Hidden Beneath Winter’s Debris…and other Genealogy Concerns

Today is the last day of March–supposed to exit as a lion so that Spring can arrive with warmth and beauty in April. Well, I can tell you that Spring has arrived in Tremonton, Utah where I live. My home is on a corner–the south side where the sun can shine all day. And since it is also a desert climate, the sun does shine once Spring arrives.

Along the sunny side of my brick house, there’s  a planter with a variety of plantings to keep it green (and sometimes filled with colors!). One Mother’s Day, my son planted daffodils in the enriched soils. Every year, without fail, those daffodils come up when the first sun of Spring warms the dirt. And this year has been no exception–lush green leaves in neat clusters have come.

Under the normal debris of the flower bed, I can see peeping through other bulbs–tulip, narcissus, crocus, and the dark green rosettes of spearmint. Once the daffodil leaves fall back, these bulbs will flower with blue, red, rose, orange, brilliant pink–but no yellow. For some reason, unknown to my agronomist and farmer son, there are no daffodils–just leaves. For almost 30 years, no flowers, no daffodils.

In early August, summer lilies will burst through the debris–the most glorious lilies! They grow separately, one bloom to a stalk. The stalks appear in the early morning, unannounced. They grow 18 inches in one day and then, the flowers appear–closed, and by the end of the day, the lilies open into glorious balls of periwinkle blue and shades of pink. Two days max from nothing to beautiful. Last August two batches of 20-30 lillies bloomed.

Are your hard-to-find ancestors peeking out beneath the genealogy debris?

For years, family members, and other genealogists perhaps unknown to you, have been at work looking for these ancestors. Copying entries from the internet; adding bits of family tradition; including the speculations of everyone; and finally, making the contributions from everyone fit. (As if the “make it fit” button on your computer can change the size or length of entries to fit a prescribed notion.)

Did you know that I am an expert at getting beneath the debris?

Years of training and experience have brought me an extra high success rate at pulling the right ancestors from the many candidates proffered. I believe that you cannot trace a man without his wife and his children, his siblings, uncles and aunts. Each of these provides information and thus, proof that you have the right family. An oblique reference to a family relationship can open up a spot to find the proof you seek. You really cannot search a man or a woman in a vacuum.

So if you have lost your way, or you are dealing with the genealogy debris accumulated over time–why not allow me to help you? Put my knowledge and experience to work. Your ancestors will cheer! Your favorite genealogist, Arlene Eakle  http://arleneeakle.com

PS And stick with this blog for answers to specific research challenges you may encounter along the way, if you choose to trace your family yourself.

 

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