Former Auvil.com Site Additions

We're making some progress! With her permission, I've finally begun to integrate the information that was packed into Catherine Auvil's former Auvil Family website into ours. What a daunting task. I hope we're doing it justice.

The Obituary & Tribute section of the old site is now up as are the Auvils In The News and Family Mysteries sections. View what we have so far at The Auvil Family Branch of our site.

I'm not certain how much more I can do before Christmas and the New Year. But in case I don't have time to get back here, let me wish you all a very fulfilling Christmas and a happily hopeful New Year 2008!

~Jolene

Documents Section & Book Searches

Added to the website: A Documents section that can be accessed through the main menu. This new area contains image files of some of our ancestors' vital records, legal records, histories, notes, etc.

Also, on the homepage, you might notice a posterized picture of Todd and me that might require some explanation. The photo is graphically manipulated for several reasons, the least of which is because we're shy. Suffice to say that we take pictures once in a blue moon. There very simply is rarely a reason to, so this photo is one of our more recent. Unfortunately, the lighting was poor and the picture quality, pretty gnarly. This is our attempt at some honesty though, seeing as the set of pictures taken before that had us gasping in awe of how young we looked.

Finally, I wanted to make mention of a very enjoyable conversation I had this afternoon with Bill of Mountain Heritage Books in St. Marys, West Virginia. Turns out we are great admirers of each others states, especially if we're talkin' college football. Our guys did really well this season (Go Mountaineers! Go Warriors!).

I called Bill after receiving a very speedy reply email to my book inquiry. I then decided to purchase a tome from his literal treasure trove of hard-to-find, rare, and out-of-print books most of which are very pertinent to genealogists researching West Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic states. If you have not done so already, I highly recommend that you click on the link above and look through his inventory of general subject, county and family histories, and Civil War books.

Website Update

Now on the website are updated LEAVES pages for:
Johannes Abel
John Peter Auvil
Lewis Kline Auville
John Friel Armstrong
John Nestor

Documents added from the old Auvil.com website and old links updates as well:
Notes on Heinrich Croneis
Revolutionary Service of Johann Abel
Last Will and Testament of Daniel Auvel
Daniel Oval, Bill of Sale

No new pictures have been added to the Gallery yet, but its index is now more comprehensive and easier to navigate.

On The Auvil Front

Once again, I ask for your patience. There are several new and developing situations that require me to rethink the flow of our family website, one of which is my recent acquiring of Catherine dee Auvil's former Auvil website. Catherine and other Auvil genealogists poured their hearts into that project and shared so freely the fruits of their extensive research with people who were just beginning their searches ~ people like me. Not only would it be a shame to let this stuff just sit on my desk, but it feels like it would be a travesty if I didn't share it in the same spirit in which it was created.

Meanwhile, I've been in contact with family members of Auvil branches from which we have never heard before. These genealogists have also done an amazing amount of work. The Auvils are truly a tireless bunch!

Still Standing Still

From time to time, the guilt of not having accomplished much or anything on the genealogy front really gets to me. This is one of those times, and with so many other long-term projects in the works, I know there will be more. I used to think it was just me experiencing an extremely frenzied pace, but after talking to many people, I found that I am not alone. Not even close.

So continue to count your blessings however small, and hang in there, everyone!

Surname Index Completed

Well, whaddya know... I finally finished the surname index. You can now browse for names of individuals indexed by surname. However, it's going to be a long haul in getting up all of these individuals' details. So by all means, should you see someone in the index that you think might be a match in your genealogy for whom we haven't yet detailed, please email us.

To date, these are the individuals who do have detailed pages:

