Blog | Gray Stabley Genealogy Services

Who Doesn’t Love Finding Ancestors On A Budget?

During this time of year, television ads overflow with sales on toys, home products, and ancestry, especially DNA kits (which are currently on sale until the end of the year). Ancestry.com is a wonderful place to find your long, lost ancestors. But did you know you can do the same thing for free?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sponsors FamilySearch.org where you can create a free account and make many of the same discoveries you’d pay for elsewhere.

There is one major difference between Ancestry and FamilySearch. On Ancestry, you have your own tree to do with as you like. It’s yours and no one else can mess with it without your permission. FamilySearch has ONE universal tree that everyone contributes to.

There are pros and cons to having one tree. The pros include entering minimal information and discovering that your family tree is already there, maybe out to 8-10 generations. But, just because it’s there, however, doesn’t mean it’s correct. You still need to verify the sources you find. It’s quite possible, however, you don’t have to do much work at all to see who’s in your family.

The major “con” is you can add information to an ancestor’s profile and if someone else thinks it’s wrong they can change it…without asking you. That is the most frustrating part, but again it’s FREE.

This week I was messing around with some of their activities found on the menu bar. When I clicked on Famous Relatives, I couldn’t believe I was related to 22 presidents, 2 Mayflower passengers, and other incredible people. Now again, I would have to do the research to make sure this was correct, but what a fun project! I’ve always known my husband’s lineage traced back to the Mayflower, but mine may also.

One last reason to visit FamilySearch is the opportunity to register for RootsTech. The RootsTech Family History Conference takes place annually in Salt Lake City, Utah. I went in person in 2019 and had a ball.

Picture of the RootsTech sign in Salt Lake City...from 2019.

For more information go to this link: https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/home . In the past, if you attended virtually the conference has been free, but check out the website for the latest details.

If you haven’t signed up for an account at FamilySearch, what are you waiting for? It’s fun, it’s informative and it’s FREE.

Genealogy tip: There are so many databases and subscription sites to join, but don’t forget about the ones that offer amazing information at no cost to you.

If you need help navigating FamilySearch or Ancestry, let me know. I can help.

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A Taste Of The Past 2

I have to say…the lemon butter recipe is a hit! I think the women in my dad’s life who made this would be very proud! Those women were part of the Bothwell family of Maryland and New Jersey. Here they are from a 1948 family reunion…my dad’s aunts, uncle, and mom. Ella is on the left, then Carrie (whose recipe book I have), Frank, Grace, Lillian (my grandmother), and Blanche.

Picture of the Bothwell siblings in 1948

This was one of the easiest recipes I have ever tried, so let me show you. The only ingredients you need are eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon rind, and butter (forgot to include butter in the picture 🙁 ) Since this was my first attempt, I decided to halve the recipe in case it didn’t turn out. By the way, you can make this dairy-free by substituting Earth Balance for the butter…that’s what I did.

Ingredients for lemon butter...eggs, sugar, lemon.

Everything gets dumped in. I don’t own a double boiler, so I improvised and put a metal bowl in a heavy pan filled with water.

Ingredients for lemon butter in a bowl on the stove.

Stir continuously to keep lumps from forming.

Well, I stirred and there were still some lumps so a strainer came in handy.

And that’s it! When I tasted it, I was transported back in time to when my Aunt Becky would make lemon butter. What a fabulous feeling! Next time I make this I will not halve the recipe…it’s too good!

There are so many ways to use lemon butter…in a parfait with fresh fruit, as a filling for a tart or warm over homemade gingerbread (one of my favorite winter desserts). The actual recipe can be found in the first part of this post here. What recipes do you have that can give you a taste of the past?

Genealogy tip: If you have a recipe and a picture of the person making the recipe, you can create some wonderful art pieces to put in your kitchen or dining room.

Our past is filled with old recipes, but we have to find those ancestors first. If you need help getting started or breaking through a brick wall, give me a shout.

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A Taste Of The Past

Mom and dad in front of their house in Vermont

My parents vacationed in Vermont every year. For 15 + years they would make the trek from Virginia to Vermont to enjoy the fall foliage, cross-country ski, or just appreciate time together in a beautiful state. Once my dad retired, they made Vermont their home and started a new adventure.

They opened a B&B and welcomed guests from all over the world. Their little corner of the Northeast Kingdom allowed everyone to love the same things about New England that they loved.

Since my dad was a wonderful pianist, music was always a big hit with new friends.

But so was the food. That was Mom’s department. They put together a booklet that included recipes from family and friends, old standby favorites, and several from my dad’s childhood captured in an old (and very worn) recipe book by his Aunt Carrie.

Recipe booklet from The Inn on Pumpkin Lane

Old recipe book from my dad's Aunt Carrie

One of my favorites was Lemon Butter (aka Lemon Curd):

I have fond memories of my Aunt Becky making lemon butter. I have never tried to make it myself, but I think it’s time! Check back with me next week to see how I did and if I discovered any other recipes from this treasured book.

Genealogy tip: Delving into the past doesn’t have to be all about records and documents. Find cookbooks and recipes from your family’s past and try them out on a new generation. You might just encourage a tradition that lasts for years to come.

You never know what may come your way, but help with your ancestry can start here:

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