Long, Hard Life for a Husband & Wife

John L. G. Rogers & Isadora M. Moore of Christian County, Kentucky

John was born in 1854 and his wife of 65 years was born in 1856. John died on 26 May 1938 while Isadora died 4 days later on 30 May 1938. He was about 84 & she was about 82 years old.

For some reason this caught my attention. Here they were in their 80's having been married for 65 years, and after raising 12 children, as well; then, they die just a few days apart. John Rogers died first from Influenza that he had been battling for about 2 weeks. She died from a 3 year long illness. I suspect that she wore herself out caring for her husband, and, with his death, it was all too much for her to continue.

It amazes me that the two lived for so long in times when medicine and doctoring was at a minimum.Having and raising 12 kids could not have been easy. He was a farmer working at a hard job... more than likely a tobacco farmer. She maintained the house and chores assigned to a housewife, such as cooking, cleaning, sewing, gardening, etc. while looking after the little ones. She got some help, surely, from the older children that did not help with the farming. It was a rough life without air conditioning or good heating systems or cooking set-up. There were no TV's, radio or computers to entertain or amuse each other. Some families learned to play musical instruments to entertain themselves when they were not too tired. They generally awoke early in the morning with each having chores to complete before eating and then onto the day's work! They may take a lunch break, but then it was back to work, soon, until after dark when they would eat a dinner and soon go to bed to start all over again the next morning. To use a saying of today, this would be their lives 24/7/365! Some families took a little time for non-work activities... mostly going to church or school for the younger children.

Could we survive a life like this family had? I think this family survived pretty good for the times!

- Written by JGWest

Find-A-Grave

I need to ask everyone, what has changed at Find-A-Grave site? Suddenly, I have had several emails from people who are interested in the family of a person that I have posted a memorial on that site. The nice thing is that most are cousins of mine interested in our common ancestors or family!

I am not sure what it is, but I like it!!!!! I guess it just might mean that people are using the site more to search for their family. And it shows that it is very worthwhile to help others find family member's grave & tombstones, especially for the ones that live a distance from where their family was buried.

You might want to check out Find-A-Grave http://www.findagrave.com/

- Compiled by JGWest

Call for Submissions to Add Variety

From time to time people send me items to publish in this blog. Pictures, links, tips, etc. all help me to have something for readers to learn or to just enjoy. The TSGS Cruiser Blog was created as one means of communication with members of the Tri-State Genealogical Society, as well as, provide interesting, educational & entertaining blogs for historians & genealogists including people who may not fit into any of those categories.

We created features in hopes that other people would submit items for those special features. Since we began this blog, we have gotten a lot of cool photos of tombstones for "Tombstone Thursday." "Monument Monday" seems to get quite a few photos of markers, plaques & other monuments. I enjoy the varied photos that get sumbitted for "The First Mate's Photo Album!" I have not used the feature "For My Sister, Tina" as much as I had hoped... this feature is to show through photos (mostly) what has changed in Evansville & the tri-state area since she moved from Evansville. The idea was to help those who moved from the area keep up with some of the changes. We have a lot, just in Evansville, that has changed in only a few years: the Ford Center; the new Central Public Library; cMOE for the kids; Amazonia & the new entrance at Mesker Park Zoo!

I have really fallen short on the feature to cover y-DNA info & developments. We get lots of links to cool genealogical sites and tips on how to research or "tricks" to find what we are looking for. I find many great things from the email lists that I am on or from FaceBook even!

For about a year or so, I had about 5 or 6 people who sent items on a regular basis for the blog... I still have one or two, but sure could use some others. Especially needed are stories about your research and the excitement of your finding that clue that led you through that "brick wall." We all want to hear those stories for the eternal hope that we can get through our walls someday, as well! I know that almost everyone has had a humorous story to share, especially, if you had young kids to drag along with your adventures of finding your roots.

You do not need to be a great writer to tell a story as it happened. You do not need to be a member of TSGS to share with us your photos, tips, information, stories, etc. You do not even need to be a family historian! If you want we can make your post or item submitted as "anonymous" - however, unless you request otherwise, I will always give you credit for what you submit.

Please send us something to share with the TSGS members, other genealogists & others who follow this blog.

