Good Classes at Midwest Family History Expo in KC

http://www.fhexpos.com/

"Establishing Your Own Migration Trail" by Michael John Neill of Casefile Clue (if you haven't read his cases, get a sample free!) fame was a class I was really looking forward to attending. He is so analytical and provided some really useful thoughts on migration patterns and how to research them. It was well worth attending! Thank you, Michael John!  ;-)

Thomas MacEnfee, our GeneaBloggers leader, was teaching a class on Genealogy Blogs - how appropriate!

Laura Best, CEO of EchoRoad, gave a neat presentation on researching ancestor occupations - a subject that really interests me. She had many very good suggestions. How about that Furniture Mover on the screen behind her!

Here is Laura, a little later, working in her EchoRoad company exhibit. There were some busy folks among the presenters and exhibitors... more on that in a bit!

Arlene H. Eakle, Ph.D, President of The Genealogical Institute, was another that moved regularly from the exhibit booth, to presenter, and back. She was one of the first familiar faces I saw on Friday!

Later, here she is, lecturing to a large group on Southern Genealogy:

She stayed after, as most presenters would, to answer questions from her 'students.'

Sometime later, she was back a the Institute exhibit, answering more questions.

This exhibit was right across from the Beacon of Bloggers 'lounge' in the exhibit area. One more big THANK YOU to Holly Hanson and her staff of the Midwest Family History Expo for a great couple of days - and her fine support and encouragement for our work!

I didn't get to meet all of the Bloggers, but here is one more I did see: Bart Brenner. Neat!

A couple of 'cleanup' shots - here was the registration desk:

And the Family History Expo 'prize drawing' exhibit area - we also put our evaluation cards in the drum - sneaky way to get a lot more evaluation forms! Good for them!!

I will have a bunch more exhibitor photos on Sunday; and, more on the Midwest Genealogy Center presentation - and their new website - on Monday.

Finally, as I was leaving, a nice photo of our facilities - Holiday Inn and KCI Expo Center! THANKS!

Families are Forever!  ;-)

More Exhibitors at the Midwest Family History Expo in KC

Biff Barnes was kept business at the Stories to Tell booth:

Family Search seemed to always be busy:

RootsMagic folks received many questions:

The ladies at the Mid-Continent Public Library responding to patrons questions:

AGES online had a busy exhibit as well:

More later...  ;-)


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Early classes and exhibits visited on Friday

At the Midwest Family History Expo in Kansas City

My first class today was "Taking Your Photos from the Shoebox to the Digital Ear" with Tom Underhill of Limited Edition Publishers and Publisher, senior designer and author of nine books at Creative Continuum.

Tom provided much useful information on scanners and using Photoshop (and Photoshop Elements) for creating better photos for your genealogy and family history projects. I was pleased to be able to get a copy of his book, "Make your photos really ZING!" I want to use my PhotoShop software more effectively. I think this will really help me.

At the Beacon for Bloggers exhibit, we exchanged taking photos of each other. Here, Susan Petersen to a photo of Jenna Mills and me.

Then, I took a photo of Diana Ritchie

Then, Diana took a photo of Susan and I:

My next class was "Family History Books: Editing, Design and Publishing," with Nancy and Biff Barnes of "Stories to Tell," editors specializing in creating family history stories and memoirs. They made a fine presentation highlighting the elements each of us should consider in order to move our "idea" of preparing a family history book to "a published work." Many good ideas to consider.

During the break, I visited some of the other exhibits; here RootsMagic was doing a demo:

and, I visited with the ladies from the Jackson County Genealogical Society.

The next class was "Family Search's Research Wiki, Forums & Blogs," with Tom Peterson from Family Search.

I was especially interested to learn how the Research Wiki worked. I came away with good ideas, and also inspired to possibly helping out sometime with indexing and some other Community Projects that he stressed during his presentation.

A final note for this post: at lunch at the KCI Expo Center, I enjoyed seeing the TWA Museum exhibit; here is one piece of it:

I'll share some more observations on the Midwest Family History Expo tomorrow.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Midwest Family History Expo Underway

Lori Cox-Paul, Dirctor of the Kansas City Branch of the National Archives, got the Expo off to an excellent start giving the Keynote Address to several hundred persons in attendance early Friday morning.

Thomas MacEntee, of GeneaBloggers, along with Lisa Ann Alzo, The Accidental Genealogist, got the Beacon of Bloggers exhibit going in fine fashion.

Off to classes. More to follow.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Follow Friday - 30 Jul 2010

 

Follow Friday - 30 Jul 2010

My recommendations this week. As usual, I normally pick a good post from my week's readings, or left from the prior week! Hope they are useful or at least interesting to you, as well! If it is your first visit, even better!  ;-)

POST 1:

This week I am recommending the post: "Resource: Atlas of Historical County Boundaries" at the Illinois State Genealogical Society Blot.

