Everyone Has A Story (aka "Beth's Blog")

Everyone has a story

Updated: 14 Jul 2018

Hello and thanks for stopping by. Due to health issues I’ve had to take some breaks on and off from this blog. For the time being I am having to take it slow and sometimes am not able to put as much time and effort into it as I’d like. I am still here and doing what I can, when I can.  Please know that I still would love to hear from you, it just might take a little longer for me to reply. I hope to get back on track with my goal soon. I do apologize if I missed one of your comments, messages, notes, emails, etc. As I can, I’ll try to reach out to you. 

For my family:
I hope that you enjoy this blog and the stories of our ancestors. Let me know if you have any questions or if I can help you in any way. If you have an interest in trying to do genealogy and would like some help, just let me know and I’ll be happy to help. I will someday need someone to take over and continue all of this and my big research tree. I’d love it to be with someone that I’ve worked with and that I know will keep it going with a certain level of research, dedication, and love. If you’d like to help in another way, I could use some help in putting together some of these biographies of our ancestors. You don’t realize how much work goes into these until you write one. 

For fellow researchers and DNA matches:
I manage multiple DNA kits on multiple sites. It’s getting a little hard to keep up with all the different sites, DNA kits and all their matches, and maintaining family trees on/for all of them and still find time to do actual research. I’ve decided to simplify by keeping the kits on each site, deleting all but one public tree, and referring all DNA matches to my blog for all of that information. It allows me time to focus on my actual research and keep everything updated easily.

SHEPHERD – If you are a DNA Match to myself and/or any of the kits that I manage and can’t find any shared connections, DNA has proven that there was a NPE (Not Parent Expected) in my paternal line. My 2nd great-grandfather, as DNA is proving, was a descendant of Jonathan Shepherd and Elizabeth Richmond. We have many and strong matches to descendants of both of their sons, David Henderson Shepherd and Jacob Shepherd, along with families that they and their descendants married into. I have not yet been able to work out who exactly is my 2nd great-grandfather, but I’m beginning to believe that both brothers may be my direct line through endogamy. I haven’t yet added them to this blog or my public tree, but I am very actively researching them trying to find my connection. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 When making contact be sure to include which site you found the DNA match and the matching kit#’s/names on all kits involved so that I can also find the match and we can start to find our connection.

My testers did me a huge favor by agreeing to take the Autosomal DNA test and allowing me to use that DNA for genetic genealogy research. I promised each of them that I would protect their privacy and any and all contact would be through me. I have done all that I can to protect their identities. I will not share information on living people without their explicit permission and I would never ask that of you either. The goal is to find our ancestors, not to invade the privacy of the living. Sadly, due to conversations that I’ve seen, I feel that this has to be said.

In recent years I’ve come to the conclusion that instead of making my big research tree public, that I would instead put up a *small pedigree tree (direct lines only with bare bones information) to help others find their connection to myself and my family members who have graciously taken the Autosomal DNA test for me. I am happy to use my research tree to help find our connection, but it will be kept private. I have several reasons for this and have decided that I would rather make sure that sources are out there and easy to find… and free if I can help it. I want you to put together your own tree. To me, that’s what genealogy is about. If you need a little help just ask and if I can, I will help. If you would like to collaborate on our shared lines, I would love to do so. That’s what this is all about, working together to find our common ancestors.

*This small pedigree tree is available on Ancestry. You can access it with a free account although due to changes at Ancestry, you may need me to send you an invite. Just let me know and I’ll be happy to do so.

I started by creating a post for every generation of my grandparents that I have found. With these posts I added a family group sheet using the MRIN format. I’m now in the process of going back to those posts and am now putting all of my data and research into telling their stories. I’m trying to make sure that I include what sources I used and where to find them. I’m also trying to be diligent in sending edits on Find A Grave memorials to connect families together. This is also allowing me to ‘clean up’ my tree and make sure that it is properly sourced. It’s a long process and a lot of work, so bear with me as I try to stay focused on one branch at a time.

Currently I’m focusing on:
MRIN-19 The family of Robert Gore Ball and Susan Jane Brock
MRIN-4 The families of Harry Lee Chaffins Sr. and Emma Jean Willoughby

In researching our family history I have discovered that we have a rich heritage in every branch of our family tree. I take great pride in knowing that while our ancestors were not famous and notable people in history, they were the backbone of the country. The pioneer settlers, the farmers, the ranchers, the coal miners, the soldiers, the teachers, the carpenters, the law officers, the factory workers, …. the everyday people who made this country what it is today. They were people who will never have novels, movies or songs written about them. They were simple, hard working people who deserve to be remembered by the people whose lives they’ve shaped. I hope to give a humble attempt at trying to tell at least a small part of their story.

I link to sources on the web. Most of these sources are on free websites, but do require a log in/password to view the information I link to.