Family Tree - "FAMILY LORE"

Happy New Year - my thoughts for this year is to be healthier, break down some brickwalls and knit MORE, learning new skills along the way.........

FAMILY LORE ........   At the time I took over as family historian from my father in 1999, my father had been told (who told him???) that our GARDNER name had been changed before leaving Scotland.(WH? WHO?) My father, John P Gardner Jr., believed that the original name in Scotland was RAMSEY.(WHY?)  At this time in my life, I was leaving California for Pennsylavania with my husband.  McClellan Air Force Base had been closed, and he was offered work at Tobyhanna Army Depot in the eastern part of Pennsylvania. We took it and looked upon it as an adventure for the under 5 years that he had left till retirement. YIPPPPPEY! and it was an adventure. Unfortunately, most all the relatives (living and passed) living in PA.NY, CT, OH were on my mothers side LITTLE's so I did not have anyone to ask about the GARDNER/RAMSEY question except for my dad. Now of course my father passed (2006) and I have no one to talk too about this question. Just like anything else, why didn't I talk to my father about it more, WHY? ...... just too many other things happening and it got put way back on the burner.

I am not really sure where to begin........ and begin with what? where? 

So I guess it would be somewhere before 1825. Why 1825? Well that is where I estimated George Gardner was born. Yes George Gardner is my fathers geat grandfather..... he was the first on this line to come to America around 1863-64. Yep, you're right, I have found very little about his life in America and have not been able to identify him in Scotland either. 

I believe he was born in Lesmahagow pt, Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland, but have not been able to confirm it yet.

He married a woman named Jane Smith in Scotland about 1862

Their first child, a son Harry, was also born in Scotland about 1863

And I believe they arrived in America around 1864 and lived in Ohio...  but no paper work yet. NOTHING.

I have not located them in the 1870USCensus, but they show up in the 1880USCensus. George is not listed, but she is listed with another man and four more children. So did George die, or just leave? What happened to him. Four of the five children on the census carried the GARDNER name ....  what happened to them? Where are they? Why can't I find them? The last child on this census is a infant female born to the new husband and Jane. Found her birth information and then NOTHING again. 

I looked for names that might be duplicated from the father or the mothers side and found NOTHING. Although I did find the first name George used several times BUT not Ramsey or anything close.

So far, nothing in my current research suggests that there was a name change prior to coming to America. Maybe that is why I can not find him .....  maybe, maybe not? But then again, I have found almost nothing about this man in Scotland or in Amcrica. Maybe I will need to do a deeper search on "Scotland's People." But with such common names, it is like looking for that needle in the haystake. Someday, someday I might find that ellusive information. 

GEORGE GARDNER seems to be a ghost at this point......... for as many years as I have been working on this, I have not gotten any closer to finding this ancestor AND finding out where this RAMSEY name came from that my dad has clung onto. He left me NO clues. 

I would appreciate any hints, tips, or clues that could get this research going in the right direction. 

Thank you

Root Cellar Geni-Dig 2020

If any of you need a new event for your society, try a Geni-Dig.

It is a day long event with lots of do. Mambers gather to share their research, to share their genealogy, to share their experiences and to share their expertise, to share their favorite genealogy books,  to share their resources.... It is an opportunity to learn from others,  opportunity to share research,  to share technology,  an opportunity for an informal gathering of RootCellar members. Time for fun an enlightened experience. 



Setting Up for the Day.......... 8:00am

There were presentations- a member gave a short lecture on land records and old maps. Thanks Mike.

A flip-pal station for members to try it out on their photos. OR see a demo of what it came do. I have my own and love it AND I actually use it quite abit. I do recommend it. Root Cellar also has a Legacy/Flip Pal Self Help Support Group

Another station was for viewing and scanning 35mm slides, negatives and film. This piece of equipment is new to the society so it was just being tested. Not bad.

Another station was for copying/scanning .... using a computer and flat bed scanner.

Our in-house expert Glenda Gardner-Lloyd (nope, no relationship) was available to answer questions and general help. She is an excellent presentor, teacher. speaker, and all around good person and I consider her a good friend. She is always updating and educating herself. She is our top in-house expert. She gives classes several times a year through Root Cellar. Also conducts 10 week class sessions at the San Juan Adult Education Center on Sunrise Blvd, Citrus Heights. (but we are lucky to have many experts in our group)

In one corner of the room is a cozy sitting area with a screen and computer/internet set up for watching certain free webinars. Very popular.

Down the middle of the room were large round tables and chairs with all types of books that members brought in, and our librarian brought in from our own library.

AND a rotating row of experts, and computers- help always available

3:30pm Great time!....... A full room of many different activities.........  well done Root Cellar volunteers!  AGAIN well done!


