Since the 1940 Census records were published last week, my eyes have been glued to the computer screen trying to find my parents. On Saturday, I found my mother and today I found my dad. I have been doing research on my family's history for a long time. When I was in my 20's my Aunt Joye wrote me a letter giving me details about various members of the family. But it wasn't until I was in my late 30's before I actually took my first step into actually doing research. I had hired a woman to help me get started. I thought to myself, if this woman can do it, then so can I. The most challenging thing about all of this is that I am working with two very common names: Smith and Campbell.
One of the funniest things I have seen is that one of my cousins is listed two times in two different places two days apart in the same county. He was 16 at the time. He must have thought that it was funny.
The great mystery in my lineage is my Great Grandfather Joseph Rufus Smith who was born in Hamblen County, Tennessee, eight years before his mother Sarah Jane Bailey married Pleasant Thomas Smith. Before Sarah married Thomas Smith, she married a man named Duke Manes, but Joseph was born before they were married too. Who is the mystery father? Don't you just love family secrets? I may have to take a trip to Tennessee to solve this mystery.
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