Thanks to Jen at Family History Research for bringing it to my attention!


POST 2:

Research and preservation tips from Sassy Jane:
http://sassyjanegenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/07/wisdom-wednesday-five-simple-things-you.html




Families are Forever!  ;-)

Midwest Family History Expo in Kansas City started Friday

I have arrived in Kansas City for the Midwest Family History Expo, ready to get to bed early and be registered and ready for the 8 a.m. Keynote Speaker, Lori Cox-Paul on the National Archives in Kansas City.

For detailed information, go to: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e2tsp645bd0ef395

The Bloggers attending will gather briefly in the Exhibit Hall after the Keynote to coordinate their planners. We are each looking forward to a great Expo, here in Kansas City!


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Neighbor's passing remembered

Lester Rex LeNeve

24 Sep 1923 - 25 May 2010

[We missed the memorial service the family held while we were in Utah. Rex was our next door neighbor, here in Hollister, and a dear friend for 10 years. We miss him a lot!]

Families are Forever!  ;-) 

Neighbors can sometimes feel like family, as well.  ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Slate to Kindle

Slate to Kindle

Earlier this month, with our grandchildren, Kaylee and Alex, while in Capital Reef National Park, Utah, we visited a preserved one-room school, where they were fascinated by the slate and chalk, among other things. While my wife, Nancy, and I each attended one-room schools in Iowa for all of our elementary years, it was well after the 'chalk and slate' era.

I couldn't help but think of this photo, today, when my wife received her new Kindle from Amazon (for her upcoming birthday and our anniversary, it seems! We always need to attach an excuse, of course).

Note the basic resemblance to the slate... by the way, she is reading the first chapter of my novel, Back to the Homeplace on the Kindle! [Blatant commercial - order in right sidebar, just $5.95 for Kindle edition]

 Families are Forever!  ;-)

Attendance Plan for Midwest Family History Expo

You can still register to attend. For detailed information, go to: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e2tsp645bd0ef395

After reviewing the entire agenda and syllabus for the Expo, and considering the reasons I am there and what I need and want to write about, here is my plan for class session attendance. There are so many options, it seemed best to choose ahead of time to achieve proper coverage. Here goes the plan:

Attendance Plan

9 - 10-11 - LobCtyd - Taking Your Photos from the Shoebox (All) - Tom Underhill

13 - 11:30-12:30 - B - Family History Books: Ed, Des, P (All) - Biff - Nancy Barnes

24 - 1:30-2:30 - F - F/S's Research Wiki, Forums & Blogs (All) - Tom Peterson

36 - 3-4 - E - Flames Over the Courthouse (Beg) - Leland Meitzler

48 - 4:30-5:30 - AmbRm - Virtual Tour of the MGC (All) - Janice Schultz

60 - 8-9 - ExHallCl - Researching Historic Occup (Adv) - Laura Best

69 - 9:30-10:30 - C - Establishing Your Own Migrations Tr (All)- Michael John Neill

73 - 11-12 - B - Colonial Land and Servitude (-) - Beth Foulk

82 - 1-2 - A - Researchin Back Before 1850 (Ex) - Carol Cook Darrow, CG

92 - 2:30-3:30 - A - 15 Minute Family History (All) - Cherie Bush

Hope to see you there!


Families are Forever!  ;-)

List of scheduled Exhibitors at Midwest Family History Expo in Kansas City

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

At the Midwest Family History Expo - an Agenda overview

The Midwst Family History Expo and related events will occur in Kansas City on Thursday, July 29 through Saturday, July  31.

For detailed information, including the full agenda, go to: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e2tsp645bd0ef395

Let's go through the extensive agenda of the Midwest Family History Expo Agenda and mention a few highlights.

1. All day Thursday (the day before the Expo itself begins) be sure to take note of the LDS Historic Sites Tour (8 am - 4 pm), with Tour Guide Glen Rawson, Writer and Producer of the TV Show: The Joseph Smith Papers. The Kansas City area is a prime area to visit and learn about LDS history - this should be an excellent tour! (There is a separate charge for the tour of course, including a gourmet box lunch.)

2. On Friday morning, from 7-8 am, in the Exhibit Hall Classroom, the Keynote Address is FREE and open to public: "Finding Your Family: Turning the Spotlight on Resources from the National Archives at Kansas City," by Lori Cox-Paul, Director, Archival Operations, NARA Kansas City.

3. Nine one-hour class sessions scheduled from 9-10 am.: four beginner, one experienced and four all level, to choose from.

