Blog

An attempt to organize the stacks. In 2024, I discovered that my great-grandmother Lillian Bedichek was a prolific writer, researcher, thinker and ponderer. At some time in my early adulthood, I learned that she had published a Spanish Language textbook utilized by the Austin public schools and that her retelling of the Persephone myth explaining the seasons had been published in a children's magazine. But after inheriting a treasure trove of her unpublished works from my aun

Historic family items as symbols of hope.

Exploring my Maryland roots.

The Bedicheks were part of the US homesteader story. The larger story is a sad one to me, white (and a few black) folks given land stolen from Native Americans, but the more intimate story is one of adventure and fortitude -- building a cabin and attempting to live off the unforgiving high desert. As I am learning though, the full family story is more complex and interesting than the simplified version handed down for four generations. The family lore I brought to my research

So, the family story becomes much richer! Roy and Lillian's adventure was amazing, and now we have the just-as-amazing story of his parents'

As we prepared to leave Kentucky on our way to Des Moines, Iowa, I realized we could easily swing through Newmansville, Ill, the...

Here is a recap of my matrilineal line. my mother: Jane Logan Carroll (1942- still living!) Jane's parents: Mary Virginia Bedichek (1911-1995) + Gay Vaughn Carroll (1907-1983) my grandmother: Mary Virginia Bedichek (1911-1995) Mary's parents: Lillian Lee Greer (1885-1971) + Roy Bedichek (1878-1959) my great-grandmother: Lillian Lee Greer (1885-1971) Lillian's parents: Virginia LeStrappes Lee (1859-1955) + James Frances Greer (1858-1907) my 2nd great-grandmother: Virginia Le

Tombigbee River, Alabama A note about names. I use the women's maiden names, for simplicity and to keep everyone straight in my head (the name remains the same throughout her lifetime, rather than changing depending on whether she is married or not). Sarah “Sallie” Elizabeth Rivers Harwell born January 13, 1824 was the seventh of Sarah "Sally" Mason Alston's nine children, all except the eldest were born in Clarke County, Alabama. Before Sallie's birth, her father, Robert Riv

We have launched another Adventure with Ancestors! On this trip, my husband, dog and I are following my matrilineal line back through time (I wish!) and eastward across the southern US. I am not sure when my interest in my mother’s mother’s mothers began. Maybe it was when I learned about a silver spoon that has been passed down in my family from oldest daughter to oldest daughter. I thought it was so cool and I was disappointed that I was not in the line of succession, thoug

"A time comes when silence is betrayal..." Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It's Juneteenth, y'all, and time to own truths. My ancestor, Euphenia Derrick and her children, lived on the mainland across from Galveston on June 19, 1865. The land upon which they lived had been an outright gift to her husband, John Robert Derrick, from the Governor of the Republic of Texas, simply because he was white and arrived in Texas when he did. John simply applied for and received a "headright"

I have recently gotten back into researching my family’s history. I love digging for info and I get giddy when I find digital images of original documents. I love playing “Sherlock Holmes” and connecting dots. History has more meaning for me when I learn stories of real people in my family — where they were and what they were doing during key events. And since I am a purpose-driven person, I ask myself: Why am I doing this? Why am I obsessed with finding the enslavers in my f