Hands-On Experiences Enhance Genealogy

(This week's blog was written by StLGS member, Janet Foss, who shares some serendipitous travel experiences—and photos—in her quest to learn more about her ancestors. Hopefully, Janet's successes will inspire you to hit the road too, once the weather warms up. And from all of us at St. Louis Genealogical Society, a very happy/merry Chanukah/Christmas!)

 

Unexpected Finds

My husband and I travel quite a bit in an RV. We both love history. Whenever we are on the road, we seek out museums and historical sites. Lucky for me, our summer travels have provided several unexpected encounters that have enhanced my genealogy.

On a trip to Springfield, Illinois, I discovered that I was near Camp Butler National Cemetery. Just a week earlier, I had learned that my 2X great-grandfather reported for military service in January 1865 at Camp Butler. I hadn’t yet taken the time to determine where that might have been and here it was jumping off the page of a local travel brochure. In addition to being a troop processing center, the camp had a hospital, which necessitated the need for a cemetery. Although the camp is long gone, several photos and placards outside the cemetery office described the camp and subsequent national cemetery.

A month later, while spending time in Lexington, Kentucky, we visited Camp Nelson National Monument, a Civil War site and new addition to the National Park Service. While we were browsing through the museum, a volunteer pointed out a small re-created sutler’s store. Holding up one of the shoes in the display, the guide explained that there were three sizes––small, medium and large––and no right or left designation. (No arch supports or insoles either!) Suddenly I recalled my 3X great-grandfather, a boot and shoemaker in 1860s St. Louis. This was just what he would have been making.

Then while visiting Keokuk, Iowa, we toured the beautiful Victorian mansion of Samuel Morgan Freeman, a prominent citizen and attorney. Sitting on a side table In Freeman’s office was a Blickensdoerfer typewriter. George Canfield Blickensdoerfer, the inventor of this version of the typewriter, was a distant cousin of mine. Up to this point, I had only seen a picture of his invention. Here was the real thing, complete with the wooden carrying case.

Of course, we photographed these wonderful discoveries to add to my ever-growing collection of genealogy materials.

Perhaps what I am saying is that we can learn so much about our ancestors’ lives in many ways if we just remain open to them. We all spend countless hours searching databases on the Internet and scrolling through microfilms and other resources in the library. These are certainly invaluable tools in researching our family history, but making stops at museums, historical sites, and other places can provide a rewarding glimpse into our ancestors’ lives and help us piece together their stories.