Soft Whispers and Gentle Voices

This is my latest book. I have long enjoyed, with a special fondness, the pursuit of my female ancestors. The records are usually about the males and the females are many times long forgotten. Their identity is centered on their being someone's daughter, someone's wife, or someone's mother. I admire them, one and all. I decided to write this book about them, to do them the honor I feel they deserve. It will be a story, not a genealogy. I will cover my foremothers in six generations, both on my mother's side and on my father's side. In six generations my parents have 64 ancestors and half are female so there is a possibility of 32 foremothers. I am most fortunate to have found 29 on my maternal side and 22 on my paternal side. So the book will mention 51 ladies.

I say "mention" because I know them all, but some better than others. Some stories will have more content than others, but they will all be in it. There is always the hope that I will find more information, but for now I feel I should get this book started. As always, I find that as I review my material I find new information -- or new clues. My motto is "Reviewing Is Always A Good Thing".

I feel good about the project as it is my way of sharing. When I began to do genealogical research in 1990 my knowledge about my paternal lineage was very limited. I knew my grandparents, of course, and my grandmother's parents. I knew nothing any further back than that. Sometimes the challenge of finding these folks was daunting. It seemed almost impossible at times. But as I went step by step, things began to unfold --- and they are still unfolding. I have found five American Revolutionary Patriots on my father's side. I have found twenty American RevolutionaryPatriots on my mother's side. In short, I feel so fortunate to have had the honor of finding my ancestors --- and especially my foremothers. I also feel fortunate to be able to share them with others and with my descendants in particular.

I will tell you more about this project as it progresses. As of today I have five more foremothers to write about on my mom's side and then I begin on my dad's side.