Stories in Our Roots

#20 In this episode Heather shares how to become more resilient as you research your family history.  She discusses four areas of resilience that apply to family history and every day life.

• Self-awareness and self-care
• Purpose and goals
• Relationships and connections
• Perspective and optimism

Want to join Resilience in Your Roots, my 1:1 coaching program?  Schedule a call with me!

Get a free workbook, "Release Limiting Beliefs by Understanding Family History " to help identify your beliefs, where they come from, and how to chose your beliefs moving forward.

About Heather:

Heather Murphy is a resilience coach, genealogist and host of the Stories in Our Roots podcast.  Heather teaches people how to strengthen their resilience as they research and connect with the stories of their ancestors.  As a teenager one of Heather’s role models was a 3rd-great-grandmother who exemplified service and perseverance.  Heather’s love of family and history led to a bachelor’s degree in Family History - Genealogy.  

After twenty years teaching people how to research their family history or completing research on their behalf, Heather saw in the lives of her clients the strength and understanding that comes from researching their own family history, and the missed opportunities when they paid her to research instead.  Her signature program, Resilience in Your Roots teaches people how to use the process of researching their family trees to strengthen their resilience and improve how they adapt to the challenges of life.

Heather lives in Washington State (the dry side) with her husband, son, three ducks and a rabbit.

 Connect with Heather:

Website: heathermurphygenealogy.com
Facebook: @HeatherMurphyGen
Instagram: @heathermurphygen
LinkedIn: Heather Murphy
 
 

Episode Sponsor:

 Episode sponsored by Heather Murphy's signature 1:1 service, Resilience in Your Roots.

Get a free guide, "7 Ways You (Unintentionally) Sabotage Your Family Tree" and have more success as you research your family history. 

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

It all started for John by being curious about the origin of his name and then learning about the man after whom he was named.  Throughout his research John discovered an artifact that told the story of a World War I soldier and stories of an ancestor tangibly involved with the growth of Melbourne.  Finding personal connections with world and regional events as helped the study of history be more meaningful.

In this episode John shares:

• How his research journey began with an internet search of his name
• The story of a journal that survived World War I even though its author did not
• What it means to him to know one of his ancestors played role in Melbourne’s history 

About John:

John has been a performer for nearly 20 years and has done a mixture of work both professional and amateur. He is also an avid historian and has done plenty of research into his own family tree. One of his favorite things about history is finding unique stories that on paper sound completely false but are actually true.

Connect with John:

Instagram: John_Molden
Facebook: John Molden
Twitter: John_Molden

Also Mentioned:

• Ancestry.com
• Australian War Memorial

Episode Sponsor:

Episode sponsored by Heather Murphy's signature 1:1 service, Resilience in Your Roots.

Get a free workbook, "Release Limiting Beliefs by Understanding Family History " to help identify your beliefs, where they come from, and how to chose your beliefs moving forward.

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

#18  Nancy Stratford has researched her family history for over 50 years and still has not reached the point of being “finished.” Nancy looks for ways to share what she learns with family and strangers alike, like writing a family cookbook or a local history of the Island Park, Idaho area.  Through her dedication throughout her life she has learned about hundreds of people who are part of her family tree.

In this episode Nancy shares:

• How features of FamilySearch and Ancestry.com help her learn new things about her relatives
• The time a visit to a cemetery resulted in heaven-sent information
• How tangible items sometimes help prove family stories
• The book she wrote to share not only her family stories, but others in the community
• The story of how a favorite family dessert with Pennsylvania Dutch roots didn’t receive a warm welcome in the West

About Nancy:

Nancy Stratford was born in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania as Nancy Lorraine Long. Her grandmother was the owner of the Bigg’s Family restaurant and she grew up waitressing in the Pocono Mountains.  Nancy was the oldest of 3 girls and upon graduation went to Gettysburg College where she graduated in Biology with minors in Physics and Math. She started graduate school but became ill and soon married. Nancy had 3 children and moved frequently in her first marriage. She divorced and married her true sweetheart Ray Stratford who had 3 children of his own. Together they would become the “Brady Bunch family” and were married for 43 years.
 
