My Personal Research in 2014

2014 brought some advances in my personal genealogical research. At the top of the list was visiting Oakwood Cemetery in Milan, Gibson County, Tennessee where Henry F. Wolstenholme and his entire family are buried, Henry F. being my great-grandmother's brother. I also learned Henry  moved from Goodlettsville to Nashville about 1900 and the following year his 14 year old daughter died. Now, if I could just learn where Henry's father, Hugh Wolstenholme Jr., died. Tradition in my family says he died while traveling from Tennessee to Hardin County, Illinois, where his daughter, my great-grandmother, Mary Ann Wolstenholme Smith, lived. I've searched in Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri and found no mention of him. The last time I find him is on the 1880 Davidson County, Tennessee census.

Also, in 2014 I finally visited Nashville City Cemetery, where several people with Smithland  connections are buried.  I am not sure what I expected to see, but I found that many of the tombstones are identical to ones found in Smithland and other old Kentucky cemeteries. The thrill came from photographing and touching the vault where Mary "Mollie" Barner was interred shortly after her death in 1862. Also, it was exciting to see the monument of Joseph Woods, an early Smithland merchant.

The project I spent the most time on in 2014 and probably enjoyed the most is that of early Smithland. It is forcing me to explore records never before used and to think outside the box. I am reserving judgment on its success until more time has been spent on it. Learning about William Croghan and his contemporaries has been exciting, though.

While I am grateful for the advances made in 2014, I wish there had been more. I wish I had found the time or inclination to research Seth and Lydia Flood of Henry County, Virginia. Was Seth, indeed, from one of the eastern states? If so, how and why did he go to Virginia?  When will I get back to researching my elusive Smith family? And my Lucas, Croft, Bebout, etc families?  So much to do ...

One of the greatest things about genealogy is that you are never finished; there is always another family to research. So, on this rainy early January morning, I hope you had some success in your research in 2014 and wish even more for you in 2015.

Published 4 January 2015, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/