Greetings from North Carolina
A LOT HAS HAPPENED since my last blog! I have pulled up stakes in Louisiana and moved to beautiful North Carolina. Moving is a #$%*&!
But it’s worth it with cooler temperatures, gorgeous fall colors, hiking trails galore, and learning about my North Carolina ancestors. Yes, I have several lines whose roots go back to North Carolina in the 1700s and early 1800s. My head is spinning at all of the heritage travel ideas I have now in my own backyard. There are so many new presentations I want to create and share with you.
I never concentrated much of my research on those Carolinian ancestors’ lives, but I certainly am now.
I’m finding so many new and exciting opportunities here for me research-wise. I’m making new friends and connecting with long-lost cousins. I now live only one hour away from two cousins – one to the north and one to the south. Believe it or not, one of the cousins went traipsing through a cemetery with me a couple of weeks ago. It was a well-deserved break from unpacking. Did I mention moving is…NOT fun?
In just the past few weeks since moving to this wonderful state, I have had some incredible things happen in between the grueling task of unpacking. Let me share just a few:
Connected with two families of the former owners of our new home. They even shared old family pictures of the home and what it used to look like in the 60s and 70s. Stay tuned for a Family History Detective seminar on discovering the history of your home or property.
Discovered new family pictures, documents, and heirlooms with my North Carolinian cousin. I was so touched when she gifted some of those heirlooms to me.
Visited the church that my 4X-great grandfather started in 1833. Reaching out to local historical society volunteers led me to a new genealogical avenue on a family I only knew about in Mississippi. Going back another generation, I found this ancestor mentioned four times in an 1834 publication. I discovered he helped start other area churches. I’ll have more on this exciting discovery coming soon!
Met with local librarians and historical societies who are interested in bringing my lectures to the North Carolina community. Stay tuned to hear where I’ll be on Jan. 10, 2023, to present “Breaking Through Your German Ancestry Walls – Without Knowing German.”
In the upcoming blogs, you will hear more about these discoveries and my North Carolina adventures. I miss my Louisiana genie groups terribly, but thankfully technology keeps us easily connected. I have appreciated all of the sweet emails, texts, and calls wishing me well on this new journey. I look forward to taking you all along with me on this wonderful ride.
Until next time…happy sleuthing!
Heritage With Heart offers genealogy seminars, courses, and family history packages and is based in North Carolina. Owner Rhonda Roderer has been active in the field of genealogy for more than 30 years and is a first-time presenter at Rootstech in 2021. For more information on how to attend a seminar, or to work with her on your family history, visit www.heritagewithheart.com.