My goal for the day besides checking out all the books available, was to scan my slides but neither method worked for me. I have 4 full metal containers of these slides. My slides are 2 1/4" squared and nothing fit them. That was vey disappointing but then I could eliminate these sources also.

top two are 35mm slides and the bottom two are mine 2 1/4" by 2 1/4" slides / 2 3/4" with border
(leave it to my dad to pick something out of the norm)

NOTE: I have given you the activies for our day but you can add or subtract activities for the space you have available. Good Luck


If you leave a comment or ask a question please leave your contact information too.

CLOSE TO HOME - FRUSTRATION sets in

week four: Close to Home

How convenient that this post fits right into a couple of weeks ago- My Favorite Photo. I wasn't trying but it just happened.

 The four plus metal boxes of 35mm color slides that I found with my son was so close to home yet is still a mystery. I quickly ordered a Kodak viewer and scanner from Amazon. Great reviews and I know someone who has one and they love it,  I guess I should have asked to use theirs first......  it came and reality & disappointment hit quick and hard. No way my slides would fit this viewer/scanner. (Although they fit my husbands slides and film so no loss)

These slides of my dad's are NOT 35mm ...... not sure what they would be called but not 35mm (I think I keep saying and thinking 35mm because that is what my son has always said and I didn't think about it)

My slides measure 2 1/4" squared and fit into a 2 3/4" holders (cardboard and metal ones) This is so frustrating. As you can see, the top two are 35mm and the two bottom ones are mine and way bigger. Very frustrating.

So now where do I go to find and what do I use that will view my slides and somehow scan/digitize them too. HELP! I am hoping someone else has had some experience with these larger slides and can give me some guidance. I REALLY want to view and scan/digitize them within my lifetime, Any suggestions, comments will be happily appreciated


When keaving a comment, message or information, please leave your contact informaiton too, Thank you in advance for any help.

week three: Long Line -  finally I made a connection.....


My third cousin once removed, Gordon Little, in New Zealand has a young daughter NOHO Little. Well, not so young, she is about 22-23years old now. I wondered about the name, I asked myself right away, "Is this a nickname or her real name?" 

It turns out she is named after Gordon's great grandmother on his mothers side. Noho is a shortened name and is of Maori origins.  I have to confess I know nothing about the Maori people, so I will be doing more research.

ANYWAY, below is her birth name.............

  NOHOTAKITAHIWERETARANGIANEWATUHIWAIWAIPOUATITOITI  

It means:  "The Little one who sits along beside the sacred flowing waters of the forest"

YES, I am wondering how to pronounce it too. Any guesses?

                                            [It does fill the 'LINE' with 49 letters 'LONG']

I have not been able to find anything on Gordons mothers side  (Eva Tito who married Maurice Wilson Little)....... my searches come up empty. I guess that will be a family that I will research when I get back to Salt Lake City. I do know that the immigrant Hudson Little arrived in New Zealand from England in 1864. Hannah Doggett, his wife, arrived as a young woman with her family in 1857 also from England. I do have quite a bit on the family but now that we getting down to the living it is not so easy to find information. I did receive a new email for Gordon so I hope to hear back from him soon.

RESEARCH:  1) more on the Maori people; 2) Eva Tito's family line. I want to know about this great grandmother of Gordon's; 3) get in contact with Gordon and hopefully his sister Tania.

                      +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Here is a little of what I found on the Maori people that I feel is interesting......  good start but obviously more research is needed since it helps me to understand the whole picture and the people that live in this country.

https://www.newzealand.com/us/maori-culture/

Māori are the tangata whenua, the indigenous people, of New Zealand. They came here more than 1000 years ago from their mythical Polynesian homeland of Hawaiki. Today Māori make up 14% of our population and their history, language and traditions are central to New Zealand’s identity.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81ori_people

The Māori (/ˈmaʊri/; Māori pronunciation: [ˈmaːɔɾi] (listen)^[6]) are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. Māori originated with settlers from eastern Polynesia, who arrived in New Zealand in several waves of waka (canoe) voyages somewhere between 1320 and 1350.^[7] Over several centuries in isolation, these settlers developed their own distinctive culture whose language, mythology, crafts and performing arts evolved independently from other eastern Polynesian cultures.

The arrival of Europeans in New Zealand, starting in the 17th century, brought enormous changes to the Māori way of life. Māori people gradually adopted many aspects of Western society and culture. Initial relations between Māori and Europeans were largely amicable, and with the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, the two cultures coexisted. Rising tensions over disputed land sales led to conflict in the 1860s, and massive land confiscations. Social upheaval, and epidemics of introduced disease took a devastating toll on the Māori population, which fell dramatically. By the start of the 20th century, the Māori population had begun to recover, and efforts have been made to increase their standing in wider New Zealand society and achieve social justice.

NOTE: if you leave a comment please leave your contact information too, Thank You.

