Clouse Family: Thanksgiving

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

My daughter  loves that I'm working on the family history.  She told her teacher all about it and brought a mini tree in during Thanksgiving week to show her family dating back to the time of the pilgrams.  I love that I'm able to do this for her and make it an educational tool.

During my quest to make a mini tree, I found a ton of information on my dad's side of the family, the Clouses.   Now that I'm out of school for 3 weeks I'm diving head first into all the new information!  I CAN'T WAIT!

Using Excel as a family tree program.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Has anyone ever used a simple excel spreadsheet to organize your genealogy information?  I purchased Family Tree Maker and it's not loading on my computer.  I'm getting error after error. 

Tombstone Tuesday: Jacob Snook, Elmira Snook nee Tuttle

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

This week I wanted to share the tombstones of my Gr-Gr-Gr Grandfather and Grandmother Jacob Snook and Elmira Snook (nee Tuttle)



My grandfather's middle name was Tuttle.  This marriage is where the Tuttle family united with the Snook family.  Also my father's middle name is Jacob.  Jacob and Elmira also had a daughter named Ida May.  My daughter's middle name is Mae :)  I feel like so much of my family history can be found just on this one stone.

I've been slacking lately on my research on this side of the family.  Truth be told, I have no idea why I stopped.  However, as I work and get deeper into my family history, I want to get in my car drive the 400 miles home and spend a day "visiting" with my family.

New Roadblock - Peter Snook

Monday, October 11, 2010

I'm on a fall break for school and I refuse to do any homework so instead I dove head first into my family tree again.  This time I'm working on my father's side.  Things were moving pretty good thanks to a few books my father had given me the last time I was home until I hit Peter Snook. 

The only info I have on Peter Snook is that he was born about 1770 in/around Sussex New Jersey.  He was also married to Elizabeth Simmons. Their son Phillip Snook is my ancestor.  All information stops at him being the father of Phillip.

I'm taking this as a natural stopping point and walking away for a while.

Genealogy Software

Monday, October 4, 2010

I have a question for fellow genealogists.
When I started pursuing our family history, I really wasn't serious so I just used ancestry.com.  I'm now looking to move my information from ancestry.com to my personal hard drive.  What software do you all recommend?  I'm willing to pay for it, within reason of course :)


Thanks so much

Tombstone Tuesday: Dubois Swezy (1841 - 1906)

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

It's been a while since I've posted in here. **blush**

{Source}


I wanted to share the gravestone of my Gr Gr Great Grandfather Dubois Swezy located in Glenwood Cemetary in Vernon, New Jersey.  This line of my family seems to stop with him.  I haven't been able to locate information regarding his parents.  Part of that problem stems from the change in the last name.  Civil war records has his last name as Sweezey while the census has him as Swezey.  The current Swezy's in my family are the same as Dubois Swezy's stone.

As I stated about, Dubois Swezy was in the civil war.  He was part of the 56th  Regiment of the New York Infantry.  What fascinates me about this, and also occurred to me just last week, was that during that time he traveled from Orange County New York to the area I live in now and even further to South Carolina.  I see the signs all over the area memorializing the civil war trails and battles  and I can't help but wonder if my ancestor walked the same ground I am. 

Thanks for letting me share my story.  I hope to one day uncover the mysteries of his family so I can continue on this part of my family tree.  

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun

Saturday, July 17, 2010

I follow the blog www.geneamusings.com and for Saturday Night Genealogy Fun he posted I Write Like

Apparently I write like:


I write like
Stephen King
I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Who do you write like?  Just go to http://iwl.me/ to find out!

(not so) Wordless Wednesday

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

The inspiration for the journey into my family history.  This is from my parent's wedding.


Mom Barbara Mae Snook (nee Van Blarcom)  1952-1985
Grandfather Ralph Van Blarcom  1917-1994
Grandmother Catherine Van Blarcom (nee Sammis) 1917-2010

The Missing Eva!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

On my roadblocks page I mentioned that I've been searching for Eva Kemple.  This has been bugging me for a while even though I stopped searching for her.  She was always in the back of my mind. 

Well.....

Two days ago the missing Eva showed up! 

On all of the records that I have come across, the name Eva Kemple was mentioned repeatedly.  It wasn't until I saw the name YEVA when the lightbulb went off in my head.  Of course it was Yeva!  My husband even has a cousin named Yeva.  A simple change in the name and a whole new world opened up for me.  My plan for going to bed early that night was quickly changed into an all night cram session in search of information on Yeva Kominar. 

Once I organize the new information I have, I'll prepare a proper blog post in regards to my husband's family.  I was just too excited to wait to post my missing puzzle piece! 

Happy 4th everyone!

Komen 5K Fundraiser

I'm cross-posting this from my personal blog because it's a cause that is near and dear to me.  Thanks for your support!



The Twittering for Ta-Tas Team

It's that time of year again!  I'm running the Komen Tidewater 5K this October with some bloggy/twitter friends.


Please support us buy purchasing a Bookworm Bookmark for just $1 + .50 shipping.  Every $1 will go to our Komen Donations. 




Email me at lissy109@gmail.com with your address and paypal donation information.


This year is the Komen race means even more to me after finding out that my step-mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.  A and I will be running in support of her.  Thanks so much for your support!




Please repost this to your blogs and on twitter using @atruckerwife  Thanks!

