Ancestor Approved Award - April 4, 2010

These three blog authors have awarded me the Ancestor Approved Award! They also write family history related blogs. Be sure to visit their sites.

Michelle at The Turning of Generations
Carol from Reflections From the Fence
Bonnie/Valentinoswife over at Amore E Sapore di Famiglia

Sometimes you wonder if anyone is even reading what you post! This is confirmation that people are reading my blog and some consider it award worthy - so a big THANK YOU to them!

With the acceptance of this award comes the obligation to "list ten things you have learned about any of your ancestors that has surprised, humbled, or enlightened you” and also to “pass the award along to ten other bloggers who you feel are doing their ancestors proud.”

I really took a long time to tackle this one. Not that I was procrastinating, but because I had house guests last week! Thanks for your patience. So here goes...

1. The first thing that comes to mind are all of those ancestors of mine who have served in the military, especially during wartime. I am humbled by their service to country, flag, and freedom.
   
2. Next I think about all the farmers! I know these first two are somewhat broad, but I can't seem to get anything to grow - did not inherit the green thumb. Everytime I go to the grocery store I am humbled by farmers who grow the food that keeps me and my family alive. I had a lot of ancestors who were general farmers.
3. My 3rd great grand-uncle, Judge Allen Baskin, was accidentally struck by lightening and died.
4. Immigrant ancestors come to mind. Specifically, my 9th great grandfather, Col. Thomas Pettus, from Norwich, England. He was the youngest of 12 children - almost certain not to inherit anything from his father. Believed to be a widower (not proven yet) he came to Jamestowne in 1638.
5. I'm surprised to have many Jamestowne ancestors! Love reading about this time in history and the "starving time", Indian attacks, and other calamities that occurred which people continued to endure to gain freedom and become land owners in their own right.
   
6. Having read a lot of accounts about migrations westward, I am truly amazed at what people endured to make a new life for themselves in an often unknown place. Similar to emigrants, I am humbled by their courage.
7. My great grandfather, Henry Ermon McVicker, lost both his first wife and young twin children during the 1918 flu epidemic.
8. Hugh Baskin was one of my Revolutionary War patriot ancestors. He rode a horse 394 days from May 12, 1780 to July 12, 1783.
9. Three of my female relatives married their husband's twice (married, divorced them, then married them again).
10. I am still astounded that I was able to walk into the Abbeville, SC Courthouse and put my hands on Hugh Baskin's original will from 1790!

1. Gen Wish List
2. We Tree
3. Patten: Genealogy
4. Mississippi Memories
5. Kathy's Genealogy Blog
6. The Graveyard Rabbit Student
7. Clue Wagon
8. Discovering Latvian Roots
9. Family Forest
10. Olive Tree Genealogy

Thanks again to those who recognized my blog with this award! It's my pleasure to pass it on to bloggers I follow!

Joanne

Copyright © 2010 Joanne Schleier

My Ancestor Talked to Me!

My husband is attending a conference in Colonial Williamsburg - YIPPEE! That means that I can do more research on my Jamestown/Williamsburg ancestors, the Pettus's, for a few days. The other evening I was waiting for him to finish up so we could go to dinner. It was cold and it was POURING! Now, had we driven my vehicle, I would have had an umbrella. But does my husband keep one in his car? NOOOOOO.

I made my way to the bookstore in the area of the Williamsburg Merchants - in the rain - determined to purchase an umbrella now that I was soaked to the skin anyway purchase another new journal. The last one I bought was at the same store. I wonder why it is that when I travel, I want to write more?

Anyway, I get to the book store and thumb through the leather journals until I find one the right size, unlined and about half the cost of the rest of them. I had already seen that the umbrellas were by the door and I'd grab one on the way out so I could have both hands free to fondle the covers and pages of the journals.

I turned to leave when all of a sudden, the radio that had been playing pop music with a disturbing beat (for a bookstore), sounded as though it was playing one of my favorite songs - Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber. The sound was so faint. I was determined to figure out if my ears were playing tricks on me. Did they change the station? How could they go from pop to this on the same station? It called me to attention and drew me in. I looked a the ceiling to find the nearest speaker. As I strained to hear the soft melody, I walked in that direction.

It was real. So, I stood there, KNOWING. Because I believe this is how the spirit world communicates with us (a little nudge, some recognition of something, a deja vu moment)  I waited, in disbelief for the "aha".

I was under the speaker now and it was the song I thought it was. As I looked around me, I was now right in front of the bookshelves of local interest, including Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown. OK! Now what? Well, there was a book I had been interested in picking up about an archeological dig that was done on the 17th century plantation site of my 9th great grandfather, Col. Thomas Pettus, they are called Littletown and Utopia in the area of Kingsmill.

I am browsing the shelves as I listen to the music, which still has me in disbelief. Then suddenly, there on the BOTTOM shelf, the very last book in the CORNER, wrapped in plastic no less, is the book I've been wanting to get my hands on - Kingsmill Plantations 1619-1800 by William M. Kelso!

I picked it up still listening to the music. I smiled and said "thank you" out loud to acknowledge whatever angel, guide, ascended master, ancestor, God - whatever you want to call that energy.

I have heard of this happening to many-a-researcher, both amateur and professional. In fact, at the my first conference last year, FGS in Little Rock, AR, I purchased 2 books published on the subject called Psychic Roots...Serendipity and Intuition in Genealogy and More Psychic Roots by Henry Z. Jones, Jr. I read both of them in about a week!

Do you trust your instincts? I can't tell you how many times this has happened to me. If you are awake to the hints and heighten your senses - you will have it happen to you too. When you least expect it. Like dodging the rain by finding yourself a bookstore while you're on vacation. Even though it happens to me quite a bit, I still can't believe it when it does. So, I decided to blog about it - every time. Then I can tabulate how much it happens and how frequently. This was the first time this year, so maybe at the end of the year, I'll count the frequency.

Has this ever happened to you? If you're a blogger, write a post about it and share your link with me and my readers in the comment section. I'd love to read yours!