Monday, August 25, 2014

Blogiversary #6: Blessed with Cousin Connections

Meyer Mahler and Tillie Jacobs Mahler and family, early 1900s
Six years ago, I began my blog with a post wondering when my great-grandpa Meyer Elias Mahler--the gentleman seated at right in this photo--died. (Answer: 1910).

That same summer, I made my first big cousin connection, with the Wood family genealogist who showed hubby how his ancestors are descended from Mayflower passengers. Blogging as cousin bait!

Since then, I've connected with cousins on both sides of my and my hubby's families and expanded our family trees and family stories all over the map. What a joyful journey it's been to "meet" (in person, online, or on the phone) cousins from these extended families (and related families): Burke/Berk, Bentley, Farkas, Mahler, Markell, McClure, Roth, Larimer, Schwartz, Slatter, Steiner, Weiss, and Wood

Some cousins weren't interested in being "found" and simply didn't answer my calls or e-mails or letters. In the past six years, only one cousin has actually told me to buzz off. Before I sent his e-mail to my "junk" file, I saved his final words to share here. He wrote:
There is no need to reply to this email nor any purpose in further
correspondence with me in the future.
Thank you to all my wonderful, loving cousins who have enriched my life and given me so many ideas and so much support as I research the relationships that connect us. The genealogy journey continues!

8 comments:

  1. Happy Blog - versary!!! Has it only been six years? You have discovered so much and made so many connections in that time. In doing so you have enriched the lives of so many "cousins." Congrats and keep up the great work.

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    1. Thank you, Mary! And many more blogiversaries to both of us!

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  2. Congratulations on six years, Marian. Finding and/or being found by cousins is wonderful! Here's to many more years of great blog posts.

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  3. Many thanks for your congrats, Nancy! I have been so delighted to make cousin connections over the years, showing me that my family is a lot larger than I thought when I began this genealogical journey.

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  4. Congrats and Happy Blogiversary!

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    1. Jana, I really appreciate your congrats and all the comments you've made over the years! Here's to future cousin connections...

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    2. Happy Blogiversary Marian!

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    3. Thank you for your good wishes!

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