4. 11-11:30 am: Visit Exhibits and Win Prizes

5. From 11:30 am - 12:30 p.m.: Nine more class sessions: six all levels, one beginner and two advanced to choose from.

6. Lunch Break, Visit Exhibits & Win Prizes, from 12:30 - 1:30 pm

7. Nine more class sessions from 1:30 - 2:30 pm: five all levels, two beginners, one experienced, one advanced.

8. Visit Exhibits and Win Prizes - 2:30 - 3:00 pm.

9. Nine more class sessions from 3:00 -  4:00 pm: three all levels, three advanced, two experienced, one beginner.

10. Visit Exhibits and Win Prizes from 4:00 - 4:30 pm.

11. Nine more class sessions from 4:30 - 5:30 pm: three beginner, three advanced, three all levels.

12. Visit Exhibits and Win Prizes from 5:30 - 6:00 pm. Exhibit Hall Closes for the Day at 6:00 pm.

13. 7:30 - 8:00 am: Registration Begins

14. 8:00 - 9:00 am Nine Class sessions: one advanced, two beginner, six all level

15, Visit Exhibits and Win Prizes from 9 - 9:30 am

16. 9:30 - 10:30 am: Nine class sessions: three advanced, one beginner, five all levels

17. Visit Exhibits and Win Prizes: 10:30 - 11:00 am

18. 11:00 - noon: Nine class sessions: six all level, one beginner, one experiences, one advanced.

19. 12:00 - 1:00 pm Lunch Break, Visit Exhibits and Win Prizes

20. 1:00 - 2:00 pm: Eight class sessions for all levels plus, in the Exhibit Hall Classroom, the film: Forgotten Ellis Island: The Extraordinary Story of America' Immigrant Hospital.

21. 2:00 - 2:30 pm: Visit Exhibits and Win Prizes

22. 2:30 - 3:30 pm: Eight class sessions: four all level, two beginner, two advanced plus, in the Exhibit Hall Classroom, the film: Forgotten Ellis Island: The Extraordinary Story of America' Immigrant Hospital.

22. 3:30 - 4:00 pm: Visit Exhibits and Win Prizes

23. 4:00 - 5:00 pm: Eight class sessions: two all levels, four experienced, two beginner plus, in the Exhibit Hall Classroom, the film: Forgotten Ellis Island: The Extraordinary Story of America' Immigrant Hospital.

24. Grand Prize Drawings at 5:00 pm. Exhibit Hall Closes at 6:00 pm.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Less than a week until Midwest Family History Expo in KC!

For detailed information, go to: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e2tsp645bd0ef395

This is a first time event, so be a part of regional history by attending this year! Many classes, great presentations and fine exhibitors! Stop back here, regularly, for reports on activities there!

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Follow Friday - 23 Jul 2010

Follow Friday - 23 Jul 2010

My recommendations this week. As usual, I normally pick a good post from my week's readings, or left from the prior week! Hope they are useful or at least interesting to you, as well! If it is your first visit, even better!  ;-)

POST:

This week I am recommending the Tuesday's Tip - Citing Genealogy Sources, The Life of the Party? from Lynn, the Arm Chair Genealogist at:

http://www.thearmchairgenealogist.com/2010/07/tuesdays-tip-citing-genealogy-sources.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheArmchairGenealogist+%28The+Armchair+Genealogist%29

Just a good solid reminder, that we need from time to time.


BLOG:

Most of you have probably already visited this site, but I don't think I have mentioned it yet. It is Dear Myrtle, Your Friend in Genealogy at: http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/
Pat Richley has a lot of good information written in an interesting style. Enjoy!


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - 1855 Marriage License copy

This is a copy of the marriage license for Michael Smith, my great-grandfather, in Rock Island, Illinois, for his first marriage, to Lena Harbrecht, several years before he went off to the Civil War: 3 Aug 1855.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Midwest Family History Expo Bloggers of Honors and other bloggers

Get ready for the Midwest Family History Expo 2010 in Kansas City by checking out the blogs of the Bloggers of Honor and other bloggers who will be there. Become an follower, and read their blogs regularly during the Expo on July 29-31; and also, before and after the Expo. Here is the list:

 Bloggers of Honor:

Lisa Ann Alzo, M.F.A., Speaker & Blogger
http://www.theaccidentalgenealogist.com/

Cheri Hopkins, Blogger
http://yougogenealogygirls.blogspot.com/

Thomas MacEntee, Speaker & Blogger
http://www.geneabloggers.com/

Jenna Mills, Blogger
http://www.desperatelyseekingsurnames.blogspot.com/

Susan Petersen, Blogger
http://longlostrelatives-smp.blogspot.com/

William L. Smith, Ph.D. Blogger
http://drbilltellsancestorstories.blogspot.com/ - this is me, of course!