 Ray and Nancy met and lived in upstate New York for many years, Ray worked at General Electric as a Harmonics Engineering expert. Nancy ran a food co-op, and became a professional volunteer, writing newsletters, serving as the PTA president, and active church involvement including teaching 8 years of Early Morning seminary (6:00 am) to high school students. They retired in 1990 and moved to Island Park Idaho, where Ray had maintained family property. Here they built a second cabin near the families original Tie Hack Cabin. Ray and Nancy served a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Johannesburg South Africa during the end of Apartheid. They traveled the world from Egypt to Sweden.
 
 When living in Island Park, Idaho Nancy became the President of the local Historical Society. Nancy began writing weekly articles for the local newspaper on historical topics. One article series written on the Nez Perce Band was submitted for a National Award for Western writers. Nancy won first place. This prompted her to think about writing a full book on the History of Island Park. She had collected first-hand information, stories and knowledge. But she thought about the project with little progress for over 10 years.
 
 When Ray was in his last year fighting cancer, Nancy promised him she would finish the book. With the help of her daughter, Nancy put down the information needed to write her first professionally printed book. Nancy has started and maintained several book groups over her lifetime and currently reads about 2 books a week. Being the oldest living member of her extended family, she claims nearly 100 close relatives. They all know of her love of people, place and reading.
 

Also Mentioned:

Gold, Bears & Fly Fishing: The History of Island Park, the book written by Nancy, is available for purchase at Amazon.com

Episode Sponsor:

Episode sponsored by Heather Murphy's signature 1:1 service, Resilience in Your Roots.

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

#17 Melanie wasn’t expecting it but researching her family history this year helped her get through the really tough times.  The time she chose to spend researching after the kids went to bed gave her mind space to recharge from the stress of the day.  Melanie said, “Maybe I should look at meditation, but instead I found family history.”  She came away from her research time with increased self-awareness, self-worth, accomplishment, and a feeling that what she did mattered.

In this episode Melanie shares: 

• How it all started with a dare to start indexing records
• Why researching family history made all the difference in 2020
• How getting closer to her family tree has given her more clarity in other areas of her life
• That sometimes the answers you want are closer than you expect
• Why you should let go of what family history “should be” 

About Melanie:

Melanie Kirry Gardner has always loved to hear all the stories and see all the photos. This passion made for a perfect fit in her decade-long profession as a marketing professional and teacher in the scrapbooking and papercrafting industry where she connected with story keepers all over the world. These days she can be found endeavoring to balance caring for two aging parents, one husband, and a gaggle of kids. She moonlights as a family history sleuth and believes that letting go of expectations of what family history "should be" can open the door to a world of what family history really can be.

Connect with Melanie:

 Instagram: twistedhistories
 
 Also Mentioned:

• Ancestry.com
• MyHeritage.com
• FamilySearch.com

Episode Sponsor:

 Episode sponsored by Heather Murphy's signature 1:1 service, Resilience in Your Roots.
 
 

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

#16 – Sam Williams | Building a Family Forest

Sam Williams focuses on building his family forest, not only his family tree.  Researching his family has strengthened his connection with family close and distant, given him a greater sense of patriotism and allowed him to sink his roots deeply into his home county.  Learn from Sam what it means to encounter your ancestors, not just identify them.

In this episode Sam shares:

• What he thinks looking back on himself as a beginning researcher [3:59]
• How his connection to place, local and national, has grown [6:32]
• What it takes to really get to know your ancestors [14:29]
• How knowing about his ancestors strengthened relationships with living family [17:24]
• The difference between encountering versus identifying your ancestors [21:08]

About Sam:

Sam Williams is a professional genealogist with a focus on Central Virginia, African American, and Greek American research. He has finished the National Genealogical Society's American Genealogical Studies courses and is currently in ProGen Study Group 50. Sam loves presenting on genealogy and his most recent lecture is part of Virtual Genealogical Association's upcoming November 13-15 virtual conference. He received a BA in International Affairs and Spanish from James Madison University, and a Master of Divinity from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.

