Families

My friend Virginia was pleasantly surprised to open the March Ensign Magazine and find an article about her 2nd great grandmother on her father’s side, “Nancy Naomi Alexander Tracy, A Faithful Pioneer”. I go to church and enjoy the poetry of my great great grandfather Parley P. Pratt. It’s always fun to meet up with our ancestors in one-way or another.

On a recent trip to New Mexico I picked up some diaries and letters from my brother that were written by older family members. I enjoyed getting to know them better as I read their writing. I’ve been thinking about my ancestors lately. It makes me sorry that I didn’t know my parent’s siblings better. I wish I could go sit at their feet and at my grandparent’s and listen to stories of their past. This should make me want to write my history for my own children shouldn’t it? Maybe I just don’t think my life was as interesting as my ancestors was. My parent's lifetime spanned the times between horse and buggy days to rocket ships and computers; mine from typewriters to cell phones and I Pads. I wonder what kind of advances in life my children will see that I’ll miss.

My younger brother helped me get into the 1880 US Census and I was finally able to find the name of my husband’s Grandparents and a surprise the names of eleven children. I thought his grandfather was an only child. Another surprise,-- my brother wrote to a woman in California who was also looking for information about this man. We’ve been in contact and I hope to learn more about this large and so far silent part of our family. It’s exciting! In telling her about our great-great grandfather I was reminded that he and his wife made a red and white quilt for each of their grandchildren. We have one of them. It’s nice to have something tangible from an ancestor like that.

March is National Quilt Month. Have you thought of making a quilt? It is something I have enjoyed for many years. Quilting is an American art form that has enjoyed resurgence since the 1970’s. It was a necessity to our American Pioneers. Women made quilts from scraps to keep their families warm. I make them to cuddle babies and hang on walls, an art form.

Many years ago I started a cross-stitch pattern with a poem on it that I really liked. It said,

Family Quilt
Our family is like a patchwork quilt
with kindness gently sewn.
Each piece is an original
with beauty all its own.
With threads of warmth and happiness
it is tightly stitched together.
To last in love throughout the years.
Our family is forever.
-Renee Baker-

I always liked that image. Each of my family members is definitely different. How did we all come from the same parents and grandparents? And yet we all love each other and want the best for each other. We make an interesting quilt.

Do you have a family treasure?
Do you keep a journal?
Did you know that the stake Family history center has a lot of new information that can help you find your interesting family members?