Other Bloggers in Attendance at the Midwest Family History Expo 2010:

Arlene H. Eakle, Speaker, Exhibitor-The Genealogical Institute, & Blogger
http://relativelycurious.blogspot.com/

Tami Glatz, Blogger
http://relativelycurious.blogspot.com/

Holly T. Hansen, President Family History Expos, & Blogger
http://www.fhexpos.com/wordpress/

Leland Meitzler, Speaker & Blogger
http://www.genealogyblog.com/

Michael John Neill, Blogger
http://blog.casefileclues.com/

Gena Philibert Ortega, Exhibitor-FamilyLink & Blogger
http://philibertfamily.blogspot.com/


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Tombstone Tuesday - 20 Jul 2010 and OTR

On the Road
Through the Years
With Dr. Bill

A Memoir Excerpt (OTR 2 - NE1)

[Also, Tombstone Tuesday entry for 20 Jul 2010]

On Thursday, July 15, 2010, Nancy and I were driving to a family gathering in central Iowa on the second day out from a Utah visit. We were going to be going east on I-80 past Grand Island, NE, where a set of my great-grandparents are buried, that I had not yet visited (even though we had lived in Emporia, KS, a few miles-perhaps 200-south, for 15 years).

As with most Nebraska towns along I-80, it seems, Grand Island sits several miles to the north of the route of the Interstate Highway. So, we exited and turned north onto US 281 according to our plan. We (actually Nancy) had checked out the directions and location as best we could on the Internet, the night before, in our motel room. The Soldiers Home was supposed to be east off of US 281 a few blocks near the north end of town.

Being a typical summer, there was road construction on US 281, almost immediately, and in a few miles, as we got to the edge of town, our side of the four lane road was completely closed, with a detour to the east. Proceeding on the detour, with a lot of other cars, when the detour turned back north, we went on east to the next intersection (recognizing on the highway map mini-map of Grand Island that it went all the way north, as well) and turned north, avoiding traffic.

Long story short (well, not quite), we got up to Capitol, as expected, turned east, again, and saw the Soldiers Home grounds on our left... right where it was supposed to be. But, no cemetery. We went along the east side of the grounds, heading north, thinking it might be behind the Home. Immediately behind the grounds, there was an east-west road, but we could go no further north because of a major train track, with train, no crossings. We proceeded west - crossed US 281, still under construction, and a couple of more miles. [Nancy's cell phone rang - it was brother Bob, with the latest info on their location coming to the family gathering]. I kept going west, slowly. No cemetery. Finally, a few miles west, we had passed a new school - they were still talking on the phone. I turned around, went south past the new school, and came to Capital street and turned left - back toward the Soldiers home. Phone conversation ended. Crossing back over US 281, again, about two blocks, there was the Cemetery, on the left... just a couple of blocks west (forested blocks) of the Soldiers Home.

The cemetery was not large, thankfully. From the third photo we had, we had a good angle on locating the grave markers from the building with the flag. Here I am in one of the photos Nancy was kind enough to take, with the two stones.

After getting our photos, see the rest in the links, above, we slipped out of town to the east, caught the Interstate, and got back on our way to Iowa. Perhaps 45 minutes had transpired... though it seemed a lot longer.


Oh, the memories!  ;-)

On the road 1 - Iowa1

On the Road
Through the Years
With Dr. Bill

A Memoir Excerpt

[This is the first of what I expect will be many notes, here and elsewhre - the start of a Memoir set]

On Thursday, July 15, 2010, Nancy and I were driving to a Bolger family gathering the following day, in central Iowa. Iowa is our home territory, of course. We were born and raised in Coon Rapids, Iowa, north of I-80. In the years since we moved away from Iowa, we have always returned from the south, it seems. This trip, we were returning from visiting Annette and Larry in Utah, so we were coming in on I-80, via Omaha, in to West Des Moines.

What made it notable was, with all the familiar town names we saw along that stretch of highway, we had rarely actually approached the last fifty to hundred miles directly east on I-80 into West Des Moines, where we had our motel reservation.

Familiar names along the way, and related thoughts:

Minden - knew Methodist Church kids from there, from camp and MYF
Shelby - ice cream cones at gas station there in middle years
Harlan - Brother Jim worked there for a few years
Walnut - Nancy has ancestors who lived there - antiques - we went there for her to look for genealogy records once.
Atlantic and US 71 - often path to Carroll when we lived in Emporia
Wiota - girls basketball power, in the 40s - do they still have a school?
Anita - State Highway 148 - commonly used when we were going to Coon Rapids from Emporia
Adair - Adair County, Arbor Hill - Had Kinnick ancestors there
Greenfield - Paul and Dorothy Kinnick married there (my maternal grandparents)
Menlo - another town where MYF friends lived, active group
Stuart - where Grandma Dorothy Sorenson (Kinnick) lived when they first came over from Denmark - her mother is buried there.
Earlham - friend during governor Ray years lived there; had a meat packing operation
Madison County line - where are the covered bridges?
Van Meter - home town of Bob Feller, baseball pitcher
Waukee - used to be out in the country; now part of metro Des Moines

That is enough for a start. It gets me going. More to follow.

