The Howland Family

Okay so I know I left you hanging in the last post so I thought I'd better add my connection to this family and stop the guessing game. This chart is on display at the King of Prussia Mall next to the Cheesecake Factory in my exhibit.

Another link to the Past

So I was reading a book and had the impression that I should work on some family history. I felt that I needed to do some research and through my findings, I would find something that I would be able to share with my Family History class that I teach on Sundays. So I went to work at 9pm. I was looking through census reports. (by the way, www.fsbeta.familysearch.org now has over 700 million microfilm names online now!) I wasn't finding anything and so I just started browsing my family tree. I started to trace one of my great...grandmothers, Sarah Marie Freeman. Back through New York and many generations earlier, I found a name I recognized. Can you spot it...

My little brother and his wife were just in town visiting with my family. We had a lot of fun visiting sites in Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Valley Forge and other historic sites. One of the best days was being able to share with my brother all of the exciting things I have found out about our Potts Family right here. I took him to the Historic Society and was able to show him many original documents, photo albums, family bible, etc about our family. What a great blessing to be apart of such a great legacy of love and sacrifice. Here is a picture that my brother caught of me explaining some of these findings.

Granite Mountain Records Vault

Just wanted to share this cool video about the Granite Mountain Vault.

Many Miracles...

What a blessing it is to search and find our ancestors. I love the quote by President Thomas S. Monson (President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) when he said, "I testify that when we do all we can to accomplish the work that is before us, the Lord will make available to us the sacred key needed to unlock the treasure which we so much seek." Here is just one small example of how I have experienced that blessing.

Here is a picture that I took at the cemetery that I found by my house that is listed in a blog post below.

When I came home to process the images, this particular picture, I was unable to read the date at all and I could not make out the name very well either. I decided to go back to the cemetery and see if I could see it clearer. So with my kids in toe, I was armed with a bottle of water, flash light, bug spray, clipboard and was determined to find out more about this particular ancestor. Once I got to the cemetery, I tip-toed through the weeds and poison ivy and bent down to take a look at the tombstone. I could not read it at all other than the name Anna Nutt May. I tried spraying it with water, using the flash light to try and create a shadow and ran my fingers over the stone to see if I could feel the letters to no avail. I said another prayer and still couldn't see it so I moved on to the headstone right next to this one. I was able to read the next headstone and as I turned back to the first one, the writing became clear as day. The sun had shown just at the part that I couldn't read before and I could read it perfectly. Tears came to my eyes as I realized this was one of the small miracles that would and does happen as the Lord unlocks the treasures of our past and helps us accomplish the awesome responsibility to find and help our kindred dead.

The Potts Family

Waianae, Hawaii Finds

My sister and I went to Hawaii a couple of months ago to help my Auntie remodel a few rooms. We went to the church where my Grandfather, Charles W Basso, was married and found our ancestors buried there. Here are a couple pictures.

Potts Family Findings...

I discovered a couple years ago that John Potts, who founded Pottstown and now the town I have been living in for the past 5 years, was my cousin. His father Thomas Potts and my great...grandfather, David Potts, were brothers back in the 1700s. This is a tombstone of Thomas Potts. The flag and circle plaque stats Revolutionary War.

On Sunday, I had an incredible day of findings!! So very exciting. I found out that my ancestors not only settled and founded Pottstown, but that more family ancestors settled the township I live in as well, North Coventry.

After several years of searching, I found one of the cemeteries where many of my Potts ancestors are buried. It is a small cemetery off a gravel road and covered in weeds. It was a miracle how I was able to track it down. Here is a little video of it.

I am going to find out who is in charge of this site and see about clearing and cleaning it up since many of the tombstones I couldn't get too. Wow, what an amazing feeling was there when I walked into this cemetery that is only about 5 minutes from my home!!

Giacinta Chiotti

I have been working on my Grandfather, Charles W Basso's family since my sister is working on finishing his life story. It is very exciting to try and find the many pieces to an amazing puzzle. Here is the manifest from New York when Great Grandmother came to America from Italy. Her name is listed on Line 22. I tried looking for her before and was unable to find her. Her name is misspelled in the database, but the manifest is correct. Also, below it you will find a picture of the ship La Normandie that she sailed on from the Le Havre arriving in New York May 1, 1899.

Searching for Lewis Family Grave Sites

Another Sunday driving to several Friendly Meeting House (Quakers) with the kids to find some ancestors. As we walked around Old Haverford Friends Meeting House, I found some Lewis names. Here is a picture of the tombstone that was obviously redone since the man died in the early 1700s. I didn't know if this was a family member or not, so I took a picture and came home to see if he was. While walking around this grave site, I felt the spirit very strong. I knew someone important to my family had to be there. I figured out that Henry Lewis was my great...grandfather!! Wow, what an incredible feeling to walk in the area that he lived over 300 years ago!

Ellis Island

I just discovered this awesome site "Ellis Island" where you can search passenger from 1892 until 1924. Here is Margherita Chiotti who I think is my Grandmother Cinta Basso's sister (tombstone below). The year fits, the area she came from and is going to as well as it says in the manifest that her sister's name was Natalina which was Cinta's sister as well. Still working to confirm. Please post any information that you might find to clarify her identity.

Click on the link to view manifest. Their is a magnifying glass that you can click on to enlarge. There are two pages to this sheet.

Great Grandpa Guiseppe "Joseph" Basso

Here is a picture of what I believe to be my Great Grandfather's grave site. I requested a picture to be taken of any Basso's at the Saint Paul's Cemetery in Owosso, Michigan. Three days later I received an email with these pictures. So exciting!! Here is the link to FINDaGRAVE.org which is an excellent resource for looking up cemeteries and it is FREE. They are also looking for volunteers to take pictures in your area when people request someone's name to find. I signed up and look forward to serving others as I was able to benefit from it as well.

Alanson Norton

This is Grandma Hansen's Great Grandpa from New York. Here is a list of the family members that were on the wagon train with John G. Smith Company. The father is Alanson North (age 37) with all is kids, wife and mother. Can you imagine traveling with all those kids?

Norton, Althea Marie (1)
Norton, Charles Waterberry (15)
Norton, Harriet Emmeline (14)
Norton, Lucy Ellen (11)
Norton, Lucy Wilkinson (62) mother
Norton, Martha Elmina (4)
Norton, Sallie Maria Freeman (34) wife

This is a great resource for searching anyone that immigrated to the Salt Lake Valley between 1847-1868.

Charles Abraham Romrell

This is my Great, great grandfather. (Leona Sarah Lewis Hansen's Great Grandpa) His name is Charles Abraham Romrell. Here is a little bit about him at lds.org. He was in the Charles A. Harper Company (1855).

Click on Charles's picture for more information about my great...grandpa.