Thursday, November 29, 2018

The Cat in the Christmas Tree



Scottsdale, Peter. The Cat in the Christmas Tree: A Magical Tail. n.p.: n.p., 2018.

This chapter books shares the story of a mischievous black kitten named Shadow. Shadow keeps getting in trouble with Nathan's parents Justen and Sara. They threaten to send him back to the SPCA after Christmas. Fortunately the magical tree intervenes. The story itself was okay, but I was disappointed in the illustrations. Chapter books don't contain as many illustrations nor the illustration quality of picture books, but this one's would not please children at all. They all look pretty much like public domain .gif files. I love cats -- and I love cats in Christmas trees, but this book simply fails to capture the magic. I received an electronic copy through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.


Sunday, November 25, 2018

The Monkhood of All Believers



Peters, Greg. The Monkhood of All Believers: The Monastic Foundation of Christian Spirituality. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2018.

Greg Peters, an Evangelical turned Anglican, believes the principles behind monasticism apply to all believers, not just to those who choose a cloistered life. Written for an academic audience, rather than a lay audience, the author includes illustrations from many fathers of the church. He uses Martin Luther from the Reformation period. The book includes nearly 800 endnotes and an extensive bibliography. Although published by a traditional Evangelical publisher, the book is more likely to resonate with a more moderate audience. I suspect a similar book aimed at a lay audience would sell well. I received an advance electronic copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

The Christmas Forest



Boxall, Rebecca. The Christmas Forest. Seattle: Lake Union Publishing, 2018.

Abandoned book. Enid suffers with Asperger's Syndrome and is invited to spend Christmas in Australia with Fred. Her sister Bess encourages her to leave her comfort zone and accompany him. Will she do it? The book's premise was strong, but the narrative lacked continuity. About 60% into the book, I finally called it quits. I received an electronic copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Barking with the Big Dogs



Babbitt, Natalie. Barking with the Big Dogs: On Writing and Reading Books for Children. New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 2018.

This interesting collection of essays written by author Natalie Babbitt, best known for Tuck Everlasting, reflects her views on books, literature, and writing. One gains insight into the author and her work by understanding what her likes and dislikes are. She always writes for a fifth grader, yet her books are enjoyed by younger and older children as well as adults. She really doesn't enjoy classic literature that much, but she's married to a husband who does. She wasn't that great of a student, yet her books are read by schoolchildren all over. Readers will appreciate these essays. I received an electronic galley from the publishers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Monday, November 19, 2018

Midwife of Borneo




Rogerson, Wendy Grey and Barbara Fox. Midwife of Borneo: The True Story of a Geordie Pioneer. London: SPCK, 2018.

Wendy Grey, a Northumberland vicar's daughter,  studied nursing to become a medical missionary. She answered a call to Borneo, working at an Anglican mission. Shortly after her arrival, she found herself performing a surgery with a doctor's phone directions. She relates other stories from her time in Borneo, including a suitor whose beliefs did not match hers very strongly. At the end of three years, she returned to England, intending to take another post in a more moderate climate. God had other plans for her. I enjoyed this medical missionary story. Photographs illustrating the text and helping put names with faces were included. I received an electronic copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Saturday, November 10, 2018

A Day in the Life of a Raindrop



Dunn, Stephen D. A Day in the Life of a Raindrop. Illustrated by Dejah Moore. n.p.: n.p., 2018.

A cute book rhyming book showing a raindrop's contemplation as it goes through the day. Unfortunately some of the rhymes took incorrect forms of words in an attempt to make the rhyme fit. Illustrations were okay but not spectacular. I received an electronic copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jingle Bells



Pierpont, James. Jingle Bells. Illustrated by Jade Goegebuer. n.p.: Xist Publishing, 2018.

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, but unfortunately the formatting was so terrible the book was unreadable. You could only make out parts of a few words. Illustrations seen were mediocre.

The Significance of Singleness



Hitchcock, Christina S. The Significance of Singleness: A Theological Vision for the Future of the Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2018.