A very BIG THANK YOU! to all that have contributed!!!

-Written by JGWest

From My Email Box - "KYGenWeb Vital Records Project"

'


From: Sherry Slaughter
To: kygen@rootsweb.comSubject: [KYGEN] Kentucky Vital Records Project


The Kentucky Vital Records Project is looking for a coordinator or
co-coordinator who can assist with the day-to-day operations of the site
and to manage about 60 volunteers. This will entail about 4 hours of work
per week. If you are pretty tech savvy and want to help, please let me
know. I will remain available to help with technical issues including
writing SQL queries and instructions as needed, but due to my work/life
demands, I just can't continue to run the project alone and do it any
justice.


I have been trying to get assistance with this for about a year. We
previously had a good staff of assistant project coordinators who carried a
lot of the load, but their life circumstances have changed and they are no
longer available for administrative duties. Some current volunteers have
stepped up, but they do not have the skills to work in the database or
manage projects to this degree. There is potential to develop a couple of
assistant project coordinators from the pool.


This project has a very cohesive team with almost no
politics/backbiting/contention. Many of our volunteers have been with the
project since 2003.


I really don't want to abandon the project and shut down the site, but that
is coming pretty quickly if I can't find someone with some skills to
assist. It isn't that I don't care. Since my husband died, I have been in
career-development mode and now have a great job that requires a shift in
priorities.


Feel free to pass this on. Thanks for all you do!


Sheryl Neal Slaughter

KY Vital Records Project

Tombstone Thursday - Heston

'

Oak Hill Cemetery

Evansville, Indiana

Section A, Lot 144

Heston Family

[Click on image to enlarge]

This is a good-sized boulder marking the graves of the Heston family members. Six of the eight graves have been used in this lot. You can easily see this "rock" from a distance.

- Photo taken & submitted by JGWest

[Tombstone Thursday is dedicated in memory of Donald G. West 1952-2000]

TSGS Meeting Recap For Those Not Attending

'
We had a nice TSGS Monthly Meeting last night. President Don Counts led the meeting... he was not sure if he would make it back from an Indianapolis meeting earlier in the day. I was on standby as the Vice-President to to lead the meeting if needed. Click on photos to get a larger image.

Below is a view of most of those in attendance. I counted 24 people! An excellent crowd for a January meeting... great weather! The last two years we had to cancel the meeting in January due to bad weather.

In photo below our Secretary Kim Nightingale is reading the previous TSGS meeting minutes.

Below Diana Davis is giving the TSGS Treasurer's Report.

Becky West, TSGS Program Chair is introducing the night's speaker, Peggy Gilkey (seated on the right with the blue Colonial dress & straw bonnet). Her presentation was about the life of Elizabeth Grisom Claypool (better known as Betsy Ross).

In the photo below, Peggy had said that she wanted to impress me with her ability to make a perfect 5-pointed star with one-cut of the scissors as Betsy demonstrated to George Washington. She carefully folded it, and then snipped it one time... then from behind the poteem she showed us some paper dolls - I was impressed!!! :)

Then she showed us the 5-pointed star!

Peggy's husband assisted Peggy during the program showing several Colonial flags. Here he is showing the "Betsy Ross" U.S. Flag. Ken is wearing Colonial attire with a tri-corn hat.

After the program everyone got a chance to make a perfect 5-pointed star, not all qualified! :) But everyone had a lot of fun trying!

Before adjournment, attendance prizes were drawn. Ernie Payne won the first prize a genealogy book, JD Strouth & Irvin Conrad won a 2012 16-month calendar each. The calendars were donated by Peggy Gilkey.

- Compiled by JGWest

TSGS Meeting Notice! Tonight!

TSGS Meeting Notice! Tonight!!!

When: 10 Jan 2012 Tuesday Night
Time: 7:00 PM
Where: Willard Library - 2nd. Floor
What: Monthly Meeting

A drawing for an attendance prize will be awarded at close of meeting... you must be present to win.

The Tri-State Genealogical Society will have a brief business meeting followed by a presentation by Peggy Gilkey ~"The Betsy Ross Story" Anyone interested in genealogy, history is invited... you do not need to be a member to attend the society's monthly meetings.

Donald R. Counts, TSGS President