One Lovely Blog Award

September just flew by, didn’t it? I haven’t had a lot of opportunities for blogging, but I can’t let the month slip away without saying a big thank you to three special people. Each of them were kind enough to nominate me for the One Lovely Blog Award that’s making the rounds these days.

The first nomination came from Cheri Hudson Passey, who writes Carolina Girl Genealogy. Cheri shares about researching her Southern roots. I was amazed to learn she has eleven children. (And I thought I was busy…)

I also received nominations from Fran Ellsworth, author of Branching Out Through the Years, and Linda Stufflebean, who blogs at Empty Branches on the Family Tree. Fran has six children, 25 grandchildren, and three blogs. Wow. Linda was a special education teacher, which means she’s touched countless lives. She’s a relatively new genealogy blogger, and doing a great job with it.

Thank you, ladies! It means a lot to me to have such dedicated and enthusiastic readers.

The terms of the award are:

1. Thank the person(s) who nominated you.

2. Share seven things about yourself.

3. Name 15 bloggers you admire (or as many as you can think of).

4. Contact those bloggers to let them know you’ve tagged them for the One Lovely Blog Award.

So…here’s seven things about me:

• I have three children—two girls and a boy
• My favorite TV shows are Castle, Parks & Rec, Mad Men, and Downton Abbey
• I was editor of my college newspaper
• I enjoy snow skiing, but don’t get as many chances as I’d like (Ohio isn’t exactly known for its high elevations)
• I made my first hand-drawn lineage chart at age 14
• Reading is one of my favorite pastimes. I recently finished (and recommend) Fannie Flagg’s The All-Girls’ Filling Station's Last Reunion
• In any situation, I know exactly the right response to “O-H…”

Many of the bloggers I follow have already been tapped for the award, so I’ll try to avoid repetition if possible. Here are my nominations, in alphabetical order:

Carolina Family Roots: Charlie Purvis

Family History Fun: Susan Donaldson

Family Matters: Kathy Reed

Genealogy Circle: Cindy Freed

Graveyard Rabbit of Sandusky Bay: Dorene Paul

Jenealogy: Jennifer Alford

Karen’s Chatt: Karen Miller Bennett

Random Relatives: Diana Richie

Yvonne’s Genealogy Blog: Yvonne Demoskoff

This really goes out to everyone who makes the time and effort to write stories about their ancestors, tell us about resources and tips for doing family history research, and keep us informed about technology and genealogy news. Keep up the good work, all you lovely bloggers!

--Shelley

The One Where I Feel Incredibly Honored

Last week I received some exciting news from the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors (ISFHWE). ISFHWE encourages “excellence in writing and editorial standards in genealogical publishing,” and to promote that goal they host an annual Excellence-in-Writing Competition. I submitted entries in the “Columns” and “Published Articles” categories for this year’s contest. After I sent them in, I tried to put the whole thing out of my mind for awhile. That is, until this message from Tina Sansone, the competition coordinator, showed up in my inbox:

Dear Shelley,

Congratulations! You have won the following in the ISFHWE “Excellence in Writing” competition:

1st Place Columns: Shelley K. Bishop, “The Legacy of Mary Comfort Eberhard”

2nd Place Articles: Shelley K. Bishop, “Turning Forests into Farms: The George Clark Family of Licking and Delaware Counties, Ohio”

Woohoo! I’m thrilled, to say the least, and so honored to have won awards in two categories. A hearty congratulations to all the other award winners. As I look over the names on the ISFHWE announcement, I’m humbled to be in such great company.

Like many genealogists, I write primarily to share and preserve what I’ve learned from researching my ancestors. At the same time, I try to find universal themes within my family’s story that might strike a chord with a wider audience. But it’s hard to know if I’ve succeeded in doing that or not until something like this happens. When it does, it’s oh-so-rewarding.

"The Legacy of Mary Comfort Eberhard” first appeared here, as a post on A Sense of Family, on February 6, 2013. It grew out of my desire to share some of my grandmother’s stories about her mother, coupled with fascinating information I found in an old dairy company newsletter. Telling the stories of our female ancestors, who generally show up in fewer official records than men, can present special challenges. Digging into home sources such as letters, baby books, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, and keepsakes—some of which may be held by other relatives—can lead to neat discoveries about their lives.

“Turning Forests into Farms: The George Clark Family of Licking and Delaware Counties, Ohio” was originally published in the Winter 2013 issue of the Ohio Genealogical Society Quarterly (Vol. 53, No. 4). It traces one branch of my family tree through four generations, beginning with their 1811 arrival in the Ohio frontier. Weaving information from early land office registers, deeds, vital records, agricultural censuses, newspapers, cemeteries, and other records together with social history sources like county histories, published memoirs, and maps, I show how the family’s growth echoed—and was tragically affected by—the times they lived in.

ISFHWE will be publishing all the articles they awarded prizes to in future issues of Columns, their quarterly newsletter. You can become a member and read them all for just $20. I know I’m looking forward to some excellent reading in the coming months.