Christina Hitchcock, who is no longer single herself, attempts to provide a theology for singleness for 21st century Evangelicals. While she is correct that 20th and 21st century Evangelical leaders encourage marriage, she may be drawing conclusions in their attitudes toward singles with which the leaders themselves would challenge. Certainly many singles are lonely and friendless in churches. They can't be friends with married members of the opposite sex without being accused of trying to come between the person and spouse. They can't be friends with members of their own sex in the 21st century without people wondering if they are homosexual. People automatically assume a relationship if befriending a single member of the opposite sex. It's a lose-lose-lose situation all around. Hitchcock upholds three historic women as "role models"--Macrina, Perpetua, and Lottie Moon. Hitchcock's entire theology seems to be based on her idea that single people are called to serve God in a more profound way. Everyone is called to serve God--not just single people. Not all single people are called to be missionaries. Her use of the ancient saints fails to add anything to her argument as most Evangelical readers lack familiarity with the figures--and even her efforts to introduce them do not particularly make the readers want to be like them. It's unfortunate the book was written for an academic audience. The laity of the church needs to be reminded single people are human. Churches quit trying to minister to singles. Many of them simply encourage them to go into classes composed primarily of married persons. The lonely single remains lonely because the couples gravitate toward each other, failing to include the single. Secondly, the author fails to acknowledge the range of singles. Some have never been married--and that number is on the rise. Some are divorced. Among the divorced, some have children and some do not. Some are widowed. Ministering to single people is difficult because of the variety of ages and causes for the singleness. Her singleness theology is only geared toward the "single, never married" crowd. I was hopeful this book might contain something that will help the church minister to the needs of a diverse group of singles. Instead, I suspect we'll continue to see the church missing on opportunities to minister to this group and to see the number of single persons in churches dwindle in spite of a growing demographic. I received an electronic copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.

Friday, November 09, 2018

Little White Fish and the Beautiful Sea




Genechten, Guido Van. Little White Fish and the Beautiful Sea. New York: Clavis, 2018.

Octopus asks Little White Fish what is the most beautiful thing in the sea. Before Little White Fish answers, the other marine animals answer. Little White Fish's answer, of course, steals the show! The illustrations are beautifully drawn. It's certain to please young readers. I received an electronic copy through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.

Alycat and the Friendship Friday



Bourque, Alysson Foti. Alycat and the Friendship Friday. Illustrated by Chiara Civati. Herndon, VA: Mascot Books, 2018.

Alycat's class will visit a doctor's office. A new student arrives. When Alycat's friend offers to let the new student sit with her on the bus, Alycat feels left out until she comes up with a way to include all three of them. Illustrations and text are mediocre. The book does provide instructions for making the friendship bracelets Alycat designed. I received an electronic copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.

Tuesday, November 06, 2018

How to Catch a Bear Who Loves to Read




Katz, Andrew and Juliana Léveillé-Trudel. How to Catch a Bear Who Loves to Read. Illustrated by Joseph Sherman. Montreal, Quebec: CrackBoom! Books, 2018.

Julia lives next to the forest and befriended many of the animals, but there is one animal she really wants to meet--a bear. She tries to attract them, but efforts fail. One day while she is reading a book about a bear and surrounded by her forest friends, her mom calls her to lunch. When she returns, she finds her book gone with a trail of blueberry-covered footprints leaving the area. What will Julia find? This is a cute book which encourages reading. The illustrations, while not Caldecott-worthy, are colorful enough to keep non-reading children interested as an adult reads aloud. I spotted this in the "Read Now" section at NetGalley and downloaded it in exchange for an honest review.

The Latecomers


Ross, Helen Klein. The Latecomers. New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 2018.

Bridey and Thom leave Ireland for America, planning to wed once they arrive. Thom dies aboard ship, and Bridey arrives in America pregnant. She considers returning to her family in Ireland, but remains. A young woman who helps Bridey helps her place the child with a Catholic charity and provides Bridey with a job. When the woman's own child dies in birth, she adopts from the charity with Bridey still working for the family. The bond between Bridey and Vincent is strong. Bridey returns to Ireland when the family's patriarch dies. The story follows several more generations in a somewhat chaotic matter. The flow between the older generation and the newer ones does not work well for the reader. Genetic genealogists will love the epilogue. The author provides historical notes and a good bibliography, features unusual for a novel. I really enjoyed Bridey and Thom's story, the story of Bridey's first days in America, and giving up the child for adoption. I even enjoyed some of Bridey's story after that point. Unfortunately, the more the story began to focus on the Hollingworth family, the less interested I became in the story being read. The character development that took place in the early generations did not extend to the later ones. Those generations felt rushed. What started as a good read became just a mediocre one for me. I received an electronic copy from the publishers through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.

