 |
| Sina Harriet Bellinger Kelly |
Week 51 of the 52 Weeks to Better Genealogy, a series of prompts created for the geneablogging community by Amy Coffin of We Tree Genealogy, offers this challenge:
Think about the goals you want to accomplish next year and write them down. What research steps do you want to take? What records would you like to find? Think about the brick walls you’d like knocked down.
In August, I wrote a post called Getting to Know My Grandmother after having been inspired by Lisa Alzo's presentation on Finding Your Female Ancestors at the Midwest Family History Expo in Kansas City. Something she said still resonates with me: "Give voice to the stories of the silent women from our past."
It was then that I realized there wasn't a whole lot that I know about my grandmother, Sina Harriet Bellinger Kelly. I have memories of her, even though she died when I was just five years old. I want 2011 to be the year when I get to know her better.
To accomplish this, I will gather all the photographs I have of her. There aren't that many because she had a habit of cutting her face out of photographs! I am optimistic that reading through the microfilm versions of the Greenwood Gazette (Greenwood, Nebraska) at the Nebraska State Historical Society will yield some newspaper articles that might give me some insight to her daily life and social interactions. I will seek out a copy of the record of her marriage to my grandfather, William Leroy Kelly.
Since I wanted to change the look of LongLostRelatives.net for 2011, I changed the header. It was a conscious decision to put a photograph of 17 year old Sina Bellinger at the top of the page - as a daily reminder to me about the major research goal I want to accomplish during the year.
Lovely picture and a great new heading. I look forward to hearing more of your journey to get to know your grandmother. I was lucky enough to have one of my grandmother's around till I was 34. My relationship with her is a large part of my identity. Grandmother's are so important as to who we are. There was some book written awhile back that talked about that important connection between granddaughters and granddmothers and how often the similarities in our genes skip generations. There are times I find I have more in common with my grandmother than my own mother. Good luck on your quest!! (From your Landon cousin..Susan)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea to have your blog header focus on your major research goal ~ here's to a great 2011!!
ReplyDelete"Cousin" Susan: Sina's mother was a Landon, the line that takes us back to our common Landon line, so no doubt the Landons will figure into this research project!
ReplyDeleteLOVE the new header and your motivation for changing it. I also like that you outlined strategies for achieving your goal. May 2011 be your year of Sina.
ReplyDeleteGood idea with the new header photo!
ReplyDeleteSusan, I also love the new header, and the stylish photo of Sina. If anybody can find more information, it will be you. I didn't know my grandmothers, so I'll follow along with interest in your research.
ReplyDeleteI love the new header photo and will look forward to your progress as you give voice to your grandmother. All the best to you in 2011.
ReplyDelete