The Semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the birth of the United States, is being celebrated this year and everywhere you turn, you are being invited to participate. When I think of 1776 and the birth of this nation, I think of my Revolutionary era ancestors and how they were involved in the struggles and successes in their lives.  I suppose I am fortunate to have such ancestors to remind me of the "Spirit of '76" in establishing our country. I have to remind myself that 1776 was only the beginning, the birth. It is the 250 years of growth, exploration, immigration, poverty, riches, turmoil and triumph, that we celebrate today. These are the stories, the moments in our personal and collective histories that we can share with others.   Some of our stories are proud moments; some are humorous; some are of sad times or regrettable situations. But they all must be shared; look around you and find a place where you can contribute your story. National Celebration Americ...

 Could YOU resist?   The Hamilton Farmer's Advocate, Hamilton, Missouri, Thursday 21 November 1912, page 1, column , "CALDWELL CIRCUIT COURT: November Term Adjourned Friday Afternoon--Proceedings Since Last Issue," Jennie vs David McBee divorce judgement; Newspapers.com : accessed 13 February 2026.  Wh ile cleaning up some McBee profiles in my Ancestry.com tree (with the aid of ProTools), a Newspapers.com link to this news article popped up as a hint for a different David McBee. I was unable to resist researching this couple, although I was almost sure that they were not "my" McBees.  But I went to bed that night baffled, having had little success in finding either of them. In fact, I intended to drop it, if nothing more turned up. However, I woke up wondering how Jennie and the children survived. $2000 isn't nothing, but even in 1912 it could not have sustained them for long.  Ancestry came through for me Valentines Day morning with a hint to the 1900 Cen...

Step Up and Make a Difference: SKCGS Needs YOU as Our Next Secretary! Hello fellow SKCGS members! As my term as Secretary of SKCGS comes to a close, it seems like a good time to reflect a bit. It was yesterday I was just getting familiar with SKCGS and the many excellent benefits they offered members. From the presentations during COVID, to the monthly Genealogy Chats, I came to appreciate how special the SKCGS community was. And when asked to become the Secretary, I was glad to be able to give back and help.   So, I'm writing to encourage one of you to step into this rewarding role. If you've ever thought about getting more involved with SKCGS or wondered what happens behind the scenes, this might be the perfect opportunity for you! Why Consider Being Secretary? It's Perfect for Your Schedule We all have busy lives; attending an in-person meeting may not be something you want to do. SKCGS board meetings are once a month in the evening via Zoom and last about an ho...

"Doubt" courtesy of Freepik.com Doubt: hidden superpower Doubt and uncertainty are no fun. Our brains prefer confidence. However, listening to doubt can be your superpower IF it helps you stop, evaluate the situation, then  consider alternatives .  As a beginner genealogy researcher, I was not only confident, but ignorant. We don't know what we don't know. I assumed memories of what I had been told about my family were accurate. I've since realized that while no one lied to me, my memories were incomplete and so were the memories of my family members. Unpleasant facts such as divorce and child deaths were never mentioned. No wonder it took me years to untangle even my own recent family, much less more distant relatives and ancestors. The idea of research planning seemed absurd to this beginner. Now I'm looking at doubt and skepticism in a new light as I clean up my sprawling tree. I caused much of the mess years ago by accepting whatever "facts" I f...