A Season of Grace



Snelling, Lorraine. A Season of Grace. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2018.

Nilda, a recent arrival in Minnesota from Norway, hopes a person from her past does not follow her to Minnesota. In the new country she finds two new chances at love, but the past still haunts her. While I enjoyed the glimpses into settler life, I did not enjoy the overall story which seemed disjointed. I normally enjoy immigrant stories, and I appreciate the faith expressed in the lives of the settlers, but this book simply didn't work for me. The novel does not make me want to try other works by the author.

Hushed in Death



Kelly, Stephen. Hushed in Death. New York: Pegasus Crime, 2018.

Inspector Lamb sets out to solve a murder. His daughter is a constable, serving as his driver, and helps the others with the investigation. The present murder seems connected to one the took place aboard a ship. The writing is weak. The sense of time and place lacks development. The character development is strong on most major characters but not quite to the level it needs to be on a few. I received an advance electronic galley from the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.

A Shot in the Dark



Truss, Lynne. A Shot in the Dark. New York: Bloomsbury, 2018.

Inspector Steine (pronounced Steen) solved the Middle Street Massacre in 1951, still glorying in its resolution 6 years later when Constable Twitten enters the Brighton police force. Theatre Critic A.S. Crystal knows a secret concerning the unsolved 1945 Aldersgate Stick-Up case and goes to the theatre intending to share his secret with the constable when Crystal himself is shot in his seat. Constable Twitten and partner Sgt. Jim Brunswick set out to solve the decades-old case while the Inspector busies himself with the new one. When I requested this one, I expected it to be a police procedural. The book contains some humor, although not necessarily the most enjoyable variety of that. While it was that, it was a bit too "noir" for my personal taste in detective fiction. I prefer books more like Deborah Crombie's Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series. The seedy elements in the book simply failed to work for me, but I'm certain others would enjoy the book more than I did. If you enjoy noir and hard-boiled detective stories, you will probably enjoy this one. If you prefer your books to contain a little less seediness, you will probably want to avoid this one. I received an advance e-book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Christmas Revelation



Perry, Anne. A Christmas Revelation. New York: Ballantine Books, 2018.

Worm is living at  the Portpool Lane clinic funded by Oliver Rathbone with Miss Burroughs and Squeaky. He witnesses two men violently forcing a beautiful woman to go with them, following them to an area when they suddenly vanish. He later returns with Squeaky, discovering the woman has a story of her own and went with her captors somewhat willingly. All of this is set around Christmas. Squeaky shares the Christmas story with Worm who never heard it. Although the book is short, it seemed to drag on. It never captivated my interest. I did enjoy Squeaky's interaction with Worm apart from the main story line, including the recital of the Christmas story. I received an advance electronic uncorrected proof from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


Monday, November 05, 2018

Native Americans State by State


Sapp, Rick. Native Americans State by State. New York: Chartwell, 2018.

This handy reference volume works well as a supplement to units on Native Americans for upper elementary and middle school social studies students. It is full of photographs, maps, and other illustrations to enhance understanding. For each state, Canadian province, and even the District of Columbia and some of the Caribbean territories of the United States, information regarding the native peoples to that area is supplied. Typical entries include meaning of the state's name, a brief description of the area's geography, a brief glimpse at the culture and lifestyle, Native languages spoken, housing types, contemporary peoples native to the area, a list of recognized tribes present in the area, a map showing where native populations reside, a timeline, a narrative, and some photographs depicting the people and their culture. Since most regions only receive four to six pages, with an occasional entry slightly longer, the author cannot include everything. However, it is a good introduction. The book would have been enhanced by including brief bibliographies for each region so students or teachers wishing to explore more could easily locate resources that work for the age group. This book should be in upper elementary and middle school libraries and in many public libraries. This was a "read now" title at NetGalley. I downloaded it with the expectation that I would write an honest review. The advance review copy was entitled North American Indian Tribes State-by-State, but it was published under the title Native Americans State by State. The cover does mention it "includes Canadian First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.

Silent Night by Lara Hawthorne


Hawthorne, Lara. Silent Night. London: Lincoln's Children Books, 2018.

