Heartland Genealogy

  One of the pleasures of organiz ing old family files is rediscovering articles that deserve another look. While going through my MENTZER family files , I found a multi-page history of Neosho Falls, Woodson County, Kansas . The article chronicles the rise, prosperity, and gradual decline of one of southeastern Kansas' oldest communities. Since several branches of my family—including the Mentzer family—lived in Woodson County, understanding the communities where they lived provides valuable context for their lives. Located on the Neosho River , Neosho Falls derived both its name and its early prosperity from the river's natural rapids. According to the article, settlers began arriving in 1857, even before the area was officially opened for settlement. Among the earliest arrivals were Colonel N. S. Goss and I. W. Dow , who reached the area in April 1857. Soon afterward, additional settlers established cabins, stores, a hotel, and one of the county's earliest post offices. ...

 Weathering the Storms Calling all Genea-Musings Fans! It’s Saturday Night again — time for some more Genealogy Fun! Here is your assignment if you choose to play along (cue the Mission Impossible music, please!): 1. Did extreme weather or a natural disaster ever affect you or your ancestor(s)? In what way(s)? How did you find this out? Describe one or more extreme weather experiences in your own life or in the lives of your ancestors. I’m sure extreme weather affected not only my life but also the lives of many of my ancestors. After all, my father’s family lived through the Dust Bowl years in western Kansas, and I remember my grandmother sharing stories about those difficult times. However, for this week’s Saturday Night Genealogy Fun, I’m going to concentrate on some more recent weather events — events that affected my parents and eventually became part of my own memories. A Wedding Surrounded by Water Growing up, I often heard my mother tell stories about her wedding day and ho...

If you've stopped by Heartland Genealogy recently, you may notice that things look a little different over the next few days. That's because it's moving day! After many years on WordPress, I'm in the process of moving Heartland Genealogy to a new home on Blogger. While moving a house is usually a one-day event, moving a blog with more than 2,500 posts, thousands of images, and hundreds of embedded videos takes a little longer. For the next several days (or perhaps a bit longer), you may encounter a few bumps along the way. Some links may temporarily point to the old site, others to the new one, and the site's appearance may change as I update settings and complete the migration. Please be patient while everything settles into its new home. Why the Move? The decision wasn't made lightly. Heartland Genealogy has always been a labor of love. I don't sell advertising, charge subscriptions, or otherwise earn income from the blog. Instead, the goal has always been...