It Keeps Growing...and Growing...

Like dandelions in summertime, there is no stopping this family tree from growing.  Now over 2,200 people strong, I have just found a new part of the forest to explore.

The only child of George and Tolly (Cloos) Van Hout, Joan Prince, contacted me about my family tree.  She has since provided me with a CD and a pack of papers that has been tremendous in the leaves it has added to our tree.  Not only names for people, but also some of the finer details that I often do not have.  Things such as cause of death, illnesses, religious affiliation, or graduation dates.  Careers are always interesting, especially when you look at how many a person will have today compared to those of a couple generations ago.

With Joan's information, I was once again able to look at Facebook (that wonderful genealogy tool) and meet some of her grandchildren.  The problem with Facebook is that I can get a lot of information from it, but it can't necessarily be trusted, especially with those younger folks who want to appear older so they can have a Facebook account.  I do, however, get enough that I can begin conversations with people.  I am sure that more than a couple of these distant relatives has looked at my message and wondered 1: Who the heck are you? 2: How do you know so much about me? and 3: Why are you asking me all these questions?  Most have been very helpful, others, not so much, but understandable.

I would greatly appreciate any and all information you may be willing to send me.  Here are some that you can simply email to me:  graduation dates, weddings, deaths, religious events, divorces, any other significant events in a family member's life.  The more information I have on a family, the better.

If you are reading this, and you know of other family members that I may not have, please let me know.  I have very little on Beaudry, Steltz, Scheele, Wollschlager, and many of the other families that are not as predominant as the Van Hout/Stodolski base names.  I would also appreciate  any contact information, emails, mailing addresses, etc.

Thanks everyone and I hope to start blogging more about what I am finding out.