I loved the illustrations in this picture book illustrated the beloved Christmas carol. While Mary and Joseph look more African than Jewish, the illustrations are charming, reflecting the peace of Christmas.  I would eventually like to purchase my own copy, but for now I'll keep this one until it expires so I may enjoy it for this Christmas season. This was a "read now" title at NetGalley. I downloaded it with the expectation of writing an honest review. I would eventually like to purchase my own copy, but for now I'll keep this one until it expires so I may enjoy it for this Christmas season.

Saturday, November 03, 2018

LoGenWriMo #3: A Photo Moment

I'm cheating tonight. I intended to write a sketch of an ancestor--and I hope to catch up on that one later in the month. I spent the day researching in Knoxville, and by the time I got home, it was too late to attempt to compose an entry for today. The sketch was intended to be an update of a post written in 2012 on Ashley Aldridge.

Instead, today's post focuses on a photograph, taken about 1947, which is one of the earliest of my brother Jim with our parents. My first cousin Linda appears to be in the background.

J.T. Thornton, Jim Thornton, Dorothy (Lantz) Thornton, Linda Feuerhelm
Home of I. L. Lantz, Blackcat Bottom, Amory, Mississippi

Friday, November 02, 2018

LoGenWriMo #2: Dock Hans Hester (1851-1922)

George W. Hester (1857-1937), left, and Dock Hans Hester (1851-1922), right.
Photo from collection of the late Sue Berryhill Brown of Amory, Mississippi.

Dock Hans Hester was born, according to family sources, 4 March 1851 in Monroe or Itawamba County, Mississippi to John H. and Nancy (Cockrell) Hester.[1] Family tradition through one of his brother’s lines states he was named Dock Hans Duggar Hester in honor of the doctor who delivered him.[2] The Hesters resided in the lost corner of Monroe County, Mississippi, resulting in census enumerators’ failure to count them in both 1860 and 1870. To enter the area by road, one most go into Itawamba County, and then re-enter Monroe County. When enumerators on what is now State Highway 371 and State Highway 25 reached the county line, they considered their work done. They probably did not know about the area, and the Hesters probably liked residing in such a secluded area because of their reputation for consuming alcoholic beverages.


Dock married Mary Ann Harris, the daughter of Walton A. and Margaret (Mosely) Harris, 20 November 1877 in Lee County, Mississippi.[3] They lived in Boyds Precinct, Monroe County, Mississippi in 1880 where Dock farmed.[4] Their home remained in Boyds Precinct, located in Beat 5, east of the Aberdeen and Richmond Public Road in 1900.[5] He lived along the Cotton Gin and Fulton Road in Boyds Precinct in 1910.[6] They lived along the Nettleton and Amory Road in Boyds Precinct, County Beat 5, in 1920.[7] Because of interstitial nephritis with an enlarged prostate gland and retention of urine, he died 21 August 1922 in Monroe County.[8]

Dock and Mary Ann were parents of:
  1. Georgia Ann Hester (1878-1914)
  2. Mattie Lou Hester (1880-1946)
  3. Charles Anderson “Buddy” Hester (1883-1964)
  4. Boyd H. Hester (1886-1887)
  5. Freddie W. Hester (1888-1899)
  6. Hattie Pearl Hester (1892-1930)
  7. Ellie Beldon Hester (1894-1909)
  8. Gillie Mae Hester (1897-1993; twin)
  9. Lillie Faye Hester (1897-1897; twin, aged 9 months at death)
  10. “Little Baby” Hester (unknown dates)


Note: Dock Hans Hester is my great-grandfather. This is the second LoGenWriMo entry.