Connect with Sam:

 Website: The Orthodox Genealogist
Instagram: Sam Williams
Facebook: The Orthodox Genealogist
Twitter: Sam Williams
 
 

Also Mentioned:

General Society of Mayflower Descendants

Sons of the American Revolution

Jamestowne Society

Episode Sponsor:

 Episode sponsored by Heather Murphy's signature 1:1 service, Stories in Your Roots.

Get a free guide, "7 Ways You (Unintentionally) Sabotage Your Family Tree" and have more success as you research your family history. 

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

#15  In this episode Heather shares Top 5 Gratitude List related to family history for 2020.  

• #1 An opportunity to gain better clarity on her passion [1:00]
• #2 Making memories with living family members [4:02]
• #3 Understanding ancestral patterns contribute to, but do not define, who she is [6:22]
• #4 Learning to be grateful for small discoveries on difficult family lines [9:20]
• #5 Lessons learned when people are willing to share their stories [13:42]

 Get a free workbook, "Release Limiting Beliefs by Understanding Family History " to help identify your beliefs, where they come from, and how to chose your beliefs moving forward.

About Heather:

Heather Murphy is a family history coach and educator and host of the Stories in Our Roots podcast.  Her family history journey began at age 11 and through high school and college she learned to love history through the lens of family.  She holds a bachelors degree in Family History and Genealogy from Brigham Young University.  Heather offers a 1:1 coaching program to help people increase their resilience and manage stress by researching and learning the stories of their ancestors.

 Connect with Heather:

Website: heathermurphygenealogy.com
Facebook: @HeatherMurphyGen
Instagram: @heathermurphygen
LinkedIn: Heather Murphy

Also mentioned in this episode:

Sign up for RootsTech Connect, the 100% free, 100% online family history conference 25-27 February 2021.

Episode Sponsor:

 Episode sponsored by Heather Murphy's signature 1:1 service, Stories in Your Roots.

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Laura shares the stark difference between one grandmother who kept a notebook with memories and family information and another grandmother who fabricated the story of her childhood and said she grew up in an orphanage.   We talk about visiting ancestral homes, interests that resurface after several generations, and how all stories are great stories to pass on.

In this episode Laura shares:

• The story behind her maternal grandmother’s treasure chest of memories [2:02]
• When she found out her paternal grandmother hadn’t told the truth about her father [4:09]
• Her family’s love of animals goes back at least four generations [8:18]
• How she processed her feelings about her paternal grandmother’s lies about her family [10:00]
• One way Laura connects with ancestors that have been researched by other family members [15:20]
• How some ancestral occupations are revisited in recent generations [20:35]

About Laura:

Laura Hedgecock is an author, storyteller, speaker, and GeneaBlogger, passionate about helping others tell personal, family, and ancestor stories. She’s a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, Genealogical Speakers Guild, and serves as Secretary of Detroit Working Writers and President of the 3400+ member GeneaBloggers Organization.

Her book, MEMORIES OF ME: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO TELLING AND SHARING THE STORIES OF YOUR LIFE, guides and empowers memory collectors with down-to-earth, practical advice and creative ideas. Her website, TreasureChestofMemories.com, provides practical advice on preserving and sharing memories and family stories.

Connect with Laura:

Website: TreasureChestofMemories.com
Instagram: laura_hedgecock
LinkedIn: Laura Hedgecock
Facebook: AuthorLauraHedgecock
Twitter: LauraLHedgecock
YouTube: Laura Hedgecock

Also Mentioned:

Ancestry.com

Episode Sponsor:

 Episode sponsored by Heather Murphy's signature 1:1 service, Stories in Your Roots.

Get a free guide, "7 Ways You (Unintentionally) Sabotage Your Family Tree" and have more success as you research your family history. 

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Melanie shares her official and unofficial stories of how she became interested in researching her family tree.  Over the years she has connected with cousins by using multiple platforms like FamilySearch and Facebook, adding more dimension to what she knew about her family.  Melanie encourages us to record stories, even if they seem untrue, because you never know what kernel of truth they hold.

