Youtube Video | Beginning Research pt 1

A quick guide on how to start your own research with Censuses! Tomorrow's post here on the blog will be more detailed information on Census and what you should keep your eyes out for. In the mean time start filling out everything you know right now on your family tree and lets get started!

Thank you for watching and see you tomorrow!

| Ancestor Spotlight | Journals of Grace Gull

Grace Gull was called to Western States Mission in Denver, Colorado. At this time Grace's divorce from Harry Granbery was pending, she had a 22 month old daughter and engaged to a man named Roland Heeder. On the mission Grace would frequently guest the home of the Whitaker family with the other missionaries in the area. Here, she met and fell in love with the son, Berlin. Grace became torn and confused. With a daughter and fiance at home, while serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Grace was lost emotionally in the mission field. As her love for Berlin grew, the Whitaker family did not welcome her into their home.

She writes in her mission Journal:

17 May 1923

Though she tells me to give you up, I cant and will not. Her life is almost spent, I am just beginning mine and hope it is with you.

As her and Berlin's love began to grow they created a secret language to communicate to each other. To this day no one knows how to break the lovers code..... until NOW!!

Last year, I was in the processes of writing my last paper for my degree at BYU. It was all about these journals and her life as a missionary mother. My main goal was to find a way to break the code. One of the best things about college was connections. There I knew someone in the field would know how to break this code. I had my dear friend Amber put to the test, and in less then 24 hours she broke it and had it all translated. 

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

UnK

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

Unk

Unk

My mind is still blown from this. Three generations passed. And now it is saved. She writes 

February 26- Tuesday

“The thing which I have been fighting so long has at length taken possession of my whole soul I have prayed and prayed for help that I might overcome my desires for him . but they increase - rather than decrease after the D we talked of things ------ the thing is we cannot trample on someone else to enjoy our happiness.

I hope he calls at six.”

March 15

‘I am thinking of you sitting near me - that I can feel the caress of your hand - that you are telling me of your love- what it means to you.  I am wondering where you are at this time- if there comes to you a longing for your sweetheart- as there is in my heart. I shall go to bed with these things on my mind- and think of them until sleep overtakes them...

If we want happiness dear, we must stand the tempest- because when we once embark, there is no turning back. It is for time and eternity.”

Within five month of the May 1923 journal entry Grace had passed away. Berlin and Grace were sealed in 1967 along with Grace's daughter, Derelys. 

Every time I write about Grace, I feel a love unlike any other. The more I learn about her, the more I want to be like her. (Well I could pass on a few things) But  the amount of love she gives to people is unreachable. 

Grace Gull, Missionary Journal: 5.
Derelys Anthony, "Mama," Mama and Me, 1-2.

The Decoding of Grace’s letters and diaries was done by Brigham Young University Family History- Genealogy Student, Amber Larsen on February 10 2017

YouTube Video | Visiting Cemeteries Part 1

Sorry this video is a day late! This weekend , well, life happened. This is part one of this series where I go around and visit as many cemeteries as I can.

Please like and give feedback and let me know what you would like to see next! 

My Favorite Genealogy Apps

I am not afraid to admit it. Im addicted to apps! Picture apps, lifestyle apps, fitness apps, ANY APP. So over the years I have found my favorite genealogy apps (and least favorite, but we keep it positive here) and I am here to share them with you! 

After visiting Roots Tech I know there are many new apps coming out, but for today here are my GO TO apps I use almost every day! 

Family Search & Family Search Memories

I am very blessed that many people in my family love genealogy as much as I do. So I want to have all the latest finds at my fingertips. I use the Family Search app to have my tree accessible at anytime so I can do quick look ups. Family Search Memories is just the memories for  your family all in one place. This makes it easy if I need a picture of my great great grandfather to show off. 

Find A Grave

Find a grave has saved me more then once. While visiting my great grandmothers grave in Los Angeles, California, my mom and I could not remembered where she was buried ( embarrassing I know). I looked on Find a Grave and there was ALL the information I needed to find her burial.  I even took the liberty to take a picture and upload it right to the app so know we can see her marker right there! And will find it quicker next time. 

Ancestry & Ancestry DNA

Now don't get me wrong. If I could be home on my desktop computer doing genealogy all day I TOTALLY WOULD. But there are times I am out and about and have a few minutes to spare. I use the ancestry app to just get some quick finds. Its usually just reviewing hints that were all ready found for me. This really helps me keep moving forward in my family history work. And it keeps me off of mindless apps ( cough.... facebook) 

Ancestry DNA I have so I can show it off to who ever will listen to me :) 

JRNL

JRNL is an amazing app I discovered during our monthly Genealogy Meeting. Its a journal on your phone. You can add pictures, share it with friends/family, and it has promptings to help you start a journal entry that you dont know what to say. I mostly use it again when I don't have my actual paper journal with me and I am at ease that my memories will be kept on an app! 

