ROOTS & BRANCHES

In the 20-something years that I’ve been writing this weekly column, I’ve taken a riff from an acquaintance of mine from early in my journalism career—Bill Lumpkin, who for years was titled sports editor at the now defunct Birmingham Post-Herald, my first stop after college.

“Lump,” as a I recall, wrote three columns a week and so it’s not surprising that he didn’t always have one particular subject that was “worth” a full column by itself.

That’s when Lump would begin the column by simply writing, “Hanging out wash,” which was his was of signaling that there’d be a fair amount of stream of consciousness to come.

So, as devoted readers of “Roots & Branches” will remember (yeah, Rick Bender—I’m looking at you!), here’s another “Hanging out wash” installment of the column,

***

By the time this is published, I’ll have attended my first in-person multiday genealogy event since the fall of 2019. Check back next week for my reactions to the Ohio Genealogical Society’s conference at Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, Ohio. I’m making no predictions other than I’m sure there’ll be both a bunch of similarity and some differences vs. pre-Pandemic!

***

There’s still time to register for “Exploring Eastern European Genealogy” sponsored by the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, to be held virtually on this coming Saturday and Sunday, May  –8.

The event brings together four of the best speakers on topics related to this often confusing area: Lisa Alzo, Michelle Tucker Chubenko, Joseph Everett, and Emily Garber. Registrants who can’t attend both days live can access recordings of the conference afterward.

To register, go to https://genpa.org/programs-and-events/

***

If you’re the typical genealogist, I’ll bet it’s often that you have a conversation of any length without involving genealogy, and I’m often no different.

But recently my girlfriend and I had dinner with a spry couple in their mid-80s who are members of our church … they’ve had such fascinating and varied lives that genealogy was left off the table! I wish now I had a tape recorder running! I hope someone in their family has captured an oral history of them—including their 66 years of marriage and youth before that!

***

While I’m known as an 18^th century German specialist, I’m gathering a bit more interest in the recently released 1950 U.S. Census. Groups across the country, including Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, are organizing projects to fully index the millions of people in the census. More information about GSP’s participation in the project can be obtained from admin@genpa.org

***

And with that, the wash is all out on the lines and waiting to dry! What tidbits about your genealogy life are you putting clothespins in?