[1] Gillie Mae Hester Lantz (Amory Manor Nursing Home, Amory, Mississippi), conversation with Lori Thornton, about 1990; notes made from the conversation no longer extant. The tombstone at Hester Cemetery provides support for the year. Hester Cemetery (Monroe County, Mississippi; Clay Hill Road off Highway 371), D. H. Hester marker, photograph by Lori Thornton, about 1990. Gillie’s husband Irving was the informant on the death certificate, providing an alternative year of 1853. Although a specific date was not recorded, his age was recorded as 69 years, 4 months, and 8 days, making the alternative date 13 April 1853. This date provided by an in-law who provided “don’t know” to several questions seems unlikely. The 1880 census suggests a date between June 2, 1853 and June 1, 1854. The 1900 census states March 1857. The 1910 census suggests a date between April 16, 1855 and April 15, 1856. The 1920 census suggests he was born between January 2, 1856 and January 1, 1857. He likely was born in March, but the lack of early censuses for Dock makes it almost impossible to nail down an exact year of birth. A March 1855 date is unlikely since his brother Pink was born in December 1855. The March 1856 date is impossible because of Pink’s birth date. His brother George W. “Bud” was born in July 1857, making the March 1857 date impossible. It, therefore, seems most likely he was born in either 1851 or 1853. I selected 1851 based on his daughter’s recollection and the tombstone.
[2] I first encountered this when comparing notes with Sue Berryhill Brown, a descendant of Dock’s brother Mitch in the late 1990s. The 1900 census calls him “Dock D.” which may lend some support to the addition of “Duggar” to his name. Alexander Duggar and James Duggar lived in Itawamba County and are the only adult Duggars in the Itawamba-Monroe County area where the family lived. Alexander was employed as a farmer and James as a shoemaker. Broadening my census search failed to return additional prospects. This family tradition cannot be verified at this time.
[3] Lee County, Mississippi, Marriage Book 3: 516, D. H. Hester and Miss M. A. Harris, 1877; Circuit Clerk’s Office, Tupelo; photocopy in my possession.
[4] 1880 U.S. Census, Monroe County, Mississippi, population schedule, Boyds Precinct, Supervisors District (SD) 1, enumeration district (ED) 139, page 294 (stamped), dwelling/family 115, Dock Hester family; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 November 2018); citing National Archives microfilm publication T9, roll 658.
[5] 1900 U.S. Census, Monroe County, Mississippi, population schedule, Boyds Precinct, Supervisors District (SD) 1, enumeration district (ED) 81, page 268B (stamped), dwelling/family 14, Dock D. Hester family; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 November 2018); citing National Archives microfilm publication T623, roll 821.
[6] 1910 U.S. Census, Monroe County, Mississippi, population schedule, Boyds Precinct, Supervisors District (SD) 1, enumeration district (ED) 124, page 72 (stamped), dwelling/family 1, Dock H. Hester family; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 November 2018); citing National Archives microfilm publication T624, roll 752.
[7] 1920 U.S. Census, Monroe County, Mississippi, population schedule, Boyds Precinct, Supervisors District (SD) 5, enumeration district (ED) 78, page 257B (stamped), dwelling73, family 81, Dock H. Hester family; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 November 2018); citing National Archives microfilm publication T625, roll 887.
[8] Mississippi State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, death certificate no. 13341, Dock Hans Hester (1922); microfilm, Mississippi Department of Archives & History, Jackson.

Thursday, November 01, 2018

LoGenWriMo #1: Elsina D. "Sis" Taylor (1850-1878), wife of Sid O. Morgan

Elsina D. "Sis" Taylor (1850-1878), wife of Sid O. Morgan. Photograph from Lyle Dearborn Taylor scrapbook, formerly held by the late Dwight Dearborn Taylor, Oklahoma City.

Elsina D. "Sis" Taylor was born 23 August 1850 in White Oak, McLean County, Illinois to Stephen and Betsey (Dearborn) Taylor.1 She was enumerated at the age of one month in her parent's household in White Oak Grove, McLean County, Illinois on 2 October 1850. Although the official census date for 1850 was June 1, it appears the enumerator included the infant, recording her age at the time he visited the home.2 She lived with her parents in White Oak in 1860.3 She remained in her parents' household in White Oak in 1870.4

Elsina married Sid O. Morgan 15 March 1871 in McLean County.5 She gave birth to daughter Zetta in December 1871 in Wisconsin.6 Elsina gave birth to daughter Engie 12 January 1876 in Illinois.7 She gave birth to Sidney Othniel Morgan, Jr., 16 February 1878 in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.8 Some undocumented sources say Elsina had two other sons, presumably between late 1872 and early 1875.9 Elsina died 2 August 1878 in Independence, Cuyahoga County, Ohio of typhoid malaria fever.10

Note: Elsina was my great-grandmother Laura Taylor's sister. This sketch is the first entry in my LoGenWriMo Challenge.


