Mam-ma's Southern Family

There is a wonderful database available at FamilySearch if you have Mississippi ancestors called “Mississippi Enumeration of Educable Children, 1850-1892; 1908-1957.” [1] I have both Coor and Welch families who lived in Copiah County during that first time span and decided to check out this database. First, before using the search box, I clicked on the “How to this Collection” box, which takes me to the FamilySearch Wiki page about these records. [2] Anytime a new database comes up, it’s a good idea to read up about it. I’ll find out what localities are included, what I would learn from the records, and why the record was created in the first place. This is helpful in case I don’t find my family listed in the return hits. What I learned It was suggested that these records could be used as a substitute for birth records. These listed both white and black students and included the names of the parents and children. They were compiled yearly and helped local governments with fundin...

I have now been blogging 12 years! In the past twelve months, I have written 18 posts about my maternal grandmother or her ancestors. Since this is a very small focus, I have not written many posts. They break down this way: 10 posts were part of the 52 Ancestors theme 2 posts were about locating family in the 1950 census 4 posts were about holidays 2 posts were about ancestral family stories (one for Saturday Night Genealogy Fun!) The two most viewed posts were: Turning a Negative into a Positive Broken Branch: When the End of the Line Families are not Well-Documented This post was highlighted on 52 Ancestors weekly blog: Branching Out - Watershed Mention in Deeds Can Help Place Property This year I will be working on my BCG renewal portfolio and will likely write less as I plan to use my grandmother’s family for one or more of the elements. I’ll share what I write later in the blog. But this won’t stop me from posting anniversary stories or other interesting finds. Copy...

Arthur N. Pauff, the husband of my maternal 2x-great grandaunt, Margaret Rose Lancaster, died on 21 December 1912 of lobar pneumonia. [1]  He was just 39 years old. The notice of his death was on the front page of the  Las Vegas Age . [2]  It begins with “The above brief announcement marks the sorrowful passing of one of the foremost citizens of Las Vegas.” This must have been a sorrowful time for the family, with just a few days to Christmas. He left a wife and two sons, Harry, 11, and Arthur, 9. He also left a thriving business, the A. N. Pauff, Men’s Clothing. An ad in an earlier issue stated how his store was preparing to be ‘handsomely decorated with Christmas trees and a wonderful variety of articles suitable for gifts.” [3] The funeral services were held Monday, December 23. As he was a member of the local masonic lodge, the Vegas Lodge No. 32, F. &. A. M., took charge. The Masonic service was held at the Methodist Church with Rev. Paul B. James and Rev. E.A. P...

Mam-ma & Tom Tom Christmas 1972 Merry Christmas!  Copyright © 2022 by Lisa S. Gorrell, Mam-ma's Southern Family, All rights reserved.

When documenting the death of my grandmother, Pansy Louise Lancaster Johnston ("Mam-ma"), I collected many different documents. Even though I know the date of her death, as I was with her just an hour before her death, it is important to locate physical records. Locating multiple documents about an event even helps us follow the Genealogy Proof Standard (GPS). For my grandmother, I have an official copy of her death certificate. My sister is the informant and I helped her with the information. Other records we should search for include: Obituaries My grandmother’s obituary was in the East Bay Times and announced the time and place of the funeral service. In earlier times, there might be both an obituary and a funeral notice placed by the funeral home. In large cities, this might be all you find. Also, check the newspaper after the funeral for a “card of thanks” thanking the community for their support in their time of sorrow. Funeral card or program My sister designed th...

I'm making my mother's cornbread stuffing for Thanksgiving dinner. It is likely a recipe passed down from my Mam-ma. Of course, I'll be cutting this recipe in quarters, as I'll just bake it in a casserole. This is my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner. Copyright © 2022 by Lisa S. Gorrell, Mam-ma's Southern Family, All rights reserved.

I have a photo of my mother’s grandfather, George Warren Lancaster when he visited their home in Walnut Creek in California. This would have been in the late 1940s, before my mother’s parents, Tom J and Pansy Johnston, moved to Pleasant Hill in late 1949. How do I know? The background of the photo is the yard of their house in a rural part of Walnut Creek. I have other photos of my mother and my grandmother with the house in the background. This photo of Warren doesn’t show the house but it clearly shows a rural location. The Johnstons moved to a suburban tract home in 1949. I don’t know the exact location of the house. Personal records in my archives always listed their address as Route 1, Box 49 in Walnut Creek. My grandmother told me they rented the house from Mr. Ford and had wanted to buy it, but he was not interested in selling it. I did discover a 1947 directory covering Walnut Creek and Lafayette that listed Tom J. Johnston’s address as Route 1, Box 49, living on Castle Hil...