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.

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Medford Revolutionary War Memorial -- Medford, Massachusetts

The Medford Public Library is to the left.

Memorial on the front lawn of the Medford Public Library, Medford, Massachusetts.

ROSTER OF THE FIRST COMPANY OF MINUTE MEN

WHO ASSEMBLED IN MEDFORD AT THE CALL OF PAUL REVERE

AND ENGAGED IN THE BATTLE OF APRIL 19, 1775

BREDIN JACOB	DAVIS JONATHAN	POLLY WILLIAM
BINFORD WILLIAM	DEXTER PAUL	PRITCHARD THOMAS SERGEANT
BLANCHARD ANDREW	FARRINGTON WILLIAM FIFER	PUTNAM ELEAZER
BLANCHARD AARON JR.	FLOYD ANDREW	RICHARDSON ABEL
BRADSHAW ANDREW	FLOYD BENJAMIN	SAVELS BENJAMIN
BRADSHAW THOMAS	FRANCIS JOHN JR.	SAVELS THOMAS
BROOKS CALEB LIEUT.	GREENLEAF JONATHAN CORP.	SMITH JOHN
BUCKNAM JAMES JR.	HADLEY DAVID	TELL GERSHAM CORPORAL
BUCKMAN JOHN	HADLEY MOSES	TEEL JONATHAN
BUTTERFIELD ABEL	HADLEY SAMUEL JR.	TUFTS DANIEL
CALLENDER JOHN	HALL FRANCIS	TUFTS EBENEZER
CLARK JOHN	HALL ISAAC CAPTIAN	TUFTS JAMES JR.
CLEFTON JOSEPH	HALL MOSES SERGEANT	TUFTS JOHN CORPORAL
COLE RICHARD	HALL STEPHEN 4^th ENSIGN	TUFTS JONATHAN
CONERY DANIEL	HALL TIMOTHY JR. DRUMMER	TUFTS ISAAC SERGEANT
CONERY PETER	KEMP JOHN	TUFTS PETER JR.
COOCH ISAAC	LAWRENCE JONATHAN	TUFTS SAMUEL
CROWELL AARON	PAIN RICHARAD	TUFTS SAMUEL 3^rd
CUTTER JOSIAH	PEIRCE BENJAMIN	VINTON DAVID

WAKEFIELD THOMAS WATSON ISAAC

HENRY PUTNAM AGED 62 KILLED IN ACTON

ERECTED BY THE CITY OF MEDFORD

ON THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY

TO COMMEMORATE THEIR VALIANT SERVICE

IN THE CAUSE OF LIBERTY

Friday, October 2, 2015

Wilmington Memorial Library, Wilmington, Massachusetts -- Local History and Genealogy Collection

Wilmington Memorial Library in Wilmington, Massachusetts looks so much like a school, that I missed it the first drive by.

Reference desk as seen from the back entrance door (parking is in the back) and below gives you an idea of the main floor.

Local History, Genealogy, Regional History, and U. S. History collections are located in a small corner away from the center of the Library. The Wilmington local history and genealogy are locked in the file cabinets. The table and chairs are there, but not shown here. I didn't speak with a librarian, so I don't know more than what I'm showing here. I spent time looking through their small website and see they have Ancestry Library.

I love how the Veteran's Collection, Genealogy and Regional History are marked for easy finding and easy retrieval. First time I've seen a collection of books, called, "Veteran's Collection." These shelves are opposite the file cabinets.

The above sign and a coffee machine are the first things you see when you enter through the front door. It's the first time I've seen a coffee machine in any of my previous library visits.

Parking is in the back, and of course, there are woods behind the lot.

Medford Public Library, Medford, Massachusetts -- Local History and Genealogy Section

The Medford Public Library, built 1959, in Medford, Massachusetts was the first library I visited in order to do genealogy research. It hasn't changed in 20 years. With 16 direct lines from this city, I wanted to see what their resources were.

Entrance door.

Reference desk (above), seen as you enter the building, and typical areas in the two below pictures.

The Reference Librarian desk is shown above, and below shows the area for Medford only resources. They are on shelves of the bookcase behind the newspapers hanging. All other reference books are in a closed area to patrons. I feel the collection for the city is quite good, and I took a lot of photos for those interested in Medford.

I spoke with the Reference Library and he told me they subscribe to HeritageQuest Online and Ancestry Library.

Additional photos show more of the Library.

Side view photos taken June 2017.

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Winchester Public Library, Winchester, Massachusetts -- Genealogy and Local History Room

I don't believe you will ever see lovelier library grounds than those that surround the Winchester Public Library, in Winchester, Massachusetts.

The photo above shows back of the library, and the below shows the front.

Old tile around the archway entrance.

Main entrance ground floor, and from the 2nd floor (shown below). The room to the left (below) is part of the original library. Although the entire building looks old (built 1931), a large addition added in 1996 blends in perfectly.

The above, and three following photos are in the old building.

The above, and two following are in the old building.

The above and below is one large room on the main floor of the new building. Below are the reference librarian's desk and great view.

The local history room was locked, so I needed to be let in. While there, I asked a few questions that the librarian couldn't answer, so I don't know much about their holdings. She was forgiven because she recently started working here the month before. She previously worked at the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston.