In the wake of the Vietnam War, a quiet movement began, sweeping across American high schools. The POW/MIA bracelets, slender circles of metal, were worn not as mere ornaments, but as symbols of solidarity and remembrance. And in the midst of this, a mother working at the Air Force Academy and her young daughter found themselves bound to the stories of two such soldiers.

The mother wore a bracelet inscribed with the name of RalphThomas Browning, who had gone missing on July 8, 1966. The daughter, however, carried a name that would hold a deeper, more poignant connection: James W. Widdis Jr. He had disappeared on March 23, 1969, a date that would some day haunt her, as it was just two days before her 12th birthday.

Both mother and daughter wore their bracelets with a mix of pride, hope, and a quiet longing. They often found themselves deep in thought, wondering about the fate of these soldiers. While the mother received joyous news of Browning's release from the "Hanoi Hilton" in 1973, the daughter's quest for answers about Widdis's fate continued. Years flowed by, and the daughter's journey into adulthood saw the bracelet of James W. Widdis Jr. tucked safely into a jewelry box, but never far from her thoughts.

The passing of her mother in 1991 brought another bracelet into her care - that of Browning, a stark reminder of their shared hope. With the dawn of the digital age, she finally found the closure she had been searching for. The discovery was bittersweet: James W. Widdis Jr. had perished on the very day he went missing.

Drawn to pay her respects, she ventured to his final resting place at the Air Force Academy Cemetery, a bracelet adorning her wrist. A silent tribute, it signified decades of hope, longing, and finally, understanding. Their intertwined journey, one of a mother and daughter connected by bracelets and the tales they held, stands as a testament to the silent sacrifices made during wartime and the enduring bonds that they foster.

In a newspaper article from March 18, 1973 in the Colorado Springs, Gazette and from the "Associated Press" titled:

Poetry Was Written by POW’s in N. Viet Camps.
"Their bodies were imprisoned, but their minds sought freedom. They sought it through verse, the poet POWs of the Hanoi Hilton.”

Stacey Wallace Rehbein FamilyDig.net
©2023

Why do genealogists work so hard to find those ancestors that lived as close to the beginning of time as possible?  It’s fun, it’s interesting and you learn about where and who you come from.  Right? Of Course! But, how much do you really learn? Many times in the search for family, you are left with just names and dates that some fairly good assumptions can be made from.  But, wouldn’t it be nice to have their “real story”?  Think about yourself as an ancestor to countless future generations instead of just a descendant of the past. Technology helps us locate, share and duplicate information in such a quick and efficient manner, that it gives us the chance to be forward thinking ancestors.  Use that technology and start writing what you remember about those friends and family that have passed on already. This isn’t just about genetics; it’s about who you consider family.  Even one or two thoughts are significant.  Remember those you’ve been meaning to call, email or text? Do it! Scan and identify all your ancestor photo, along with more recent family photos. Write down those childhood memories that mean so much to you. Start a diary on your computer or tablet. Use the notes section in an online tree to capture those interesting tidbits of information that you do have.  Your story doesn't have to have perfect grammar, spelling or style. It’s about passing everything forward.  Catch up with your, Here and Now and be a Future Ancestor!

Stacey Wallace Rehbein ©

FamilyDig.Net

Eliza Brannon - Daughter of Ichabod Crane

It will be remembered that on the 20th of July last, Mrs. John M Brannan, wife of Captain Brannan, of the U.S. Army, mysteriously disappeared.  Her husband was then at Key West, Florida on duty, and Mrs. Brannan was residing with her mother, the widow of Col. Crane, of the U.S. Army, at Chelsea, Staten Island.  Mrs. B. remained at the North by advice of her brother, Doctor Crane, of the army, who suggested this course as indispensable to the restoration of her health, which had been seriously impaired by a fever contracted while she was with her husband in Florida.  One result of the fever had been the rendering of her subject to severed and prostrating headaches, which occurred frequently, and often compelled her to take to her bed.

When Mrs. Brannan disappeared, she was in the 31st year of her age, and had been married to the Captain since the 16th of September, 1850.  The only issue of their marriage is a female child named ALIDA, now about 7 years old, who resided with her mother at Mrs. Colonel Crane’s, and is now under the care of that lady.

