What a Find

It seems that I'm exclaming "OMG, What a Find!" quite often these days. Today I joined Miriam, Teri, Apple, and Craig for Miriam's monthly "Scanfest". A group of genealogy folks "meet" in a Windows Live Messenger conference and chat while scanning pictures. I spent almost the entire 3 hours just sorting through about half of the pictures that were in my dad's collection. 3 hours just putting pictures into separate piles! Whew!

I did manage, however, to scan one picture that I had to share. It is one of my mother, Jean O'ROURKE (standing) at what looks to be her first communion. It is definitely "someone's" communion, as the other girl in the picture definitely is dressed for the part, with the veil and all. . But my mom's dressed pretty formally too, so maybe it was both of their communions. Perhaps one of my TIGHE cousins know who the other girl is? At any rate, the picture, which I'm guestimating was taken in 1946 or 1947, came out great, thanks to the fact that the original is pretty well preserved.

What Does Your Work Space Look Like?

I finally managed to find space to put all the treasures I'd found from my dad's home and put away the folding table on which it was all resting. I actually have space to WORK!

I bought a few photographic storage containers (archival safe, of course) for the pictures from the delipidated (sp?) scrapbooks. Right now I have one for photos scanned and one for photos not scanned yet (guess which one is fuller? Hint: Thank God for Miriam's Scanfest on Sunday!).

Then I boxed up two shelves' worth of books to sell at an upcoming community yardsale and adjusted the shelf heights. Then I re-labeled the magazine holders and alternated the three of them (one for Family Tree Magazine, one for Genealogy how-to books, and one for Ireland of the Welcomes Magazine) with my research notebooks that hold my documentation. I then placed these items on top of the bookcase, along with the digital scrapbook I'm making and a notebook of GENTREK lessons. Check out ShoeString Genealogy for lots of research lessons!

Then I folded down the card table and put it under my bed, which made more room for my guitars. Finally, I kind of cleaned off my computer desk. There's only so much I can do with that space! I do have an empty tv tray by the desk to use for things I'm currently working on.

Lastly, a picture of Izzie, my dog. He can't stand to be left out of the picture!

Okay, now that I'm finished with all that, this makes for a good TAG question. So I'm tagging Miriam, footnoteMaven, and Janice. What does YOUR workspace look like?

Same or Different? Revisited

A few weeks back I posted two pictures of whom I believed were the same person, my maternal great-grandmother Jane DOYLE. (The picture on the right is an updated, touched-up version sent to me by my cousin, Linda, who found me apparently through this very blog, like so many other cousins have done! Thanks Linda!).

The question was whether or not this is the same person. A few people responded, either via this blog's "Comment" link or via email. The consensus is that it probably is the same person. But low and behold, there's a new mystery. Take a good look at the following picture (also sent to me by Linda).

Left to right, if I labeled this picture correctly, are Margaret, Mame (Mary Ann), Alice and Johanna DOYLE. These women were all sisters of my great-grandfather, John J. DOYLE. These women look like sisters, no? And the woman(en) in the pictures at the top of this post bear(s) a striking resemblance to these women, no?
Well, if that's the case, the person in the top photos is not likely my great-grandmother Jane DOYLE. Why? Because she was born a McHUGH/McCUE and married my great-grandfather John J. DOYLE. She wouldn't bear such a resemblance to these women here if she was not a DOYLE (well, unless some big secret was held!).

Now, another cousin, Joyce, emailed me stating perhaps the woman in the chair was Johanna DOYLE. Apparently she was often referred to as "Ma DOYLE" as well. Or perhaps she was the only one referred to as that, though I think I recall my cousin Mike Doyle telling me Jane was referred to that way, too. Heck it could be that all the DOYLE women above were referred to as Ma Doyle.

I also want to thank Terry Thornton for his analysis of the top two pictures in a Comment from the original post! I do think it's the same person, too, especially after reading all the work he did comparing them! I am just not sure anymore it's my great-grandmother Jane DOYLE!

Forgive Me, Ancestors

Star in Your Own JibJab! It's Free!I sure hope Blanche and William TIGHE and Mary HODICK-MCHUGH and Eddie WILLIAMS will forgive me this little jab!

Look A-Like?

While scanning some more pictures from my Aunt Norie's scrapbooks, I came across this picture:Take a good look at the woman in the middle. I don't know about you, but the moment I set eyes on the woman in the middle my mind flashed to a certain pop culture icon. Anyone care to guess who this woman reminded me of?

Nice Matters ... A Lot

Last week, Miriam nominated me for a "Nice Matters" award. That was so sweet. Of course, she wouldn't think I was so nice if she was with me while grocery shopping today. Can someone PLEASE tell me WHY grocery stores put those big cases of bottled water in the middle of the store? Don't they realize that by the time customers get to them the bottom of their carts are full and they have to re-arrange everything to fit the thing in?????

Anyway, it was really nice to be nominated. The idea now is to nominate another blogger, who is then supposed to keep it going by nominating other bloggers. I'm going to nominate Donna, a friend of mine who is trying very hard to be patient while waiting for her daughter, Lauren, to be ready for adoption in China. She's going to be a great mother, and I can't think of a nicer person to get the award.

I do have a lot of other non-blogging nice people to nominate though. All of my friends, of course and family would qualify. But keeping with my genealogy theme, I would have to nominate all the cousins who have found me via this blog or email lists. They have truly made my search far more than I hoped for: I'd hoped for information, but I got family connections. I always wonder what our ancestors are thinking, seeing their descendants find each other from across the country!

So I'd like to nominate Pat Dunn, my 3rd cousin once removed on my maternal O'ROURKE/KEARNS line who found me because of another cousin from that line, Jack who I also nominate. Then there's Pat and Joyce, second cousins of mine from one of my maternal TIGHE lines. Joyce's son Marty deserves credit too, as I know he's done a lot of research too. Then there's Mike, my 2nd cousin once removed on my maternal DOYLE line. Then there's Tom, my first cousin once removed on my paternal HODICK line. And John/Jackie and/or Jerry, who made copies of a 1918 portrait of the HODICK line that I treasure. And my newest cousin, Jim -- a 2nd cousin from the formerly elusive McHUGH line (the paternal branch). He recently emailed me just after I'd found a few pictures of the McHUGH clan amidst a bunch of HODICK pictures. What timing.

I feel like I've just won an academy award, naming all the cousins for whom I'm grateful for their assistance, but more importantly, for their reaching out to connect with a cousin they previously didn't likely know existed. I hope I didn't forget anyone, and if I did, it's only because so many of you have contacted me and my recordkeeping probably isn't the best!

Now, I can't leave without posting a picture. So I will post one of my new-found pictures that I think is an awesome picture (and well-preserved, too, as it would have been taken sometime between 1900 and 1920) ! It is of my great grandfather Edward HODICK, taken outside a watering hole in Kansas, probably near Pittsburg. Yes, that's Pittsburgh, KS :). Edward is the third from the left as you look at the picture.

If anyone happens to know of the one-time establishment, I'd love to hear from you for some historical background!