Colorado DAR State Convention

Excitement is in the air as Colorado Daughters of the American Revolution gather for State Conference this weekend. I can tell you that I am one excited duck, or rather Daughter. 

Our special guest this year is President General Merry Ann Wright. I met her when I was in Washington, D.C for Continental Congress in 2010. She is so very gracious and has worked so hard for our society. 

So being in true form, I flew up to greet her as her plane came into the beautiful State of Colorado. It was a little tough trying to catch her plane. Truth be told, I fell off a few times as I am not used to flying so fast. But many of you know me...try, try again I did. Actually, I think she was a little shocked to see me at first. When she saw my DAR pins, she knew she was being properly welcomed and smiled back. Getting down from the plane was a whole other story. 

I am excited this year to go to State Conference. I will have lots of pictures to show you when it is all over. 

Christine

 

Grave Symbolism - A Depth of Meaning

I have been taken by genealogist who spend hours, if not days traveling from cemetery to cemetery recording the grave markers of famous people they are researching or for family members. Several member of my family do most of this kind of work. Until recently, I pretty much left it up to them. Then I spent some time on a tour in old Riverside Cemetery in Denver. There were grave markers that went back to the early days of Denver's history. Symbolism was absolutely everywhere, so I decided to learn more.

Eternal Life - Butterfly and Flowers - Eternal Life

It didn't take long before I was hooked. My next trip was to another of Denver's oldest cemeteries, Fairmont. My Father is buried there and most of the time I only go out to pay my respects to him.
My husband happened to be with me this time. We walked the cemetery and could not get over the great detail that went into most of the graves. Tiny little things came up, like the use of lambs or angels for the graves of small children. It was then that I realized that quite a bit could be gleamed about a person by their grave marker.

Indicative of a great loss - broken branch of family
and so close to the trunk.

This one above stuck out in my mind as I am also a Day. I remember when my Grandfather died back in the late 70's. It felt just like this grave marker indicates. A beautiful soul had died and the branch of family was broken as well. My Grandfather was the root of our family and the marker seemed to portray that as well. The broken branch is near the trunk.

Shows a journey to the other side.

This grave marker is full of symbolism. It shows the journey one makes from this life to that place where many of us feel our loved ones go. Life is a journey and perhaps these people felt their loved one was continuing the journey on.

In taking hundreds of pictures of both Riverside and Fairmont Cemeteries now, I have come to appreciate the beautiful artwork that is so carefully placed on grave headstones. Looking towards the part of the cemetery where the markers were set down into the ground, I feel at loss for the people buried there. Although still hallowed ground, the messages are often not included on such a small marker. It feels somehow empty with only the name, DOB and DOB on these graves.

I encourage you to walk your local cemetery some day and spend some time reflecting on the distinct messages each of the older graves have incorporated. It gives one a sense of appreciation for people you never knew.

Here is a link to some common grave symbolism. Take the link and remember them the next time you are in a cemetery.

Grave Marker Guide



 

New York in the American Revolution - A Source Guide for Genealogist and Historians

What are you reading? 

This book is exceptional and I highly recommend it. New York in the American Revolution - A Source Guide for Genealogist and Historians.  It is so pack full of information, I hardly know where to begin. A must have for anyone working in the New York area, or just interested in Colonial New York. The book is now available in printed version or as a PDF download through the DAR Store, visit dar.org/darstore or call the store toll-free at 888-673-2732 to order your copy. Enjoy and happy hunting!






Link Here

Consanguinity - The Degree of Genealogical Relationships

So you found someone famous in your family line have you? You turn to your friends and family and then have to proceed through a complicated description on just how you are related. Sounds easy at first, until someone's eyebrows scrunch, and a puzzled look come across their face as they try to process this new narrow, but worthy path you have just forage in relationships. 

Hoping that no one asks question we try to use the right words to help them understand the unique relationship you, or they have. If they understand or are family with the common language of relation sanguinity. It makes your job easier. 

So the statement that Daniel Boone is your the great-uncle of my great-great-grandfather's third cousin, shouldn't be a problem.  Right? I will give you a pen and watch you chart that relationship. No, you say? 

Hard to conceptualize? A bit confusing, right? Don't worry you are not alone. 

It is easier to think of what your shared ancestors would call you both - if your closet shared direct-line ancestor is your great-great-grandparents, and they call you both "great-great-grandchildren," then you have no removal, you two are second cousins. Once, Twice, Thice Removed...Have I lost you? Well hang on a bit. 

Actually, it is only by being familiar with the system we use in designating these relationships, that you can see there is a consistent formula to the kinship titles we assign to various family members. In English-speaking societies, we classify family relationship based on gender, generation, and consideration of consanguinity (direct descendants) and by what is called, immediate afinal (in-law) relationships. Our common familiarity is with immediate family and direct lines – brother, sister, cousins, aunts/uncles and the (great) grandparents. It starts to get confusing when differentiating between the “degrees” and “removals” of cousins. 

Something I am sure most of you will agree with as we all have wrestled with this system at one time or another. 

First, Second, Third Cousins?  What Does it Mean? The ordinals in this system, “first cousin”, “second cousin”, “third cousin”, all describe the degree of the cousin relationship or the number of generations to their closest ancestor. For example, your second cousin is a person you share great-grandparents with and is not your direct sibling. 

Table of Consanguinity Showing Degrees of Relationships

The secret is in the generations. When the cousins are not in your same generation then they are “removed. “First cousins once removed” declares that either one of you are one generation away from being first cousins. For example, if your first cousin has kids, they are your first cousins once removed – the closest common ancestor shared are your grandparents but are “once removed” from the level of first cousin (held by their parents). 

Here is the confusing part: there are two instances in your family tree that can share this title. This is a reflection of what cousins refer to each as. Up until now, each relationship in your family tree has inverse titles for each other. You are your aunt’s niece or nephew; you are your great-grandparents grandchild. Cousins refer to each other as cousins, but because of this, your first cousin’s kid is your first cousin once removed and you (the parent of their second cousin) are also their first cousin once removed – you each refer to each other as the same. This means that the child of your first cousin and the parents of your second cousin are both “first cousins once removed” despite each of them being generations apart. 

Here is the breakdown: 

FIRST COUSINS: Non-siblings that share grandparents 
SECOND COUSINS: Non-siblings that share great-grandparents 
THIRD COUSINS: Non-siblings that share great-great-grandparents 
FIRST COUSINS ONCE REMOVED: Two people for whom the first cousin relationship is    one generation removed. 
FIRST COUSINS TWICE REMOVED: Two people for whom the second cousin relationship is two generations removed. 

If this is still confusing, take a breath and remember they are not going anywhere and will still be your ancestor or relative tomorrow. You will in time and practice understand this classification system. Practice also always makes understanding so much easier. Try to use the chart with someone you are closer in relation to,  and you will find it easier each time you use it to classify your unique blood relation to people more distantly related.  Remember you can always pull out your file proving lineage and really impress everyone with your verifiable work. Because the proof is in the detailed genealogy work that you do anyway. 

Good luck and enjoy your newly discovered relatives!