It appears that on the morning of the 20th of July, Mrs. Crane, Mrs., Brannan, her brother William and the child ALIDA rode together from the house of the former to the steamboat landing, called the Chelsea Landing.  There the two ladies separated from the child, (Mrs. Brennan kissing her daughter, as was her invariable custom when they parted), and took the 8 o’clock boat for New-York.  Mrs.  Brennan left her mother in the City to visit a friend, agreeing to meet her on the boat which was to leave for Chelsea at 3 1/4 o’clock P.M. that day.  She was seen at the Port Richmond Ferry by Mr. George Vreeland, an Express Agent, shortly after the boat had left, having arrived to late, and was again seen at the same ferry that evening at 7 0’clock,, under circumstances hereafter stated.  Mrs Vreeland knew her well, was recognized by her at that time and observed that she seemed disappointed.  As she did not meet her mother, nor return home that night, her absence soon occasioned anxiety; and when so much time had elapsed as made it apparently certain that she was not to return, measures were tab to discover what had become of her.  To this object, her brother, Dr. Crane, sedulously devoted himself, enlisting the services of police, of detectives and others; inquiring at the various places where cars or steamboats left, and otherwise investigating whatever might possibly furnish a clue to her whereabouts.  Rewards for this purpose were offered by the Doctor,  and also by the Supervisors of the County of Richmond; but no information as to what became of her was obtained.  Various rumors as to her having gone away voluntarily, 2nd being at different places stated, were then current, as many of a similar nature have been since.  All of them have been investigated and found groundless.

While the efforts to gain some account of her were progressing, a Mr. Pickersgill, who on the day of disappearance, resided on Staten Island communicated the following facts:

Mr. Pickersgill left New York that evening for the Quarantine, by the 7 o’clock boat.  Just after the Port Richmond boat had passed out of her slip a lady dressed in full mourning, and attired as Mrs. Brannan is proved by her mother to have been that day, came to the ferry and finding that she was too late, exhibited some agitation.  The boat for Quarantine had then moved from the wharf, and persons who noticed the lady apprized her of the fact that was the last boat for the island that night  The boat was backed to the wharf, she came on board and passed into the cabin - the collector having informed her that she could get a carriage at Quarantine to take her to Port Richmond.  These incidents and the fact of her being unattended, Drew Mrs Pickersgill’s attention to her.  He observed near her, at one time, a man dressed in black, whom he first supposed was acquainted with her, but this opnion soon abandoned, as they did not converse or communicate with each other in any way.  When the boat reached the Quarantined landing, she passed off it alone, and walked towards a livery stable close by, kept by a Mr. Matthew Carroll, being followed at a short distance by the man in black.  She spoked to Mr Carroll, left him, and went to the driver of a public hack or carriage then standing in front of Mr. Carroll’s stable.  Immediately after she entered the vehicle.  Then the man in black, after apparently speaking to the driver, also got in and took a seat beside her, but they did not communicate with each other.  Just about this time, a driver of Carroll’s named Daly, had started off with his carriage, in which were two servant women, who had come down in the seven o’clock boat.  One of the women had forgotten a hat-box, and Daly was obliged to return with his vehicle and get it.  He then set out again following the carriage in which the lady and gentleman were seated and which was but a short distance in advance of him.  It appears that these hacks are used in the same manner as stages or omnibuses, and it is common for persons going in the same direction to ride in them together, although not acquainted with each other.  The carriages separated at a point distant about a third of a mile from the landing, and went in different directions; that containing the lady and man taking the road to Port Richmond - a part part of which is through a dense wood.

This revelations being made by Mr. Pickersgill, a complaint was on the 31st of August, 1857, made before Justice De Forest, of Tompkinsville, Staten Island, and an investigation had.  Pickersgill was examined,Mr. Matthew Carroll, his son John Carroll and all the drivers and employees of Carroll, as well as the other persons who on the day or evening in question had vehicles at the landing.  But it was not discovered who drove the carriage containing the lady and man, nor what had become of driver, horses, vehicle or passengers.  The elder Carroll, however, testified to the important fact that, on the arrival of the 7 o’ clock boat that evening, a lady dressed in black, came to hime, and asked him how much he would charge to take her to Port Richmond, and before he had answered the question inquired of him whether he knew Colonel Crane.  He answered in the negative, adding that he knew the Colonel’s son, William.  She then left him and he never saw her again, nor was he aware of ever having seen her before.  There was no means by which a vehicle could leave the island that night, the last boat from it having them gone and there being not bridge or carriageway between any part of the island and an opposite shore.

