The Book

Click on the photos to see better

The tree on the cover of my family story book stands just west of the house where my sister now lives.  We always called it the Walts Family Tree.  A giant Oak--the oldest in the township, over 250 years old.  I found the saying under it on-line and I thought it was perfect.  Thankfully, we have many pictures of this fine tree because an ice storm in 2013, took half of it down and a high wind storm in 2014 took down the rest.  It was a sad for all of us, to see that tree gone.

 My introduction page

 Starting out with the oldest ancestor on my Father's side of the family and a map from where they lived..

The county they settled in New York--plus on the right, their names and their children with our direct ancestor designated by a *

A township  map showing their farms

Pictures and the story of the ones who moved to Michigan and bought the farm where Susan now lives.

and of course photos of then and now--

 Of course, I traced back the women in my family and that is how I found out we are related to Thorton Wilder and Almonzo Wilder (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

 and I made notations in italics--like these---

and to write about what was happening in the world at times in our lives

 and things that happened on the farm

and of course, headstones--just in case, 75 years from now, some great, great grandchild wants to go visit.

````````````````````````````````````
I wanted to do this because, even though Susan remembers our great grandmother, she was 4 when Sophia died.  I am the last remaining descendant to remember the "elders" and the stories they told me about their younger lives. To remember out parents when they were young and hear the stories my Mother told me of their dating and early married years.

 I wanted my kids and grand kids to have those family stories and not just the factual dates; of birth, death and where they settled.

Now--if I can just live long enough to get this put together and give it at Christmas--I will have accomplished what I intended.