How Did I Get Here? My Amazing Genealogy Journey

Microsoft Office Downloaded Image Okay, I had one of those genealogy happy dance moments today! I found another cousin. WooHoo! Had a lovely conversation on the phone with her this morning and I am still grinning from ear to ear.  To my newly found cousin, thank you for being open to talking to me today. I learned so much and I am so proud of our shared family history. I look forward to speaking to you again over the phone. And yes this is another cliffhanger. Please don't hate now. I know I have this bad habit of doing this but the reason why it is a cliffhanger is that I did not get a chance to ask my newly found cousin about what the guidelines are about what I can blog about. I only share information when it is agreed upon by both parties. I couldn't contain my excitement though! WooHoo! I have another cousin.    The term cliffhanger made me go to YouTube just now to see if I could find a certain clip from a children's TV s...

This picture is from my grandmother's family album. I think it is perhaps a school picture from the old Morehead City Negro school, but I don't know that for certain. On the back of it, Linwood Bryant's name is written on it. Linwood Bryant was my grand uncle, a sibling to my maternal grandmother Mary Horton. I am assuming the people who have x's on them were perhaps school friends or family. I have no idea who Mattie is in regards to family relations. In the front row, 3rd from the left there is a a boy with a star marked in ink on him and the word "boy" in front of him. Could this be Linwood?  Here's a picture of the Bryant siblings as adults. Linwood is in the center of the shot. What do you think?

I had a great time with the family at a local park today. We watched one of the cycling races of the Chris Thater Memorial. The Chris Thater Memorial is a series of races held each year in August in honor of cyclist Chris Thater who was killed by a drunk driver. The race course follows a route around a beautiful Binghamton west-side park called Recreation Park. Recreation Park is near and dear to my heart because that is where my husband and I were married in March 2005. Here's a link to our wedding day photos  Wedding Wednesday: My Wedding March 30, 2005 Of the many features of the park, is a beautiful antique carousel that was created by Allan Herschell Companies of North Tonowanda, NY.  It's a given with my kids that if the carousel is open, we're riding it. So today we rode our gallant horses to the sounds of the Wurlitzer Band Organ and tossed our cares to the wind. Life is a carousel. Everyone has his or her turn. There are ups and there are downs but no m...

My dad is in the baby carriage looking adorable. Winter of 1942. I wonder what he's looking at.  Be careful dad, you're going to fall out.

WWII Draft Registration Card for John Thomas Harrsion Jr. Source Citation: The National Archives Southeast Region; Atlanta, GA; Records of the Selective Service System, 1926-1975; Record Group: RG 147; Class: RG147, North Carolina World War II Draft Registration Cards; Box Number: 155. WWII Draft Registration Card for George Augustus Harrison Source Citation: The National Archives Southeast Region; Atlanta, GA; Records of the Selective Service System, 1926-1975; Record Group: RG 147; Class: RG147, North Carolina World War II Draft Registration Cards; Box Number: 155. John Thomas Harrison Jr. and George Augustus Harrison were my grand uncles. They were siblings of my maternal grandfather, Lemuel Richard Harrison. I like draft cards because they help to give a quick snapshot into the lives of people. From these cards, I know places of employment for both men and that George still resided in his childhood home. John Thomas Harrison Jr, the eldest of thirteen, had e...

You may recall my my blog posts  Thankful Thursday: Thank Goodness I Began My Blog --Part one ,  Thank Goodness I Began My Blog --Part two , and  Thank Goodness I Began My Blog --Part three . If you missed this series click on the links above to read. Those posts will provide the background on why I am so excited today. Today, my mother and her first cousin Rudi are going to speak via Skype for the first time. This will be my first time speaking to him on Skype. We had spoken over the phone previously but I just can't wait to see him. You know I will be analyzing his face and every expression to see if I can catch a glimpse of any of my grandfather's mannerisms. My maternal grandfather, Lemuel Harrison, and Rudi's father, Rudolph Henry Harrison, were brothers. I can't get over how amazingly blessed we all are to live in a time when this is possible. Feeling happy!

Microsoft Office Downloaded Image Okay, I am going to have to save up my pennies and plan another trip to New Bern and Morehead City. The reason why is, now I know where the family land was located in Riverdale, NC. Riverdale is a little town located approximately 9 miles south of New Bern and was where my Mitchell and Sampson family lines once lived. I had plotted out a guesstimate of where I thought the property may have been in a prior post called  Mappy Monday: So where was Mortimer Mitchell's land. It turns out my guesstimate wasn't too bad. I was online a couple weeks ago looking up info on the Craven County Register of Deeds website when I had found the deed regarding the property my grandmother, Mary Horton, and her siblings had sold in 1998. While reviewing the deed, I found a section that mentioned a survey map that had been created by Atlantic Survey & Design. Survey info listed on the 1998 deed I called the Craven County Register of Deeds office ...

I was flipping through my daughter's baby pictures today and laughed  out loud when I came across this one. I completely forgot about it. At last, her secret is out.

Microsoft Office Downloaded Image I love receiving things in the mail and what a treat it was last week to receive my great grandparents marriage license in the mail. Secretly I was hoping beyond hope to find the name of Frank Bryant's father listed on it, so I could finally break down this brick wall. No one in the family knows who he was and I have not been able to find any records which disclose this important piece of information. I knew it probably wouldn't be there, but one can always hope, right? State of North Carolina                                                           Office of Register of Deeds Carteret County                                                         ...

This note is for someone special and dear to me. My SisterFriend lost her mom last week and today is the day she and her family will celebrate her life. I wish there were words of comfort that I could say that would just take it all away, but I know there are no words that can do that. I just want to say SisterFriend, my heart is with you today. May the Lord continue to send you strength and comfort to make it through this tough time. To my bonus Mom in heaven, I love you and thank you for your love, kindness, and just beautiful spirit. Thank you for always being so supportive. Be at peace now. You have earned your rest.  Microsoft Office Downloaded Image