Nothing in this state of facts warranted the Justice in holding any party, and now warrant was issued by him.  Captain Brannan having obtained leave of absence, arrived in New York on the 21st day of September, traveling with all possible dispatch, but having been compelled to wait until he procured leave.  He forthwith set on foot new inquiries, ad engaged the services of George w. Matsell, Esq, late chief of Police, to aid in solving, if possible, the mystery which then shrouded the fate of Mrs. Brennan.  The Chief with the Captain ad other persons called to his aid, explored the region of Staton Island over which she would have passed on her way home, made a thorough search of the woods, dug in many places where the appearance of the the earth indicated that a grave might be found, and had the ponds in a neighborhood dragged, but all to no purpose.  From that time to the present, having  procured his leave to be extended, he has devoted himself continually and indefatigably, to search for the person of his wife, or some information as to her fate, having in the effort the advice and assistance of Lot. C. Clark and James T. Brady, the former of whom is a well-known counsellor-at-law, residing on Staten Island,  the operations thus carried on were key secret, in the hope that something might thus be accomplished, and all the while rumors, such as have already been mentioned, were rife in the community.  Notne of them however, has proved to e in any particular correct, and beyond the established facts that Mrs. Brennan went to Staten Island in the 7 o’ clock boat, on the evening of the 20th of July, there spoke to Mr. Carroll as stated, and got into a public carriage, nothing whatever as to her whereabouts has been ascertained.

When the efforts so made proved thus fruitless, Captain Brannan, by advice of his counsel, on the 27th day of January last instituted a new complaint before Justice L. H Haggerty, or Port Richmond, on Staten Island, alleging his belief that his wife had been murdered.  On this a thorough investigation has been had under the direction of Alfred DeGroot, Esq.,District Attorney of Richmond County, aided by Mr. Matsell and Meesis, Clark and Bradi.  Pickersgill, the two Carrols, all the drivers and employees before mentioned, and every other person who might possibly threw light on the case, have been examined.  And on this occasion Mrs Crane, Capt. Brennan, and Dr. Crane have given their testimony.

Mrs. Brannan was a lady of refined education and demeanor, religious in feeling, fond of literature, of a domestic disposition, affectionate and devotes as taught, mother, sister, and wife.  Her relations with her family and society were such as to preclude the ideas of her voluntarily separating herself from her husband, child and kindred, and keeping the in utter ignorance as to whether she was living or dead.  At the time of her disappearance, and for some time previously, she had contemplated, and was making arrangements for a visit to Maine, and thence to the White Mountains with her child and her friend Mrs. Anderson.  to this visit the looked forward with pleasure.  She had also, by correspondence with her husband, settled upon joining him at Key West in the Fall, which was deemed the season most suitable for that purpose, in reference to her health’ and in view of this event the had purchased furniture for her intended home at Key West, some part of which had even then been shipped.  She had about her person when she went away, only the garments she wore, a parasol, a watch and chain, her wedding ring, a diamond, the gift of her husband, and a purse containing a small amount of money.  She had to reticule, traveling-bag, valise, or other article for a similar use.  All her other apparel, trinkets, letters, and personal effects, were, are are, in her mothers house at Chelsea.  These facts exclude the belief that such a wife, mother, or daughter, would secretly abscond.  They seem to leave no other explanation of her fate than that her one ended on Staten Island during the night of the 20th of July.  Whether she was assassinated for the sake of the articles in her possession, or to conceal violence attending an outrage of her person, or whether she died from the terror consequent on an attempt to curate her person, are questions which cannot a present be answered.  The suggestions made thoughtlessly or otherwise, intimating that Mrs. Brennan is yet alive, emanate from those who know nothing whatever about her.  If there be any person who can state, under oath, a single fact calculated to show what has become of her, it is earnestly desired and solicited the such person’s name and address be forwarded to Mr Matsell; and the proof thus rendered will at once be taken.  But there is nothing whatever, not known to warrant the belief that anything can be so stated which will not confirm the theory that she has been murdered.

Published: February 16, 1859  (The New York Times)

Part 1

Did you know that Ichabod Crane was a real person and parts of his family story are more chilling than "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"?  Ichabod had died some 30  years ahead of his horrific, real life story.  "Dead or Alive" it was still a Nightmare!

That being said, I still have a certain fondness for Sleepy Hollow.  My Great Great Grandparents, William and Euphemia Wallace, after immigrating to New York in 1848, settled close to Sleepy Hollow in Tarrytown and Mt. Pleasant, New York.   During that time, their son William went to the Monroe School for Boys and later served with the New York Cavalry Rifles during the Civil war.  Soon after his return from the war in 1867, William married Euphemia Reynolds, a New York Debutante.  They had 3 sons and a daughter by the time they moved  to Leadville, CO in the 1870’s.  Here, their sons became Miners and their mother, Euphemia, became an accomplished Real Estate Broker.  At one time their father William was identified as a Veterinarian in the census.  He also owned his own Florist Shop, while still living in Leadville.  This family descends from many generations of Landscape Gardener’s in Perthshire, Scotland.

The Wallace’s youngest son Harry died in late 1894 at the age of 23.  Diagnosed as having Albuminuria, known only as a sign of Kidney Disease, during that period in time.  More likely, he died from complications of what is now known as Diabetes. It wasn't until 1910 that a Doctor found, Diabetes resulted from a lack of Insulin. So, needless to say, not many understood this disease and at one point.  Harry’s death was wrongly identified as a drug overdose.  He was my Great, Grand Uncle and after clarifying how he really died; we located his gravesite in the Leadville, Cemetery and created a new Marker for him.  "May he Rest In Peace".  The rest of the family moved to Winfield in 1889 to try their luck at silver mining and stayed until the early 1900's. After which they moved to Colorado Springs.  Always keeping their ties to the tiny little cabin they built in 1889, named SELDOM INN.

I wonder if William Wallace ever read, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”?  When a child, did he worry about the headless horseman riding through the night, seeking revenge? Did it deliver a resonating shiver down his spine? It may never have crossed his mind that Ichabod Crane might be a bonafide, living person.

So who really was Ichabod Crane?

Was he the tall, skinny, superstitious, school master, made famous in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”?  Not exactly.  As a matter of fact, Ichabod Bennett Crane, born on July 18, 1787 had a lifetime military career, starting in 1809 with the US Marines and then accepting a commission into the Army in 1812 as a Captain. He served on the Niagara Frontier and as such, helped build Fort Pike in Sackets Harbor.

The New York Governor of the time, Daniel D. Tompkins (1807-1817), was inspecting the defenses in the Sackets Harbor area. He happened to have an aide-de-camp traveling with him by the name of Washington Irving. Yes, that Washington Irving! Guess who Irving met at Sackets Harbor? None other than, Ichabod Crane! Washington Irving used the real Ichabod’s name for a character in his story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”. Much to the nightmarish annoyance of, Ichabod Crane.

Colonel Ichabod Bennett Crane, died October 5, 1857, while still on active duty; less than a year before his daughter’s nightmare disappearance.

JULY 20, 1858. Just another day in Manhattan? Maybe? But not for Clarissa Elizabeth Bannan, daughter of Ichabod Crane. A new nightmare was on the rise!

THE STATEN ISLAND MYSTERY  

https://www.familydig.net/the-staten-island-mystery/

Stacey Wallace Rehbein © 2022

More at - stacey@familydig.net

Celebrating the 140th Anniversary of Winfield, CO and the 50th Anniversary of Clear Creek Canyon Historical Society!!  It's been almost a century and a half since Phillip Henry Symons and the Dulcouth Group first platted the town of Winfield.  It started as the town of Florence, then Lucknow and finally given the official name of Winfield.  Simply because, Winfield was the name of the town Post Office.  History also tells us that Phillip Henry and the Dulcoath Group offered 50 X 100 lots for free, to anyone willing to  live there.

Phillip Henry Symons is buried in the Winfield Cemetery, along with his wife Hattie and several other past residents who died under various circumstances. This summer the Clear Creek Canyon Historical Society will attempt to honor those brave souls by revealing the true stories about some of those past residents buried in that same cemetery.  

Many of them may still walk the night on that small plot of land above 10,000 ft.; patiently waiting for someone to bring their past lives, back to the present, to preserve for the future.

© Stacey Wallace Rehbein

Photo of Phillip Henry Symons © S. Wallace Family Photo's

Who remembers the early 70's?  Who remembers P.O.W.- M.I.A. bracelets?  The Vietnam War was a big deal during my High School years.  Don't waste too much time trying to figure out how old I am. If you were in High School in the 70's you would already have a good idea.  These bracelets were a big part of my High School experience. They were first created in May 1970 by VIVA (Voices in Vital America). Their purpose was, and still is to increase public awareness regarding the plight of American Prisoners of War, still missing and unaccounted for. (Find Memorial Bracelets)

My mother worked at the Air Force Academy for several years in the 70's and she brought home two of the first P.O.W/M.I.A. bracelets that had been seen there. She gifted one to me and came home wearing her own.  I remember us wearing them faithfully for James W. Widdis, Jr. missing, 23 Mar 1969 and  Ralph Thomas Browning missing, 8 Jul 1966.

I always wore my bracelet, even though it was really too big for me.  It was bent in the middle from trying to make it a little smaller for my wrist size.  I kept the little plastic bag and card explaining its use and purpose.  The instructions were to wear it and never take it off until your soldier returned home.  I had been so resolute and committed, until my resolve quietly faded away.  Graduating High School, getting a job and becoming a responsible adult was next on the list. As life in general took over, my M.I.A. soldier, James W. Widdis, Jr., became more of a precious and sentimental High School memory, still tucked safely away in my tiny little childhood jewelry box.

While my M.I.A. soldier remained missing, my mom's P.O.W, Ralph Thomas Browning came home alive.  He had been kept prisoner at the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" and the news of his return was better than most could hope for. Ralph Thomas Browning was alive and returned, 12 Feb 1973, at which time he was a United States Air Force command pilot.

In Veteran Tributes.org it is told that Browning, "Was forced to eject over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War on July 8, 1966. After spending 2,412 days in captivity, Capt. Browning was released during Operation Homecoming on February 12, 1973. He was briefly hospitalized to recover from his injuries at Maxwell AFB."

"His Silver Star Citation reads:

For gallantry and intrepidity in action in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force during the period from July 8, 1966 to July 20, 1966, while a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam. Ignoring international agreements on treatment of prisoners of war, the enemy resorted to mental and physical cruelties to obtain information, confessions, and propaganda materials. Captain Browning resisted their demands by calling upon his deepest inner strengths in a manner which reflected his devotion to duty and great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force ."  

After having a successful military career he retired Sept 1, 1992, as Brigadier General Ralph T. Browning!  

So, my mom's P.O.W came home!  As exciting and thankful as I was, it was a bittersweet moment.  Where was my M.I.A, James W. Widdis, Jr. and what was he doing at that exact moment in time? He was still not accounted for.

Then in 1991 my mom sadly passed away at the age of 52.  I inherited her jewelry box and inside was her P.O.W. bracelet for Ralph Thomas Browning.  It brought back a flood of memories and motivation to again prevail in my search for the fate of James W. Widdis, Jr.. Unfortunately, I still could not acquire any news of his fate. My tiny little jewelry box now holds two bracelets.

What seemed a lifetime went by quickly. I realized that I should, once again, try to find James Widdis' final fate.  It was surprisingly easy to discover what I had been waiting for and hoping to uncover for so long.  I found a final report for James W. Widdis, Jr. who was brought home to his final resting place, October 18, 1996. It had happened!  He was brought home and I finally understood his fate and happy he didn't have to wait for me to make that discovery. Not really knowing how to feel about how long it took me to know his final fate, I was still elated to know that James W. Widdis was home, where he belonged.

Here is what is said to have happened to him:  (found at pownetwork.org.)

"Some of these A26s were assigned to the 609th Special Operations Squadron at NKP. On March 23, 1969, an A26A departed NKP on a combat mission with a crew consisting of Capt. James W. Widdis Jr., pilot, and Capt. Robert C. Davis, navigator. As the two were about 15 miles west of the Ban Karai Pass, the aircraft was struck by hostile fire.

No parachutes were seen and no beepers were heard, but the opportunity
existed for the two to safely eject, and they were listed missing in action.
Davis was determined presumed dead in 1975, and Widdis in 1978. During the
period they were listed missing, Widdis was promoted to the rank of
Lieutenant Colonel and Davis to Major" and  "On October 18, 1996, Joint Task Force–Full Accounting (JTF-FA, now DPAA) identified the remains of Major James Wesley Widdis Jr., missing from the Vietnam War."