Oh, the memories!  ;-)

Press Release for Midwest Family History Expo - Going?

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
July 8, 2010
Info at a Glance:
What: Midwest Family History Expo


LDS Feature Tour: July 29, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Free Keynote Address: July 30, 8:30 a.m. 

Family History Classes: July 30-31 all day
Screening of “The Forgotten Ellis Island”: July 30, 8:30 p.m.

Where: KCI Expo Center 11730 N. Ambassador Drive, Kansas City, Missouri.
Register: Online at http://www.fhexpos.com or call 801-829-3295
Family History Expos Debuts in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, MO--Nationally acclaimed Family History Expos will make its debut Midwest appearance in Kansas City, Missouri, July 30-31 with a special feature tour on July 29. The Expo will feature more than 100 family history-related classes taught by national experts at KCI Expo Center 11730 N. Ambassador Drive, Kansas City, Missouri.

Keynote speaker Lori Cox-Paul, director of Archival Operations for the National Archives at Kansas City (serving the Central Plains Region) will address family history enthusiasts from throughout the nation on July 30, 8 a.m., at the Exhibit Hall Classroom. The keynote address is free to the public and will be based on the theme, “Finding Your Family: Turning the Spotlight on Resources from the National Archives at Kansas City.” The opening session is free and opened to the public.
“We’re so excited to bring our services to family historians and genealogists throughout the Midwest,” Family History Expos Founder and President Holly T. Hansen said. “This event is a dream come true. We’ve had so many requests to hold a Family History Expo in the Midwest and now watch out, here we come!”

Family History Expos has held events to teach patrons techniques and technology to trace their roots throughout Western states for seven years. Hansen said this event is a result of natural growth and progression. “Family history research is so exciting, healing, and enlightening. We want to help everyone become more successful in their research quests,” Hansen said. The Expo promises more than 100 classes for beginning through professional genealogists.

This event is sponsored by Family History Expos, FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, AGES-Online, RootsMagic, Legacy Family Tree, Generation Maps, and Mid-continent Public Library.
LDS Tour Precedes Expo

For the first time ever the Family History Expo will be preceded by a LDS Historic Sites Tour featuring tour guide Glen Rawson, Thursday, July 29, 8:30 a.m.—4:30 p.m.

This eight-hour tour will take participants back in time to experience history at historically significant sites like:
    •    Mormon Church in Independence Missouri’s newly remodeled center honoring the past and the present, with exhibits depicting experiences of Mormon settlers in Missouri between 1831 and 1839
    •    Community of Christ Temple
    •    Liberty Jail
    •    Far West
    •    Haun’s Mill
    •    Adam-ondi-Ahman
The cost of the tour, $65, is in addition to registration for the Expo. Please register separately for the tour at our website, http://www.fhexpos.com.

Enjoy a Moving Movie with Family History Expos
Forgotten Ellis Island: The Extraordinary Story of America’s Immigrant Hospital by Lori Conway will be the feature film Saturday afternoon in the Exhibit Hall.

Register Early and Save
Register online at www.fhexpos.com or call 801-829-3295.
·         Pre-registration (by Thursday, July 29, 6 p.m.): $65.00
·         At the door: $75
·         One day: $40
·         Single class: $12
·         Opening session and exhibits are FREE to the public
·         LDS Historic Sites Tour, Thursday, July 29: $65 (in addition to the general cost of registration)


Christine Sharbrough
Event Coordinator
Family History Expos, Inc.
P.O. Box 187
Morgan, UT  84050
On the Web:   http://www.fhexpos.com
Main Office:  801-829-3295
Direct Line:  801-792-2596
Email:  christine@fhexpos.com

Follow Friday - 16 Jul 2010

 

Follow Friday - 16 Jul 2010

My recommendations this week. As usual, I normally pick a good post from my week's readings, or left from the prior week! Hope they are useful or at least interesting to you, as well! If it is your first visit, even better!  ;-)

POST:

This week I am recommending the July 2010 edition of the Graveyard Rabbits Carnival with the topic: Scavenger Hunt. There are 14 entries with an amazing variety of entries. I think you will enjoy reading many, if not all, of them.


