I have been researching my family history for about 15 years now. I have made many new friends and found cousins I didn't know that I had.It has been very interesting & exciting.

My names I'm researching are:ARRINGTON,AULTOM,CARTER,COLLIER,LEWIS,HOLT,LITTLE,LEVERTON,PELLAM,PRINCE,ROBERTS,WALDROP,WILLIAMS,GOSS,GRAHAM,PROFFIT/PROFFITT,HAMMETT/HAMETT,RHODES,TRIM,WOODS



There are more, but that is all I can think of at this time.

Family History gives me a sense of knowing my ancestor that I might not have without genealogy research. I have a few that are brick walls & I can't figure out how to break them down. One such ancestor is my 3rd g grandmother Lavina/Lavinia m. to Jesse CARTER. Jesse, Lavinia & 2 year old son Houston are in 1850 census McMinn Co,TN. Nearby are Jesse's parents Henderson CARTER & Matilda TRIM Carter and Carter siblings. After this they move to MO, where,according to Jesse's pension papers, in about 1856 Lavinia died & is buried Howell Co,MO,& that Woodson Easley & Rutherford Easley would know of her death. I have posted querys & so far no one in the Easley family know aything of her. I did find a pension application paper for a George Woodson Easley & a Lavina C. is listed as a widow. But when I looked at a Cemetery in Howell Co,MO where he is buried there is a woman by a completely different name buried there by him & inscription says she is the wife of George Woodson Easley.

After Lavina died Jesse married again to Elizabeth & had more children.They are in Gentry Co, MO 1860 census. Then they move to El Dorado, Saline Co, ILL & Jesse enlisted in Union army. In same town & C0 are some of Jesse's Carter family & a bunch of Easleys. In Jesse's pension papers he says he did some work after the war for a man by last name of Bramlett. Joseph Easley married Margaret Bramlett. Also one of the Easley daughters married a Miller.Either his name was Houston Miller or their child was named that. My GG grandpa, Jesse & Lavinia's son is names Houston Carter. There seems to be too many coincedences not to be connected somehow. Anyway, I have a big confused mess to figure out.



Anybody have any ideas?





Karen

I have been doing Geneology for about 40 yrs. I really wanted to find out what happened to my Grandmother. She dissappeared when my Mom was 2yrs. old. The family always said she ran away from home during the night & hopped on a train that went by their house. I know after all these years that she is dead. My Grandfather was not able to marry again until she was declared dead. I have not found her in a census since 1920. Any sugestions would be greatly appreciated.

Nancy~



How sad. My great-great grandmother did something similar, and family gossip has it that she moved to New York where she lived with a man, but never married him. I haven't had any luck, but maybe some of what I've tried will benefit you.



I've learned to love HeritageQuest, which I get on for free thru the local library. I put in only her first name (in every spelling variation I can think of) in the year I'm looking at, starting at the last known residence and widening my search. It's slow, but even when you come up empty, you can cross that much more off your list.



The down side is that I have TWO grandmothers in different census (censi?) years that just FLAT don't show up anywhere. Whether they were hidden, or playing or neighbors gave the info, they are not there. Is it possible that there would be a reason your grandmother would have been hiding from the census taker and/or your family? Just some thoughts going through my head. Good luck!!



Amy

I've been researching my family seriously for the past 4 years. I've been fortunate to have received a lot of help, pictures from family, tidbits of information, friends in England who research. I've run into a brick wall where my gt. granfather is concerned,

My Aunt and 3 Cousins and I went to England last April and met family, and I've found cousins in Canada and Scotland.