All of the sudden, my questions were answered and I was at a loss. What do I do now with the bracelet in my tiny little jewelry box?  I had previously contemplated that if I could find his family, I would give it to them.  However, I quickly realized, I had no personal relationship with James W. Widdis.  None the less; still just as real to me.  It was like reading an exciting mystery novel that ends abruptly in the middle and no happy ending.  Not knowing what to do next, I asked myself a question. What would be the best way for me to honor his life and the life he gave for his country?

Hmmm? I don't live too far from Colorado Springs, why don't I go pay my respects to him at his final resting place and say my goodbye's there. He lies in the Air Force Academy Cemetery in Colorado Springs. When I get there, I will be wearing James W. Widdis' bracelet from my tiny little jewelry box; where it will stay.

My mom saved a newspaper article from March 18, 1973 in the Colorado Springs, Gazette.  It is an article from the "Associated Press" titled: Poetry Was Written by POWs in N. Viet Camps. The article begins: "Their bodies were imprisoned, but their minds sought freedom.  They sought it through verse, the poet POWs of the Hanoi Hilton. One of the poems was written by Air Force Captain, Ralph "Tom" Browning. This is what was written:

Air Force Capt. Ralph "Tom" Browning, 32, shot down July 1966 over North Vietnam, wrote a poem to his wife Ann, upon learning of the cease-fire:

The brilliance of sunlight in adolescent morn

More radian than crystal

It seems to say

There will be warmth and calm today . . .

Love's flame burns brighter than every before

I pledge you my love Evermore

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Stacey Wallace Rehbein

Family Dig Inc. © 2021

How to keep your family stories alive for years to come!

I recently read an old letter to my great great grandmother from her brother.  It was written in 1907, when he was 29 years old! This gave me a small flash of that time period and everything he wrote about was just his everyday life!  I was anxious to read more, as he said he was living in a tent and wished his sister could be there with him.  He also told about how his life was the best it had ever been, because he had just "received a raise to .50 cents an hour" and was able to buy a chicken for dinner.  This excitement to buy a chicken made me pause to think about the real struggles he was going through and gave me a little peek into his reality.  It was a window to the past that made me feel strangely connected.

How many times have you pondered something like: “Where were my ancestors from and what were they really like?  New discoveries in the field of DNA research and the digitization of billions of records has given us some insight into those questions. However, we still want more. We continually crave greater insight into their personalities and thoughts. Our curiosity has been peaked and the more we discover about our own ancestors, the more we want to know.  We have the unique opportunity to pass forward our own experiences to future generations and answer the question; "What were they really like?" Here are some great starts and tips on how to get your own day-to-day life stories recorded and preserved and "Pass It Forward" for generations to come.

• WHETHER it's using voice Memo's, leaving notes on your Phone or writing it down in a notebook. Find what works for you, to be ready for those anywhere, anytime memory flashbacks. With the outset of those memories safely claimed, create yourself a word/pages document and give it a creative title. I named mine, “Thanks for the Memories".  With those precious and precarious reflections, take time to summate a rough timeline for yourself and think about what you could do with those memories and the memories of others closest to you.

• IF A live recording of those memories to the future, is more to your liking. Here is a brilliant App that can make it happen and it's free. You may have already heard of "Story Corps".  Using your phone or compatible device, this App will help you record your live stories. You can then share the recordings directly with your family and choose whether or not to also share them on the "Story Corps" website. Here, they will be archived at the Library of Congress where they can be accessed for free by future generations.  What a great way to pass it forward!  Check it out at storycorps.org

• IF YOU love pen and ink, a good old fashioned journal may be your cup of tea for writing to the future.  Make it fun with a journal from your favorite stationary store or website.  No nee to scour through your notes or edit for a rewrite.  It's perfect the way it is!  Baron Fig  or Moleskine have a nice variety of journals.

