Life From The Roots

The Life From The Roots blog topics have changed several times since I began this blog in 2009. I initially wrote only about the family history I had been working on for 20 years. Years later, I was into visiting gardens, historical homes, churches, libraries that had genealogical collections, historical societies, war memorials, and travel/tourism places. I also enjoy posting autographs and photos of famous people I've met or have seen.

Along with my New England roots, other areas include New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada.

Please check out the labels on the right side for topics (please note, they need work). Below the labels and pageviews is a listing of my top nine posts, according to Google. Four of them pertain to Lowell, MA. These posts change often because they are based on what people are reading.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

There Is A Lot to Like About Lowell -- The Old Meets the New

"There is A Lot to Like About Lowell" is the city slogan.

(See tab on right side called "Lowell Series" for many more articles about Lowell.)

The Old Meets the New

Taken May 2014

The above three photos were taken across the road from the last photo, that of a renovated mill now used for housing.

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Pool or Poole, One of the Hardest Tombstone Tuesday posts to Photograph

I think it is beginner's luck to find your family cemetery stone in the first row, if that is where you begin looking first. Yes, I was very lucky. The photo below is for my 3rd cousin, 5 times removed, and not only is it up front, there is a stone wall around almost two sides of it. Getting a decent photo was made difficult because of the angle, and shade. However, as you can see below, I lightened the stone, as seen by the background and cropped as much as possible. Last step was to straighten the picture.

In memory of

Mr.

Jonathan Pool

who died 25-08

1807 aged 60.

Original photo below.

These two pictures (above and below) show the wall.

Above photo of Jonathan's daughter's tombstone.

In memory of Miss

Nancy Pool, dau.

of Mr. Jonathan and

Mrs. Ann Pool

who died 21 Feb.

1789 aged ___.

Note: I really wish I had moved those leaves. My records show Nancy was 16, and I plan on retaking this photo.

Taken at Laural Hill Cemetery in Reading, Massachusetts, where I have other direct ancestors and family members buried.

Monday, September 1, 2014

Prince Charles and Princess Diana on Veterans Day. See My Photos!

The original date of this post, Thursday, November 12, 2009.

Every once and a while there is an article about Princess Diana, and I'm often reminded of when I saw her in person. Yesterday was the 17th anniversary of her tragic death. This post was written almost five years ago.

____________

November 11, 1985, three hours was a pretty exciting day. The three-hour wait to get a glimpse of Prince Charles and Princess Diana was worth the effort. I claimed my spot just about 7 AM on a rather nice sunny day in Springfield, Virginia, outside of Washington, DC. The sharpshooters and press were already in place at the mall parking lot, where the couple would soon be. They were going to open an exhibit of British merchandise (I think clothes) at J. C. Penney's. Once the motorcade arrived, everybody was so excited, esp. me, since I was at the barricade, and had a great view as they drove past me. The photos are the proof. Once inside the store, we all patiently waited to see what would happen when they left. Well, they both walk over to the crowds, and a lucky few got to shake their hands. There was a policeman in front of me much of the time, so I couldn't take all the pictures I wanted, he was just in the way. A pretty exciting day for Veterans Day.

The original Photo is below.

Another time, maybe in 1993, I was two blocks from where I worked and had heard that Prince Charles was going to visit the Octagon House in Washington, DC. at lunch, I went over with a few co-workers and waited a good hour, but he did show up. A quick wave to us, and he went inside. No press, and very little security. But it got better...I left work at 4:00 and walked by the House, thinking that just maybe I'd see him, and I did, with no wait at all. He must have been right on my schedule because as I walked by, he came out of the House. There were only a handful of people, and he waved and said, "hi." I'll always remember his lovely lavender shirt.

Princess Diana's parents. Edward John Spencer, Viscount Althrop and Frances Ruth Roche on their wedding day at Westminster Abbey - 1954.

Friday, August 29, 2014

Lincoln Public Library, Lincoln, Massachusetts -- History and Genealogy Section

Lincoln Public Library

Lincoln Massachusetts

A war memorial, apparently no others are in town, and I had to post the unusual tree shown below.

A nice private room with plenty of familiar books and a good selection of books about Lincoln. The librarians were very nice here and were able to give me directions to my ancestor's grave.

I was unaware that a children's sing-a-long was going on when I went to the old section of the Library but, soon the voices gave it away. Loved the stained glass, but it's very hard to photograph when the sun is shining through. At least these pictures give you an idea of the beauty of this building.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Leominster Public Library, Leominster, Massachusetts -- Historical & Genealogical Collection

Leominster Public Library, Leominster, Massachusetts

I have never been to Leominster but heard that they had a nice library and a great genealogy collection. I was not disappointed. As with many of the other libraries I've been to, the old building gained a new addition, and as always I love seeing how they did it. When I mentioned my appreciation to a librarian, she said they hired an expert architect who specialized in libraries. These photos (above and two below) were taken in the old section.

The main collection is in the larger of the genealogy two rooms, shown below.

Old Leominster city directories.

The photos below are of the second genealogy room.

Some specific books for Leominster history and to the left, is a row devoted to Johnny Appleseed, who was born in Leominster.

The Roll of Honor for the War of 1861-1865 was recently moved to the first floor and because of the lighting, I wasn't able to get a good picture. When I mentioned that fact to the librarian, Jeannine T. Levesque, she quickly showed me the book where all the photos were, with the soldier's names and a short bio, including the cause of death. A photo of the book is "Leominster Historical and Picturesque" by William A. Emerson (google book, the below photo is on page 53.