Treasure Chest Thursday- Cossairt, Cosad, Cazart, Cozart Family

My great-grandfather was Lemuel TUCKER (b.IL abt. 1842, died 2 Sept 1855 White County, IL). He married Martha Ann COZART (b. abt. 1849 White County, IL, died 30 Mar 1910 White County, IL) on 20 Sept 1866 in White Co., IL

This couple have always fascinated me since I have known little to none of this vein of the tree for so long. Gradually, and with humor, the COZART line of the family is becoming one of the most interesting and researched lines on Ancestry, RootsWeb, and others. There is still much I have to personally prove and collect records down to my line, but my treasure today gives me some insight into doing that.

I had heard of this book on several message boards and was thrilled when it surfaced for me to purchase from a nice woman trying to clear out her inventory. "Genealogy of the Cossart Family, Cossairt Family, Cassatt Family, Cozart Family, Cozad Family, Cosad Family by Joseph Arthur Cossairt" was typed on carbon paper in 1932. It appears he sought to contact as many cousins in the United States and write a comprehensive listing with sources noted where he could.

It is a great source for me and I have not even scratched the beginning of its surface in surveying all the information included, but to me-- one of those enduring treasures!

Wordless Wednesday- 27 January, 2010

Everyone's Dream, Everyone's Nightmare

Tombstone Tuesday- January 26, 2010

I decided today to show a few tombstones from a trip taken to Lexington, Kentucky over Labor Day weekend a year ago, some for their overall design, one because it is the middle of basketball season, and the others because of their connection to Lincoln and I do live in the middle of Abraham Lincoln's years before he became president.

In memory of

My Boys

Samuel B. Todd

David H. Todd

Alexander H. Todd

All Confederate Soldiers

"He'll raise you up

On Eagles Wings

Bear You On The

Breath of Dawn

Make You to Shine

Like the Sun

And Hold You In

The Palm of His Hand"

In Memory of Our Beloved Son and Brother Marty Matthews

Adolph Frederick Rupp

U. K. Basketball Coach  42 Years

Olympic Coach 1948

Four NCAA Championships

Nationall Basketball Hall of Fame

Saturday Night Fun (On Sunday Morning)

Once again I am a bit late for the party, but I wanted to respond to the "Saturday Night Fun" entry suggested by Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings. (For some reason I can't get the blog linked right now, but please look him up; Randy offers good information regularly on his blog, as well as his "Saturday Night Fun" challenges").

His question- "Tell us about your "other" hobbies or interests outside of genealogy."

I wrote a few days ago about how I am trying to integrate my genealogy with scrapbooking, so I will leave that one alone, but i did discover a new activity this past summer when I was looking for something that my teenage daughter and I could do together since she will soon be off to college. That activity was letterboxing.

Letterboxing and geocaching are similar, but with letterboxing you DO NOT KEEP anything found in the box. It's like going on a scavenger hunt that involves solving puzzles, but also being creative because others can't see what you are doing or the box you are finding. That way it can be rehidden for the next person who comes to find it. My daughter and I have a journal that we carry with us and a stamp and ink. When we find the letterbox based on clues we got off the internet, we open the box and use the stamp insde and enter it in our book, then enter our stamp in the book with the stamp, reassemble the box, then hide it back again. Letterboxing.Info is an excellent resource to learn about letterboxing. We have done it in the rain, the highest heat, hiked into woods I didn't know existed in my city, and also been to several cemeteries. So sometimes I coordinate this hobby with genealogy.

There are times when I cannot letterbox. Unfortunately I have had a winter in which my health has fought hard with my mind and many times poor health has won out, so when that happens I also enjoy listening to books on tape. They calm me and therefore calm my muscles. I really enjoy books like those by JD Robb, and James Patterson, Patricia Cornwell, etc., but I am also starting to listen to books that are of a historical fiction manner. I decided they would help place my ancestors socially, so right now I am listening to James Michener's "Chesapeake" since many ancestors came from Maryland and Virginia during that time.

After perusing this entry, it would be a good entry to add to my recent challenge regarding assessing myself and leaving information behind for later descendants about this ancestor.

Til next time,

Kim

52 Weeks to Better Genealogy- Challenge #3- Assess Myself

I have to admit, when first planning to write on this challenge I made an assumption. We genealogists all have a list of "Dos"  and "Dont's" when it comes to researching as well as a list of commandments gathered from the books we read and the seminars we attend. "Do not assume anything" is right up at the top of every list, and yet when I sat down to write this entry I had to chuckle to myself.

All week I had planned on writing about this challenge, one created by Amy Coffin for this year titled "52 Weeks to Better Genealogy" that are being supported by the Genea-Bloggers Group on Facebook.  I had delayed in writing because I wanted to take a few moments to review my genealogy resolutions for 2010 first. Why make a list of goals for the year if there are no plans to follow them, right? (By the way, so far I am doing all right. I am in the middle of getting wayward papers filed where they belong and have assembled some new modular furniture for my tiny den that is helping control location central).

The irony is that the challenge for this week titled "Assess Yourself" was not about doing an assessment of my research goals, it was to do an assessment of my personal records and timeline events in order to make sure that future generations find my life well documented and included in my genealogy records. That's what happens when I make assumptions, yet it is a perfect time and reminder for me and for all of us as we move forward in our genealogy pursuits.

So, how am I doing? How do I plan on improving? I would consider myself one of those ancestors with a spotty record at this time. I have gathered all the important papers including birth, marriage, real estate, school, etc. into one location, and I have copies recorded in relevant binder (I have my direct lines in 3-ring binders separated into categories such as census, military, everyday life, etc. Siblings are included into their own sections, and any records for my ancestor before marriage go in the binder with their parents). 

I enjoy scrapbooking and am currently beginning what's called "Project Life" by Becky Higgins. In Project Life you take one photo a day and write a quick little note. You can also put a movie ticket stub or any other memorabilia if you don't want to take a picture. The kits are supposed to be available on Amazon next week. I like that it gives a snapshot of everyday life, and I did the same thing last year with a previous kit.

There are other steps to take, including gathering past writings, putting togther a photo album, and doing my own interview of myself that might bring out some areas for pursuit. Putting togther my own timeline of my life should bring up many ideas on records to gather,and  pictures to put in an album that would best represent my life. I also like the journal prompt books that are available that ask everything from favorites to political views.

I think I will take this challenge and spend some time each week on myself as well as on those elusive ancestors.

Treasure Chest Thursday- January 21, 2010

This is a tea set I was given by my paternal aunt several years ago when I went to visit her out west. Dated 1918 on the bottom, I have it sitiing on a high shelf in my home with some doilies my grandmother crocheted.

I call this a twofer treasure since two of my treasures are in one spot!!

Wordless Wednesday- January 20, 2010

My great- uncle Harry McDANIEL sitting in the front seat, and great aunt Juanita McDANIEL, both of White County, Illinois, children of Israel McDANIEL and Clyde Bell McDONALD.