Learning family histories

Grandmas’ hands creatively cooked cuisine in Nebraska kitchens

The Good Genes Genealogy team share maternal grandmothers. We benefited from tasty treats and meals from our Great-Grandmother Edna Wilkes Robinson, and equally great dinners and gatherings at the home of her daughter, our Grandmother Helen Wilkes Owen Douthy. In honor of the New Year, our thoughts and gratitude are in honor of both grandmothers’Continue reading “Grandmas’ hands creatively cooked cuisine in Nebraska kitchens”

Christmas is the reason for the season of escape for the enslaved

No matter how scarce the food, clothing and other resources, our enslaved Black ancestors found ways to celebrate Christmas. Reverend John Wright was a Presbyterian minister active in Cumberland County, Virginia, during the 1760s. On the Feast of the Epiphany, 1761, he wrote to several benefactors in England describing the following Christmas scene: “My landlord tells me,Continue reading “Christmas is the reason for the season of escape for the enslaved”

Tune in … read on for Black Christmas holiday traditions

We are movie buffs. We love to watch holiday movies, especially the ones we used to watch with our families. We are also avid readers and there are historical holiday stories that we recall listening to and reading with our families. Listed below are a few hard-to-find or ‘never knew’ existed entries to your holidayContinue reading “Tune in … read on for Black Christmas holiday traditions”

Book the best ancestry gift-giving

The best gifts we can give to our family members are the ones that record our histories. Recently, a church member told me that her father’s wife has placed all of his legacy possessions in storage. Since his death, this church member said she has not had access to her father’s belongings, especially the familyContinue reading “Book the best ancestry gift-giving”

Encouragement for family ancestry slueths: Finding a Christmas present in the past

This December 1963 photo unlocked a few mysteries about our maternal grandmother Often the Good Genes Genealogy Services team will encourage our fellow ancestry history seekers to review your family documents, spaces such as attics and garages, and other artifacts for clues to our family history. We used our advice. Searching through our grandmother’s boxes,Continue reading “Encouragement for family ancestry slueths: Finding a Christmas present in the past”

How our ancestors’ Christmas traditions brightened our lives

“When I was a child, I remember my grandmother giving each of her grandchildren a large candy cane and $5 in an envelope. It didn’t matter how young or old we were, we all waited for and loved getting this gift at Christmas,” said Veverly Byrd-Davis of her grandmother who is now one of ourContinue reading “How our ancestors’ Christmas traditions brightened our lives”

Cyber Monday e-books on sale from Good Genes Genealogy

The Good Genes Genealogy team is honored to offer free or very low cost services to our clients. To keep our costs free for great consultations and other research, check out our Cyber Monday e-books. Check us out on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Lulu Publishing. Thank you. We are grateful for our blog readers, socialContinue reading “Cyber Monday e-books on sale from Good Genes Genealogy”

Genealogy Book Black Friday Sale!

We are thankful that you are a member of our genealogy family. To show our gratitude, the Good Genes Genealogy Services team is offering our November 2021 ebook, Family Ties That Bind, to you at a Black Friday 2022 rate. We are providing you with preview of the book. Please follow the link to ourContinue reading “Genealogy Book Black Friday Sale!”

From NPR’s It’s Been a Minute

WUAL APR Weekend Edition Saturday “No Stone Unturned: Preserving Slave Cemeteries in Alabama” An APR news documentary Alabama Public Radio | By Pat Duggins Published November 4, 2022 at 7:07 PM CDT Alabama voters head to the polls next week for the midterm elections. One ballot item would abolish slavery in the state. The vote takes placeContinue reading “From NPR’s It’s Been a Minute”

All set: Precious finds from our grandmother’s China set collection

There are many ways to learn of our ancestor’s good taste in fine things. The Good Genes Genealogy team — First Cousins Ann Wead Kimbrough and Mark Owen — are fortunate that our grandmother, “Mama” Helen Wilkes Owen Douthy, was a collector of fine items, including china settings. Mama Helen always found discreet ways toContinue reading “All set: Precious finds from our grandmother’s China set collection”