BLOG:

This week I'm recommending Susan Petersen's Long Lost Relatives.net. The specific post that reminded me of this blog was her own Follow Friday from last week (8 Jul 2010): Review of 5 of Family Tree Magazine's best FREE web sites. I think you will find regularly following her blog will be a very rewarding experience.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Mom's Promotion to High School

Today I share a scan of my Mom's promotion document from eighth grade to High School, in Coon Rapids, Iowa, in May, 1932. Notice also that the Secretary of the School Board, Paul H. Kinnick, who signed the document, was her father. Neat!  ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Kids at Star Church

Last spring, I posted a photo here of the rural Star Church where I grew up in western Iowa, with my Dad walking in front of it.

This photo is taken in the yard of that church, when my wife and I were kids, about 8 years old (give or take a year or two, since I don't seem to have a year on it. I am the third from the right in the back row, directly between the two girls. The one on the right, above and behind the shortest girls, is my wife to be... for approaching 51 years...  ;-) We've known each other - 'forever!'  ;-) There is another one we we are about 3...  ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Tombstone Tuesday - 13 July 2010

Tombstone Tuesday - 13 July 2010

This is my fifth report of entering Tombstone Tuesday entries into Find A Grave, per my Challenge #22 and #23 resolution. Today I take on my earlier posts of 22 Dec 2009, 16 Mar and 23 Mar 2010  of the Schwyhart family at the Joseph Philibert Cemetery, near Kimberling City, Stone County, Missouri.


William Aster SCHWYHART (Find A Grave Memorial# 53882128) was born 2 Oct 1899 in Baxter, Stone Co, Missouri, the son (5th of 7 children) of George Mitchell and Margaret Elizabeth (YOCUM) SCHWYHART. He married Josie Bell YOKUM 9 Jul 1927 in Berryville, Carroll Co, Arkansas. They had one son, Kendall Ray SCHWYHART (b. 15 Mar 1943; d. 21 Mar 1987).
See Kendall at: Find A Grave Memorial# 25724388 {already there}

A brother of William:
Joseph Lincoln SCHWYHART was born 8 Mar 1897 in Baxter, Stone Co, MO and died 24 Mar 1985 in Springfield, MO. He is buried in Philbert Cemetery, Kimberling City, Stone Co, MO. He was the son of George Mitchell (1853-1937) and Margaret Elizabeth (1869-1947) (YOCUM) SCHWYHART.
He married Irene HARGROVE and they had two children. At his death, he had six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Find A Grave Memorial# 53882927


Joseph Leroy SCHWYHART was born 11 Sep 1931 in Stone Co, MO and died 11 Aug 1987 in St. John's Regional Health Center, MO. He was buried on 14 Aug 1987 at Philbert Cemetery, Kimberling City, Stone Co, MO. He was the son of Joseph Lincoln (1897-1985) and Irene (HARGROVE) SCHWYHART.
He served in the Korean Conflict in the U. S. Navy as a BMG3.
Find A Grave Memorial# 53883160


Families are Forever!   ;-)

My Hometown on Monday - All School Gathering 2010

My Hometown on Monday - All School Gathering 2010

The "Coon Rapids-Bayard (IA) All School Gathering 2010" is planned for this coming weekend, July 15-18, in Coon Rapids, Iowa. There are 125 persons on Facebook confirmed that they are participating. You can locate the Facebook page by putting the word in quotes, above, in the search box. Administrators of the Facebook page are listed as Alyssa Jackson, Janelle Kracht, Rich Baker and Try Trimble (creator of the page).



The weekend event opens with Live Music by Matt Woods and the Thunderbolts hosted by Whiterock Conservancy at Riverside Park from 7-9 pm on Thursday July 15. Golf, social hour and evening dinner are scheduled for Friday. Saturday will involve school tours, County Fair participation, late afternoon social hour and dinner, and the Figure 8 raceing plus Beer Garden with DJ or other activities at the Fairgrounds. Sunday afternoon will have Coon Rapids tours leaving every half hour from the Aquatic Center parking lot.

It also appears that the same group is beginning the organization of the observance of the Coon Rapids Sesquicentennial in 2013.

In related news, the following two class reunions are scheduled for this summer, as well (per FREESPACE in the Coon Rapids Enterprise):

1. Class of 1950 will hold their 60th reunion on July 24th & 25th. Saturday, July 24th, an evening supper will be held at 6 p.m. at the Carrollton Inn in Carroll. On Sunday morning, July 25th, a morning brunch will also be held at the Carrollton
Inn at 10 a.m.

2. Class of 1960 to hold 50th Reunion. The planning committee for the Class of 1960 will hold their 50th reunion on September 4 & 5. On Saturday, September 4th, we will gather in the party room at the Coon Bowl at 6 p.m., and order from their menu. On Sunday morning, a morning brunch will be held at 4104 Aspen Cove at Lake Panorama. This brunch will be followed by a pontoon ride on the lake. Contact person Deanie Christy Thomas at dthomas@netins.net or 641-755-5336.