In this episode Melanie shares:

• The cryptic message that led to uncovering family on her paternal side [6:30]
• How her family’s reaction to her family history research has changed over time [16:45]
• She was able to tell her grandmother the names of her paternal grandparents [17:53]
• How you can appreciate your ancestors even when their lives were not perfect [20:15]

About Melanie:

Melanie, a staff genealogist at American Ancestors & New England Historic Genealogical Society, assists library visitors, both on-site and online, with their family history research. She also provides lectures on a variety of genealogical topics. Melanie holds a bachelor of science degree from the State University of New York at Oswego. Her areas of research interests include Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Kansas, Prince Edward Island, Ireland, and she is experienced in DNA, genealogical technology and social media, Jewish genealogy, and military records. Melanie is also a blogger known as The Shamrock Genealogist (theshamrockgenealogist.com). 

Also Mentioned:

American Ancestors and New England Historic Genealogical Society

Ancestry.com

FamilySearch.com

Archive.org

Episode Sponsor:

Episode sponsored by Heather Murphy's signature 1:1 service, Stories in Your Roots.

Get a free guide, "7 Ways You (Unintentionally) Sabotage Your Family Tree" and have more success as you research your family history. 

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Thanks to Aunt Sadie and the passing on of family heirlooms, Julie Adamcin has learned many stories about her ancestors.  In today’s episode she shares the story behind bullet holes in a marble top table and the ancestor who lived in Missouri and voted for Abraham Lincoln in 1860.  Julie also shares how finding a newspaper article about her grandfather’s death helped her better understand the experiences of her mother’s family.

In this episode Julie shares:

• The story of the Camp family silver [3:15]
• Mahlon Ashbrook, voting for Lincoln, and the oak and marble table [7:49]
• How her perspective of her grandfather’s death changed after finding a newspaper article [17:07]
• The benefits she’s gotten from researching her family history [21:05]

About Julie:

Julie Camp Adamcin has been doing family research since she was in high school.  Julie received a Ph.D. in Education and worked for nearly 40 years as a 4-H in Pima  County Arizona.  After her retirement in 2007, she has been able to connect with other family members who share her interests.  

Also Mentioned:

Mahlon Ashbrook's obituary at Newspapers.com  (affiliate link - no subscription needed to view clipping)

Click here to go to the website and see a photograph of  one of Julie's cousin's family history quilts.

Episode Sponsor:

Episode sponsored by Heather Murphy's signature 1:1 service, Stories in Your Roots.

Get a free guide, "7 Ways You (Unintentionally) Sabotage Your Family Tree" and have more success as you research your family history. 

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

#11  It's very common for people who research their family history to have a favorite branch of their tree, ancestors to whom they feel especially connected.  For others, one part of the family may be hard to connect to because of more recent family dynamics.  This episode explores the concept of balancing our family narratives and remembering all of our ancestors.

In this episode Heather shares:

• Her experience this month realizing a third-great-grandmother wanted to be remembered
• Different situations that create an imbalanced family narrative
• Why we should make an effort to remember all our ancestors, even in little ways
• How we can recognize our own biases when looking at our family tree

Get a free workbook, "Release Limiting Beliefs by Understanding Family History " to help identify your beliefs, where they come from, and how to chose your beliefs moving forward.

About Heather:

Heather Murphy is a family history coach and educator and host of the Stories in Our Roots podcast.  Her family history journey began at age 11 and through high school and college she learned to love history through the lens of family.  She holds a bachelors degree in Family History and Genealogy from Brigham Young University.  Heather focuses on teaching people  how they can improve their mental health by  connecting with their ancestors in a mindful and organized process.

Connect with Heather:

Website: heathermurphygenealogy.com
Facebook: @HeatherMurphyGen
Instagram: @heathermurphygen
LinkedIn: Heather Murphy

Episode Sponsor:

Episode sponsored by Heather Murphy's signature 1:1 service, Stories in Your Roots.

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy