Meet Virginia

In my last blog, I introduced you to a family in Mississippi—a family whose resilience and story captured my heart. Today, though, we’ll dive into something even broader. Over the years, I’ve built a family tree with 1,627 people, each one a thread in the intricate tapestry of history. As we continue this journey, I’ll introduce you to some of these individuals, tell their stories, and share how I found them.

This journey will take us across oceans and through centuries. From the quiet villages of England to the vast expanses of the American Midwest, we’ll meet pioneers of early Mormonism and settlers chasing new lives. These stories are more than names on paper—they’re lives that were lived, decisions that were made, and legacies that have been passed down through generations.

As we move forward, I’ll also be sharing the tools and methods I used to uncover these histories. Whether it was through navigating parish records, digging through census data, or piecing together fragmented family lore, I’ll show you how each discovery came about. Genealogy is a puzzle, and every story, every ancestor, fits into a bigger picture. I’ll provide insights into the research techniques that have helped me uncover these lives and hopefully give you tips that can help with your own family tree.

This journey isn’t just about celebrating the past. It’s also about learning from it. We’ll explore moments of triumph, but we’ll also confront the uncomfortable truths that sometimes surface in family histories. By understanding these stories, we learn more about the world we live in and how it has shaped us.

So, let me take you on a new journey. Meet Virginia—my Virginia, filled with history, family, and discovery.

Stay with me as we tell these stories, learn some history, and pick up invaluable research techniques. Together, we’ll bring the past to life and uncover the legacies that connect us all.