• ANCESTRY lets you create a free private family tree, where you may add living family members and/or deceased ancestors. The living are automatically listed as "private" and are only viewable by the owner of the tree.  You may also keep photos and documents in your tree, but no video. (Hint:  If you only want the free tree and don't want to pay for search options, DO NOT choose the free trial.  Instead, look in the black tool bar toward the top of the main page and choose "Trees".  Here you can create a free tree without a free trial.)  Ancestry.com

• FAMILY SEARCH, Family Tree is a shared, public tree.  Information about deceased relatives can be seen by anyone who searches for that relative on FamilySearch.  To protect privacy, any information about living people on the Family Tree can only be seen by the person who entered it, in his or her private space. July 9, 2019  FamilySearch.org

• LAST but not least. You can print your documents, stories and photos to create a lasting account with your own family history book.  Publish it yourself at a print shop to keep for yourself and a few closer relatives. Or, have it printed and available for sale using Amazon at a very reasonable price. Check it out. kdp.amazon.com

Please take advantage of the many and diverse media choices to help you "PASS IT FORWARD"!

© 2021 Stacey Wallace Rehbein

FamilyDig, Inc.

Everyone has a story.  Somewhere hidden in our time to live, there is something special that makes us unique to others; something of which we are completely and totally unaware.  As a matter of fact, that “something” is a fascination to others and we may never become fully acquainted with that individual called “self”, if we don’t go digging for more.

For millennia mankind has been pressing kith & kin into the future by preserving their past.  It’s part of who we are, were and will be.  Making ourselves aware of how special and interesting we are!  That’s what discovering and pressing the past forward is about.

Before starting on my own family discovery, I was convinced my family was about as “boring” and “ho hum” as you could get.  Through a plethora of events I ended up being the keeper of the family tomes.  However, at that stage of my life I had no time to devote to it.  More life passes by, one thing after another and I soon find myself with no immediate relatives to speak of.  Asking myself, “Who am I and Who were they?”.  So, I decided to find out.  Not even anticipating what incredible things I would “dig up” about my ancestors or myself, and it all started with a simple thought and no experience .

In the spring of 2006 I thought I would like to check into my father's side of the family history.  My grandfather and I were fairly close. At least as close as you can get to a man who doesn’t like to talk much!  He passed away in 1993 and all I knew of his forbears was, my great grandfathers name, where he had lived and about the time he died.  I thought I would start looking for this great grandfather’s obituary.  I contacted my local library and found they could obtain his obituary for me. However, it took about 6 months to get a copy because the facility that had this info was changing locations. So I had to wait.  When I finally received it, I discovered he had moved to Leadville, CO from Tarrytown, New York, when he was about 4 years old.  The family then moved to someplace called Winfield, CO and then on to Buena Vista, CO.  Winfield intrigued me, because in my memory, my grandfather had a cabin he called Winfield that I visited when I was very young.  All I could remember about this cabin was it’s name and it was an A-Frame cabin.  My kids were going to camp in July so my husband and I took a few days off to go do some family history sleuthing.  July finally comes! We drop the kids off at camp and head for a Rocky Mountain High.

Stopping at Leadville’s local library, we find “directories” showing where the former New Yorker’s lived and some census info.  We found my great-great-grandparents living in Leadville with their four children and my great-grandfather being one of them.  I asked the librarian if she had heard of someplace called Winfield?  She said it was a little ghost town down the highway a few miles and then up into the mountains on a dirt road for about 12 miles. This place is higher than Leadville which is 10,152 feet.  The highest incorporated city in the US.  We decided to take a look.  Good thing it was summer!  I though my grandfather probably named his cabin after this place or it was just some common name used around this area (I didn't know where my grandfather's cabin was, only that he named it Winfield).  We found Winfield and went exploring, finding an old school house and a few cabins.  One of the cabins had old photographs inside.  As I peered through the window I saw the old photos labeled with my great-grandparents names.

I had hit the jackpot!   Looking further, a bonus!  My great great grandparents with photos!  I was totally shocked!  It was too weird to be real!  I did not know any of this. Since that time, I have followed my Wallace line back to my 6th great grandfather Robert Wallace in 1690 Scotland; the land of my ancestors and so much more.

Stacey Wallace Rehbein

© 2021

We are back!  Ready to help with ancestor searching, DNA deciphering, "How To" help and all things Genealogy!  Dig around the site and tell us what you think.

My name is Stacey Wallace Rehbein and my goal is to help you get started on your own family dig.  Whether it be with my personal help, or introducing you to the many free options within the expansive domain of free genealogy. My goal is to guide you in a direction that will work best for you.  

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