that ratty old quilt pt 3

Among the names that turned up was one I recognized as being much more than a cousin. I discovered that Mother’s half brother is buried in the National Cemetery in Fayetteville, Arkansas, as a result of his Korean War Soldier status. Finding his survivors was a little more difficult, because the government is loath to give out information that could possibly be used for identity theft. I fully understand and applaud that decision, but it certainly did not help matters. Despite the painstaking research and helpful suggestions from Old Chisholm Trail Chapter sisters, the days were soon bereft of anything new. As my frustration level rose, enjoyable yet fruitless hours in the Dallas library found me with only eyestrain and a newly-developed sense of respect and admiration for real genealogists. So it was back to the obituaries and subsequent online telephone directory searches. The result is that in the past year I have been able to find and contact several family members who still live in and around the old homestead in Hazel Valley. One sweet cousin suggested I use the find-a-grave index. Well, duh, why didn’t I think of that! Many cemeteries now have online lists of all who are interred. In one such list I found not only my maternal grandparents but also the great grandparents burial locations. Some of the websites even list contact information of the person who took the time and trouble to record and post the information. Sometimes, if you’re fortunate, there’s even a picture of the headstone. Other links can direct your search to the homepages for various State and Federal agencies. A personal check sent to the Archives in Arkansas gave me a copy of my grandparents’ marriage license. The entry on the bottom line showed that the person who had performed the ceremony was my great great uncle. Further research on his name turned up the fact that he had been a circuit riding Baptist Preacher. Now I knew there were preachers on both sides of our family tree. Another cousin emailed an old newspaper article about a house in England that our Osburn ancestors supposedly sold to Queen Victoria. I’ve yet to prove the authenticity, but wouldn’t that be luv-er-ly! As the days flew by and emails from a widening circle of sources graced the inbox, one clue quickly followed another. I not only found censuses to support the family emigration from Virginia to Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, but also discovered that Great Great Grandmother Perlina was a landowner under the Homestead Act of 1862. And, finally, one of the most cherished treasures of all, the Blevins ancestor who was a Revolutionary War Soldier/Spy from Virginia. WOOHOO!! Patriots on both sides of my family!! Supplement, here I come.