Families are Forever!  ;-)

I am a proud Iowa State University Alum

Sometimes we get caught up in the major sports as representative of our favorite university. This excerpt from a recent alumni newsletter puts this nicely in perspective:

ISU posts best-ever performance in Directors' Cup chase
For the 2009-2010 athletics season, Iowa State recorded its best-ever finish in the 17-year history of the Learfield Directors' Cup (formerly Sears Cup), which is awarded annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, Learfield Sports, and USA Today to the nation's best overall collegiate athletics program. In the final rankings released July 1, Iowa State ranked 34th among 278 national Division I programs after earning points for its postseason performances in men's and women's cross country, football, volleyball, women's basketball, gymnastics, women's indoor track, wrestling, women's golf, and men's and women's outdoor track and field. Iowa State finished 97th in 2006, 73rd in 2007, and 58th in both 2008 and 2009. For the 16th year in a row, Stanford claimed the Cup as Florida placed second. Iowa State was one of seven Big 12 institutions in the top 35. Other notable placements include Texas A&M (6th), Oklahoma (12th), Texas (15th), Nebraska (17th), Baylor (31st), Oklahoma State (33rd), Texas Tech (44th), Missouri (49th), and Iowa (55th). Princeton (32nd) was the only institution with a smaller athletics budget to finish higher than ISU. View the complete final standings and press release online.

It is another very good day!  ;-)

Press Release for Midwest Family History Expo

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
July 8, 2010
Info at a Glance:
What: Midwest Family History Expo


LDS Feature Tour: July 29, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Free Keynote Address: July 30, 8:30 a.m. 

Family History Classes: July 30-31 all day
Screening of “The Forgotten Ellis Island”: July 30, 8:30 p.m.

Where: KCI Expo Center 11730 N. Ambassador Drive, Kansas City, Missouri.
Register: Online at http://www.fhexpos.com or call 801-829-3295
Family History Expos Debuts in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, MO--Nationally acclaimed Family History Expos will make its debut Midwest appearance in Kansas City, Missouri, July 30-31 with a special feature tour on July 29. The Expo will feature more than 100 family history-related classes taught by national experts at KCI Expo Center 11730 N. Ambassador Drive, Kansas City, Missouri.

Keynote speaker Lori Cox-Paul, director of Archival Operations for the National Archives at Kansas City (serving the Central Plains Region) will address family history enthusiasts from throughout the nation on July 30, 8 a.m., at the Exhibit Hall Classroom. The keynote address is free to the public and will be based on the theme, “Finding Your Family: Turning the Spotlight on Resources from the National Archives at Kansas City.” The opening session is free and opened to the public.
“We’re so excited to bring our services to family historians and genealogists throughout the Midwest,” Family History Expos Founder and President Holly T. Hansen said. “This event is a dream come true. We’ve had so many requests to hold a Family History Expo in the Midwest and now watch out, here we come!”

Family History Expos has held events to teach patrons techniques and technology to trace their roots throughout Western states for seven years. Hansen said this event is a result of natural growth and progression. “Family history research is so exciting, healing, and enlightening. We want to help everyone become more successful in their research quests,” Hansen said. The Expo promises more than 100 classes for beginning through professional genealogists.

This event is sponsored by Family History Expos, FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, AGES-Online, RootsMagic, Legacy Family Tree, Generation Maps, and Mid-continent Public Library.
LDS Tour Precedes Expo

For the first time ever the Family History Expo will be preceded by a LDS Historic Sites Tour featuring tour guide Glen Rawson, Thursday, July 29, 8:30 a.m.—4:30 p.m.

This eight-hour tour will take participants back in time to experience history at historically significant sites like:
    •    Mormon Church in Independence Missouri’s newly remodeled center honoring the past and the present, with exhibits depicting experiences of Mormon settlers in Missouri between 1831 and 1839
    •    Community of Christ Temple
    •    Liberty Jail
    •    Far West
    •    Haun’s Mill
    •    Adam-ondi-Ahman
The cost of the tour, $65, is in addition to registration for the Expo. Please register separately for the tour at our website, http://www.fhexpos.com.

Enjoy a Moving Movie with Family History Expos
Forgotten Ellis Island: The Extraordinary Story of America’s Immigrant Hospital by Lori Conway will be the feature film Saturday afternoon in the Exhibit Hall.