1 1850 U.S. census, McLean County, Illinois, population schedule, White Oak Grove, pp. 49B-50A (stamped), dwelling 930, family 949, Stephen Taylor household; digital image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-67T9-HWC?i=3&wc=95R4-6YV%3A1031317001%2C1033297801%2C1033303301&cc=1401638 : accessed 1 November 2018); citing National Archives microfilm publication M432, roll 117.
2 Ibid.
3 1860 U.S. census, McLean County, Illinois, population schedule, White Oak, p. 165 (written), dwelling 1098, family 1078, Stephen Taylor household; digital image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YBK-WWQ?cc=1473181&wc=7QVJ-55B%3A1589423252%2C1589424590%2C1589424888 : accessed 1 November 2018); citing National Archives microfilm publication M653, roll 204.
4 1870 U.S. census, McLean County, Illinois, population schedule, White Oak, p. 6 (written), dwelling 43, family 44, Stephen Taylor household; digital image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6W37-3YM?cc=1438024&wc=92KC-TQH%3A518684301%2C519761301%2C518700201 : accessed 1 November 2018); citing National Archives microfilm publication M593, roll 259.
5 Illinois Secretary of State, Illinois State Archives, "Illinois Statewide Marriage Index," database, (https://www.ilsos.gov/isavital/marriagesrch.jsp : accessed 1 November 2018), Sid O. Morgan-Elcena D. Taylor, 1871; citing McLean County marriage volume F, page 393.
6 Birth date and location from 1900 census: 1900 U.S. census, Morton County, North Dakota, population schedule, Mandan, supervisor's district (SD) 199, enumeration district (ED) 239, page 154B (stamped), dwelling/family 74, line 89, Zetta Morgan; digital image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-677S-1P7?cc=1325221&wc=9B7Q-DRD%3A1031459501%2C1032306201%2C1032339501 : accessed 1 November 2018); citing National Archives microfilm publication T623, roll 1230. Zetta lived with her father Sidney O. Morgan and his second wife Nellie in Morton County, Dakota Territory in 1885, being listed as the household head's daughter. See "North Dakota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1885, 1915, 1925," digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 November 2018), 1885, Morgan County, pp. 51-52 (written), dwelling 25, family 29, Sidney O. Morgan family.
7 Birth date and location from 1900 census: 1900 U.S. census, Morton Co., North Dakota, pop. sch., Glen Ullin, SD 199, ED 238, dwelling/family 43, line 86, Engie Morgan; digital image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6773-3QP?cc=1325221&wc=9B7Q-D5F%3A1031459501%2C1032306201%2C1032328101 : accessed 1 Nov 2018); citing National Archives microfilm publication T623, roll 1230. She resided with her father and stepmother in Morton County, Dakota Territory in 1885, listed as the head of household's daughter. See "North Dakota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1885, 1915, 1925," Morgan Co., pp. 51-52 (written), dwell. 25, fam. 29, Sidney O. Morgan family.
8 Date of birth from military registrations: "U.S. World War I, Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 November 2018), card for Sid O. Morgan, serial no. 548, Local board for Glendive, Dawson County, Montana; also "U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942," digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 November 2018), card for Sid Othniel Morgan, serial no. U3874, Local board for Seattle, Washington. Sid's death certificate provides his father's name as Sid Othnieal Morgan I and his mother's name as Eleanor E. Taylor. The informant did not personally know Elsina, who died when her son was only six months old, and considering the unusual name, the informant may have thought her name was Eleanor rather than the more unusual Elsina. See "Washington, Death Records, 1883-1960," database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 November 2018), Sid Othnieal Morgan II, 1959; citing Washington State Death Records.
9 My reserach has not discovered the identities of these boys, but the gap in ages between Zetta and Engie leaves room for two additional children's births in that time period.
10 "Ohio, County Death Records, 1868-1879," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99ZR-V8RY?cc=2128172&wc=7DZ2-GT3%3A1296031701%2C1296033702 : accessed 1 November 2018), E. F. Morgan, 1878, Cuyahoga County.

NaNoWriMo with a Twist = LoGenWriMo



November is National Novel Writing Month, usually referred to as NaNoWriMo. While writing a novel is not on my agenda, writing up a documented family history is on the table. So I'm making this LoGenWriMo (Lori Genealogy Writing Month).

While I don't know that I'll manage to create a blog post each day, I do plan to spend at least a few minutes writing up narratives of my own family each day. Most of the posts will be created on WikiTree. I can create them there during my lunch break at work from my Ancestry tree and then check against my other database to see if I have things not added to my Ancestry tree.