ABBOTT, Basil E. ABEL, Daniel ABEL, Elizabeth ABEL, Johannes ABEL, Johannes AH-NEE, Eddie AH-NEE, Fun-Kum-Liu AH-NEE, Lillian AH-NEE, Lily AH-NEE, Mary AH-NEE, Rose AH-NEE, William AKAU, Charles A. AUVIL, Della AUVIL, Donald Roy AUVIL, Ida M. AUVIL, John Peter AUVIL, John W. AUVIL, Llewellyn AUVIL, Myrtle AUVILLE, Mary Polly AUVILLE, Sarah Catherine CHONG, Edward Yau-Kwong CHONG, Fook-Yee CHONG, Gladys Yuk-Ung CHONG, Soon-Yen COX, Alice COX, Clarice COX, Elizabeth [Betsy] COX, Georg COX, Heinrich COX, William Henry EMO-PUU, Mary Nanamalia Leikukui HARSH, Amelia HARSH, Samuel F. HARSH, Sarah A. HARSH, Stingley B. HARSH, Waitman T. HARSH, William H. HOCHWAERTER, Anna HOCHWAERTER, Anna Catherina HOCHWAERTER, Anna Margareth HOCHWAERTER, Anna Maria HOCHWAERTER, Christopher HOCHWAERTER, Jacob HOCHWAERTER, Johann Michael HOCHWAERTER, Maria Magdalena HOCHWAERTER, Michael HOHWERDER, Valentin HUTTENMEYER, Anna Christina ILALAOLE, Joseph Kamehameha ILALAOLE, Mele Liilii KAIU, Isaac Simeon KAIU, Jennie K. KAIU, Simeon KAPULE, H.M. Queen Kekaihaakulou Deborah LIU, George or Charles LIU, Alexander LIU, Edward LIU, Jarrett LIU, Kemalu LIU, Pearl LIU, Raymond Sr. LIU, [Unknown] LIU, Victoria LIU, Violet LIU, William NESTOR, Arminda NESTOR, Catherine NESTOR, George Washington NESTOR, Jonas NESTOR, Lettice Ann NESTOR, Louisa NESTOR, Margaret NESTOR, Mary NESTOR, Mary NESTOR, Mary Elizabeth NESTOR, Nancy NESTOR, Poling B. NESTOR, Sarah Ann NESTOR, Sarah E. NESTOR, Tobitha PA PA, Kahalewai PA, Kaleo PA, Kalikokepalaihapai PA, Kamikana PA, Kekuawaiolohia PA, Koa PA, Mele Malamalama PIDGEON, Maria Catherine POLING, Amelia POLING, Lettice Ann POLING, Martin C. REED, Debora E. SOARES, Antone SOARES, John Jr. SOARES, John Sr. SOARES, Lillian SOARES, Mary TANIGAWA, Yoshiharu Charles WAHINEKOOLAU WAIALEALE, George Jr. WAIALEALE, George Makaikaipo WAIALEALE, Kealoha WAIALEALE, Mary Kapahu

I'll be giving you updates here as more of these individual pages and pictures in the Gallery become available for viewing.

Calling All Uyehara Families From Yonabaru Chu

Haisai!

I recently received an email from someone researching the Uyehara family of Yonabaru, Okinawa. Looking over my records, I was reminded of why this task is very daunting. My family tree is filled with unrelated Uyeharas and Ueharas. Family members tend to be healthy and very long-lived, which makes a great case for their separate lineages.

Apparently, Uyeharas (or Uehara) in Okinawa are more common than are Smiths in the U.S. If there are any Uyehara families out there, from Yonabaru-chu, we'd be so grateful if you'd chime in here and give us a synopsis of your family history and lineage.

In the meantime, nissei+ Uchinanchu might be interested in rediscovering their rich culture through various avenues. Visit the website of the Hawaii United Okinawa Association, or if you live outside of Hawaii, browse through the Overseas Network of Okinawan associations ~ join one if it's near enough. Listen to the sweet voice and sanshin of Rimi Natsukawa in beautiful songs like Nada Sousou (which inspired Hawaiian artist, Keali'i Reichel, to compose Ka Nohona Pili Kai). Okinawan pop or O-pop incorporates traditional instruments of the culture, which makes for a very unique sound.

And perhaps plan to visit Okinawa in 2011 to participate in the next Uchinanchu Taikai. Every five years, Okinawans from all over the world travel to Mashiki, Ginowan City and are welcomed so warmly, they feel as though they have come home. Lately, their official website did away with the English translations of the 2006 Taikai experience, but you can find reports of this 4-day event all over the internet ~ like here.

It's so interesting to learn about the world's ethnic customs, lifestyles, and languages! If nothing else, genealogy gives us an opportunity to appreciate multiculturalism ~ a policy of respect for other cultures. I've learned quite a bit of geography too in the process. So maybe every once in a while (as opportunities arise), I'll share what I've learned right here.

Stay tuned ~ Mataa Mensore!

Forest For The Trees New Genealogy Blog

Hi Everyone,

I've decided to try out an off-site source for the Forest For The Trees news, announcements, and updates to the site. This way, you can add your comments here as well. I'm not certain how much easier this will be for me or for you, but I guess we're going to find out together. Contact me with your insights and suggestions.

View previous posts and archives at FFTT's on-site blog.

Besides setting up this blog, I intend to finish the surname index soon. After that, I'll try to add more pictures to the gallery (Todd's request). We have more pictures than we thought and more on the way, so this too should be a doozie of a project.

Hang in there with me, gang...

~Jolene