Register Early and Save
Register online at www.fhexpos.com or call 801-829-3295.
·         Pre-registration (by Thursday, July 29, 6 p.m.): $65.00
·         At the door: $75
·         One day: $40
·         Single class: $12
·         Opening session and exhibits are FREE to the public
·         LDS Historic Sites Tour, Thursday, July 29: $65 (in addition to the general cost of registration)


Christine Sharbrough
Event Coordinator
Family History Expos, Inc.
P.O. Box 187
Morgan, UT  84050
On the Web:   http://www.fhexpos.com
Main Office:  801-829-3295
Direct Line:  801-792-2596
Email:  christine@fhexpos.com

Follow Friday - 9 Jul 2010

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Treasure Chest Thursday - 1 May 1960 news clipping

This news clipping was from the local paper, from May 1, 1960, as I finished my junior year at Iowa State University. I did take the trip to Miami mentioned in the article. Quite an experience for a 'naive country boy!'

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Midwest Family History Expo - Blogger of Honor

This is the first of a series of reports: MFHExpo Report - stay tuned!

I am pleased to announce that I have been invited to participate as a Blogger of Honor at the Midwest Family History Expo in Kansas City on July 30-31. The Expo will be held at the KCI Expo Center, 11730 North Ambassador Drive in Kansas City, near the airport.

I hope each of my readers in the Midwest will consider attending the Expo this year. You can see from the list of speakers, including Lori Cox-Paul, on the National Archives in Kansas City, and the wide variety of educational class sessions, that there is something at the Expo for just about every person to become involved in and go away with a great experience.

I will be providing regular reports on Expo activities leading up to, during, and following the July 30-31 Midwest Family History Expo in Kansas City. Hope to see you there; if you cannot attend this year, read about it here, and plan to attend next time.

Also, you may want to follow my posts as the Springfield Genealogy Examiner, for additional perspectives.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Angel Food Birthday Cake

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday

The tradition continues, this is year 71:

Oldest daughter, Annette, fixed an angel food cake for my 71st birthday, at her house.
Visiting were grandchilden, Alex and Kaylee, daughters of youngest daughter, Arrion and her husband, Ben. Annette's husband, Larry, and my wife, Nancy, were there, as well, but not in this photo. We had white frosting, optional, with strawberries and cool whip, as well.

Earlier story on angel food cake for my birthday.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Tombstone Tuesday - 6 Jul 2010

Tombstone Tuesday - 6 Jul 2010

This is my fourth report of entering Tombstone Tuesday entries into Find A Grave, per my Challenge #22 and #23 resolution. Today I take on my earlier posts of 10 Nov 2009 on John S. KINNICK, and on 24 Nov 2009, his parents, my 3rd Great Grandparents, at Forest Hill Cemetery, Wyanet, Bureau County, Illinois.


You may recall that John S. KINNICK was the young man mentioned in our 1953 "family history" book as "killed in action, Civil War, abt 1865." Of course, it turned out, based on his tombstone, that he died at his families farm home on 5 Jun 1851, just short of his 14th birthday. I've always treated it as a great example of: Don't report what you don't know!  ;-)
Find A Grave Memorial# 53872525

John's father was Walter W. KINNICK
Walter died accidentally, at a relatively young age in 1853, just a little over 43 years old. Susanna lived a long life, over 75 years, and died in 1884.
Walter married Susanna SCHWYHART in Ohio in about 1843 or 1844
Find A Grave Memorial# 53875107


John's Mother was Susanna (Susan) SCHWYHART KINNICK (1809-1884). She was born Susanna SWINEHEART, in Pennsylvania, the daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth ZIMMERMAN SWINEHEART. She and her siblings each changed their surname to SCHWYHART as young adults.
From 1859 to 1870, when he died, Susan was married to Ephriam Yarrington. After his death, she reverted to using her KINNICK surname for the last years of her life. Ephriam was also buried with his first wife.
Find A Grave Memorial# 53875658


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Special Report - Creating Family Memories

Creating Family Memories

Yesterday we shared our three generations participating in a family float in a 4th of July Parade in Torrey, Utah. On Sunday evening, it was cool on the mountain, so Larry lit a fire in the fire pit to roast some marshmallows. A beautiful evening - sweater weather.

Today we went up on Thousand Lakes Mountain, about an hour away, by both paved and gravel road, with the Jeep and and van, to Round Lake, about 8000 feet. There was a picnic table where we had some donuts and got out the fishing gear.

Grandpa and grandma looked after the 2 and 1/2 year old granddaughter, Kaylee, so the 6 year old grandson, Alex, could go fishing for the second year in a row. Kaylee got to come along this year to get a little familiar with what was going on.

Aunt Annette spent quite a bit of time with Alex, as well has his mom and dad, helping him learn.

No one caught anything, this year... but, it was a great experience.

Families are Forever!  ;-)