Happy New Years!

I am a firm believer that the new years resolutions need to be made on one's birthday.  It's a new year for you.

But aside from that, I'm resolving to drop some pounds.  I want weigh 180 in 180 days.  It's doable.  It does mean that I need to lay off the sodas, which has always been a challenge.  I like the caffeine, the sugar and the way they taste.  Hooked?  Assuredly.  Can I quit for 180 days?  Likely.

The trouble is when I quit cold turkey, I frequently fail and then I am binge-ing until I start over.  So this time it will be quitting, but a smarter, controlled quit.  Wish me luck with this!

I've also got some educational goals, but I'm superstitious, so I'm not talking about it as I don't want to jinx myself.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Flashback to October 2006.  I invented the Thingamajig candy bar.

Hershey's has just ripped me off.  I found a Thingamajig in the local Sev.

Seriously?  What up with that.

Speaking of Amos, here is an introduction of the man.

Seeking Wealtha

This is Wealtha Bradford Hatch.  She is my 4th great grandmother.  She was born in November 1804 and died in 1841, a day before her 37th birthday. She is also the 3rd great granddaughter of Plymouth Colony Governor William Bradford.  She was about 5'7", slender, and had brown hair and blue eyes.  

She married Ira Stearns Hatch and the first of my Hatch ancestors to be converted to Mormonism.  After moving to Illinois with her family.  After living there with her family for a short time, she got cholera and died.

Fast forward to 1981. Amos C. Hatch (my great-grandfather) aka, "Famous Amos" and "The Potter of Parowan", travels to Blandinsville, Illinois to research where Wealtha is buried.  His research began with a letter to Orrin Hatch, the US Senator from Utah to see if Senator Hatch had any information in his possession or if he knew of any family members who had researched the Hatch lands in the Illinois area.  Grandpa Amos's research uncovers where the Hatch family lived in Illinois and he visited the area, taking pictures and making meticulous notes on maps. 

He discovers a story of a skeleton that was found when a road crew was working on widening or surfacing a road in that area back in the 1920's or 30's.  They moved the skeleton across the road from where they found it and re-buried it in a field.  Grandpa Amos went to where the locals remembered the event was supposed to have taken place.

Amos passed away before he was able to continue his research.  His son, Oleen acquired his research notes and they were stored with his photo albums and other family heirlooms.  After Oleen published the family history in what the family calls "The Red Book", the collection goes in a box and back into storage.

Forward to 1999.   Another Hatch relative gets a copy of the letter Amos wrote to Orrin and begins the quest for Wealtha anew, traveling to the area and talking to the same family Amos spoke to.  However, the research stopped short when he was unable to find the photographs Amos had taken while there in 1981.

Forward to 2009.  I was visiting Oleen's daughter to find more information about my family history and to go through the box of pictures in Oleen's collection.  As I was leaving, she hands me an envelope to take with me and do some homework with.  Inside were some letters from a family in Illinois and some Polaroids of fields in their area.  I didn't know what to do with it at the time, so I put them in a safe place as a curiosity and didn't think much more about it.

Forward to 2010.  I am doing some researches on Wealtha's life and the rest of my ancestors story to make a small booklet for my Mom for a Christmas gift (don't tell her!).  An internet search located the 1999 notes of the other Hatch relative.  As I read, I became concerned that my 4th great grandmother might be buried in some field in an umarked makeshift grave.  The relative desired to bring Wealtha to Utah and have her re-interned in the Bountiful Cemetery with her husband and the rest of her family.  

As I read, it dawned on me that I just might have the key to the whole thing.  I dug out the envelope and took a look at the pictures, letters and map with fresh eyes.  I about know the acre where she might be.  

I am in contact with this relative and an emailing scans of the pictures to him.  With these pictures and his own research experience, we just might find a final home Wealtha.  I'll keep this blog posted if anything develops.

Christmas Cards

So I was looking over my past years posts (or lack thereof) and I see I didn't post my cards from last year.  I'd better fix that.

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Card version A

2004

Card version B

2003 

Note that the 2007 card was made in 2008 and was never publicly distributed.

Christmas Card Blues

As frequent readers know, I have started the tradition of shooting and mailing out Christmas Cards even though the family is currently small.

And every year I regret it.

Don't get me wrong, I always love the end result, but the logistics of putting it together are a thorn in my side.  This year's first idea was scrapped due to equipment failure, but I've got a back-up idea that should be worth all the trouble that it will take to put it together.

Keep your fingers crossed.

Just a quick post while I take my lunch break.

The settings of the new format are baffling me, so I'll be changing it again soon.

In the mean time, check out one of my other projects,

http://mywurdsmith.blogspot.com/

It is one of those annoying word-a-day blogs, but with my own twist.  Not all of the featured words are real.  So be on your toes.