Billion Graves 

Just like the other apps, its just a great little tool to have on hand if you are not next to a computer and have to find a grave or a record... what you don't go to cemeteries for fun? That's weird. 

I have many more apps I use and will definitely share those in the future! Hopefully you found this helpful and let me know what apps you use to do your own family history research! 

MY YouTube Channel

I cant believe I am doing this! I have made a big leap of faith and start a Youtube channel. This channel is to help enhance our learning together when it comes to family history. I am not sure exactly how its going to end up but I am excited and nervous to put this out in the world.

My goal is to upload every Sunday and have fun content that will make you WANT to get to know your own family! 

This first video is a simple how to start indexing.  Please feel free to give me feedback. I want this channel to grow and improve every upload

Thank you for your support! 

Enjoy

August Photo Challenge

Photos are a great way to get to know your ancestors. It gives you a visual and understanding that just simple text can not. I saw a post by Genealogy Girl Talks (find on Instagram) and thought what a fun way to get to know your family in a less intimidating way! It will also inspire you to look in places you didnt know about. Take the challenge and tag us, @themillennialgenealogist  and @genealogygirltalks  so we can see your photo stories!

Have fun and get to know your family! 

Genealogy, Why Do It? By Brenna Ernst

Genealogy, Why do it?

I once heard that genealogy is in the top ten hobbies in the world and at times is the second most searched topic on the internet. Yet when people hear that I am going to school to become a genealogist a common question I get is why I would want to do that. Some people perceive family history as boring or a pointless endeavor - they are wrong.

Family history is amazing; in fact I love it so much I have three, of the many, reasons why YOU should do family history.

1. You are part of something bigger than yourself.

Thinking about all the people who lead to you being here can be mind blowing. Just think about it. You have two parents, which means four grandparents, and eight great-grandparents. This goes back generations, doubling each time; meaning by the time you have hit your 10th great-grandparents there were 4,096 people who played a part in creating you. Those four thousand people aren’t your ancestors exclusively, but share a connection to who knows how many descendants. That is a connection you share with many people, most of which you probably don’t know. Think of all the unknown cousins out there! Maybe you’re related to the guy who held the door open for you, or the woman who checked your groceries. As you start researching family history and learning not only about your direct ancestors, but their children and grandchildren the world seems to open up while at the same time become much smaller.

2. Strength can be found in stories of forefathers.

The world has never been easy. Each generation has had its struggles, and each individual who has walked this earth has had to learn ways to deal with it. As we take time to learn about our ancestors and what they went through we can find examples of strength. One family I researched made the journey from England to the United States during the early 1800s. When William and Elisabeth left the United States they had four children. At the six month mark of their living in St. Louis, Missouri all four of those children had died from various illnesses within a nine month span. Elisabeth would give birth to two more children while the couple was in Missouri, both of which died before the age of five. Yet the couple persisted. They continued working towards the goals they had come to the United States for and eventually would have four children who grew to adulthood. I marvel at the strength Elisabeth must have gone through to not only uproot her family, but to lose her children along the way. As I think of how she must have felt, I can’t help but admire her spirit for continuing forward. That is when I am reminded that a part of her is in me. I exist because she existed. And maybe some of her determination is in me. Maybe if she could be strong and keep going through those hard times, I can keep going through my hard times.  This is a sense of strength many of us feel as we learn of the feats our ancestors faced.

3. 
   You get to be a detective.

I love watching crime shows. It amazes me how through the investigation process, they take tiny clues which over the course of the show eventually result in everything being solved. Family history is a lot like that. Through various documents created during someone’s lifetime tiny clues are searched for in an attempt to recreate what may be called the “crime scene” or that ancestor’s life. This search can be tedious and ,unlike those many shows I have binge watched, may take years to fully complete, but when you have gathered the evidence that allows you a glimpse into the life of an ancestor it has the most wonderful payout. Not only is there the great sense of accomplishment, but I adore the feeling that I, like the tv detectives, was able to piece together events of the past.

Now getting a family historian started on why you should do genealogy can lead to a long conversation you may not be ready for so I will cut myself off here. But let me leave you with this. Family history is an amazing work. It is incredibly difficult and often frustrating, but it is also ridiculously rewarding. The strength and understanding that can come from searching for those clues about the many individuals who lead to you being you is astounding. So why not give it a try? Start with something simple like learning more about your parents lives - who knows what discoveries you might find as you learn more about your family’s past?

By Brenna Ernst

PHOTO: https://mormonfamily.net/4506/mormon-family-kids-build-identity-family-history