My research on the Spracklin, Goss, Delano and Keller families has been going on now since 1998. You can find me at the Association of Professional Genealogists website and also at the Puget Sound Chapter of APG. I am also the Washington State Genealogical Society Newsletter editor.
I have decided to take my genealogy in a different direction and that is to write about my findings. After much discussion in my head, I decided to blog my family history rather than create a website. It gave me flexibility as to what I would write about or not write about. My ultimate goal will be to turn the posts into books. In the books, I can add more information that is not really a good idea for sharing on a blog.
I started first in 2008 when I went to Pennsylvania with Pennsylvania Wanderings: http://pawanderings.blogspot.com/ This blog is a bit old now, with some broken links but it still has value for the Goss research.
Massachusetts Meanderings and more… http://massmeanderings.blogspot.com/ This was to document my trip to Massachusetts and Connecticut in April 2011 to see the Goss family historical sites try to figure out more about the Barclay family and follow in the footsteps of my cousin Paul H. Goss who did a lot on our family history in the 1930′s and 1940′s.
These first two are more travelogues of the family history. They concentrate on the towns, cemeteries and historical sites of the family history. I do touch on sources in some of the posts but more on the actual sites and locations.
The next two blogs are about specific areas of the family history and tie into each other.
This blog is about the paternal side, of my father’s lineage. The Man Who Lived Airplanes: The Life of Keith B. MacDonald http://macdonellfamily.wordpress.com/ It focuses on his McDonald/MacDonald side. On his maternal side are the Goss, Spracklin, Delano, and Keller families which are part of his heritage through his grandmother Amarilla Spracklin Barclay.
Amarilla is featured in another blog: The Barclay’s of Pine River: The Lives of George and Amarilla Barclay ties in very well to this blog about the Goss, Spracklin, Keller and Delano families:
http://barclayspineriver.wordpress.com/
I chose to write the family history using the blog form for many reasons. So if you are looking for a scholarly work you will not find it. This is for my family whose eyes glaze over every time I start talking about our genealogy. Another reason is because it keeps me focused. It is actually helping me to get organized.
You can also go to the right side of this blog and find a list of my other blogs and ones I think are very good.
John, Mary, and their son Peter Keller and me 2007!
Here are some thoughts about the research:
I have done a lot of research on my own, however, a lot of other researchers have contributed to my knowledge by giving me clues. I believe in giving them credit for their efforts. Therefore, those that have given me permission to share will be honored on this blog and I will be happy to refer you to them for more information on their lines.
On the other hand, there are those who have expressly asked me to seek their permission about publishing their findings. I will honor my promises to them as well and seek out that permission or direct others to them for more information.
This will be a big undertaking, so I ask you to be patient!
Here are some suggestions to contribute to this blog:
If you wish to follow along you can subscribe by clicking on the sidebar widget. It will send you an email copy of the most recent newly published post. You will have to fill in your email in the subscription box but it is private and I am the only one who knows who has subscribed. I promise I will protect it. WordPress does not have the Follower section with the faces and little icons like Blogger. The subscription box is how they do it.
The other option is to subscribe in Google Reader or a similar program. I have mine set up to keep track of other blogs and my own. Of course you will need a Google Account but it is free.
The other option is to make a comment. You will find the “Leave a Comment” at the bottom of the post after the categories. Keep your comments less personal but friendly and realize this is not like email.
Anyone of the links above in the first paragraph are another way to get ahold of me.
The other thought is if you wish to share a link to your research, I would certainly consider it. If you want to contribute a post, I am very open to contributions but I do have final editorial rights.
If I discover an error I will make updates so you should go to the Categories on the right of the blog and check the Updates and Corrections under HELPFUL TOPICS. It will lead you to the post(s) that I updated. Mistakes can be made. It takes me several days to put a post together but still there is so much information that problems can happen.
Scott/Waterton Cemetery – Nathaniel Goss and Mary Goss Tombstone 2008
Sincerely: Bonnie
If you would like to chat with me, try this email by cutting pasting into your Email message: bjmcdonell@gmail.com
Your blog is great! I did a double take when I saw the picture of you and John and Mary Keller (our ggg grandparents). My son and I visiting them in June of 2011!!! So sad to see the condition of the the cemetery, though. Thank you for all the great posts.
Hedding is in better shape than some and the stone of John, Mary and Peter is much better. It was covered with black slime the first time I was there. This time it was much better and easier to read although it is made of strange stone. I cut away as much of the rose as I could. The bush that was there before was gone so hopefully it won’t fall over now? Hedding is a little hard to find but you can view it from Google Earth and see where it is located. It is a little hard to park there so make sure you are safely off the highway and lock your car doors because you cannot see your car from the tombstones on the little hill. FindAGrave has a listing for Hedding Methodist Episcopal Cemetery and photographs and directions. Thank you Constance. I love to hear from my cousins!