Thank you to ISFHWE and its judges for this recognition. Thanks also to the Ohio Genealogical Society for publishing my work, and to all my blog readers. It’s a pleasure to be writing for you. Now, what story should I work on next?...

--Shelley

Related Posts:

Five Lessons Learned While Writing

The Legacy of Mary Comfort Eberhard

George Clark, Ohio Pioneer: 52 Ancestors

Blog Awards, Gratefully Received

I’ve had several pleasant surprises in the past week or so as A Sense of Family has been nominated for two blog awards. I’m delighted and honored to have been selected for these awards by five fellow bloggers whose work I enjoy. What a nice way to start off the new year!

Jana Last at Jana’s Genealogy and Family History Blog nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award. Liebster means "friend" or “dearest” in German, and the little heart insignia reminds me of a piece of folk art. Thank you, Jana, for this honor. If you aren’t already a regular reader of Jana’s blog, you’ll want to be sure to check it out. She does a terrific job of finding interesting posts to highlight each week on her “Follow Friday—Fab Finds” posts, and shares some great Sepia Saturday photographs and travel stories with her readers.

I was also kindly nominated by Margel, who writes 2338 W. Washington Blvd. Margel’s posts about her family history adventures are always a delight to read, warm and full of her natural good humor. You can tell you’re in for a treat just from her “About Me” profile, where she says, “If I ever win a fortune in the lottery, I will travel the world and hire someone else to clean my house.” Now there’s a woman after my own heart!

A third nomination for the Liebster Blog Award came from Linda Huesca Tully of Many Branches, One Tree. That’s a great name for a family history blog, don’t you think? Linda wrote that she has just discovered my blog, for which I’m grateful. Now I’ve discovered hers as well, and am enjoying her loving memories of family members.

Mariann Regan of Into the Briar Patch recognized me for the Wonderful Team Member Readership Award. The creator of this award wrote, “As bloggers, we are also readers. That is a part of blogging as listening is a part of speaking.” Thanks, Mariann, for this nomination. It seems especially fitting, as Mariann herself is such a loyal reader, frequently leaving thoughtful comments and gracious words on my posts. Her blog is relatively new, but she’s taken right off with it, as you can see by her recent thought-provoking post on Boone Hall Plantation.

I’m grateful as well to Jacqi Stevens of A Family Tapestry, who also granted me the Wonderful Team Member Readership Award. Again, I could just as easily flip this around, because Jacqi herself is such a supportive commenter on my blog. I recently wrote about how she inspired me to come up with A Kinder, Gentler Approach to Genealogy Goals. Currently Jacqi is going through a stash of inherited photos and writing about her discoveries—an interesting series that gives me ideas about how to approach some photos of my own.

Thank you not only to these bloggers, but to all my readers. I’m grateful for each and every one of you. An extra thanks goes out to those who take the time from their busy days to write a comment when something I’ve written has helped, inspired, interested, or touched them.

Both of these awards ask recipients to nominate other bloggers in return. But in the interest of time, that part is going to have to wait until another day. I read and enjoy so many great blogs that I’m finding it nearly impossible to single out just a few. We are a lucky community to have so many people dedicated to sharing their family history discoveries and genealogical knowledge for all to benefit from. I’m just glad to be a part of it.

--Shelley 

Passing It On: One Lovely Blog Award

Thanks again to Cheryl Palmer of Heritage Happens for giving me the One Lovely Blog Award! The conditions of the award ask for those who receive it to:

1. Accept the award and post it on your blog along with the name and blog link of the person who gave it to you

2. Pass along the award to 15 other blogs you’ve recently discovered

3. Contact the bloggers you’ve chosen to let them know about the award

The 15 blogs that I’m sending the One Lovely Blog award to are (in no particular order):

Nolichucky Roots

What’s Past is Prologue

Climbing My Family Tree

Finding Eliza

Family History Writing

Staats Place

The Ancestral Archaeologist

Gen Wish List

Heritage Zen

The Armchair Genealogist

'On a Flesh and Bone Foundation'
Leaves & Branches

Moultrie Creek Gazette

The You Go Genealogy Girls

Adventures in Genealogy Education 

Thanks to these and the many other great bloggers whose posts enlighten, instruct, touch,  and entertain me every day!

One Lovely Blog and an Irish Blessing

Cheryl Palmer of Heritage Happens recently honored A Sense of Family with the One Lovely Blog Award. Thank you, Cheryl! It’s a thrill to be recognized by a blogger whose writing I enjoy so much. Cheryl has a great voice and brings a lot of insight into her posts. If you’re not already a regular reader of Heritage Happens, I highly encourage you to check it out.

In a future post, I’ll do my part to pass the award on to 15 more bloggers, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, I want to send out this Irish blessing in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. I don’t have any Irish ancestors that I know of, but my husband does, stretching back many generations on his maternal side. They came from County Down and County Antrim, from Bangor, Belfast, Larne, and Islandmagee. I admit I’ve become a bit entranced by Islandmagee, a rugged peninsula on the northeast coast of Ireland where my husband’s great-grandmother, Annie Carmichael Flack, was born. If I win Ancestry.com’s “True Irish Roots Sweepstakes,” you can bet I’m going to go there!

