It has been more than a month since I last wrote in my blog. So much has happened to me and my family, and I will not try to recap it all. I just want to express my gratefulness to Heavenly Father that things seem to be getting back to the normal.
The picture is to record my favorite things, my little treasures given to me by little people. As I am in a downsizing mode right now, I decided to take a picture of these precious gifts. I am organizing, and storing, and tossing items that are taking up space. These things are getting quite old, and soon will be too old to keep. I have a necklace made of Cherrios and a beautiful decorated clothes pin, made by a special little girl, my granddaughter, Logan. I have an ape standing by a tree given to me by my oldest grandson, Chad. I have a special leather key fob called Echo, made by my next grandson, Ryan. I have a Christmas Tree and a floral wall hanging made by my youngest daughter. I have a Christmas ornament made this year by the veterinary clinic for my best friend, Kitty Girl. And last added to my treasures, a little mechanical musical from my great grandson, Oliver. Of course, these treasures are not anything I could turn into money or that I could even hock. Treasure does not mean monetary value only, for me these are more precious than money, their value is in love.
And finally, I have been able to work on my book about Berriman McLaughlin. As I study each of his twelve children and add them to the story, I am discovering so many new people and new stories. These McLaughlins seemed to be ordinary people at the outset. But, oh my, I have discovered wives no one knew about, grandchildren that had been lost to history, and one grandchild mis-identified who is now in the correct family with the correct parents.
Now that I have teased you, I will share a bit of these discoveries now.
John McLaughlin, son of the original Berriman, had four children and genealogists and family historians have assumed he had one wife who was their mother. But upon studying this family I discovered he had to have had a first wife who was the mother of the two oldest children. Her name may be forever lost to history, but I know she existed, and she will be mentioned in my book.
Berryman McLaughlin, grandson of the original Berriman, had been described as having no children. However, I discovered he had a daughter, Sarah, and a son, John. They are now recognized as his children and that is in my book.
Elizabeth McLaughlin, daughter of the original Berriman, died young, around age forty five. With her first husband she had seven children. With her second husband she had one baby boy. She died shortly after that baby was born. In her father's intestate probate case that baby is identified as John Doir, heir of Elizabeth, deceased. I discoverd this son is Asa Allen Darrow, not named John as in the probate case. I am sure that Asa knew who his mother was, but others that have followed assumed the probate record HAD to be right, and his name was John. Asa is in my book, in the right family at last.
So I am busy and having fun again. Is there anything more fun than family history? Oh yes, also, my daughters are both doing fine. Stay tuned, Patj
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