Four Metal Boxes Full of Family Slides

week two: Favorite Photo


I thought I would have a hard time deciding on a favorite photo. On Christmas Day it all changed. I brought home from my sons 3 out 4 containers of family slides. YES slides that I have never seen before. How is that possible? I don't know!

A little background for this-  my mom passed away in 2015 and we each took time to take what we wanted before everything was given away (one way or another) before the house was sold. My oldest son Michael asked if he could have the slides. My husband Chuck assured me that they had been transferred to a CD, so I said yes. Not thinking anymore about it for several years, the subject came up again later in 2019. Michael showed me a picture (messenger) wanting to know if it was me and my brother Bob and I said yes. Asking where did he get the picture - it was a slide from Grandpas collection. Fast forward to Christmas Day.  After a delicious dinner I took time to view some of the slides, when I realized that I had NEVER seen any of them. Again my son and husband reassurred me that my dad had transferred them. WHERE ARE THEY? I DON'T HAVE THEM, I'VE NEVER SEEN THEM YET. So apparently they are in one of several dozens of boxes in our garage. I have had these pictures since 2015 and haven't seen them yet, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! 
That will be on the top of my list to find those precious pictures in the scary garage. So I brought 3 out of the 4 containers of slides home. 

Each container does have a date attached to it, showing when its content had been transferred, TRANSFERRED  TO WHAT?  AND WHERE ARE THEY?

Each box shows the date of transfer, written on the tape. My dad must have been very busy in 2001. Chuck and I were living in Drums, Pennsylvania that year, and if he told me he was doing this I just do not remember. (memory was pretty good in 2001)

So for now, I am viewing them through a proper viewer and enjoying everyone of them. Some of them are of my dad at work (Army) Most of them are of my parents along with my brothers birth, his big sis ME and traveling around Europe with the Army. (you know (Army) brats and (Air Force) wifes you know what I mean).

Hard to see this way but I do have a proper viewer

I am  beyond thrilled to make this find. All my very early life and my brothers in pictures. Can hardly wait to find them in the garage. But I want to make sure that I have these 'transferred' to something before I give them back. 

NOTE: Please leave a comment if you'd like, IF you want a reply back please make sure you leave me your contact info, Thanks.

week one Fresh Start........

This is a FRESH START for me. I was so excited about the idea of beginning again.  I wrote posts  for a several years but then stopped for several years UNKNOWN REASON WHY.... but I would like to begin again, to continue to explore my family roots on paper as well as with DNA. I have done extensive research in the generally accepted reseach ways- traveling, libraries, archives, cemetaries, conferencewsm workshops, classes, talking to all relatives that I have come in contact with, trying to find the stories and facts about all my family lines, not just the direct line of GARDNER's, but all the lines. Now I am heavily invested in my DNA line. I have tested with Ancestry, FamilyDNA, MyHeritage, 23&me, and LivingDNA (after several years the only one that has nothing for me yet) and I find each one totally different and the same. So this time around I will have my paper trails of my family tree and my DNA family . Same, yes and no.

So I will start with all the known surnames and go from there............ And as you will see that there is a big difference in the lists. I have traced a lot of my mothers family way back into the 1500 and 1600's but my fathers line seems to go cold in the early 1800's - big difference

Paternal Side

GARDNER

BRANFIELD

DIETZ

JAMES

SMITH

NOLL

NOBLE

JONES

LISKE

RICH

JENKINS

Maternal side.........

LITTLE

BRISTOL

BROWNRIGG

SHEERAR

MOUNSEY 2X

TOMPKINS

WOOD

HUDSON

HARRIS 2X

HODGSON

ALLEN

MERCHANT

HAMILTON

STEPHENS

KENTFIELD

DAVIS

BAILE 2X

TROWBRIDGE

HEWITSON 2X

PECK

BLAKSLEY

BROWNE

SPERRY

BEARDSELY

KIMBERLY

WATTER

SCAMMEL

GOODYEAR

WINTER

LAMBERTON

CLARK

POTTER

TYNCHER

CALDWELL

MARSHALL

LEWEN

EDWIN

PROUSE

BEVYS

DENIS

SAGE

LAWRENCE

COLLACK

OWESLEY

PROUZ

DEIGHTON

READ

PAKINGTON

LACEY

Anyone recognize any of the surnames? Yes I know the Smiths, Jones, & James. 

Basic locations are Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Great Britain, & Germany (Bavaria & Hesse Darnstadt)

Happy New Year

Here's to a fantastic year in 2020

Goals for 2020

Personal & Home

Breathe, just breathe

Continue to lose weight

Continue to eat sensibly

Begin moving more

Start cleaning out boxes

Knitting, Weaving, Crafting

Just continue to enjoy and learn

Genealogy

Keep it Fun

Continue to Learn

Begin the Organizing Process in paper & digital