And so, a little Irish wish to all who read this:

                             May your pockets be heavy

                        And your heart be light,

                        May good luck pursue you

                        Each morning and night.

Ten "Ancestor Approved" Discoveries

I was thrilled earlier this month when Linda McCauley, who writes Documenting the Details, gave me the “Ancestor Approved Award.” The award was created by Leslie Ann of Ancestors Live Here in March 2010, and has been passed along to many genealogical bloggers. I am honored to be in such wonderful company. Thank you, Linda, for the unexpected but much-appreciated recognition!

Recipients are asked to make a list of ten things they have learned about their ancestors that have humbled, surprised, or enlightened them. Then they are to pass on the award to ten other bloggers who are doing their ancestors proud. Because I had to replace my computer’s hard drive and was busy preparing for the holidays, it took me a little while to compile my list. It’s been a good wrap-up exercise for the end of the year, though. Here are my ten:

1.    I was surprised to find my ancestors Samuel and Matilda Wright living in the area served by the Dublin, Ohio post office in 1870. This is the community where I now live. It’s nice to know I have roots here that go back deep into the city’s 200-year history.

2.    I was humbled by the hardships suffered by two of my Civil War ancestors, Newel King and John Steele. Newel contracted measles in camp, and endured seizures and ill health the rest of his life. John fell sick on a march, which left him permanently weakened and unable to work. They were just ordinary soldiers, but their stories make the sacrifices of that generation real to me.

3.    I was humbled, too, by the fortitude of the women of the Civil War generation. Mary Steele applied for a widow’s pension as soon as she was eligible, but it took over a decade of continuously submitting affidavits and forms before her application was approved. In the meantime, she was destitute. Somehow she managed to raise her kids and survive.

4.    It was enlightening to discover what my 7^th great-grandfather, Johan Adam Rausch, likely experienced when he immigrated to the colony of Pennsylvania in 1736. It was a long, hard journey from the German Rhineland to Philadelphia, with an uncertain future upon arrival. There are so many questions I would love to ask him!

5.    It was enlightening to learn about the Revolutionary War service of my 6^th great-grandfather, Jacob Roush, who served in a Virginia militia from Dunmore (now Shenandoah) County. He also fought in the Battle of Point Pleasant in Lord Dunmore’s War (October 1774)—a fascinating story of miscommunication and bravery.

6.    I was excited to find Jacob Roush then bought land in Gallia County, Ohio, along the Ohio River, in April 1803—just a month after Ohio became a state. His descendents remained in Gallia County for nearly a century. Maybe that’s why I feel a special affinity for southeastern Ohio. I have a long kinship there. Two of my children have carried the connection forward as students at Ohio University in Athens.

7.    I was thrilled to discover the original baptismal Fraktur of two of my great-grandparents, John Llewellyn Eberhard and Mary Madina Comfort, in my aunt’s possession. These beautifully illustrated parchments, characteristic of the “Pennsylvania Dutch,” document their births in Lehigh County and are priceless family heirlooms.

8.    My husband’s ancestors are just as interesting and inspiring as my own. It’s been tremendously satisfying to trace six generations of his family in Portage County, Ohio, and to locate the graves of his 3^rd great-grandfather, Fitch Bishop, and 4^th great-grandfather, Eli Barnum—both previously unknown. Sharing what I’ve found with my father-in-law has been one of my highlights  as a family historian.

9.    I am deeply indebted to the ancestors who took up the role of family historian long before me. Christine Steele, Harold Crites, and Harriet Boynton Whiting left written chronologies and summaries that have proven invaluable. Even though they are gone, I feel a sense of partnership with them, almost as if we are collaborating through some transcendence of time.

10. It’s amazing to realize how far back I can go with people I actually knew. I remember my paternal great-grandmother, Irene (Clark) Ballenger, who was born in 1887. My memories of my maternal great-grandmother, Mabel (Seely) Herrel, born in 1891, are even clearer. Of course I knew these women late in their lives, and only from a child’s perspective. But still, that’s a long reach, and it makes me realize I need to write those memories down. Now.  

If choosing ten things about my ancestors was hard, choosing just ten bloggers out of the dozens that I read was even harder! There are so many talented and interesting writers in the genealogical blogosphere. And you are all doing your ancestors proud! I tried to identify bloggers who may not have received the Ancestor Approved Award before, though there's probably some overlap:

1.    Malissa at Family Epic

2.    Rita at Tattered Past

3.    Teresa at Teresa’s Tangled Roots

4.    Kelly at Sunny Ancestry

5.    Elizabeth at Genealogy Geek

6.    Cheryl at Have You Seen My Roots?

7.  Caroline at Family Stories

8.  Diana at Random Relatives

9.  Travis at TJL Genes

10. Jenna at Desperately Seeking Surnames