The introduction of trains into the Hawaiian sugar plantation system was a major advancement. Trains made the shipping of cane from one end of the plantation to another much easier. In the early years, track was laid as needed. Later trains became an integral part of Hawaiian plantation technology. In small way, my ancestors were…
How to Create a Genealogy Timeline
Have you ever gotten stuck with your family tree? If so, you know that any tips or tools that will help you get over the roadblock are invaluable. Timelines are such a tool. They can point to holes in your research. They can show you things that you might not have caught such as an…
When Turkeys Sleep
My Grandma was a very young city bride. She grew up in Oakland, California. While her parents kept some animals, it was very much city life. During the depression, my Grandma and Grandpa made the decision to leave Oakland for the Salinas Valley. Grandpa could find work on one of the sugar beet or other…
Political Affiliation of Our Ancestors
As I’ve been going through the voter registration logs, I’ve noticed a couple of things. First, my ancestors belong to alot of different political parties. I’ve noted Democratic, Republican, Socialist, Progressive, Libertarian, Independent, and the non party “Declined to State”. Remember all those black and white movies depicted women as too silly and naive to…
Did my great grandmother commit voter fraud?
I have been working fervishly in the voter registration indexes for California. What a surprise to find my Great Grandmother registered to vote in 1936. It’s a surprise because she wasn’t a US Citizen. She wasn’t even in the country legally. My great grandfather contracted leprosy while they still lived in Hawaii. He avoided deportation…