SWEZY Family Roadblock

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Last night I was on a roll working on my father's side of the  family.  That is until I came up on my GR-GR-Grandfather, Dubois Swezy (Sweezey, Swezey, etc).  This is where the line seems to stop.  I have all of his civil war records showing three, yes three! variations of his last name but if I want to know who his mother is, nope.  Father, nope.  Nothing.

I know I'm not the only one who is stuck.  I've been in contact with Bob at www.sweezey.com and he is stuck in a similar place.  Looks like I'll be researching a bit in Orange County, New York when I go home this summer. 

Until then, I'll leave you all with this.

 Source:  www.findagrave.com
Glenwood Cemetery, Vernon, New Jersey

A Letter from Mary Lou

Monday, June 28, 2010

Mary Lou Garlinghouse nee Parker wrote my Aunt a letter when we were asking for family recipes.  I'm so happy to have this to pass on.

Dear Joyce,
     Hi, Good to hear from you.  I'm doing great! I found some recipes in the First Methodist Church Cookbook, I tried to find your Grandmother Snook's nut cake , she made it for every occasion; but couldn't locate it.
     I doubt if you remember but your mom did not have a big food budget but she had milk and eggs - so she made puddings/custards, pies, etc. Your grandparents and father would go and pick cherries and your mom would have them pit them.  We would sit outside the kitchen door on the stone porche under a shady tree and pit cherries.  She canned or froze them with green beans, corn - your mom could stretch the food momey.  There were also chickens and beef in season.  The apple walnut cake as something like applesauce cake.  I remember it as being delicious!
     Your mom sold eggs but the cracked ones are what she used in her own cooking.  You have to crack an egg to use it so those were great.

Hope you can use these recipes.

Love,
MaryLou

Genealogy Grumps?

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Have you come across any Genealogy Grumps? 

I have come across two so far in my research.  Thankfully there are so many more out there who are more than willing to help you as well as some long lost family members who are excited to find someone in the family. 

One of the grumps is a family member who has kept her research hidden from me even after I approached her.  Thankfully I have gotten around it to get information I need and my focus is on a different branch however it definitely stings when someone in your family treats the family history like this.  

The second grump is a member of www.findagrave.com .  Like I said above, the majority of genealogists that I have come across are awesome but this particular member seems to be more focused on her numbers than on actually helping others.  I asked to have management of a few graves transfered to me.  I have the rest of the family members in the plot and it is my father's family who he lived with growing up.  She flat out refused it to me!  She's not even family! 

Sigh, I hate hitting these speed bumps but I'm trying to keep a happy face on.

So, have you come across any Genealogy Grumps?

And we are off....

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Today I was finally able to meet with the Regent (or actually the former Regent) of the local DAR chapter.  It was a great meeting and she answered a lot of my questions.  She gave me the information I need to pursue a line that a family has refused to give me any information on.  I am faxing the application tomorrow morning!  That way it will be a bit easier to get my foot in the door. 

This chapter is small but is growing with about 30 people interested and in different stages of their application.  She is so pleased that many more younger women are applying.  I'm very excited yet nervous as to where this will take me in life but it will be a wonderful adventure! 

I'll keep this blog updated with my progress.  Once I get the information back from the National DAR office it should be smooth sailing.  The keyword there is smooth.

Wish me luck!

New Jersey Genealogy Trip To Do List:

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Grave Pictures:
  • North Hardyston Cemetery
  • Glenwood Cemetary
  • Hamburg Baptist Burying Ground
  • Longwell-Drew Cemetery
Newspaper Lookup:
  • Sussex Main Library
    • New Jersey Herald
    • Wantage Recorder
    • Sussex Register
    • Sussex Independent

More to be added....

Henry Chardavoyne, 1809-1887

Thursday, May 20, 2010

my Gr-Gr-Gr Grandfather, Henry Chardavoyne

Traveling for information

This summer will be a hectic one for my family.  I will be loading up my daughter and heading up to NJ for about a week to help out my family but during down time I'll be taking pictures of graves of my ancestors.  During my research I have found family that I never knew I was related to.  In upcoming entries I will begin to list surnames that I have come across while climbing my family tree.

During that week if there are any requests for pictures of graves located in the Northwest NJ/NY area I'd be happy to help out in anyway I can.

The Beginnings

Monday, May 17, 2010

Thanks for popping in!  Please leave a comment to let me know how you found my blog.

A little background:

A few years ago curiosity got the best of me and I began to wonder if I was able to get into the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution)  Maybe it was because I was a Gilmore Girls addict or because I noticed a few of my friends on Facebook were members but I started to question my family tree.

When did my family arrive in america?
What is my heritage?
What is my husband's heritage?

Life was hectic so I made a plan to begin my searching once I was out of school for the summer.  That summer didn't happen until this month because I attended summer classes to achieve my Associates in Business Admin at  Tidewater Community College and began my Accounting Degree at Old Dominion University.

In January of this year (2010), my grandmother passed away and I realized everything that I lost because I put things off.  She was a huge part of my life and I wanted to share this project with her, now I won't have a chance to.  Once we were back home from the funeral I jumped onto Ancestry.com and started my search.  Today I have made progress and found a few distant relatives in the process.   I started this blog as a place to put my work and a to do list as well.  I hope maybe I can help others who are researching my family and find a few more distant relatives.