Roberts Roots & Branches

Rock Springs Miner, 10 September 1903, page 3. Wyoming Newspaper Project Online

            Several years ago while searching the Rock Springs City Cemetery, my husband Joe and I were on a mission to locate a few elusive graves and photograph the headstones.  When we first arrived,  I noticed a couple of men working on a headstone in a section of the cemetery where some of our family members were buried.  As we walked the cemetery, we edged closer to where the men were working.  Curiously, I told Joe I thought they were working on a family headstone, so we walked toward the site.  As we approached I realized it was a Roberts family headstone; it was the marker for Leitita Roberts (35) and Reuben Meacham (36).             As we approached the workers I found it difficult to determine if they were adding a death date to the marker and I was puzzled because I had not heard that Rueben had died.  Upon questioning, the wo...

Family love is messy,  clinging,  and of an annoying and  repetitive pattern,  like bad wallpaper.   ---Fredrick Nietzsch

Synonyms for possible: Likely Conceivable Imaginable Thinkable Definition:   Capable of happening, existing, or being true without contradicting proven facts, laws, or circumstances Synonyms for probable: Likely Credible Feasible Plausible Definition:   likely to be the case or to happen. Likely but uncertain; plausible. “Possible but not probable” was a phrase I heard repeated many times over while volunteering at the FHL.  Sure it is possible that a family would have 4 children in England and then have a child in the United States and then move back to England to have 2 more children—it could happen, but it probably didn’t especially in the 1700’s.  Knowing and understanding history and the society our family came from helps us understand what was feasible and traditional during the time-period in question.   Behaviors and customs must be considered while supporting documents need to be found to “prove” our theories....

If it is on the Internet it must be true! If it is on a “tree”, family group sheet or pedigree chart, it must be true! If it is in an obit it must be true! If it is in the newspaper it must be true! If it is on a census record it must be true! If it is a bible record it must be true! If my grandma told me, it must be true! If I heard it from someone at the family reunion, it must be true! If the name is spelled the same, it must be true!

"A man with a hump-backed uncle  mustn’t make fun of another man’s  cross-eyed aunt."   ---Mark Twain

Census Record Myths: 1.       Ages listed on census records are accurate 2.       Spellings in census records are correct 3.       Census takers knew how to spell 4.       Information was given by the person in the household who knew the information 5.       Families had to prove the information given to the census taker 6.       If you cannot locate a family in the census, the census taker just missed their home 7.       Census takers had to have beautiful and clear handwriting 8.       Census forms are accurate 9.       You only need to look at the page your ancestor is listed on 10.    Immigrant families were freely willing to give information to the census taker Computer Myths: 1.       Computer...

The Knocker Up After Hugh Roberts died in Pennsylvania, the family left and settled in Almy, Wyoming for a brief period of time.  While doing research on the coal mining town of Almy, I came across an interesting occupation that immediately caught my attention—the knocker up.   The town “knocker up” would walk up and down the street with a long stick tapping on the windows or doors of the local coalminers waking them up each morning in time to go to work in the mines.  Before alarm clocks and no mine whistles, there were knocker-ups. I never recorded the source of this story; however the occupation of the knocker-up is supported by internet searches and you will just have to take my word on it happening in Almy! And just what did you think the knocker-up meant? Source  here

The public ceremony in which your distinguished ancestor participated and at which the platform collapsed under him turned out to be a hanging. When at last after much hard work you have solved the mystery you have been working on for two years, your aunt says, “I could have told you that.” Your grandmother’s maiden name that you have searched for for four years was on a letter in a box in the attic all the time. You never asked your father about his family when he was alive because you weren’t interested in genealogy then.  The will you need is in the safe on board the Titanic. Copies of old newspapers have holes John, son of Thomas, the immigrant whom your relatives claim as the family progenitor, died on board ship at age 10. Your great grandfather’s newspaper obituary states that he died leaving no issue of record. The keeper of the vital records you need has just been insulted by another genealogist. The relative who had all the family ph...

Home is the place where,  when you have to go there,  they have to take you in.   ---Robert Frost

Circus Campbell Bros. circus reached here Tuesday morning, but were unable to give a performance in the afternoon, because of the high wind.  They were greeted by a good sized crowd in the evening, who pronounce the show the best that has been in Rock Springs for some time.  The animals were sleek and in good condition, the costumes fresh, and the acts good.  (edited) The menagerie was also above the usual standard.  Our citizens have been so disgusted with fake shows that they are a little wary of attractions of that sort, but if Campbell Bros. should come again, they will be greeted by good crowds.  (RS Miner, 10 Sept 1903, page 3.) Next to the above article was this note: Did not Go to the Circus One of Rock Spring’s’ prominent business men said he had no desire to go to the circus, “I stayed at home,” he says, “my oldest daughter does the kangaroo walk, my second daughter talks like a parrot, my son laughs like a hyena, my wife watches me ...

Roberts Roots and Branches presents the April Fool’s of genealogy and family history work!  Throughout the Western world April 1st, known as April Fool’s Day, is a light-hearted day of hoaxes and pranks.  What a great month to share the lighter side and unusual aspects of genealogy and family history work. This month I have included an interesting occupation, amusing newspaper items, research quandaries and my own photographic predicaments.  While most research is done alone at the computer, in the dark readers at the library, the dusty records of the courthouse or at solemn cemeteries it is nice to share some mindless predicaments that arise.  And on that note, here is the decal on my vehicle: