking the name of the newspaper as well as the date.

My luck will be earned finding it!

Looking for Thomas S. Lloyd

Inheriting my mother's genealogy files sparked my interest in the hobby.  Although she inherited a lot of information from her aunt Gilla, who probably inherited information from other family members;  Helen Lloyd Shaffner continued her own research, and the collection grew.  And I have added to the collection through the years.  One big missing component of the research is the lack of  documentation.  When I asked my mother how she knew or if the information was authentic, her response was well..."Aunt Gilla said".

I felt I had to learn a lot about genealogy before I tackled the Lloyd files.

So I am finally beginning the search for Thomas S. Lloyd's ancestry.  But I am not the first family member to look for his ancestry!

Thomas is my 4th great grandfather, who was born in 1763 and died in 1857.  The one certain thing is that he is buried near Rutledge, Grainger, Tennessee in the Lloyd Cemetery on the Cabbage Farm. Family story is that he was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  Family story is that he served in the NC Brigade in the Revolutionary War.  Yes, I am trying to prove he served.  Yes, I am trying to prove his parents and where he was born.     

Gilla Ann Lloyd Mellinger (1873-1947) worked very hard on the Lloyd genealogy.  These are pictures from her trip to Rutledge, Tennessee.  The pictures were taken 17 October 1927.  I have negatives and pictures that were made from the negatives.

Thomas S. Lloyd

Thomas S. Lloyd

His wife, Jane.  I have a marriage bond for Thomas & Jane M. Culley (McCullough)

Aunt Gilla researching genealogy in Tennessee in 1927

Isn't this a great picture?  Cleaning and trimming branches at the cemetery.

A view from the cemetery or possible the cemetery.

Thomas S. Lloyd's smoke house.  

I wonder if it is still visible?