Wish List

There are 2 things I am anxiously awaiting. The MAC version of FamilyTree Maker due out sometime this year and the 1940 census to be released in April of 2011!

Death Certificates; a genealogist's treasure

Death Certificates are one of my favorite sources for information about an ancestor. Not only can you find their date of death, date of birth, last residence, and parentage but also their cause of death. This little fact can sometimes solve or start a mystery. Take for example my great grandfather John Wesley Tracy. My father had heard that he died in a hunting accident. After ordering his death certificate and obituary I found that he had died of a massive heart attack while sighting a rabbit with his rifle. He was hunting and I guess it was an accident but not what my dad thought all these years. No big deal but kind of interesting nonetheless. You could make a great story for the fact that it was the beginning of the depression and times were tough for farmers but the reality is he died of a heart attack; happens all the time; the only thing interesting is that he was about to shoot a rabbit. I wonder if the rabbit understood its great luck that day? Then there was the curious coincidence between my great grandfather Charles Gotcher and his father Daniel Gotcher's cause of death. No big deal if they both died of a hereditary disease but no, they both died of a fractured skull. Charles in an auto accident and Daniel in a Steel Rail accident. It was probably just a coincidence but an interesting one.
I just like that Death Certificates give me a little more insight into my family history.

McConaughy 80th Birthday

80 years of Kenneth McConaughy!

We love you Grandpa!

Kissing Grandparents

It's nice to know that my great grandparents still loved each other into old age.  And weren't embarrassed to show it.  Pictures like this make me even happier to be part of this family.

Uncle Larry teaches me to stick out my tongue?

Okay, so either Uncle Larry taught me to stick out my tongue at that time or it is hereditary.  I have stuck out my tongue when I'm thinking my entire life; as evidenced by this picture.  So, Larry, did you teach me this embarrassing habit or was I born with it?

Some pages from Grandma Jean's high school autograph book...

The first one is from her high school sweetheart and my grandpa.  When questioned he couldn't remember what "Amote" meant but after some research I found that it was latin and meant a very stong love (like a punch to the chest).  Strong feelings grandpa.  The next one is from grandma's cousin Donna, who became my grandma several years after my grandma Jean died.  And the last autograph is by my grandma herself.  I never realized what a sense of humor my grandma had.  She was a popular girl at her very small school and she stayed popular throughout her life.  I would contribute that to the fact that she was genuinely interested in people.

4 Generation Pictures

The McConaughy side of my family has a tradition of taking 4 generation pictures.  I love these and I am blessed to take part in this tradition.

Hannah Ward, Rosanna Gotcher Ward(me), Karen McConaughy Gotcher, Ken McConaughy

Rosanna Gotcher, Karen McConaughy Gotcher, Ken McConaughy, Eva Parmenter McConaughy

Karen McConaughy, Jean Siefken McConaughy, Beryl Richert Siefken, George Richert

Karen McConaughy, Jean Siefken McConaughy, Herman Siefken, Louisa Schael Siefken Clodt

Doris Siefken Pieper(Jean's older sister), Herman Siefken, Louisa Schael Siefken Clodt, Amelia Beardenburg Schael