By LaRae Free Kerr

A cousin wrote, “Ephraim Perkins, born 1795 in NC, son of Joshua Perkins and Rebecca Sherrill has 5 wives listed for him—Mary Stubblefield md 9 Aug 1817, Lucinda Rushing md 1817, Lucinda E. Livingston md 4 Sep 1845, Milly J. Holmes md 7 Nov 1854, Mary Wylie Moses md abt 1865. Some of the children of Ephraim are connected to more than one of these wives. Can you clear this up?”

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By LaRae Free Kerr

Genetic genealogy is “the use of DNA to explore ancestral origins and relationships between individuals…another tool for the genealogist’s toolbox,” wrote Blaine T. Bettinger, Ph. D. at http://www.thegeneticgenealogist.com/wp-content/uploads/InterpretingTheResultsofGeneticGenealogyTests.PDF. Following is an example, based on a true situation but with the names changed, showing what YDNA can do and undo for researchers.

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by LaRae Free Kerr

Young Dollie Wadsworth walked to the polling booth with her husband, where she proudly cast her ballot, knowing she was making history, even in her isolated Nevada community. It was 1920. Warren Harding was elected with 76% of the votes. But in hindsight, that wasn’t the big news. The big news was that women voted in national elections for the first time.

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by LaRae Free Kerr

RUMBLE, puff, RUMBLE, puff, the train charged its way down Highway 6 towards the eastern canyons. As my husband and I watched it and felt its noisy rhythm rumbling and puffing down the track, we commented on how long it was. Dozens of ore cars heading back to the mines. RUMBLE- puff, light on their tracks because the cars were empty, hurrying to get there but full of nothing.

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by LaRae Free Kerr

Family reunions, of one kind or another, grace summer days. Whether your summer get-together is formal or just a gathering of close relatives, you can further your family history by getting some oral histories. Following are some of the suggestions for getting oral histories from the forthcoming book, The Least You Need to Do to Find Your Own True Ancestors. Another column will include lists of questions you could ask.

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